In the Everfree, there is one that protects the beings within, and is cursed without a face, without a mane, without a voice, this is the story of how he came to be and how he tries to break the curse
The being known as Slendermane is not the evil denizen that your grandmare told you to avoid.
Well, this is the truth straight from the horse's mouth (well, metaphorically speaking... and from telepathic connection...meh, technicalities)
Now little fillies, ladies, colts, gentlecolts and gentlemen... are you ready to hear this story?
Try not to wet yourselves, the carpet is suade, and I honestly don't want to have to ask any of you to pay for it to be cleaned.
"Hoo... by Celestia's beard, it is cold tonight!" I said, considering not buying those leftover meals from Hot Plate's restaurant.
Then I remember that if I came home without food, we would've had to eat the winter stores and that was out of the question... considering that Hot Plate liked me and let me pay half price and keep the extra
As I approached the backdoor to the restaurant, I heard a shushed voice coming from within. Thinking nothing of it, I entered
That was my first mistake
The first thing I saw was Hot Plate, on the floor and covered in blood, eyes glazed.
"MR. PLATE!!" I yelled, rushing to his side, not noticing a cold wind blow past me.
He looked up at me, afraid "(KKKKZZZZSSHSHSHSH!!!!!!)? Listen to me... whatever you do, don't turn around... If you do... that (COUGH!) that thing without a face will get you... I am a lost cause..."
"Don' worry Mistah Plate! Ah'll get'ya help!" I started to turn when he grabbed my hoof
"Don't try to save me... take whatever food you can carry... and leave through the door... don't turn around. Promise me"
"But-" "PROMISE ME!(HACK! COUGH cough...)" I nodded and stuffed my saddle bags with all the food I could, the stallion's glazing eyes making sure I didn't turn around. As I left I was tempted to look back but I stopped myself
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The walk back home was a long one, long because of the food I carried but also because of the sight I left behind. I told the ponies at the guard station what I saw and they said they would get over there; but I will never forget what they said afterwards "Looks like another one" "We really need to get those reinforcements from Canterlot if we're supposed to get this thing"
When I had arrived at my family's farm, my sisters and brothers met me at the door, jumping from the promise of food. I couldn't have eaten even if my life depended on it. I just shrugged my saddle bags off and went to my room. fell onto the bed and stared at the ceiling.
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I was awoken by the cries of my mother early that morning as she heard the news from her good friend and the local gossip machine, Loose Lips. As I opened the door, my mother was already there "(KKKKKZZZZSSHSHSH!!!!!!!!!) Mister Plate is-" I automatically knew what she was going to say so finished it for her "Dead, ah know..."
"W-how? How did you know?" she gasps
"Well, ah saw him in his last few moments before ah alerted the guards of what happened. An' before ya' ask, he said ah could have whatever ah could carry, so ah didn't rob a dead pony's store. That bein' said, may ah take the day off? Ah wanna mourn" I was what you would call stoic, I had to be, I was the oldest of 5 children. So I usually vented my rage in the form of my favorite pastime/ job, apple bucking. But not that day, I needed to think about what hot plate said
"Don't turn around, if you do, that thing without a face will get you!"
"What did he mean? 'Thing with out a face'? What doesn't have a face? An egg? A lake or river? No... those have mouths... a tree? No... none of those make any sense! GAHH! What did he mean?!" I yell, feeling a bit better
"HAY!" a voice calls, I turn around and get a whole face-full of hay
"Owwww... now who in tarnation did that?" I asked, getting my answer in the form of a light green hoof
"Who else but me? I heard about hot plate... you know that sulking won't solve anything" The voice says, my eyes blurry from the dust and pollen the bale had
"T'anks bio, but did y'all really need to buck a hay bale at mah head?" the light green unicorn just smiled his usual thin smile, his black knit wool cap in the middle of the summer only sticking out worse than his usual vest
"Well, yes. But really, you need to tell somepony what happened, not an adult, but a friend. And I'm the only one present at the moment so... you're stuck with me" He smirks, giving me a conspiratorial glance
The thing I never could figure out about him was his accent. It wasn't local like mine, or like the Canterlot accents I heard from some of the passing merchants. It was smooth and edgy at the same time, almost futuristic... but he also spoke as if he was older than he appeared. And when he spoke, his mouth would turn up on one side while the other would stay in its usual resting frown
"Well, ah walked in and saw Mistah Plate on the floor, bleeding out and eyes goin' white. He said something to me that doesn't make any sense though..."
