Sticks and Stones

by Amethyst-ACE

The Destination

“ACE!”

“Hey ACE?!”

“Yo ACE you out there?!”

Lilly, Chroma Sketch, and Ravewind had been searching for ACE along the ridge ever since the King Basilisk incident, but the sun was starting to set, and there was still no sign of their unicorn companion. Chroma Sketch decided the best course of action was to start the search again in the morning. They would get off the ridge then double back along the bottom of it. If ACE was anywhere he’d be there. As the remaining three ponies set up their tents for the night, Chroma and Ravewind could tell that Lilly was in for a rough night. Chroma Sketch walked over to friend and patted her on the back of the head.

“ACE is going to be fine Lilly.” She reassured her. “Remember what happened last time? ACE practically came back from the dead to be with you. He isn’t going to lose to something like a rockslide or a lizard.”

Lilly wiped the tear from her eye and nodded in agreement. Lilly knew all too well that ACE like all the others of his kind drew power from love. She had seen personally what that kind of power could do, especially in ACE’s hooves.

“Get some sleep Lilly, we’ll find ACE before you know it.” With that, Chroma gave her friend a reassuring smile and headed back to her and Ravewind’s tent.

Late that night, Chroma Sketch was awoken by a rustling noise coming from outside her tent. The noise was rather loud so she was rather surprised that Ravewind wasn’t waking up. She exited the tent to find that the fire they had made had been relit.

“Is somepony there?” She took a cautious pose and looked around for anyone. Suddenly a figure appeared on the other side of the fire. It was a white pony with black hair, Chroma thought he was a unicorn, but she couldn’t tell for sure. It was almost as if he was missing his horn, or that it was broken.

“Who are you?!” She demanded to know.

“A friend” replied the stranger. “ACE is still alive; he was found by a farm girl at the bottom of the ridge and taken to her home.”

“How do you know ACE?” Chroma again demanded to know.

“I know a lot of things Chroma “Artemisia” Sketch. It’s one of the perks of being in the position of power I am currently in.”

Chroma Sketch froze in complete terror. Artemisia was the assumed name she went by in elementary school, long before she got her cutie mark. Not even Ravewind knew about her old name.

“Who are you?” Chroma echoed her question again, but her resolve and aggression had vanished in place of fear. Whoever this colt was, he was very powerful.

“I am a ghost.” With that the colt turned around and vanished in the night, as he left the fire suddenly went out.

