Heralds of Luna

by GaPJaxie

Introductions: Amethyst Shard

Amethyst Shard

Character Name: Amethyst Shard
Player Name: Ether Echoes
Race: Crystal Pony Mare
Class: Vitalist 5
Role: Healing

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Amethyst Shard opens her eyes.

She hasn't slept in a long time. A time so long she cannot remember when it began, and the time before it is sometimes hazy and unclear. Sleep is a thing for flesh, and she is something else. She could work all day and all night, if she wished. Or play. She has done both. But lately, she often finds herself using that time to lie in bed. Not to rest, but simply because there doesn't seem to be anything else worth doing. To let things pass.

She heard the villagers outside awhile ago. Raising up quite a ruckus. Shouting something about a princess and dreams. They didn't bother her about it though. Nopony ever visits. And she hasn't dreamed in a long time either.

She's still staring at the ceiling when there comes a knock at the door. It has been so long since such a thing came—and so deep is her malaise—that she thinks she imagined it at first.

But then it comes again. Polite, but insistent. This time she knows it is real, but simply feels no inclination to answer.

A third come it comes, later in the day, perhaps. Maybe this time she'll answer is.

Amethyst Shard: "It opens," she answers, surprised momentarily that her voice still works.

A fourth time, the knock comes. Her caller does not speak.

Not that she's in any state to receive guests, dusty as her cabin is. She can grow the strangest things out of crystal, not merely carving objects, but growing whole plants or creatures in her own glittering image. But now, her creatures are still, and her creations lie covered in a fine layer of neglect.

But her guests seem determined to be received.

Amethyst Shard sighs, expelling air from her lungs. She gets to her feet, still surprised that her limbs creak. They don't make the crackling noise they used to, that hum of microfractures which signalled glass and crystal bending and rehealing. She works the kinks out from unused tendons and walks over to the door. Her mane hangs long, almost to the floor, having not touched a razor since her return, each strand as smooth as glass wire.

Amethyst pushes the door open. On the other side of the door sands a strange creature. It resembles a dog that walks on two legs, its forepaws elongated and twisted to form grasping limbs. Its face is ugly and squat, as that of an ill-bred mutt, and its teeth jut out in the most ill-kept condition. It would look like an altogether barbaric sort of creature if not for its dignified stance and upright bearing, conveying an air of civility. Two of its kind stand behind it, and all three wear vests that match their slate-grey coats.

"Pardon me," the one at the door says. "We are seeking the mare of the house."

"She stands before you," Amethyst says, her voice low with a faint ring.

"A pleasure to meet you," says the first of the dog creatures. The Alpha of the pack, as it were. "Our master has bade us present our services to you as a gift, to ensure all is prepared and ready for your fiance's arrival."

Her eyes, which had been wandering, now focus on the leader with a hardness they haven't had in a goodly while. Gem hard. "I am unbetrothed."

"That is so," Alpha agrees, maintaining his polite tone. "For it would hardly be proper for you to be betrothed to a creature you have not yet met. But you shall meet him soon, and as a gesture of courtesy, we are to ensure you and your dwelling are presentable for your first encounter. As as he is the creature you will one day marry, it would therefore be correct to say you shall soon meet your fiance."

"I have had a lover. I shall not again." The fog flees from Amethyst’s mind as she regards them, her attention now wholly theirs. "What is this talk? What are you?"

"It is not the place of a servant to correct a lady," Alpha says, with an apologetic bow of his head. "Nonetheless. We are servants. And we are here."

"Serve elsewhere. This home is empty."

"Then the mare of the house refuses her gift?"

Amethyst Shard feels a bit of her old self come through as she snorts. "Look inside. What do you see? Dust and dry crystal. No one lives here, so there's no one to accept your gift."

"Begging the mare's pardon," the diamond dog says, after a moment, "but as I shall surely be lashed for failure to complete my appointed task, it behooves me to point out that there is also no one to refuse it."

"You want it, then?” Amethyst asks. “You're welcome to it."

"Very well." He gives a graceful bow, and the other two hurry forward.

