Chapter 24:Cuteness and Reflection
(Sapphire)
Pain.
All Sapphire could physically feel was pain. Up and down her body were cuts, bruises and bandages covering deeper lacerations caused by tree branches when she fell. Her left foreleg and right hind leg hurt the most along with one side of her ribcage. The Timber Wolves had left their make on her now, since Theran had no choice but to use his healing magic to stop the bleeding, giving her, her first scars. The reason they still hurt even after the healing was because the Timber Wolves nearly tore her in half, which as a result had put a lot of stress damage on those limbs, preventing her from walking properly. There was only so much healing magic could do, and she learned this the hard way.
Theran had explained to her that the pain shouldn’t last too long and she should be able to walk again in the morning after some rest. Now that wasn’t so bad if it wasn’t for her wing. Luckily she hadn’t actually broken it to her relief, but it had been sprained rather badly and had been put in a splint which was very uncomfortable. Theran had strictly band her from flying now until her wing was healed but she doubted he would let her fly ever again after her foolish act. Violet gave her an ear full for that.
But at least she didn’t have to listen to anymore scolding from Theran or Violet since they went out to get their camping stuff and had been gone for a while. Now it was just her, Haze and that Wolven called Teven but she was nowhere to be seen.
Sapphire was laying on her back, with her head resting on a big rock. She had her forehooves resting on her belly while she stared dully at her hind ones. She thought about what happened, how she nearly died cause of her own foolishness. She only wanted to prove herself, to show that she was capable but she only ended up making it worse. She let out a deep sigh. “I’m probably going to have nightmares tonight.” She thought to herself as still fresh memories of snarling Timber Wolves played in her mind.
She looked to her left and gazed over at Haze lying on her side watching the campfire with soft sleepy eyes. She still couldn’t believe what Haze did, not just the whole cloning thing, which was freaking awesome but the fact she saved her life. Selflessly putting herself in harms way to protect a friend was so…
Sapphire didn’t know what was happening to her during that time of danger but something changed in her. She hadn’t really thought about it before but now…now she couldn’t stop. When she looked at Haze now she felt something, and the feeling was so alien to her. It was like a shaky feeling deep in her chest she didn’t know how to describe and it actually hurt. It was almost like she was longing for something. A sudden urge came over her to sit up and she winced loudly, catching Haze’s attention.
“Sapph?...Are you ok?” Haze asked as she too sat up and looked over to her in concern.
“No…” Sapphire strained to say as she put up a hoof and sat up. “I’m fine…just…a little stiff.” Stiff was an under statement, everything bloody hurt.
Haze still looked concerned and edged forward from her sitting position. “Do uh…want me to help you with that?” Haze asked in an unsure way.
Sapphire blushed and felt her good wing stiffen slightly. “Uh no…” She was glancing from side to side as her nerves began to surface. “I’m fine, really I am just uh…need a stretch.” She did need a stretch and when she tried all her muscles protested. Her face went red with pain as she reached the peak of what her sore limbs could endure. “See…” She strained. “Just a stretch…oooooouuu…”
Haze was blinking in confusion and when she spoke she sounded unsure again. “Uh…oh, ok…um I was only wondering if you…wanted a…a back rub. Like the one you gave me.”
That did sound rather tempting, her back hurt like it had been nipped by the tip of a dragon’s claw and she would give anything to relax but… “Nah I’m fine really.” She really wasn’t.
Haze blinked again, this time rather sleepily. “Oh ok, cool so you don’t mind if I lay next to you? My head really hurts and, well I don’t have a pillow so…”
“Fine!” Sapphire blurted suddenly as her cheeks began to heat up. “I mean sure why not.”
Haze didn’t seem not notice Sapphire’s odd behaviour thankfully, as she sluggishly trotted over to her. “Thanks.” She said and lay next to her. She put her head right on Sapphire’s lap and her cheeks began to turn red. She stayed like that for a couple of seconds awkwardly looking left then right till Haze let out a deep sigh.
After she took a few moments to calm her nerves and giving herself an inside scolding on how stupid she was being as asked Haze calmly. “So uh…h-how are you feeling?”
Haze sighed again softly, her breath massaging Sapphire’s leg and said peacefully. “I feel…I feel good.” She paused then added. “Though my head still hurts. I don’t suppose you got another neat trick for getting rid of it do you?” She tilted her bandaged head slightly to look up at Sapphire’s eyes.
“Uh…” Sapphire thought quickly feeling flustered and her wing began to stiffen again. “Uh…I’ll uh…try something.” She put one hoof on Haze’s head and began to rub behind her left ear. “H-how’s that?” She asked as her wing stiffened a little more.
Haze let out a pleasure fill moan as she stretched all her legs in delight. “Ooooohh yeah.” Haze almost purred. “That hit the spot.” Sapphire felt Haze completely relax and sigh deeply, all the while Sapphire’s face was turning red. “Where did you learn this one?” Haze asked, catching Sapphire off guard. “Same pony as before? If so I understand if you don’t want to talk about it.”
“I uh…” Sapphire seemed to snap out of her awkwardness for a bit as she remembered. “It wasn’t from her no.”
“Then who or is it a talent of yours?” Haze asked teasingly.
Sapphire shook her head. “No I didn’t learn it I…mostly remember how it felt.”
“Oh?” Haze mused.
“Yeah…” Sapphire continued. “I remember my Dad doing it to me when I was very little.”
“Your Dad?” Haze’s voice took on a surprised tone as she looked up at her. “You’ve never told me you remember your father.”
“I don’t…” Sapphire admitted. “I can’t even remember his face, just the…nice things he did for me and I know it was him.” Sapphire’s voice became stern as the thought of her mother made her blood boil. “My mother never did anything like that for me so it must have been him.”
“Sorry to hear that.” Haze said, sounding sincere. “What do you think happened to him?”
“I don’t know.” Sapphire stated, feeling her nerves return. “I ask myself that question sometimes and still I have no answer.” Sapphire found that she didn’t want to talk about this so she turned the subject on Haze. “So do you remember your Dad?”
