The Inventor and the Red Lady

by MadNimrod

Morning

Watson stared down at the unmoving pony that lay on the ground. Though burdened with a pair of saddlebags already, and despite being a smaller unicorn pony than his fallen companion, and having that stupid bent horn, he didn’t hesitate to lift the other pony’s bags. With the cargo secure, he turned and fled the approaching pursuers. The small, tan unicorn ran across the hills, through the forests, through the valleys. Ignoring the ache in his legs, ignoring the pain from the gash on his face, Watson ran until the sounds of pursuit faded. Cresting a ridge, he could see Equestria, the lands under Princess Celestia’s direct supervision. With a sigh of relief, he took a step forward when she appeared.

She was an alicorn as large as Celestia herself. Her coat was scarlet as the blood that flowed from Watson’s reopened facial wound. Her eyes were a deep blue, like the night sky. Her mane moved like fire, but was pitch black. Her wings were less like wings and more like blades attached to her back, yet she flapped them as fluidly as any Pegasus. The way she stood, Watson could see the crossed-blades mark on her haunches. He might have been rendered speechless by her beauty if complete fear had not done the deed already. Watson took a step back.

With a smile of satisfaction and her horn roaring with magic, the Red Lady took a step towards the much smaller unicorn…

---

Watson MacMaren woke up to the sound of his water clock’s alarm. Shooting upright, he could feel the sweat in his coat. He gave a quick look around, seeing he was in his house, surrounded by his inventions and various nick-knacks. Not on Percheron Ridge, with her. He shook at the thought. Even now, four years after the fact, Watson had not mentally recovered. Brushing his facial scar with his hoof, Watson gave a sad sigh before shuffling out of bed. He attempted to levitate his trademark vest from his dresser to his back, but his bent horn sparked and the vest plowed into his face. With another sigh, he manually donned the durable black vest while muttering insults to his horn.
Unlike other unicorns, Watson’s horn sharply bent forward about four inches from the tip. When he was younger, he was in an accident that cracked and bent his growing horn. His father and older brother were able to heal the injuries, but the horn refused to straighten out. As a result, the tan unicorn had trouble casting some spells while others were almost unnaturally easy. Some ponies thought this accident is also the cause of his height problem. Watson was much smaller than other ponies. The top of his head barely reached the same height as most mares’ chins. This made it hard for him to live in a normal house, so his house was actually built to his scale.
After fastening the last button with his mouth, there was a knock at the door. He quickly trotted between his various inventions that littered his house before opening the door. Meeting him was a grey delivery Pegasus whose head was level with the top of Watson’s doorframe. She looked down at him with crossed, gold eyes and an irrepressible smile.
“Ditzy!” Watson greeted. “You’re here early!”
“It’s 10:30, silly!” Ditzy Doo chuckled. “Did you sleep in again?”
“I was up late,” the shorter unicorn tried to justify himself. “I think I finally got something the Science Academy will like.”
“I still say they should’ve let you in with that massaging machine of yours!”
“But I made it to peel potatoes…”
“Whatever!” Ditzy laughed. She swung her bag around and pulled out a small stack of envelopes. “You got a letter from Smith & Wesley, one from that Destrieric pony again, and one from, oh my.” As Watson lifted the first two letters, the cross-eyed Pegasus pulled out a lavender envelope with red trimming. The wax sealing the envelope closed was marked with the shield crest of the Royal Guard. “Another one from Phalanx. He is a determined one, isn’t he?” Watson lifted this last letter, wrote two letters on the backside and returned it to Ditzy.
“Please have this returned to sender,” Watson requested.
“Not even gonna open it?” Ditzy asked.
“It’s the same as the last twenty letters you’ve delivered from him,” the tan unicorn sighed.
“Suit yourself,” Ditzy Doo smiled as she put the letter back in her saddlebag. “See you later, Watson!” With a grace that belied her appearance, Ditzy Doo spun around and shot into the sky.
Watson smiled as he watched her leave. He had been a resident of Ponyville for nearly four years. This small, close town was what he wanted now. No matter how much Phalanx asked or attempted to bargain, Watson refused to return to his old life. The life of danger, of stealth and quick reflexes…
…the life that cost him his brother…

---

She was awake as well. The Red Lady sat in the Conclave Chamber, listening to the elders speaking with a look that was a cross between boredom and annoyance. This elder had been griping about this policy and that policy for three hours today, and it had been a constant issue from him for the past 20 years. She had heard his complaints so often, she let her mind wander. As the scarlet alicorn sat there, the memories of a serious incident came to mind.
Four years ago, two agents of Celestia had sneaked into her country. What they retrieved was of such importance that the Red Lady herself got involved in chasing them down. Her soldiers had killed one, but the other escaped. She had found him weeks later, some small unicorn with a bent horn. He was so small she first mistook him for a child. She remembered the fear on his face when she landed in front of him on some cliff. She remembered how he shook with fear as she stepped toward him…
“My Lady,” a large gray Earth Pony in black armor brought her attention back to the present, “Elder Fetlock wishes to address the Conclave.”
“He is permitted,” the dark-maned alicorn waved her hoof. As the elder started his monologue, the Lady’s thoughts were once again plagued by this small unicorn. What brought him to mind now? Why were her thoughts on him and not something else, such as Fetlock’s speech on the importance of the Soldier Class? Beyond his bent horn and vertical underachievement, there wasn’t anything memorable about him. Was she thinking about him because she was bored with the Conclave’s speeches?
“Are you well, my Lady?” the Earth Pony asked.
“I’m fine,” she replied. “Just…remembering past events, General. Nothing more.”
“Anything I might help with?” the Earth Pony General asked. She thought for a bit, and then nodded.
“Remember four years ago?”

Author's Note:

Howdy, I'm the Mad Nimrod! That's Mad as in crazy, not enraged. Anyway, this is my first fanfic, so feel free to post any contructive criticism. Any negative remarks will be deleted and flames will be used for the sole purpose of heating my cans of spam. Chapter 2 is on the way!

Comments

[Regidar]

google.com/url?source=imglanding&ct=img&q=http://static.fjcdn.com/pictures/i_f6181c_2802577.jpg&sa=X&ei=ky7KUN_8MYfxigKal4DACw&ved=0CAkQ8wc&usg=AFQjCNH71n2Ue-NjWsG-7eeioy2MO8J0iQ

You give me very little options.

[MadNimrod]

1794382
Thank you for the comment, but I am afraid I do not quite understand it. I can see you tried to send a pic, but my laptop won't register it.

[Regidar]

1794532 HMMM

This is a dilema.

[Anubis Nox]

This story looks very promising

[Lexathet]

Looks very promising so far. I'd read more if I wasn't starving and tired. You have a very good pacing and detail, I also like how the story opened up and the main character is very loveable so far. I'll be sure to keep track of any updates.