Chroma Sketch bounced up out of her sleeping bag, as she did she instinctually spread her wings causing one of them to smack Ravewind in the face. In a panic Ravewind sprung up and did the exact same thing. Chroma and Ravewind stared awkwardly at each other for a brief moment before cleaning up their tent and taking it down. When they exited the tent they found that Lilly had already packed her supplies and was ready to go. Chroma thought about what happened last night. Was it a dream? It felt real enough, but if it was real how did that colt know about a name that even Chroma had forgotten?

~~~~

ACE had spent all evening helping the Pie sisters with their chores on the farm. Afterwards he was treated to dinner and offered a place to stay for the night. ACE politely declined the offer but when both Inkie and Blinkie insisted he decided it wouldn’t hurt him to stay the night and be on his way in the morning. ACE awoke early the next morning, as he got out of bed he looked back to find Inkie Pie asleep in the bed as well. ACE wasn’t really sure how to respond, but at the same time he didn’t mind. Maybe having someone sleeping next to him that looked exactly like Lilly was a comforting feeling. ACE left the guest room and found Blinkie next to the door. ACE didn’t have to ask to tell what she wanted, he gestured to the bed and Blinkie sighed.

“I figured as much, she can deny it all she wants but she likes you.” Blinkie smiled at ACE, who simply sighed.

“If you don’t mind me asking, why does she have that collar around her neck?” ACE noticed that as he asked the
question Blinkie’s head sank and her expression changed.

“It’s a long story. After our other sister left, our father became very controlling and protective. He made both of us wear those collars; he said ‘with these we wouldn’t abandon him like our sister did.’ Pinkie never abandoned us, her cutie mark called her to spread as much joy and laughter as she could, she couldn’t do that from the rock farm. Anyway, both Inkie and I wore those collars for most of our lives; the only way to get them off is with special keys. When our father passed away he only told us where one of the keys were. Inkie took mine off since I was the youngest. We’ve searched all over the house but we can’t find the other key anywhere.”

ACE looked back at Inkie Pie who was just starting to wake up then looked back at Blinkie Pie. “Maybe I could track it down. Who knows as a unicorn it might be easier for me if that makes any sense.”

Blinkie Pie giggled. “Nothing makes sense to me anymore.” ACE stared at the mare dumbfounded and lacking a response.

Inkie Pie joined the duo. “Good morning you two” she said to them both. She gave ACE a warm almost loving smile, and he suddenly felt incredibly numb for some reason. It was an odd sensation, but it was somehow familiar to him.

As the three ponies walked down the hall something caught ACE’s attention, a little room off to the side with an elderly mare sleeping in the bed.

“That’s our mama Su Pie” explained Blinkie.

“She’s pretty old and not in the best of health.” Inkie added. “I’m afraid she doesn’t have much time left in Equestria. Her dying wish is to see Pinkie Pie one last time, but even if we sent a letter to Pinkie I don’t think she could make it over here in time.”

Inkie and Blinkie continued to walk down the hallway. When they were out of sight ACE entered the room. Invoking his true magic as a changeling, ACE altered his appearance to Pinkie Pie and walked up to the Pie’s mother. Su turned to face him and her eyes widened.

“Pinkimena?” Her voice was very weak, Inkie was right, there wasn’t much life left in her at all.

“Pinkie” nodded. “Yes mom, I heard you weren’t feeling well, so I came by to make you smile.” ACE having long since mastered his abilities as a changeling was one of the few changelings who could alter not only his appearance but also his voice. A talent shared only by himself and a select few other changeling; including his late elder brother, and Queen Chrysalis.

“You were always…so good at that.” Su’s voice was getting weaker with every word she spoke. “Listen, the summer harvest time is coming up…Please…stay with your sisters this week, help them get the rocks moved.” Su began to cough as the last of her strength left her. ACE didn’t know what to do, but he wasn’t in a position to say no. He sighed hoping the others would understand.

“Okay mama, I promise I’ll help them.”

Su smiled and her eyes began to shut, with her dying breath weak strands of love began to flow from here. ACE absorbed what little he could; perhaps this would give him the strength to survive this week, or at least until Lilly and the others found him. ACE dawned his original appearance of the brown haired white unicorn and left to join the Pie Sisters outside. He had a promise to keep.

Inkie was the first to great ACE as he exited the house.

“Thanks again for helping us yesterday, we really appreciate it.” Inkie smiled at ACE and the numb feeling returned again.

ACE shook his head and managed to fight off the feeling. “It was nothing.”

“Are you going to be on your way mister?” Blinkie asked him; she was standing behind Inkie and was only about half visible. ACE noticed that her hair had been tied back and there was a rather adorable looking bowtie in her mane. Kind of like the one that Applebloom wears. Inkie must have tied her hair up for her.

ACE looked around the rock farm. “That was the plan originally, but I get the feeling my friends will have a better chance of finding me if I stay put in one spot. Besides I’m sure you two have plenty more work you need help with.”

Inkie smiled there was almost a look of relief in her eyes. “This week is the summer harvest time. We need to move the rocks down to the southern field. It’s a Pie family tradition. The whole process usually takes us about a week to do, but with your magic we could probably do it in half the time.”

“I’d be happy to help with that if I can.” ACE replied.

Inkie nodded with approval and Blinkie bounced up and down cheering with delight.

“Then I guess we should get started.” Inkie told her new unicorn friend. “We can start with the piles closest to the house.”

With ACE’s help the time it took to move the rocks to the south field was monumentally less. They were a quarter of the way done when noon struck and it was time for a lunch break. As they ate Blinky rambled on about how grateful she was.

