Hermits and Royalty... How 'bout That. (Chapter Six)
Chapter Six
Hermits and Royalty... How 'bout That.
Flying is awesome, you get to soar above the world below and give a one fingered salute to gravity. I don't see how anyone could not like it. Sure, there's the fear of falling but if you always let fear dictate your actions you'll never get anything done. Heck, my current plan is to find one of the rulers of one of the most powerful races in the world and there're so many ways that this could end terribly. Just around two days ago I would have never attempted a stupid stunt like this, but after staring down a very angry dragon, the other things in life just don't seem as scary as they used to.
With the flapping of my wings I propel myself across the night sky, my black wings blending with the starry night sky. I figure with the coloring of my wings as well as my clothing it'd be a good idea to travel at night, so if anyone saw me they wouldn't be able to make out what I was. They'd probably just think I was some kind of weird bird.
In the east however I'm beginning to see the sun's strangely fast ascent over the horizon. If Kurltmak was correct then the cycles of the sun and moon were controlled by the two princesses of Equestria.
I'll probably never get used to seeing it rise that fast.
From what I know of these ponies so far they don't react to strange creatures dropping out of the sky so it probably isn't a good idea to travel during the day where I'll stick out like a sore thumb. Off in the distance I see the edge of a forest, and if memory serves correctly the map said it was called The Everfree Forest. It looked like it was pretty close to a small town but hopefully that won't end up being a problem. I was getting tired anyway, and I really should get some rest, wouldn't want to be drowsy when I met royalty.
Tilting my wings I begin my descent downward and the ground begins to get closer, thankfully this time it was intentional. I once again marvel how quickly I seem to be picking up on the use of my wings. I hardly even need to think about it at this point, it's all just starting to feel so natural. The Canopy of the forest it very thick in most places, at it seems like I might have some difficulty finding a place to land. However, just as the thought passes through my mind, I start to notice what looks to be some old and dilapidated stone structure.
Getting closer to it I make out that it seems to have been a castle at one point a very long time ago. I can't find a reason why someone would build a castle of that size in the middle of a forest, it wouldn't serve any real purpose out here.
Maybe it was here before the forest?
If that really is the case, if the size of the trees was any indication, then this castle is much older than it at first appeared. Well, not that it mattered all that much, it looked like it was abandoned and it would be a relatively safe place to catch a few hours of sleep.
My feet touch the ground in front of the castle's main gate but nothing impedes my entrance. After I take a look around, to make sure anything hadn't been alerted by my landing, I proceed inside. The long, still mostly intact, stone walls welcome inside as my boots lightly thud against the floor. It doesn't look like this place really has much to it anymore, reinforcing my earlier assumption that it had been abandoned quite some time ago.
I explore a bit and don't find much of interest, I hadn't really expected to truth be told be told. The only thing of note that I saw was a room that housed some kind of altar, but there wasn't anything on it so I didn't even pay that much mind.
I head up a spiraling staircase and soon find myself on the top floor of the tallest tower in the castle. It's a fairly large room and part of the circular room was nothing but a gaping hole. It looks like it had been a balcony at one point but one thing or another had caused it to fall away. It appears that the hole faces the entrance of the castle as well.
Well, I guess this is as good a place as any other.
I set down the small pack slung over my shoulder that holds my map, gems, and a few other sundries useful for the traveling Half-Dragon. I lay out by the opening and let one leg hang out the side. I know this probably isn't the safest thing to do, but I'm fairly sure that if I fall off the edge I'd wake up before I hit that ground and be ale to pull up. Besides, even if I did hit the ground it wasn't like it was going to kill me, worse falls hadn't managed to pull that one off yet.
I feel weariness wash over my body as everything that has happened to me recently hits me like a wave. I don't even bother to set my halberd down and let it lean on my shoulder. Letting out a yawn I allow my eyelids to close and soon find myself in a deep dreamless sleep.
---
Zecora had seen a strange form in the skies above the Everfree, and while it wasn't uncommon for strange creatures to be roaming about this had looked different. It was early morning when she had been collecting herbs that were to be found throughout the forest that she had seen it, most of the creatures weren't out and about during the twilight hours and she took full advantage of that.. Zecora had been living in this forest for quite a while and seen much that it held in it's leafy arms, whatever it had been wasn't something from this forest.
She had only glimpsed it briefly through the canopy as it had soared overhead with the steady beat of it's wings. Most of it had appeared to be black and it had been gripping something in it's forelimb. It had been heading int he direction of the castle that once housed the Elements of Harmony, most creatures avoided that area and she found it peculiar that this foreign being would be heading towards it. It was the only place of interest in that direction of the forest.
She opts to follow it, she knows this forest well enough that she could traverse it even with the creatures that dwelled within moving about. While she certainly cannot keep up with the creature's flight but she knew the direction in which it was headed so she did not need rush herself.