She felt Haze stiffen slightly at the neck when she heard that question. “I…I vaguely remember him.” She sounded rather unhappy now. “He was a Pegasus the only one in my family cause we were all Unicorns you see.” She made a rotating gesture with her hoof as she continued. “But that…never seemed to bother him. He always seemed so…happy.”
“W-what did he look like?” Sapphire asked, unsure if it was ok to keep this topic going.
Haze continued. “He…he was a deep red with a black mane I think, with a blue streak like mine.” She pointed to the light blue streak that went over and down past her left ear. “And his eyes…I think they were…blue. Oh and he had a cutie mark.”
Sapphire frowned in confusion. “What the hell’s a cutie mark?”
“Oh right you’re not from the Heartland so you wouldn’t know that.” Haze giggled and started to explain. “It’s like a picture on your flank that symbolises your talent.”
Sapphire was even more confused. “Huh? How dose that work? A picture that symbolises your talent?” She got a weird idea in her head. “So you’re saying ponies in the Heartland go around thinking of their talent and then getting it tattooed on their butts?”
Haze actually burst out laughing and rolled onto her back facing up at Sapphire. She was in a giggle fit as she held her stomach and kicked her back legs. “NO!” She laughed. “It’s…oh my, my belly hurts oh AHAAA!” After some time she stopped laughing and pressed her hooves to her head groaned in pain.
“Haze are you alright?” Sapphire asked in a concerned voice.
“Yes…I’m ok.” She groaned while rubbing her temples. “Just forgot my head injury is all. Gagh it’s like a weight pushing down on my skull.”
“Here let me help.” Sapphire pushed Haze’s hooves away and began rubbing the sides of her head.
Haze seemed to relax again and let out a sigh. “Thanks. Now where was I? Oh yeah cutie marks.” She seemed to lighten up again. “They appear magically when a pony figures out their talent.” She giggled. “My Dad’s was a red love heart in green flames.”
“Magic pictures appearing on your flank ay?” She glanced somewhere. “Why don’t you have one?”
Haze blushed and gave Sapphire a funny look. “Oh were you checking out my flank Sapph?”
Sapphire’s face began to turn red again and her wing stiffened. “I uh…um…”
Haze giggled loudly only making Sapphire blush even more.
“Oh it’s fine I’m just kidding.” She was blushing as she giggled and continued to blush as she continued talking. “I don’t know why I don’t have mine yet, I mean I’m 14 now and I should have one already but it hasn’t shown yet.” She glanced around. “Maybe it’s because I haven’t been in the Heartland in years that maybe the magic wore off or something, I don’t now.”
A thought occurred to Sapphire. “Why did you leave the Heartland?”
Haze’s face went blank and she her neck stiffen up again. “I uh…I…don’t want to talk about it.” Haze cast her gaze elsewhere. “Maybe…maybe later.”
She looked back up at Sapphire and her sheepish smile returned. Sapphire smiled awkwardly back, mesmerised by Haze’s stunning green eyes, till she heard a rustling in the forest. Her fear of being attack by Timber Wolves was still fresh in her mind and she jumped when she heard a crack. “Aaaa it’s them again!” Sapphire blurted in fear.
Haze quickly rolled to her hooves since she was the only one that could still stand and extended her hoof blade. Sapphire was helpless at this moment and that angered her. Haze was in no way ready to fight, she barely survived the last encounter.
The rustling got closer and Sapphire’s heart began to thump in her throat when Teven appeared out of the darkness on all fours. She wasn’t stalking or anything like that, she was just calmly walking back into the camp with a bored look on her Wolven face. “Oh so they can walk on four legs.” Sapphire thought as her fears subsided.
Teven took one dull glance at Haze and didn’t even acknowledge her extended hoof blade. Then without so much as a word she sat down on the far side of fire and fumbled with her belt. At first they had no idea what she was doing till she took something off of it and they saw what it was. What she had attached to her belt was…a skinned rabbit.
Sapphire felt her stomach twist at the sight of it. Haze also as she sat back down and retracted her blade looked rather shocked herself.
(Summer Haze)
Haze watched as Teven got a twig, impaled the dead rabbit on it and began to cook it over the fire like a marshmallow. It didn’t take long for the smell of cooking meat to emerge and the moment it scent touched her nose Haze got a shiver of revolution. The stench was sickening and Haze had a disgusted expression on her face, holding back the urge to gag. She coughed to rid herself of that urge and glanced at Sapphire.
She didn’t look like she was fairing any better and her face was slowly turning a slight green as if she was going to puck.
Haze felt she had to speak, to take her mind off the odder. “So…(clears throat)…did you find the map, Teven?”
Teven didn’t make eye contact as she just watched her “dinner” cook. For a moment she said nothing but when it passed she said plainly. “No.” In her deep beastly voice.
Haze noticed the smell get stronger as time went on and asked Teven another question. “Anymore Timber Wolves out there?”
“There are many more tree demons out there.” Teven answered, not making Haze feel any better till she added. “But not here. They do well to avoid a larger predator.”
She finally took the rabbit away from the fire and took the stick out of it. She then wasted no time getting stuck in, peeling strips of cooked flesh off the tiny body. Haze shuddered at the ugly sight and the sickening sounds of tearing meat. While Sapphire look like she was going to faint.
It didn’t actually take Teven that long to eat it as she devoured it quickly. Satisfied she tossed the remains of the rabbit into the forest and began to clean grease off her claws with her mouth. She made smacking sounds as she sucked her claws clean and licked her lips. She also let out a tiny burp and scratched her chin with one claw.
Haze gave Teven a disgusted look while Sapphire decided to suddenly speak. “So uh…looks like you like rabbit huh?” Haze automatically facehoofed at Sapphire’s question.
Teven was inspecting her claw’s sharpness as she replied to Sapphire’s question. “No, not really. Raw rabbit tastes better to me but I thought I would try it cooked for a change since I am now in the company of Thunderfoots.”
“So uh what do you like to eat?” Sapphire asked again. Haze shot her a angry glance and Sapphire just smiled sheepishly with a shrug.