Both nod their heads to her, but their motions are more quick than deferent. Firm paws push her back and guide her haunches to the floor, while another set examine her mane and the crystal fibers therein. When one pulls open his vest and it seems for a moment to be full of knives, Amethyst has a moment's cause to suspect foul intentions.

But then, the knives are revealed to be scissors, the second one—call him Beta—carefully straightening out her mane as the third wipes away the fine layers of dust, setting the house in order with an unnatural speed and finesse.

"Get your claws off me," Amethyst says, disgusted.

Her objections only result in her being held surprisingly forcefully. The three of them trained well in the use of joints and pressure to disable a pony without allowing them to struggle.

"Brush the pre-tty poh-nee's mane and

Comb the pre-tty poh-nee's tail,

Pet the pre-tty poh-nee's coat and

Keep the pre-tty poh-nee hale."

"I am warning you," she growls. "You want the house, fine—leave me out of it. I am nobody's mare, not anymore."

"Not anymore, no," Alpha agrees. "But we are here on behalf of your future, not your past, and our master would hardly force you to suffer the indignity of meeting that future unpresentable." He looks to the others. "Continue."

The other two resume their work. Her mane is cut, her coat cleaned, all while she is held immobile. Three sets of powerful limbs grip her face to hold her perfectly still so they can pluck her eyebrows, polishing her face until it's translucent.

"Shine the pre-tty poh-nee's hooves and

Braid the pre-tty poh-nee's hair,

Dress the pre-tty poh-nee well and

Give the pre-tty poh-nee care."

Amethyst Shard growls, struggling in their grip uselessly. Damn her pathetic, delicate limbs. She used to pound creatures like this into the ground for fun. But that's not what she is, not anymore. She's something else, now, something strange and exotic.

"Fine. Maybe I can't fight anymore..." Her eyes light up and a vaguely equine shape made of sharp planes and angles appears before her out, all hard light. "But they can."

Her astral summon leaps at her attackers, scattering them about the room, but it fails to actually hit any of them. Amethyst is free, but as her construct bucks, kicks, and slices, she sees that the three dogs are easily able to dodge its attacks. Despite that however, they seem unwilling to actually hit back. And so they're driven about the room, and away from her, giving her a moment to breathe. That suits her fine. Hurting things... no longer interests her as might it once have.

Amethyst Shard looks through the open door, seeing what's going on outside. "Nothing," would be the short answer. The chaos is as it always is. But as her construct herds the three dogs around the room, she does see a point in the chaos that isn't shifting with the rest. A constant shape in the distance, brown and blue, vaguely in the outline of a pony. It seems to be watching the house.

For a few moments, Amethyst isn't sure what to think. Part of her just wants to slam the door shut and pretend it never happened. Let them come if they wanted, what does anything matter anymore? Except the dog-beasts were quite clear. They want her to wed. They want to defile the last happy memories she has left to her.

Her mouth tightens into a hard line and she goes back in, blowing dust off nondescript items. A fine shirt of dark crystal likes. A spiny crown of milky-white. A few small personal effects, including a pink stone on a cord. She held it in her hoof, looking at it for a while—it was a cloudy, arguably ugly piece, one of the first she'd made. But she'd made it at his urging... his push to get her to open up, to test herself, instead of wallowing in her own pity.

What irony.

The dog creatures have managed to restrain her construct, but at this point, it's obvious they're loathe to actually harm it, and concerned that she'll just summon more if they try to restrain her. And so, they can do little but watch as she gathers her things and stalks outside, towards the figure in the distance.

"You know, I learned how to do that to protect our child. Seems a waste here," Amethyst says over her shoulder. "But screw you lot." Taking the final insult, she lights a torch, and sends it spinning with her mouth into the thatch.

"Wait!" Alpha shouts, but too late, as the thatch is set alight.

Her eyes reflect the growing flames as the dry brush catches. "I take it back. You can't have that, either. That's the house we built together."