After trotting down the twisting forest paths she emerges from the tree line as the sun's position in the sky indicated that the morning was on in full. She knew of the ravine that blocked the direct path to the castle so she had followed the indirect way in order to avoid it entirely. She finds herself looking out towards the crumbling stone walls that she knows the creature must have reached long before she had.
Making her way towards the entrance she sees something besides the sight of stone as she follows what she gad glimpsed upwards. If the coloring was any indication this was the creature she had seen earlier. It appears to be sleeping as it leans it's back against an opening in a tower's wall. It's fairly large and if the way it was resting was any indication it was bipedal. Possessing black dragon-like wings, but also has fur atop it's head of the same color. It's skin appeared to be a light color, and the black she had seen earlier covering most of it's body seemed to be clothing. It was covered almost head to hoof in it, in fact the only parts that seemed to be showing skin was it's head and the ends of it's forelimbs.
Looking more closely at it's forelimbs she saw that only one was the same color as it's skin while the other was a scaly claw gripping a metallic weapon of some kind. The weapon in question ended had the head of an axe, a spiky protrusion coming out the other side of it's shaft, and ending in a spear point.
All in all, the creature was one that under normal circumstances she'd leave well enough alone. It's claw and weapon put her a bit on edge. Something that perked her interest however was the fact it wore clothing and used tools which indicated that it was intelligent.
Some more curious and reckless mares in this situation would choose to investigate further. Zecora however knew better and while the creature was definitely an oddity in the Everfree it was better to be safe than sorry. The creature looked to be keeping to itself and Zecora wasn't about to risk provoking it.
Deciding that she'd inform the residents of Ponyvile of the creature's presence to see if the knowledgeable Twilight Sparkle had heard of anything like this creature before.
---
I start to groggily wake up, being greeted by the night sky as I apparently slept the entire day thanks to my fatigue. I also find that my head ended up lying on my shoulder as I slept and left a bad crick in my neck.
Man, I really miss beds.
Hey, if you had stayed with the Kobolds they'd have given you ten beds if you asked them to.
Why in the hell would I want ten beds?
Why wouldn't you want ten beds?
Stretching out my wings as I do my best to try and ignore the crick in my neck that I'm sure will be annoying me for the rest of the day. I pick up and take out a gem that I can eat while I fly. my pack and sling it back over my shoulder. Making sure that it won't impede the movement of my wings. With all of my things gathered, and having something to suffice for breakfast I launch myself out of the opening into the air and circle the tower before resuming my journey.
The stars, moon, and my own mind are my only company as I cut my way across the night sky. After flying for awhile and leaving the forest behind me I begin to see the lights of a populated area twinkle like stars upon the ground. The settlement seems to be built against the side of a mountain and I can tell that this is my destination, Canterlot.
I find the fact that just because these creatures are equines, they feel that they have to make horse puns kind of irritating.
I think it's kind of cute.
As I grow closer to the settlement I begin to ascend higher in hopes of avoiding someone noticing me. If memory serves there is a large number of pegasi who live in this land so they probably have guards watching the sky. I can only hope that Millennium of peace has instilled complacency among the ponies living here or else this might get tricky.
I actually manage to get pretty close to an elevation comparable to the mountain's height before I feel my wing beats start to become strained and find it harder to get a deep breath. I figure this is about the maximum height that I can safely fly at so it'll have to do, I don't want to pas out and land on some poor pony's house again after all.
I can clearly see the outline of what looks to be a palace built against the mountain above the rest of the city and at my current height I'm actually above it. It doesn't have the same architecture of the castle I had seen previously, this seemed to be built more for comfort and aesthetics than defense in case of an attack. I allow myself to silently glide downwards towards it as I try and keep my eyes open for any guards who might take notice of my descent. While there did appear to be a number of guards patrolling they don't seem to be watching the skies all that closely and fail to notice my humanoid form heading toward the palace.
As I near the palace it starts to come into greater detail and one of the tallest towers seems to have a law-railed balcony jutting out of the side. It looked like it'd have more than enough room for me to land and important people, and I assume ponies, tended to live in the places higher up to make themselves feel more important. It was as good a place as any to start.
I extend my wings further and allow myself to catch more air and slow my descent. My shoes hit the ground softly with little more than a tap on the stone balcony.
Who's getting good at flying? Me, that's who
If I had eyes I'd be rolling them right now.
Folding my wings up behind my back I find myself looking at a sturdy looking doorway that led into the tower. Now that might be a problem, if I make too much noise it'll alert anyone on the other side of the door. As I try and think of a way to get passed a locked door without causing a lot of noise I take the handle in my right hand.
And it isn't locked.
Oh no! An unlocked door, what're we gonna do!?
Shut up.
I slowly turn the knob and begin to open the door.
Boy am I glad they oil these hinges.
I decide to leave my Halberd outside, I'm not here for trouble and it would likely only bring me just that is I brought it. As the doorway opens further to reveal the inside of the tower room I find myself looking into a bedroom. Sleeping on the piece of furniture that gives a bedroom it's name I see the sleeping form of a brilliant white winged unicorn. Also known as an Alicorn as Kurltmak had informed me previously. From what he told me there were only two knwon Alicorns, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, and Luna has a blue coat, not white.
