Hit the Ground Running

by Flash_Game

Side Quest Pt.3

"I am the Tree of Harmony"

"Why?" I said very confused

"My seed was created by the Pillars-" She started

"Sorry for interrupting, but I know that part. I meant why are we here?" I said while motioning between me and the pup

"The pup was too close to you to not bring him here. As for you, I have a job that only you can accomplish"

"Wait! Is this some seventh element bullshit?!" I exclaimed, If this is that, I'm going to be very pissed!

"There will always be six elements"

"Oh, thank god! That's a relief, you have no idea how ridiculous those stories can get"

"Your story has been ridiculous as is, there is no need to make it even more so"

"I feel personally attacked," I said with sarcasm

"Sorry, I did not mean to offend you"

"I... that was sarcasm... I-I didn't mean to confuse you"

"We need to get back on track as there is a time limit on you being here"

"Right, sorry. Go ahead"

"Chaos will been released and this, along with your existence here, has started a cascade of events that cannot seem to be prevented. I do not know the specifics, but I do know you will need these," she said opening her arms and making five pip-boys materialize, "I do not know the reason, but you need to create a team and train them with your weapons from the universes you draw your powers from. These devices will give a copy if your own powers to whomever puts them on, be mindful of who gets them as they will be permanently linked to them until their demise"

"That's... dark- Wait! Why would I need a team?" What the hell is going on?!

"I do not know"

"Why video game weapons then?"

"I only know they will be effective, not the reason why"

"Okaaay... In what way would my 'team' get my powers?"

"They will not get the full range of abilities you possess, the reason is that your own power are a mix of harmonic and chaotic magic, and some other force impossible for me to identify. The only abilities they will receive are the storage, progressive strengthening and the universal armour fitting you possess, nothing more"

Universal armour-? "Oh..." They've probably never got my measurements correctly... Now it makes sense...

"I also have specific abilities I need you to have," She made the same hand motions as before, but holotapes appeared this time, all white. She then picked one out, "This one will allow you to have the team size you will need," She then picked another, "I can not tell you what this one does, but know this, Harmony itself wants you to have it"

"Why the secrecy?"

"I, myself, don't know its effect either. Let us start with it"

---

==[POV - Rick]==

I started to choke on my coffee as I read a part of the letter from Celestia

"Are you okay?!" Quick asked freaking out

"Yeah *cough* yeah, just... Luis... He went missing a week ago"

"What?"

I downed the rest of my coffee and started heading out the door, "Let's go, we're joining search team"

Quick got up from the table and took the dishes to the washing machine, "Let's go," she grabbed my hand, and we walked out of our house

---

==[POV - Celestia]==

"Thank you, my little pony. You may go," I dismissed the pegasus guard as he went on his way towards the Everfree

Before he reached the door, it slammed open, "Celestia! Why didn't you tell me he went missing?!" Rick demanded as he entered the throne room

My guard was startled, but he kept going on his way. Quick Study place a hand on Rick's shoulder and whispered something to him, which caused him to relax

"He said to not tell you, or anypony for that matter, if anything happened to him for a week. I was simply respecting his wishes"

Rick seemed to want to retort, but something clicked in his mind, "That... does sound like him..."

"See? I told you there was a reason," Quick Study said confidently

"He's still paranoid as ever, I see" He sighed, "Just so you know, I'm heading that way"

I smirked, "You don't even know where it was. The letter did not say"

He smirked back and took out a piece of paper and started to do his magic

==[POV - Rick]==

I brought up the screen that my programming power bring up and started making the piece of paper into a homing paper plane. Within a minute I had the program ready, Compiled first try! I'm getting better, nice! I closed everything and looked at the floating piece of paper, "Run program"

The paper started to fold itself into a paper plane and started to make its way out of the throne room

"Thanks, Celestia, for waiting, but we gotta go"

==[POV - Celestia]==

I just got out done by somehuman again...

A smile slowly crept itself onto my face

"Sorry about him Princess, you know how he is," Quick study said with remorse

"Do not worry, my little pony," I happily replied

Quick Study bowed and ran out to follow Rick, "Wait for me!"

My smile became slightly bigger, "Every day I love those two humans ever more," My smile retreated, "Luis, in the name of Faust, be unharmed"

---

==[POV - Luis]==

I looked down at the pup, "At least she returned us outside the ravine"

"Arf!" he happily replied

Beast Master Level 1
+0005 XP

That was... unexpected... "Well, I least I know with 'Sims Life Skills' do *sigh* make everything into a skill," I finished my sentence a bit disappointed

*Ding*

"Makes everything into a skill... that gives xp... huh, found another loophole"

"Woof? {What?}"

I snap my focus to the pup, "Did... did I..." I stammered out, confused as hell

"Woof?! {What?!}"

"I did... understand you..."