"What was it? It might help" he asks, his eye widening while the other half looked bored
"'Don't turn around, if you do, that thing without a face will get you' any clue what it means?" I asked, not expecting him to answer
"Hmmmmmmmm... a few..." He puts one hoof under his chin, squinting one eye while the other one opened all the way "But with the influx of guards as of late, that could mean that something or somepony that turned into something is responsible... or a whole group... I'll have to check my spying spells at the guard's station to make sure" Some how he had an answer for everything
"Well? Ya gettin to that checkin'? Or are ya'll gonna lay thar' like a log?"
"Later... too many guards on patrol... no info would be there except guard changing and such. Mind if I take my hat off? It makes relaxing easier" he motioned to his hat and I nodded
Now, this is a very rare occurrence but he was an exception; he was a bicorn.
Two horns that looked like four vines wrapped around each other on his forehead; one on top of the other. And he could move one around his body; one time he moved it next to the other one and they unwound into a "trident" he called it, it scared him witless and he could somehow move the entire thing along his body and move the prongs so he wrapped two around his barrel, hiding them under his vest and the other stuck out of his forehead, coiling into a smaller horn, that was an odd day. Though it was cool to see him use the other two to eat.
"Finally... I'm not sure how this hat hides my other horn; but it does and that is amazing" he rolls over and suns himself, not a care in the world
"Ah wish ah had your attitude. Nothing phases you" I observe, getting up from my spot and looking to the forest, but I stop in my tracks
On the outskirts of the forest is a tall pony wearing a black dandy's suit
But what scared me was his face. Or... lack thereof
"Hey,(KKKKKKZZZZZZZSSSSHHHHHHHHHHH!) what's the matter?"
"AH! Don' do that!" I jumped, landing on my back
"You stopped mid sentence and I thought something was wrong. What is so interesting in the Everfree that spooked you?" bio asked, his eyes searching for the source
"N-nuthin, jus' thought ah saw a manticore" I reply, the figure burned into my eyes
He shrugs and trots off, pausing only to sniff a flower
I pull myself up and walk home, inexplicably tired.
But out of the corner of my eye, I saw that same figure, as if it was following me
Ever since that day, I saw the figure wherever I went. Always watching me, never getting closer.
Don't turn around!
Mister plate's words were starting to make sense. But maybe if I ignore it, it will go away
This was my second mistake.
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"I got some info!" I turn to look through my window and out on the branch is bio "Let me in! It's freezing out here!"
I open the window and he jumps in, landing on my bed "That never get's old!"
"You said y'all had information?" I ask, used to his odd antics
"Oh yeah, well, My spells caught some conversations. Listen:
Do you have any idea why we're here?
Not really. All I know is that there have been a dozen strange deaths occurring in all of the towns around here, like the day before yesterday a business owner
Doesn't seem like a reason to call in all of us for a murderer
But the way they were killed is gruesome! They were all killed by some kind of lancing thing that pierced every organ and that's not the worst part. The weapon seemed to worm through their bodies! And while fully conscious!
That's sick! Who could do such a thing?!
Bio stops the playback spell "Everything for the next 5 hours is nothing but silence... Need a minute?" he looks at me as I shake in fear
"That's how Mistah Plate looked when I saw him!" I yelled
"One more spell yielded results:
Well, that was a complete waste of time
Maybe for you, but all the testimony is the same. "He kept talking about a white faceless thing stalking him... I thought he was losing it"
Yeah, sounds like he getting on in years and losing his mind
He was 23, feather head. And anyways, another thing that stuck out to me was how in depth the description was: "Whiter-than-snow, no hair... No eyes, mouth, or nose..." Sounds like whatever this is, it doesn't have a face "Long legs... at least 6 feet tall... wears a blacker-than-black pea coat and a red-as-blood tie... No tail or mane... Nothing else to describe the horror I feel when I see it watching me... but has no eyes" I wonder if Profile could draw this
So you can hang it above your bed at home?