Well, this is far easier than expected.
I know right? It's like she's asking for something bad to happen.
Next to her sleeping form I see an unrolled scroll on top of a nightstand. It looked somewhat official and I can't resist taking a peek at it. Picking it up, he sees that it is a letter addressed to the Princess from a "Twilight Sparkle." Picking it up I walk over and quietly plop myself down on a pile of comfortable looking pillows and begin to read.
Dear Princess Celestia,
This letter in not being sent regarding my learning a lesson about friendship. My friend Zecora who lives in the Eveerfree forest says she saw something... Strange. I know strange is commonplace in a place like the Everfree forest., but this was something that Zecora who lives there found to be out of place.
While she was out picking herbs she saw a strange dark form fly overhead towards the ruins of the old capitol, and she thought it best to go see what it was exactly. From her description of it the creature is definitely not native to Equestria, and I couldn't find any reference to it in the library. I asked Zecora if she could draw a picture of what it looked like and she was more than happy to.
The creature seemed to not be bothering anypony from what Zecora could see, just resting in the ruins. Zecora said she'd come back tomorrow to see if it was doing anything else.
Looking down at the attached drawing he could see that it was a fairly decent drawing of myself. Apparently someone named "Zecora" had seen me while I was in the forest, and she had informed someone who knew the princess.
That's perfect, it'll be even more fun if shes heard of me already.
---
Princess Celestia's day had been going fairly well up until this evening. Normally, a letter from her prized pupil was something she thoroughly enjoyed. This time however, it's topic was distressing.
She had spoken of the creature that had been sighted in the southern city of Ironhoof and said that it had been within the Everfree forest, which was well within the boundaries of Equestria. The picture gave new reality to the creature's existence. when it had just been stories of it arriving in a city that wasn't even under her rule it could have been shrugged off as unimportant.
Now however she had a drawing of what it looked like, and it was within her lands. Celestia has handled many foes in her time, some of whom were beyond powerful. While this creature hadn't given any indication of that level of power, the real reason it bothered her so much was because she knew almost nothing about it.
Even the picture she had been given wasn't able to show her anything about it's eyes. The creature had been asleep so the Zebra had not been able to see it's eyes. Whenever she faced a problem she knew what she was facing, but when she didn't know it allowed her mind to make it a much bigger problem.
As she had set the letter down after reading it she imagined it's eyes to be the harsh eyes of a hungry lizard to match it's wings and claws. She even decided she would reply to Twilight in the morning, as she was to tired to deal with talk of this creature at the moment. So she decided to deal with it in the morning and went to sleep.
However, someone else had other plans and she was going to have to deal with it sooner than she had thought.
She felt herself being pulled from her sleep, something that was not common as her subjects knew she needed her rest in order to perform her duty of raising and setting the sun. Opening her eyes and stirring the blankets a bit she noticed a dark form sitting in the room.
It was nearly identical to the picture in her student's letter. In fact, it was reading her student's letter. Celestia bolts up from her bed and catches the creature's attention as it finishes reading the letter and looks up with it's dark blue eyes.
"Oh, so you're awake." It says in a masculine voice. I sets the letter down next to the cushions it had been resting on. Then contorting it's bipedal body so that it was lying on it's side and propping up it's head with a forelimb, it said to her in a singsong voice.
"Hee-eeey, how's it goin'?"
Celestia dimly noted that it's eyes weren't those of a vicious lizard. Imagine that.
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You know I love this story but I can't get out of my updates box...
It almost like its telling me to tell you to keep up the good work.
And then....ZAP!
His family jewels get scorched by lighting
More laughs, please.
1977702 This is the second story I've encountered that actually does that. Somewhat annoying if your trying to empty it.
Still great story
Hah this shall be halarious.
I foresee hilarity in the near future
... or pain 
... probably both
1977964 And what's the other?
1980480 Bedtime for ponies
Good story but please don't say it includes ponies who have yet to even show up in the story (AKA Luna and the Elements). When he actually meets them, then you put there tags in the story.
The Canopy of the forest it very thick in most places
I don't want to pass out and land on some poor pony's house again after all.
From what he told me there were only two known Alicorns, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna
It set the letter down next to the cushions it had been resting on.
shit storms acomen
I keep waiting for him to say "paint me like one of your french girls." But it never happens lol. Or maybe "what's cookin good lookin." But corny jokes aside good story.
I can just picture the look on celestia's face as she sees him lol priceless.
for some reason i thought of this.
Nob: An informal British term for a person of high wealth or social position. Also British slang for male genitalia.
I'm not sure which interpretation is funnier, but either way I don't think that was the term you wanted.
4786282
It was more than likely due to me reading up on some 40k lore before writing this chapter, but for the sake of not having Orks running, around, I should probably fix that. Thanks for the catch.
This cannot end well
valid