"Arf! Arf! {Me too! Me too!}," the pup... said?... I guess, with a happy dance

I open up my pip-boy and looked through my skills and perks, and as it turns out, being a werewolf allows me to understand any canine with the beast master skill at any level above or equal to 1, Oddly specific, and also, another overlap of powers. I've honestly lost count of how many there are. Even if I'm not allowed to do exploits, the amount of games altering other powers is getting ridiculous

*FOOWSH FOOWSH FOOWSH (many more)*

Letters started appearing in front of me. One, five, ten, twenty, and I lost count

I guess that place didn't have cell service... wait! "How long did we... How long were we in there??!"

I started to grab the letters, thankfully they were titled 'Letter (Celestia/Noctis) #'

"{What are those?}"

"Letters... It's going to take a long, long time to read them all... *long sigh* Okay, no time like the present," I take out the first letter from Noctis, but before I started reading, I said to the pup, "Let's start going this way to Ponyville, just tell me if I'm going to hit a tree or something, okay?"

The pup tilted his head, "{Why can't you for yourself?}"

"I'm going to be reading"

"{What's reading?}"

Oh boy...

---

==[POV - Quick]==

The elements of Harmony, Noctis and me were on our way to the checkpoint. We might have only been friends with Noctis for a few months, but even I can tell she's suffering, no amount of guard training can make you emotionless

As soon as we got to the checkpoint, she took command

"Stone Guard," she called

A guard walked up her and saluted, "Yes, Lady Noctis"

"How's the search going? What teams are out? And what's their ETA?"

"His magic trail is getting weaker, it will be completely gone with in the next couple of days. Still no sign which way he went. Teams 1 and 3 are out right now. Team 3 will be back in less than 10, team 1 just left, team 2 will leave as soon as team 3 comes back"

"Thank you," she said, and turned to us. Her expression, her mask, quivered for a second before she started to make her way to where we were

Twilight stood up and went to Noctis, Twi placed a hand on Noctis shoulder and whispered something to her

==[POV - Noctis]==

"We'll find him, I'll make sure of it," Twilight reassured me

I just weakly smiled in return as she started to walk towards the forest behind me. The other girls were looking at me, no, past me wide-eyed, I then felt Twilight grasping the air trying to grab me. I turned around and saw Luis walking out of the forest reading a scroll. I gasp as I started walking faster and faster to him

As I got close to him, he stopped and looked up from the scroll. He didn't look worried. He wasn't worried?! That... Th-that BASTARD!!

I stopped in front of him, waiting for his excuse, any excuse, "Are you okay?" he asked nonchalantly

For a few seconds I stood there, processing what he just said, repeating it in my head. And then...

I snapped

A slap that rang out for miles as my hand made contact with his cheek. I was holding back every emotion I had while in the verge of tears thinking, He disappears for ten days and that's all he has to say??!!! 'Are you okay'?!!!

Time stood still for what felt like an eternity, made even longer by the deafening silence. He was just staring into the distance, I was staring at him

He slowly turned to me with a defeated expression as I realized what I had just done, I had slapped him. I hurt him, He must hate me... I turned tail and ran away, tears rolling down my face as I ignored every call for me, I didn't even try to hear him out...

==[POV - Rick]==
Meanwhile

"We're almost back at the checkpoint," said the guard leading the rest of us as we made our way out of the forest

"Damn it!" I yelled, "God fucking damn it!" I yelled again punching a tree, Where are you Luis...

"Hey, Rick, we'll find him," Thunder Guard reassured me, "Don't worry. I highly doubt anything in this forest can get him"

Lightning Hooves jumped in the conversation, "He did have an over 500% improvement in his physical test on his first month alone, and then a 143% improvement the month after that"

A loud bang of sorts rang out

"That came from the checkpoint!" the lead said as he started to pick up speed, "Let's go! There's no time to lose!"

After a minute of running we got to the checkpoint. As we came out of the tree line, I saw Luis crouching down picking up something off the ground

We all stopped. The main six and Quick where on the side looking at Luis with worry

"What happened..." I whispered as I slowly walked forwards

Suddenly Luis started clutching his chest as he fell to his knees

"LUIS!" everyone yelled as he went limp and ended face down on the dirt

Author's Note:

The fact that I'm publishing this now means that the next chapter is on its last stretch, enjoy!