No you idiotic excuse for an officer, to ask anypony close to the victims if they've seen anything like it. Honestly, sometimes I think that you think with your stomach and your pecker than what little brain Celestia gave you
It isn't little!
Case in point. Come on, I need to get you back to the station and you might hurt yourself
Fine...
"That's all I got, sorry it isn't much but these guards are tighter lipped than the ones in town. I plan to interrogate any that enter the canteen. I know you think that my methods are unfair but-" "Ah'll go... an' that thing they mentioned... I think that's what Mistah Plate was tryin' to warn me about" I interrupt him, jumping off the bed
"...Well, Even so, it doesn't open until 8 anyways, and It's only 6" He puts the crystals back into his pocket and fluffs one of my pillows
"What are ya'll doin with mah pillow?"
"Getting ready to sleep, I have been running ragged all day checking the spells without getting caught and mapping the patrols. I am exhausted and I need to sleep if I expect to attempt interrogating anypony" He turns over and yawns
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"Okay, time to weasel out some information"
"Ah'm havin' second thoughts about this..." I mutter, looking behind me
"Too late for that now (KKKKKZZZZSSHSHSH!!!!!!!!!)" He chuckles under his breath
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"Get anything?" He trots over to me, notebook in one hoof
"Well, besides a few drunken rants about how their supervisor is a 'slave driver' and several come-on's by the younger female officers, Ah have only a short bit:
Yeh, I've seen the bodies... gruesome things they were. An' I've read the 'ports too, even came up with a name for the thing too "The Slender" Not all that imaginative but heck, best I got
"What about you?" I ask, as he writes down what I had into one of his little books
"I got a bit more, even found the female officer from the recording:
Huh? The deaths? I'm not telling you a thing it's classified.
But I've got a bit of eye-witness information of the most recent attack
I'm not falling for it, now go home
Fine, Even though I know the victim's last words~ I might as well go home and risk that my memory might distort it...
...Damn You... Fine, tell me
Now now officer, I don't think just giving you my information would be fair... How about a trade? You tell me all you know, and I tell you mine? Because I am a private investigator hired by the late mister plate's wife. And you have the law behind you so if I break my side of deal, you can take me in for obstructing justice. And if you break yours, I will know because this stone detects the energy given off by somepony lying. So, what do you say officer?
...DAMN YOU! Fine! What we have so far is scraps... Who or whatever it is that's doing this is six feet tall, no features or hair, stark white and wears a black peacoat and a blood-red tie. I even have a few rough sketch copies on me. The subject also seems to have a stalking mentality... Almost like a predator. The attacks are similar in that the wounds are sadistic and nearly impossible. They all look like they've been lanced by some kind of worm-thing... but the sadistic part is in that the wounds leave the victim fully conscious while they bleed out. Here's a list of the wounds sustained on the last one
Gruesome... and all the others I've seen have similar markings but these are less severe, as if he didn't put up a struggle...
Yeah, and it can't be magic, no traces of it on any of them. No clothing scraps from the others either, I can't even wrap my mind about this... the only thing that connects them is the wounds and that they all die during the night. That's all I have
Well, I might as well tell you what I know, "'The faceless one is coming for me... OH! I'm sorry, here's your sandwich... Actually, I could use somepony to talk to' I turned to him and the sweat on his face was seeping into his coat so I nodded
"'There is this... thing that's been following me and I think I'm going to die tonight... I don't know how I know that, but I do... It is always in the corner of my eye... or behind me... I haven't slept in days because of the stress! Please, if I die, you'll tell the authorities what I told you!" I nodded, and walked out, contemplating if he was the next one to go. So I set up camp in front of his house and when the guards came with the news, I knew I had to wait a while so I wouldn't get implicated. Now I've got what I need and now I must return home to think. Have a nice evening
"Smart usin' that rock to trick 'er" I say, turning to go home
"Oh... it was supposed to be fake? I wasn't lying"
"Seriously? And now that ah think about it, how does any of what she said help?"