Teven cupped one paw under her right elbow and tapped her chin as if in thought. “Hmmm haven’t eaten Equine in a while.” Haze gulped slightly at that word which implied her. “I do like the hind legs. More meat there and it is so soft.” Haze felt like she was going to be sick now when a cheeky, sharped toothed grin played across Teven’s face. “I had you going there did I not?”
Haze felt the tension lessen from her body as she just realised, Teven was joking. “Ohhh haha you were just kidding.” Haze mused with a nerves laugh.
“Was I?” Teven asked with another toothy grin. The scared expressions on Haze and Sapphire’s faces and the way they held each other in fear made Teven laugh. Haze and Sapphire stopped holding each other when Teven slapped her own knee. “Oh no need to worry little hooflings, I would not think of laying a claw on you.” She then gave them a deathly glare. “Unless your pack leader lets me.” She licked her lips in a menacing way.
When she said pack leader Haze got confused for a second but quickly realised she meant Theran. “You think Theran is our leader? That’s a funny thought.”
Teven looked mighty serious when she said. “Well, from what I have seen you all seem to follow his command. You may disagree but in the end, you always follow. Am I wrong?”
Haze felt her cheeks heat up in frustration not because she was angry but because Teven was right in a way. They did take Theran’s word for things even if they sometimes disagreed with him. “Maybe.” Haze admitted. “But we all still have a say in matters and he doesn’t always get his own way.” She winked at Sapphire and noticed her blush.
Teven huffed in what Haze could guess was amusement. “You all seem to have such a bond.” She mused.
Haze was quite surprised by Teven’s assumption and she was right, they did have a bond. “Yeah I guess we do have something like that, even if we want to strangle each other sometimes.” She ended her sentence with a hearty chuckle.
Teven looked confused. “You want to choke one another? Is that normal for Thunderfoots?” She asked.
Haze’s eyes widened in surprised and chuckled again. “Oh no no no no it’s just an expression. I mean we argue sometimes but we’re all still good friends.”
“F-fr-frends?” Teven had trouble saying the word. “What dose Frends mean?”
Haze was now the one confused. “Wait you don’t know what friend means?”
Teven shook her head. “Equine is not my first speech. I learned some from a pack mate of mine long ago. He is long since dead.”
Haze thought for a moment till she thought of what Teven said. “Well Friend I guess means pack mate. Is that right this pack mate was, your friend?”
“Y-yes that is correct.” She sounded like she didn’t like this topic and Haze noticed her scratching at the ground.
She looked at Sapphire and wrapped her foreleg around her neck, making her wince in pain. “Me and Sapphire here we’re pack mates aren’t we?” She gazed into Sapphire’s strawberry eyes and she gulped.
“Yeah s-sure.” She put her own foreleg around Haze’s neck as well and they smiled awkwardly at Teven.
Teven raised one side of her brow as if confused. “And the other two?”
“The same.” Haze answered with the same smile.
“So you are not their offspring?” Teven asked.
Haze’s imagination kicked in and her eyes widened in horror. “Oh gods no!” She shuddered at the images she created in her head. “Theran is my I guess step Uncle and Violet my step Auntie not…the other thing.” She shivered.
Teven still didn’t seem to get it. “But you look so…different.”
Now Haze was confused. She looked herself over and that’s when she understood. “U…Oooooh you think cause…Haha oh no, my mother was a…” Haze felt a ping of pain at the thought of her mother. “She…was a Unicorn and my Father was…well I think he was a Pegasus.”
“Pe-Pegasus?” Teven was confused again but Sapphire helped explain.
“It’s what I am.” She flexed her good wing. “See?”
Teven scratched her head. “Oh so that is what Fliers are called?” She pointed a claw at Sapphire. “So…you are a Pegasus…” Then moved her claw over to Haze. “And you are a…?”
“I…” Haze paused for a moment then flopped her ears with a sigh and sagged her shoulders. “I don’t know what I am.” She shrugged. “As far as I know…I’m something called a…Changeling. Well half of one anyway.”
Teven frowned. It was pretty intimidating when she did that. “Ch-che…” She gave up on trying to pronounce it so she asked. “What dose that mean?”
“Means she’s awesome!” Sapphire suddenly said and surprised Haze. “She can do all kinds of stuff. Show her your changing trick.”
Haze was speechless as her mouth moved but formed no words. “I…alright?” She finally managed to say. She looked at Sapphire then in a quick flash a green line went across Haze’s body and she was now Sapphire. “Ta da.” Haze cheered and flexed her new wings.
Teven looked utterly shocked as she was taken aback. “How…how is that possible?” She asked, her eyes wide with astonishment.
“Magic.” Haze admitted. “Don’t know how I do it I just do it when ever I feel like it.”
Teven was pointed at her now. “Your clothing. They are still the same, and your wing is not damaged.”
Haze raised a brow and looked at herself. “Uh…oh that!” She chuckled. “I only mimic a pony’s physical appearance, can’t seem to mimic clothes though and as far as I know, my magic can tell if somepony is injured.” She quickly turned back to her normal self but Sapphire spoke again.
“Oh, oh do that clone thing.”
Haze gave Sapphire a roll of the eyes. “I can’t Sapph I just realised I can do it. I have no idea how it works.”
“Oh come on see if you can try.” Sapphire encouraged.
Haze sighed, getting slightly annoyed. “I just said I don’t know how to.”
“I have a suggestion.” Teven suddenly spoke an all eyes turned to her. “Why not try and turn into me?”
Haze was shocked, as she stared dumbfounded at Teven. “You…you wa?”
She put a paw on her own chest. “Turn into me.”
Haze suddenly felt unsure about this. “I…I don’t know.” She looked nervously at Sapphire. “I’ve never tried turning into something bigger than myself before.”
Sapphire gave her a reassuring pat on the back. “Aw come on Haze. What’s the worst that could happen?”
Haze looked from Sapphire to Teven and considered her friend’s words. Not like she had anything better to do while waiting for Theran and Violet to get back. Besides it shouldn’t be that hard right.
“Alright…” Haze said unsure as she stood up. “…Here goes nothing.”