The dogs leap into action, hurriedly moving to smother the flames, but as they do, the distant figure starts to approach. Their actions pause, and a mien of fear sweeps over the three of them. Quickly, they abandon their efforts and form an orderly line, ignoring the burning building behind them.

The figure in the distance is also very strange, but in a different way from the dog-creatures. It is wrapped head to hoof in a heavy oilcloth shroud, covering it so completely that not a single inch of it can be seen all the way to the ground. Its body has the same general outline as a pony, but it is too big, and too lithe, and too tall, and emerging from either side of the cloth that covers its head are two magnificent, elegant antlers made of shining glass. As he draws closer, Amethyst can head his steps. It is a sound she is very familiar with. Crunching broken glass. The figure stops perhaps a dozen paces from the burning house, lifting its... head covering, to look at her.

Amethyst Shard turns from the flames, tosses her head, and shifts her delicate legs. She feels alive again. It's an unwanted, unwilling life, but there it is all the same. "Are you the one who sent them?"

"He is the sound of wind chimes in a hurricane," says the first dog.

"He is the pure notes of a broken string," says the second.

"He is the dirge of stained glass," says the third.

"He is the Deer Whose Song Shattered the World," finishes the first.

"And you have upset my bride," says the figure to the three. His voice is rough, and harsh, and the anger comes through clearly. "Go until we cannot see that you will not disturb us. Then beat yourselves."

"Yes, Master," Alpha says, with just a hint of a cringe, and the three turn and walk off.

It's only when the three are gone that the figure speaks again. "Please, forgive me my errors. I am Melos."

"You're still making one,” retorts Amethyst. “Forgiveness requires stopping."

Melos pauses, and the cowl nods. "It does," he agrees. His voice is softer now, though still rough and deeply scratchy. Full of odd sounds. "But I shall not have the first words I speak to my future bride be a lie, and what I have said is so, not a wish, but the unpolished truth. I do not doubt there is a way to polish that gem so it will not cause you pain, but I lack the understanding to create such a work."

Amethyst Shard touches the pink stone hanging from her neck.

"That was always your domain. So please, tell me how I may stop causing you pain."

"I have loved, and lost,” says Amethyst. “I don't desire to love again. Begone, and you will stop causing me pain."

"That is not within my power," Melos says, with a little shake of his head. "What has been said will be."

Amethyst Shard shakes her head. "If that were the way things worked, then I'd be awash in earth pony stallions and still weigh twenty stone."

Melos tilts his head a moment—his antlers moving in time. "It should not surprise me that you have had many suitors. Certainly you are worthy of such a thing. Yet I still feel a pang of jealousy."

"Many suitors. One love.” She fixes him with a look. “You won't replace him."

"...no," Melos says, after a noticeable pause. "No, I will not. But you will love again. May I approach?"

She snorts. "No."

"I know where he went." Melos says, after another time. "Your first love. And I know that you shall see him again."

Her heart pounds. "What?"

"He was broken and sent away. To the north. And to the end of the world. You will see him there, before we are wed, and it is by your will he will be restored." Melos speaks in a steady and even tone, tinged perhaps with sadness.

Her lips open, then shut. The aching loneliness in her heart throbs, but each beat winds up a golden thread. A little, fluttering hint of hope. "A little tip... when you're wooing a mare, it's a good idea not to presume success. You could do to take a lesson from him. He built me up from nothing. For no other reason than because he didn't like seeing me down. And for that, I came to him. He's the only one I mean to wed."

"I am not a builder, fair lady. I do not create, but destroy. And," Melos adds, "I do not presume, but merely state the world as I have observed it. But… It it pleases you, I shall take as many lessons from him as I am able. May I approach?" he repeats.

"You don't seem bad, aside from that," she observes, but shrinks away. "I don't like being touched."

"It was not my intention to touch you, good mare. But my vision is poor." The oilcloth over his face noticeably lacks eye holes. "And I should like to see you better."

Amethyst Shard glances around. Nopony. Just them and the chaos. And of course, the burning building, which by now is getting rather warm on her rear. "Fine."