"We know that what we do have is true and now we can use the information without worry of it being wrong" he replies "And we got a name, character analysis, weapon choice, but the lack of magic means that it would probably be an earth pony, and the best time to set a trap! With what, however, I haven't the slightest" He looks at his notes and a small piece of paper falls out
"Oh right, the sketch she gave me" he holds it out to me while he puts his notebook away
"HEY! Are you okay (KKKKKZZZZSSHSHSH!!!!!!!!!)?" Bio asks, waving the drawing over my face
"Uugh... Ahm okay just... sleepy. Ah need to get home" I say, trotting away
"Oh, okay, see you tomorrow?" he asks, looking at the sky
"Sure, bye"
I trot down the path when something rustles behind me. I turn to look and see nothing but a few bushes "Come on, Ah mus' be losin' mah mind-Oof!" I look up and I swear I feel my blood freeze
"AAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!" I yell, running away from the slender, not looking back
When my house comes into view, I speed up
And crash right into it "Oh Celestia Ahm doomed"
It extends a tendril to my forehead "You KnoW wHAt I Am..." its voice comes from inside my head
I gather my wits and stare at its eyeless face "Yer th' thing that's been killin' folks all over. An' Ah know that yall've been followin' me since mistah plate died"
"It is My dUTY to KILL ThOSe that SEE me... incLUdinG YOU" it shivers and melts away as a light comes towards us "I will get you..." its voice fades from my head
"Are you okay?!" A voice calls but I feel myself lose consciousness
"Wh-where am ah?"
"Your room, how are you feeling (KKKKKZZZZSSHSHSH!!!!!!!!!)?" Bio must have been the one who found- "The Slender! I saw it! it talked to me it-" my head spins and I lay back down
"You... saw it?!" Bio jumps and stares at me, worry in his dark blue eyes
"Yeah, and it spoke to me 'You know what I am', 'it is my duty to those that see me... including you', 'I will get you'" he shivers and pulls out his notebook "Anything else you remember before blacking out?"
"He looked like how they described 'im, tall, thin, nothing on his face, a tie and jacket... Wait! He had the feelers of darkness or sumthin' growing from his back! And when they touched me he spoke to me inside my head" he writes faster than I can see, his forehead creasing in worry "Anything else?"
"The voice was weird" I reply
"Weird how?"
"Like somepony chopped it to pieces and put it back together again all wrong... kinda..."
"Disjointed?"
"Yeah! And I slammed into him but he barely moved and I was running" I say, rubbing my head
"..." Bio's eyes lose focus as he rubs his own head "Y'all all right?"
He shakes his head slowly "I... I don't know how to stop this... is there anything else, anything you've seen?"
My never-serious, always calm and planning friend Bio Lateral...
Is scared
"I thought that he was following me yesterday but always out of the corner of my eye and near the forest" I shiver "D-do we tell the guards?"
"No... even if we did we would be dismissed or questioned. And if we say I was using recording spells and soliciting information from officers like I've been doing would get us in trouble... we're on our own here" he sighs "Mala suerte...
"'My la shirt'? What's that mean?"
"It's sponish for 'What luck' as in; 'What luck, we're on our own against something no one has encountered before'" I raise a hoof "'And lived'" he adds
He pulls out a map of Ponyville and the Everfree forest "Okay, Point to where you saw it, in order"
"Okay, first was when you were sunnin' yerself... right around here. And out of the corner of my eye when ah left. Ah ran into him around here... and where you found me last night" He marks each spot with a circle and a time and connects them, muttering to himself
"Bio?" he groans "Urrnnghh... we still don't have enough! I need some kind of idea of where it might be safe... here and in town aren't options, the guards are a no-go and the surrounding towns are out of the question... if only we could get to Canterlot or Trottingham, but there aren't any merchants going those ways" He lays on his back "I have no solutions..."
"Hey, why not the cave? That's safe!" the cave was an old, unused mine going through a hill that we explore
"... I guess that could work... but we barely know how deep it goes"
"Then that thing won't know either!" I say, grabbing the map we've drawn
He smirks "Why not? Come on, we have a trap to set"
"Okay, the path makes a circle ahead so we place these explosives here and here; that should cause the cave to collapse, keeping it inside. We get the guards to follow us, they dig it out and take it away!" Bio concludes
"Seems like it could work... but how do we get it in the cave?" He smirks "Simple, we use you as bait"
"WHAT?!" I yell, my voice echoing around the cavern
"It wants you, I'll cast a retraction spell on you from outside the cave. That will yank you towards me and we enter the cave, lead it into the circle and it activates a tripwire fuse, collapsing the first side, and I'll blast the second set, closing it in"
I nod slowly "Okay... sounds like a plan. Wait, where did you get the explosives?"