She focused on Teven, narrowing her eyes taking in every detail of her being. She licked her lips, closed her eyes and pictured Teven in her mind. She felt a surge of energy and she opened her eyes again. Teven was staring at her in awe and so was Sapphire. Haze looked down and saw her hooves were now paws, those paws had claws and her arms were covered in thick wiry fur. “Wow!” Haze said aloud, not sounding entirely like Teven. “I did it.”
“Um…” That was Sapphire. “You seem a little…small.”
Haze frowned and that’s when she noticed her size hadn’t changed. “Aw what? I thought I was going to be big.” She pouted.
“Um…Haze?” Sapphire said again.
Haze looked at her in confusion. “What?”
Sapphire gulped. “Uh…your nose is bleeding.”
Haze frowned even deeper and touched her Wolven snout. Sure enough there was blood on her paw. “Huh? What the…” A pulse of pain surged through her mind and her vision darkened as the world seemed to fall away from her.
(Sapphire)
Sapphire gasped as Haze turned back into her original form and collapsed. “Haze!” She dragged herself closer to her as she lay very still. “Haze, Haze!” She shouted and shook her shoulders but she didn’t respond. “Oh shit, oh shit what have I done!” She looked at Teven who was just sitting in confusion. “Hay don’t just sit there do something!”
Teven sat there tilting her head for a moment, then got up and stalked on all fours around the campfire till she was looming over Haze. She balanced herself on two legs in a crouch and hovered a paw over Haze’s face. Sapphire was confused as to what Teven was doing. Nothing really happened. Teven then pocked Haze’s cheek, still no response. She then gently put her paws under Haze and scooped her up into her arms.
“Hay what are you…” Sapphire tried to say but Teven shushed her.
Teven put her snout close to Haze’s head and began to sniff her. After a few short awkward moments of sniffing, she took a drop of blood off Haze’s lip and licked it off her claw. Sapphire grimaced at this. What was she doing?
Teven waited a full minute before saying. “She seems healthy.”
Sapphire could swear she felt a brain cell die as she stared at Teven in utter bewilderment. “What?!” She waved her hooves in the air as she went on a rant. “You pock her, you sniff her, then you taste her blood which is weird and then say she’s perfectly FINE?!”
Teven nodded. “She smells healthy and her blood is clean.” She continued to cradle Haze in her arm. She looked so small compered to Teven.
Sapphire felt like her head was going to explode but then she gave in and let it drop. She thought about what just happened and that’s when the penny dropped. “She must have overclocked her magic. She always tells me it takes a lot of focus to cast spells and maintain them.” She then glanced at the bandages wrapped around Haze’s head. “I think her head wound had something to do with it too.”
Teven seemed to think this over and nodded in agreement. Sapphire was slightly relieved she figured it out and let out a sigh, feeling the tension lessen on her chest. Teven ripped one of her bandages off her right shoulder and wiped off the blood that dribbled down Haze’s face. “She will be safe as long as I stay here.” Teven stated.
Sapphire couldn’t help but notice the way Teven looked at Haze. It wasn’t a hungry look but an affectionate one. Sapphire smiled and tilted her sleepy head at the sight. “Isn’t she cute?” Sapphire sighed.
Teven looked at Sapphire in confusion. “C-cu Cute? What dose that word mean?”
Sapphire blushed and glanced from side to side. “Um…uh…” She fiddled with her hooves as she tried her best to explain. “The word Cute is normally used when you look at something small and fluffy.” She began to blush even more and her wing stiffened. “O-or when you find somepony…attractive.”
Teven’s ears perked up and she gave Sapphire an odd look. “You find this one…attractive?” Sapphire’s eyes shrank to the size of peas at that question and her face turned into a cherry when Teven also asked as she glanced at Haze. “You wish to mate with her?”
All the muscles in Sapphire’s body stiffened up and now her wing was rock hard, head filling up with dirty images. Her right eye twitched once, let out the tiniest of squeaks from her mouth and fell backwards as she fainted.
(Teven)
Teven was puzzled at the sight of the young flier suddenly turning red, left wing becoming erect and then fainting. “Was it something I said?” Teven thought as she gently scooped her up and cradled her in her other arm. She looked at the two hooflings in silence, wondering what she should do. She thought about the word. “C-cute.” And a smile played across her face as she looked at the two and held then closer to her chest. “Cute. I think I understand now. They…are cute.”
(Theran Razorblade)
“Admit it Theran, we’re lost.”
Theran and Violet had been trudging through the forest in the dark for the better part of an hour, trying to find their camping gear. “We’re not lost.” Theran said trying to seem sure of himself while looking aimlessly around past many trees. “I know exactly where we’re going.”
“You said that half an hour ago.” Violet stated beside Theran on his right. “And now you said it again with our stuff nowhere in sight.” She gave him an annoyed frown. “I thought you said you were good at tracking?”
Theran felt a ping of irritation as he grit his teeth and glanced at her. “I am. Good. At. Tracking.” He said point by point.
Violet’s purple eyes, that seemed to glow in the moonlight, widened as if surprised. “Really…” She began to say with as much sarcasm as she could muster. “Oh you could of fooled me. If you’re soooooo good at it why the hell haven’t we found our stuff yet?”
Theran looked at her with a dull expression. His night vision turned the shadows into a soft blue hue and he couldn’t help but notice how pretty Violet looked in the low light. Well to him anyway. He smirked at her. “Something’s got your tail in a twist and I know it’s not because we’re lost.” Her expression brightened with victory when he finally said it and she was about to gloat when he beat her to it. “Yes I’ll admit it now we’re lost. I can’t seem to find the scent, must be the sodding snow.” It was true. He couldn’t find a signal whiff of their belongings in this forest since everything was covered in a thick layer of snow.
Violet’s expression changed yet again and now she was frowning. “Why are you telling me this now after aimlessly trotting about for an hour?!” She demanded, stopping in her tracks.
Theran smirked again as he came to a halt a meter in front of her and turned to face her. “Cause you’re so easy to annoy.”
Violet looked surprised and a little flustered. “No I’m not, shut up!” She said in an annoyed way.