“Wow this is so great, we should have hired a cute unicorn ages ago, this is taking no time at all I can’t wait to finish and have all this extra free time!”

Blinkie’s use of the word caused ACE to blush a little; he shook it off and looked across the table where they were eating. Inkie Pie had been looking at him, but quickly turned away as he looked up her face also a little red.

“Hey maybe when we finish you can take my big sister on a date!” Blinkie exclaimed with a huge smile on her face.

ACE suddenly spit out the water he was drinking. Inkie’s entire face turned bright red, and she slunk her head down with embarrassment. ACE looked at her and sighed dawning an awkward smile.

“Maybe,” he muttered weakly. “Some time after we finished with the rocks of course.”

Inkie’s face shot up with surprise. ACE didn’t really give the subject too much thought but it sure seemed like Inkie had. Then again ACE was content just to see both the Pie sisters smiling. They both looked really cute when they smiled.

As the sun set the Pie sisters headed into the farmhouse for dinner. As ACE moved to join them he heard a loud rustling noise coming from behind him. He turned around to find himself face to face with the black manned, white furred unicorn he met at Ponyville the night of Lilly’s concert. ACE was sure it was him; it was hard to mistake the broken horn and shades that the colt was wearing despite the sun having set.

“You again?” ACE muttered.

“Yes, me again.” The colt mimicked.

“What are you doing here, how did you even find me? For that matter, why are you following me?”

The colt held his hoof up to stop ACE’s barrage of questions. His tone was dead serious and almost chilling.

“You are not safe here ACE, you need to leave as soon as possible. Find your friends and get back to your journey.” The colt’s tone was ice cold, the kind of tone ACE expected from his older brother.

“I can’t leave now, I promised these girls I would help them, hoof I even promised they’re dying mother I would help them. I don’t intend to leave until I’m finished here.” ACE slammed his front hoof into the ground emphasizing his resolve.

“There’s more to it than that, isn’t there?” Asked the colt sternly.

ACE turned around and looked towards the house. “I want to help Inkie.” He replied “I want to get that collar off of her.”

“That collar is the problem ACE.” The strange colt clarified, “and the longer you stay here, the more of a threat it will become to you.”

“What are you talking about?” ACE demanded.

“Have you actually taken the time to examine that collar?” The colt asked.

“Don’t you think it would be a bit odd if I was staring at something that was around a mare’s neck?” ACE countered.

“Not if it’s dangerous.” The colt responded.

ACE heard the sound of Inkie calling his name; he looked up and saw her gesturing for him to come inside. ACE acknowledged the invite and told Inkie he would be there in just a moment. As the mare went back inside ACE turned to face the mysterious stranger once again but the colt had disappeared. ACE looked around but saw no traces of him could be found. ACE simply shrugged and went inside the house.

Late that night ACE awoke to find Inkie Pie sneaking into his room again.

“Can I help you?” He asked.

When Inkie realized she had been spotted her face lit up red and she backed away towards the door.

“I’m sorry I just…” She couldn’t find the words to explain her actions. ACE sighed and shrugged, one more time wouldn’t kill him.

“It’s fine.” He moved the covers aside to let her into the bed. Inkie smiled happily and rushed over, but when she got to the edge of the bed she stopped.

“What’s wrong?” ACE asked the mare.

“It’s just…” Inkie took a deep breath in and out, and to ACE’s surprised she began a long spilled out run-on sentence.

“I know I didn’t ask the first time, I mean I didn’t ask because I thought you would say no, but now you’re saying yes, so I have to wonder would you have said yes the first time, but there’s no way you would have said yes the first time, but you might have said yes the first time, but…”

As Inkie went on and on ACE decided to take the colts advice, he looked down and observed Inkie’s collar. What ACE saw made his eyes widen and the fur on his neck stand on end. The collar was humming with a soft, yet dark red energy. The energy began to radiate a little more every second as Inkie Pie talked. Finally ACE realized what the colt was talking about. It wasn’t the collar itself that was the issue it was what was on the collar. The collar was enchanted with a sinister spell known as “Venomous Love” a spell that reacted to a pony’s interest in another pony. The more one pony loved another, the more potent the poison became, resulting inevitably in the latter pony’s end. This would normally be the case; however ACE was secretly a changeling, and the spell worked differently on his kind. Instead of being a lethal poison that inevitably killed them, to changelings Venomous Love worked as a kind of drug. The effects of the spell numbed their bodies from the inside out ultimately leaving them unable to feel anything at all a sensation that sadly some changelings were dangerously addicted to. ACE finished his observations just as Inkie finished talked.

“So you seem cool with it, which is great ‘cause if you’re really cool with it I guess I could tell you that I really really like you.”

Inkie’s eyes widened and she shoved her hooves over her mouth her face glowed bright red and her head sunk.

“I’m sorry, I was talking and…”

ACE cut her off.

“It’s…it’s fine…I” ACE noticed it was becoming impossible to form words. The numb feelings began to come back but now they were stronger than ever. ACE couldn’t move, and he could barely talk.

“I’m…glad.” Inkie climbed into the bed and laid next to ACE. “I’m sorry if this is weird.” She whispered shyly.

“No…it’s fine…” ACE wasn’t sure if he actually meant what he said or not. The relaxing feeling coming from the collars spell was overwhelming; he began to slink down into the bed, and with the last of his strength he turned his face to see Inkie smiling at him. As the spell and the feelings reached their apex his eyes began to close and he began to fall asleep, the last feeling he remembered that night was Inkie’s lips on his own.