He steps up towards her at a measured pace, the sound of broken glass carrying with every step. Amethyst feels her hairs stand on end at each time. That awful sound haunted her for so long… When he gets near her though, another sound joins it. This one she is also familiar with. The strange cracking that signals glass magically pulling together. The sound her body made after a part of her broke.

Melos finally stops a few paces in front of her, keeping a respectful distance, waiting for that unnatural crackling to stop. And when it has stopped, he reaches up and pulls back his hood, revealing a head and a face made of beautiful glasswork. It's different from a pony’s face, long and slender, and his features are adorned with jewelry made of tuning forks and tiny wind chimes. His joints move smoothly, and when he lowers his head, the motion of glass-on-glass creatures a pure note. Like something rubbed against the top of an open wine glass.

Melos draws a breath, and his eyes refocus on her. He takes a moment to stretch his jaw. Gather his thoughts. "My apologies for my earlier rudeness."

Amethyst Shard watches in a weird mix of horror and fascination. "What are you?"

"I am the Deer Whose Song Shattered the World," he says, and now his voice isn't scratchy or broken at all. It's pure, and sweet, and sad. "If you can forgive a... pretentious title." He smiles slightly at that, though it isn't a joyful smile. "And you are the pony who is going to put it back together. And when you do, yes. We will be wed. I mean this only as a statement of the future I have foreseen, and not to impose upon your person. I have never been wrong before, but perhaps there is a first time for everything."

"I'm terrible at fixing things," says Amethyst.

"Perhaps you will learn." Melos lifts his head to look at her burning house. "I really made a mess of this didn't I?"

"I won't say it's the worst suit I've ever had."

"I am not always... in order, mentally. I am a part of the world, you see. But you have fixed that, at least for the time being. So now, if you'll hear me, I think we should talk."

"I don't know what you're talking about," she admits. "I'm not a smart pony. I bucked apples and then I bucked ponies and then things got weird. But fine, I can listen. Nothing else to do."

"I am, as was said before, a deer, hailing from my herd's distant home of Deer na Nog. Almost an age ago, a great spirit of chaos drew us to this plane, and here we made our dwelling, and earned our names. But now, that age is coming to an end. And you have a part to play in its ending." Melos's antlers shimmer, and the fire starts to die down. He sinks to the grass, politely waiting for Amethyst to join him; Amethyst reluctantly does as well, her tail flicking to curl around her

"Time as well as space were broken,” Melos continues, “by this spirit’s will and my singing, and a shard of me scattered into that time, when our age in this world will end. I saw you there, and myself. I saw you return to your people—to the other ponies who are crystal as you are. I saw you save them, and restore your first love. And then we were married. And I saw you return to Deer na Nog with me, before the world came to an end."

She gives him a look. "And why in the heck would I do that?"

"I am uncertain," Melos says. "When I am whole, I am in only a single place, and so now I cannot see what I have described. When I am shattered, my mind is split a thousand ways, and I am prone to severe errors in judgement… as you have seen." He smiles, and it elects a soft note in glass, his jewelry chiming. "But, I recall that you seemed pleased with my company."

Amethyst Shard purses her lips. "I don't know about the future, either. Unless you're actually him, I don't think it's likely. Hell if I know."

"Language." Melos rebukes, more surprised than judgemental.

"I'm really salty, you may have noticed."

"Burning down your house was a clue," Melos chuckles. "Perhaps then, if you think it unlikely, you'll indulge an old deer's delusions for the sake of other ponies you'll meet?"

"I can listen,” Amethyst says. “I'll do that much."

"I am... not sure how to tell the rest.” Melos admits, his slight frown electing a more dour note out of his frame. "I have seen pieces of your journey. That you will leave here to join Princess Luna in her castle. That you will journey across Equestria. That we will meet exactly three more times, before our final reunion. But I am not an oracle. And my motivations for being here are not as simple as a devotion to fate. If they were," he points out. "I would simply leave. Destiny is destiny after all. What's the sense in hurrying along what I believe to be pre-ordained?"

"What is it, then?"