Theran chuckled and half smiled. “My point exactly.”
Violet’s cheeks were starting to slowly turn red but after a moment of pouting she rolled her eyes. “Well since you admitted we’re lost, how are we supposed to find our stuff?”
“I…” Theran paused as he sucked in a breath and… “I got nothing. Our stuff could be anywhere in here.”
Violet looked like she was considering the complications of this as she frowned and scratched her chin with her hoof. “Hmmm…this is a problem.”
“Ya think?” Theran stated moodily. “Haze and her friend need pain medicine and that’s in our bags which we dumped.”
Violet gave him a dirty look for that remark. “Hay don’t take this out on me, you’re the one that got us lost.”
Theran opened his mouth to argue but thought better of it. She was clearly angry with him and he took a guess at what it could be. “You’re angry with me aren’t you?” He asked her.
Violet’s angry expression softened a bit and she looked a little ashamed. “Uh I uh…no.” She glanced off to the side and wiggled her snout.
Theran saw that and smirked. “You did that thing again.” He teased.
Violet looked surprised and arched one side of her brow. “What thing?”
Theran kept smirking as he moved a little closer to her. “That thing you do when you’re lying.” He stated in a teasing way.
Violet glanced to the side and wiggled her snout again. “I don’t do a thing when I’m lying.” She lied.
“Ah but you just did it right now.” He kept teasing, inching closer to her.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She said while doing her thing again.
Theran was close enough now to reach out and pock her on the nose. “Ooooh I think I just caught you in the act.” He teased again with a half smile.
She just stared at him, blushing ear to ear while his hoof was still on her nose. After a few awkward moments Theran began to blush himself and took his hoof away. He coughed. “So uh what’s bothering you? Is it about Teven?”
She looked away and rubbed one hoof over the other. “No…well maybe a little but that’s not what’s really bothering me.”
Theran tilted his head in confusion. “Uh…oook sooo…what is bothering you?”
“You.” Theran frowned even more confused, when Violet blurted with a bigger blush. “Oh shit that was very blunt wasn’t it? Sorry I didn’t mean…”
Theran’s expression softened when he realised she was nerves and gave her a pat on the shoulder. “No Vi it’s fine just…explain it what you mean by…me?”
Violet looked at the hoof on her shoulder and looked rather troubled. “Ever since you told me how old you were it got me thinking and now…now I have to ask.” She looked him in the eye. “W-who are you?”
“What?” Her question confused him to the point he took a step back. “What do you mean who am I? Vi we’ve been friends for six years, you know who I…”
She cut him off. “I thought I did but now…now I’m not so sure. You are five hundred Theran, that’s five life times, you’ve, lived five life times. You know how crazy that sounds to me, how much that scares me?”
Theran was now even more puzzled. He wasn’t sure how to proses this. “Wait, you’re scared of me now?”
Violet’s eyes light up with realisation and she blurted. “Noooooo that’s not what I…” She stopped herself, took in a deep breath and sighed heavily. “No I’m not scared of you in that sense I just…don’t know you the way I used to.”
“And what way did you know me?” Theran asked, trying to be careful with his words. It seemed his question was too good cause Violet was rendered speechless as her mouth hung open but no words came forth. Theran thought of an idea but he knew he was going to regret it. He sighed softly and asked calmly. “What do you wanted to know?”
Violet looked at him, a little shocked. “W-what?”
Theran gestured to her as he turned and bean to walk back the way they came. “Come, walk with me. It’s not like we’re gunna find our crap now.” Violet was hesitant at first but soon she trotted after him and was at his side. He looked at her. “Ask me anything, I willny bit this time I promise.”
Violet gave him a suspecting look. “W-why are you suddenly being so open with me? You’re not normally like this. You usually shy away.” She asked wearily.
Theran simply smirked and said rather cheerily. “Cause, I don’t like seeing you with such a sad face. That and…I owe you some answers.” That and he couldn’t resist her puppy eyes.
Violet seemed in decisive on what she should ask. Theran knew she must have thousands of questions but because he was making it so easy for her, he guessed he caught her off guard. “What…what made you immortal?” She finally asked.
Theran felt his mind go blank since he had no knowledge to speak of. “I dinny know. To this day I’m still trying to figure that one out.”
Violet considered this and nodded, moving on to her next question. “Ok uh…Who were you before you became immortal? Or can you not remember that either?”
Theran thought back to those old times, back when he was “normal”. “I was a General once…in the Western Equestrian Legion.”
“You were a General?!” Violet looked shocked and more intrigued now.
“Yeah…” Theran admitted dully. “I was charged with protecting and over seeing of a city in the mountains called Snow Rock, it’s quite a historical place now and it’s still one of the best places to find decant magic users.” He thought about The Wall. “It also got this massive wall the size of a mountain keeping all it’s enemies at bay and as far as I know it still hasn’t been breached to this day.”
Violet seemed impressed. “Wow that’s amazing. Wait…why did you leave?” Violet asked in confusion. “From the sounds of it you liked it there.”
Theran frowned deeply as old painful memories came to the surface of his mind. “I…I did for a time. But after I became immortal and the years went by I started to loss prospective on what I thought was real. I came to realise I was nothing more than a pawn.” His words began to drip with distain as more regrettable memories came flooding back. “The Prince, I thought he was something to look up to, but after living for so long I began to see what he truly was. A self obsessed tyrant who couldn’t give a fuck about his subjects, and would use us as tools for his own selfish gain, rather than living, breathing souls that deserve better than never ending war.” He got a hold of himself when he noticed the concerned look on Violet’s face. “So I packed all I could carry and left, never looking back.”
Theran looked at the ground since he knew what he just said was a lie. He hadn’t stopped looking back ever since that day. “Did you ever have somepony close to you?” Violet asked almost in a whisper and Theran was caught off guard. He stared at her when she repeated her question. “Like a…marefriend or…wife even?”
Theran’s cheeks became flustered for a moment as he pondered that question and from the look on Violet’s face she was flustered too. When he spoke he found it difficult to form his words. “I…I uh…might have…at some point.” He didn’t really want to say, as fond memories of his beloved Ashtrid came to life in his mind.
“Who was she?” Violet asked in a way that seemed as if she could see his thoughts.
He thought about her and acknowledged the warm feeling it gave him in his chest. “She…she was beautiful.” He looked up at the night sky as her recalled her every detail. “Her name was Ashtrid, and she had the most stunning sapphire eyes I’d have ever seen, with a white coat and silver mane. Hehe she always had the back all tied up in bundles.” He sighed peacefully. “She used to tell me stories about the moon, how Luna watches over us all at night, and come into our dreams when we sleep.” He gazed at the moon as a longing creped in his aged heart. “She also told me Luna is the very being of restoration, healing your every wound.” He looked ahead. “She’s the one that taught me healing magic. She was going to be a Lunar Priestess in this order that worships the moon god but dropped it cause she was a rebel at heart.”
A small smile played across Theran’s face when he thought of the good times they had together, but that smile faded as quickly as it shown, when Violet said. “She sounds like she was a wonderful Mare.” Her voice was so soft and so understand, her next words made him feel a ping of pain deep in his soul. “She also sounds like she meant a lot to you. She was your wife wasn’t she?”
The pain became shaky in his chest as looked at the ground and finally admitted it. “Yes…yes she was.” He looked at Violet, feeling his emotions begin to surface. “Do you have anymore questions you want to ask me?” He asked, with his bitterness returning.
Violet shook her head and looked away. “No, not now, I’ve heard enough for one night.” She cast her gaze to the ground and looked to be in deep thought.
“Good.” Theran was now back to his bitter self and forced those painful memories back down the dark hole in his brain. “I’ve said enough for one life time.” He muttered under his breath so Violet didn’t hear him. They walked a couple of moments in silence till Theran caught a whiff of something. He looked around till his eyes found a small orange light. “I think that’s our camp.” He told Violet and she followed him to the light.
They quietly approached the camp, keeping their guard up till Theran saw into the camp and saw Teven. He relaxed and stopped sneaking, at that moment Teven’s ears perked up and look ready to spring into action when she finally noticed them. “Pack Leader, you have returned.” Teven greeted in delight.
Theran didn’t like being called pack leader, it made him sound like was something to be proud of. He didn’t think he was worthy for such a title, not after all the things he’s done.
As he and Violet walked in Theran finally noticed something odd. Haze and Sapphire were in Teven’s arms and weren’t moving. Before he had a chance to ask, Violet beat him to it as she yelled. “What the hell! What did you do to Haze and Sapphire?!”
Teven looked a little shocked. “N-nothing…” Teven held the two youths with gentle care. “This one was doing some magic trick and passed out.” She nodded at Haze. “And this one fainted over attraction.” She shrugged. “You Thunderfoots are so strange.”
“Well put them down now.” Violet demanded and Teven looked at Theran. He nodded and Teven complied. She put them on the ground as carefully as she could and Violet loomed over them with worry on her face. “Haze looks so pale.” She put a hoof on Haze’s head. “Oh shit Theran she has a temperature.”
He came over and joined her, looking over Haze. She was indeed pale and when he toughed her forehead she was indeed very warm but not alarmingly so. She had crusted blood around her nose and that made him frown. He looked at Teven. “What was she doing exactly?” He asked her.
Teven looked to the side. “Forgive me Pack Leader, this is partly my fault.”
Theran raised an assuring hoof. “It’s ok just tell me what happened.”
Teven looked at Haze’s still form. “She told me she could change into others so I asked if she could turn into me.” She then looked at Sapphire. “The one you call Sapphire supported my idea. Forgive me it shall not happen again.”
“It’s fine Teven I’m not mad at you.” He moved over to Sapphire and looked down on her as drool dribbled out her open mouth. “I’m mad at her.” He thumped her in the shoulder and her eyes shot open as she groaned in pain. Her eyes shrank when they fixed on his. “You’re in trouble now Missy…again.”
Sapphire pulled a frightened grin and let out a tiny squeak. “Heh…heh…I can explain.”
(Somewhere deep in the Barrier Lands)
“Sister has any new reports come in of this…disturbance in the West?” Asked a dark figure wearing black leather plating over her reptilian and equine body, looking out of her window onto the frozen wasteland below.
The one she referred to as Sister, a tall Unicorn reptilian hybrid with white fur and black mane answered. “Our agents report panic in the west Sister. Some sort of dark power was unleashed and is now Equines exposed to it are changing into raging, bloodthirsty cannibals.”
The one by the window widened her eyes in shock and she turned to her sister that stood at the bottom of steps leading to the window. As a look of startled realisation played across her lizard like face she asked. “What are the details of these creatures?”
From the paper her Sister held in her magic she read. “Their appearances very, but the most common appearance is. Skinny, bones growing out their bodies and overly sized rotten mouths full of needle like teeth.”
“Can it be?” The one at the window whispered. “Have they truly…returned after all this t…” Her mulling was interrupted when an agent an Earth pony in standard Black Sun gear bust through the doors to her chambers, covered in blood.
“Mistress, Mistress!” He gasped and collapsed on the stone floor. He tried to stand but could only lift his head weakly. He was breathing heavily as his Mistress came to him. She looked down on the pitiful Equine as he gasped his last breaths. “There’s…a creature…it’s in the base…it called you by name…in the entrance chamber…” He died before he could say anymore, succumbing to his deep and fatal wounds.
“Sister Summon the others!” The Mistress yelled. “Meet me at the entrance chamber!” With her powerful limbs the Mistress bounded through the hallways of her base like a cat and reached the entrance chamber in minutes, scrapping to a halt. What she saw shocked her. Black Sun agent bodies lay shrivelled and broken all around the chamber. But that was not what shocked her. What shocked her was the large bipedal being, covered in demonic heavy armour, draining the life from a still screaming agent. She watched in horror as the agent’s soul was ripped from her and her husk tossed aside. It then absorbed the soul and approached the quivering Mistress.
“Vipress.” The being said in its deep, godly voice that rumbled Vipress’s chest with every word. “You should have taught your subjects the proper manners when addressing a god.”