"As I said, you seemed quite pleased with me in the end.” He pauses. “And... I with you. My kind and I broke this world, and I will not deny my name was well earned. But now it is broken. I am ready for what comes next."

"Well, why'd you come here then?" she asks.

"I wanted to see you," Melos says plainly. "Properly, that is."

Amethyst Shard flicks her tail. "Well. I dunno how to take this. You came off at a bad start, honestly."

"I saw you in a state. And thought... well.” He shakes his head. “My thoughts are often confused."

"I'm awake now, in any case. Also I burned my house down so I can't go back to moping there." Amethyst sighs. "But now I know there's a hope. Far to the north, huh?"

Melos nods. "With the other ponies who are like you. The ponies made of crystal, in their northern empire."

"Never heard of it. But I guess that's where I'm going."

"Yes, it... is." Melos catches himself. "If you'll forgive the presumption."

"And where is this 'princess'? I don't get on much with unicorns.” Amethyst Shard rises to her feet and dusts herself off with a hoof. “I don't think they elect royals do they? Just seems like it's asking for trouble."

"They do not. But she is not quite a unicorn." Melos gestures into the distance with his antlers. "You shall find her in the Everfree Forest, where my kin lay siege to her castle even now. Wandering the formless chaos, it shall take an eternity for you to find her. But in the chaos, that shall not trouble you overly. Walk until you see her and you will be there."

"Great," she says, looking at him strangely. "Well. It was.. interesting meeting you, Melos. If we do end up married that'll be kinda weird. But I guess we'll see."

Melos seems frozen with a terrible indecision. He clearly wants to reach out to her, yet at the same time, seems to understand why he shouldn't. Finally, with a note of breaking strain, like a colt proclaiming their love to their first crush, he blurts out: "Good luck."

Amethyst Shard almost instinctively shrinks back. Just the memory of her skin… "Thanks."

"I suppose you should... go now.” His joints sing as he rises—a beautiful tune that makes her body resonate in kind. "I'll... see you soon?"

Amethyst Shard nods curtly, then steps off smartly. She's not as strong as she was, but her hooves still work.

As she pulls away from him, his glass body starts to crack, and fracture, and he quickly restores the hood that hides his face. That sound continues as she steps away, playing at her ears, until she is finally lost to the distance.

Then, she walks.

And walks.

How long she couldn't say. Possibly forever. She doesn't age after all, nor does she need to eat or rest. She encounters many things of note, but they are not the Princess she seeks, and so she keeps walking, through the random points of infinite space that surround her. Until, finally, having exhausted every point in the cosmos that is not her destination, there is only one place left for her to be. She is glad her memory at least is limited, because that sure sounds like it would be boring.

And so she finds herself standing atop the battlements of a wind-swept castle, looking out between the crenelations at the horde that gathers below. A massive camp lit by firelight, in which monsters, and terrible beasts, and catapults can all be seen.

"Intruder!" shouts a voice just behind her, hooves scrambling all around her. And when she looks back, there are a number of black-coated mares in silver armor pointing spears in her direction.

Amethyst Shard looks back at them, then at the sharp points of the spears. "I've come to see Princess Luna. You lot from her?"

"Who are you and how did you get up here!?" one of them shouts, evidently not in a question-answering mood.

"I'm Amethyst Shard, and I walked. It took me a very, very long time, but apparently you can get just about anywhere if you're patient enough."

But as she does, one of the others tugs at her tail. "She doesn't have any dreams," the second one whispers. "And look! She's all shiny."

Amethyst Shard looks down at her coat, lifting a hoof to inspect it. She is indeed all shiny. Crystally, even. "Huh. Look at that," she says, a sort of dull marvel. She touches the stone at her throat. "Like it was before, only not so... bad."

"I think she's a crystal pony," the second guard whispers. "Princess Luna will want to know about this." Gradually, the first guard lowers her spear.

"I guess I am," Amethyst agrees.

"Very well," says the first guard. "Come with us."

"Lead on."

And the guards lead Amethyst inside.

Comments

[Ether Echoes]

Amethyst Shard 10/10, would hug.