“Lord Ornstein!” Vipress felt her knees begin to shake in fear and she swiftly bowed before him. “Forgive me, my agents were…” A burning pain filled Vipress’s mind as a magic aura emanated from Ornstein’s right hand. She screamed in agony as she was lifted off the ground by his power and floated in the air writhing.
“I’m not interested in your petty excuses Vipress.” He stated with no emotion. “I only wish to see you beg and prove you are still loyal.”
“YES!!!” Vipress screamed, as the pain was unbearable. “BY THE POWER OUR FATHER’S ALL MIGHTY WILL, YES!!!!”
He released her and she fell to the hard ground with a painful thud, her natural and leather armour absorbing the impact. She gasped for air as her breathing came under control again. “He’s NOT your Father you delusional sack of pith. You do well to remember that in my presence.”
Vipress, keeping her gaze to the ground dolefully stood as her Lord turned his back on her. “Yes my Lord, what ever you desire.”
“Don’t try to smooth talk me Vipress.” He snapped, turning once again to burn his gaze into her orange, reptilian eyes. Silent terror in stilled her mind as those otherworldly insectoid like eyes penetrated her soul. His gaze soon lifted from her as he looked at the door behind Vipress. Heavy hoof and footfalls headed their way. “Impress me Vipress.” He rumbled. “Show me you are still worthy to lead. Otherwise I might consider you too old and replace you with a younger more fresh servant.”
Vipress understood what he meant. He was testing her, seeing if she was still capable and loyal servant. If she failed, she would most certainly die by his hand. Five completely different figures one of them her sister came rushing into the chamber and Vipress threw up her arms. “Stand down!” She ordered with a hiss of her forked tong. “You stand before one of our mighty gods Lord Ornstein, keeper of fire and devourer of souls.” The group looked at each other in surprised shock as they stared at the demonic being before them, well except one who was smiling. Vipress didn’t stop there as she ordered. “Kneel before the son of our god, kneel and be judged.”
Without so much as a protest they all bent down and knelt before their Lord. All accept one in red armour who gave him a courteous bow. Vipress was infuriated by this but heard her Lord behind her and quickly spun around and knelt at his feet.
His feet were like the talons of death and she felt a shiver go down her spine as those talons screeched to a stop in front of her. She thought of nothing, her mind was so numb with fear. When he spoke she felt her heart skip a beat a jump into her throat. “I see you still carry the same level of authority you did before our conquest was interrupted.” He took a step back opened his left hand palm up. “You are ready to speak with my Father.”
An aura of dark magic whirled around his hand till an image appeared on his Father’s upper body. The image blinked and revealed lizard like teeth as he smiled at his son. “Ornstein my son.” His Father greeted in his deep raspy voice. “I take it you found Vipress without issue?”
“She is right here Father and her loyalty and strength to lead her flock are with out question, still sharp.”
“Excellent.” The Witch Doctor almost seemed to hum with delight. “Project me son, show me my long awaiting servant.” Ornstein bowed his head at his Father, and then projected a full image of his mighty form. Even as a ghostly projection his presence still had that seem effect of in stilling awe and fear. He looked down at Vipress and calmly said. “Rise my dear Vipress, let me see your face.”
She rose and looked up at the one being she had wanted to see for centuries. “Master.” She whispered in awe. “After so long it’s…it’s such a wonderful feeling to see you again.”
He smiled at her like a loving father would with his children. “And it’s such a pleasure to see you again, fit a healthy.” He looked around at the dead broken bodies of the Black Sun agents. “My, my what a mess.” He looked at his son. “Ornstein didn’t your mother teach you not to play with your subjects?”
Ornstein just huffed. “Just reminding them what happens when they cross me.”
The Witch Doctor sighed and turned his attention to Vipress’s Sister. “Ah Syphon I still see you have the same stoic expression the last time I saw you.”
Syphon bowed her head. “It’s an honour to be in your presence once more your worship.”
The Witch Doctor kept his smile. “Ah your ways with words haven’t lessened over all this time.” He then looked over the rest who stood awaiting his approval. “I do not recognise the rest, your faces are…new.”
Vipress looked at the others and just remembered. “Ah yes they were still in development when your conquest was still running Master. When you went into your deep slumber, over the centuries me and my Sister hatched them when they were ready and have been most effective.”
The Witch Doctor pointed at the largest first. “You step forward and state you name.”
The figure that stepped forward was half Ophlidite and half Minotaur. His upper body was muscular and scaly and his snake like head was attached to a long serpent like neck, making him tallest out of all of them. He also had bulky Minotaur legs and wore little clothing apart from a tunic and belt her wore around his waist. He hissed a deep voice as his forked tong flicked out and he said.
“Sloth your worship. I will break those who oppose you.” His red snake eyes did not waver as he stood tall and proud.
“Sloth?” The Witch Doctor mused. “How intriguing.” His eyes set on the next figure and he stepped forward as well. He was more Equine in appearance mostly brown with soft orange eyes and bore the wings of a Pegasus. But what made him different was that he was covered in pointy spines, like a hedgehog. He wore no clothing…how could he. He puffed his prickly chest up with pride and put on a cocky smile.
“The name’s Porkypine your majesty, scout and aerial assassin.” He gave the Witch Doctor a bow.
“I still think the name you picked was stupid!” Said a young exited voice. A very light blue figure literally cartwheeled through the air and landed on two legs in front of Porkypine.
She was a bazar looking one and was a little smaller in stature but taller than Vipress. Her face and head resembled a pony’s. her eyes however were reptilian and glowed bright purple and her teeth were pointed at the front. The rest of her scaly body was furless save for her wild darker blue mane that was tied in bundles at the back. She had blue claws, razor sharp blue spines traveling down her back and ending in a sharp fin at the end of her long lizard like tail. She also sported a signal draconic like horn on the left side of her head just behind a pointed ear.
Her features didn’t end there for she wore a mix mash of clothing. She had leather straps around her torso like a harness, a small tank top that ended above her lightly coloured belly, fingerless gloves, leather padding on the left side of her body while the other side was a mix of straps a colourful ribbons. The pink letters BT were painted on her leather shoulder guard with more pink paint staining her black leather padding. She stared insanely at the Witch Doctor.
“Butter Cup’s the name!” She squealed with exited happiness as she hopped on the spot “Dracony and all around Demomare!” She moved up so close to the image of the Witch Doctor he had to look down on her as she stared intently up at him. “Have you every wondered what goes on in the mind of a chicken? I swear it will BLOW YOUR MIND!!!”
As the Witch Doctor stared dumfounded at the young Dracony hopping around his magical image, Vipress reeled her in when she grabbed Butter Cup by the ear. “That’s enough out of you, you crazy little brat now stand in line!”
“But I’m NOT CRAZY chicken minds are...!” Butter Cup's protesting stopped when Vipress gave her a swift slap on the back of her head and she shut up.
The Witch Doctor blinked and turned slightly to glance at his son. Ornstein just shrugged. He turned back to the band happy hybrids and put a smile on his face again. “Well then…you certainly will make interesting agents in our conquest.” He then brought his eyes to the last figure in the row. He was almost as tall as Sloth but much leaner.
Actually he was the odd one out for he wasn’t a hybrid. He was a Wolven that was covered in crimson armour plating. The armour looked complex and intimidating. He had two ovule shaped plates on his chest, overlapping plates on his stomach, more armour on his legs and arms and a large sliver shoulder plate on his right shoulder. His right arm looked synthetic since it had silver lining going down it and his paw had three digits instead of four. He also wore a metal red mask that covered a portion of his face leaving the top exposed, allowing the Witch Doctor to see his fur. His fur was light tan and his eyes a strong green. He also had a scar going down his left eye and a lot of the long fur on his head was tide back in a ponytail.
He stared at the Witch Doctor with unflinching and unblinking eyes. “And whom might you be?” The Witch Doctor asked, not really favouring the way he looked at him.
The Wolven male stepped forward with his paws resting on the hilt of some sort of curved long sword that hung from his belt. When he spoke his voice was deep, raspy and confident...almost too confident. “Red Wolf, Red Wolf Jack.” He looked at the others with a side log glance and a raised brow. “Though this lot call me Jack.”
The Witch Doctor was intrigued by Jack’s calm, almost calculated demeanour. He clasped his hands behind his back and asked Jack. “And what is it you do for Black Sun?”
Jack’s eyes almost seemed to roll onto his sword and slowly pulled it out of its sheath. The blade was elegant, forged with a perfect slight curve on its spine and sparked red energy as it was freed from its home. Jack spoke as he waved and inspected is sword. “Me? Why I kill things. Tell me to kill something and I kill it no questions asked.” He then pointed his sword at the Witch Doctor and Vipress felt a shocked chill go down her spine. “So Mr all mighty, when dose the fun begin?”
“Red Wolf!” Vipress snapped and hissed at him. “Put that thing away before I carve out your eyes with it!” She looked pleadingly at her Master. “Forgive employee he’s…new here and hasn’t learned the proper manners when it come to…”
The Witch Doctor raised a ghostly hand to silence her. “No I approve.” He gave Jack a wicked grin. “As long as he lives up to what he says.” Jack just put his sword away and remained silent. The Witch Doctor straightened up and looked serious. “Now that’ that’s out of the way let’s get started with what you shall do first.” He began to pace slowly and methodically as he spoke. “This world has known peace for too long, its grown fat and arrogant in its longevity but no more.” He clenched one fist and shook it as he continued. “We shall show this world the true meaning of fear, the true meaning on chaos.” Butter Cup was hopping on the spot clapping her hands as he continued. “You shall be the agents of chaos once more and burn a mark so deep into this world it shall never forget it.”
Butter Cup erupted into cheer as she bounced around while the rest made approving nods at each other. “What are our orders Master?” Vipress asked as she felt the tingling sensation of anticipation grow in her chest. “What is our first move?”
The Witch Doctor without a word gestured to something and an Equine covered from head to hoof in purple organic armour appeared and stood before them. The Witch Doctor vanished and now it was just this Equine. “And who are you supposed to be?” Porkypine asked.
The figure stared at them through soulless lenses in its helmet and spoke in a hollow, synthetic voice. “Names are unimportant. What is important is the first place you strike.”
“And where is that?” Jack asked with eagerness in his voice.
The figure looked at him, as cold and dark as death itself and said.
“First we hit the main land, then Splinter Bay. Then we march for the border to the heart of Equestria and kill all that get in our way.”
(Stat system)
Theran Razorblade:
Strength: 68
Endurance: 105
Intelligence: 73+1
Agility: 84
Perks: (Blood Rage)(Combat Expert)(Quick healer)
(Keen senses)(Sneaker)(Strong back)(Magic expert)(Cheese lover)
(Heavy fit)(Quick reflexes)(Immortal)(Pack Laeder)
Violet:
Strength: 73
Endurance: 104
Intelligence: 69+2
Agility: 70
Perks: (Survivor)(Swordsmen)(Strong back)(Strong Stomach)
(Head strong)(Stallion killer)(Swift knife)(Quick reflexes) (Battle Rage)
Summer Haze:
Strength: 20-4
Endurance: 40
Intelligence: 74-1
Agility: 26
Perks: (Shape shifter)(Love sense)(Natural healer)(Book Junky)
(Cookie monster)(Survival instincts)(Heavy sleeper)(Magic deflect)
(Quick reflexes)(Cannon ball kick)
Sapphire:
Strength: 20
Endurance: 34
Intelligence: 63-1
Agility: 26
Perks: (Hot head)(Heavy hoofed)(Light weight)(Sneaker)(Rebel at heart)
(Two heads)(Fast Flier)
Teven:
Strength: 150
Endurance: 200
Intelligence: 48+5
Agility: 58
Perks: (Battle Born)(Blood Rage)(Keen Senses)(Berserker)
(Duel Wielder)(Savage Blow)(Pain Lover)(Charger)(Deviant)
(Exile)(Paws or Death)(Loyal Servant)