"From the hardware store" he shrugs and turns towards the exit and his eyes widen "...Run!!!" I look up and standing at the entrance is The Slender "Oh buck!" I gallop after him, The Slender moving above the ground like a levitated pony
"Duck!" Bio half-whispers, the explosives coming into view. I lower my head and pass under it , The Slender hot on my tail; with a near silent snap, the wire activates and a loud boom fires me forward, deafening me
Bio holds out a hoof to me, his voice lost in the ringing in my ears, I take it and he yanks me forward, his horn half-levitating me and half-priming a blast. We reach the explosives and a black tentacle hits him in the side of the face, knocking him forward and dispersing his magic
He drops me from his grip, my legs shaking in strain. I try to move but a black tentacle wraps around my neck, making my blood go cold. He raises his head and readies another blast, a black tentacle whipping him again
"Stop it! You'll kill him!" I yell and The Slender speaks to me "THaT Is THe PoiNT"
"Fine... Split" Bio starts glowing and stretches. the light dies and standing where he was are two identical unicorns "Hello Slender!" they say in unison, blasting the tentacle to bits
"What just-" The left one glares at me "GO! We'll hold it off! Go get help!"
I scramble to my hooves and run towards the guard station
"Help... mine... Slender... fight... cave-in...help..." I pant, my legs collapsing under me
One of them exits and lifts me into sitting "Calm down, what's going on?"
I inhale "Mah friend is fighting the slender in a cave in a hill... ah need your help" The guard immediately casts a spell "All guards, follow me, we have The Slender!" he looks down at me "Lead the way"
We enter the cave, and standing covered with bruises and scratches are the twins, their horns charged with deep blue magic "LAPIS NOOSE!" they yell, running around The Slender, roping it's legs together. A guard pushes one of them out of the way "We can handle this" the pushed twin jerks like he lost concentration "No! We need-" the rope dissolves, The Slender launching a tentacle straight at the guard
The guard yells and falls to the ground with a thud, moaning in pain. The Slender steps over him and looks at me "I wiLL GeT yoU..." it says, a rip appearing where its mouth would be
"No you won't!" The twins say, one levitating the fallen guard and preparing a blast and the other dashing towards it; bracing for a tackle. It connects, launching The Slender back into the circle, at that moment, his twin fires a bolt of magic at the explosives, causing an avalanche on it, screams echoing through the cave
All from one source
"If i DIe... HE wiLL TaKE mY PlaCE..." a roar of defeat blows us back as stones fall on it
"RUN!" the twins yell, the cave crumbling around us, but what it said echoes in my head
We jump out of the cave's entrance, tumbling in the dirt "Are you okay (KKKKKZZZZSSHSHSH!!!!!!!!!)?!" Bio asks, his twin grunting in pain "Ow ow ow ow..."
"Yeah... I think so..." the guards exit the cave, covered with dirt and the Bios check the unconscious guard "Still alive thank Luna... weak but alive"
The guards stare at them and they smile before erupting with laughter "BAHAHAAAHAHAHAHAAA!!!"
"How can y'all laugh at a time like this? Ah'm scared witless and yer laughin'?"
They choke "D-Don't get me wrong, I'm scared shitless! AHAHAAHAAHAAA!!!"
The guards pick us up and drag us back to town, the Bios laughing the whole time
"WHY WERE YOU IN THE CAVE?!" the guard yells, the Bios grinning "WHY WEREN'T YOU GUYS?!" the guard grunts and stomps out of the room, muttering obscenities
The Bios blow raspberries and glow, fusing back into one "That jerk needs to lighten up, I mean, can't he just accept that I am far superior to him in every way? I mean, we caught... er... 'Killed in the process of apprehending' the slender while they were having tea ti- Hello Ms. Guard pony!" He smiles at a sandy-brown mare with a brown-black mane and a notepad cutie mark "Hmph!"
"Oh come on Quicky... I got the baddie like I promised didn't I?" He cajoles and I stare at him "'Quicky'?"
The mare groans "Don't call me that, My name is Quick Write and I'm unfortunately acquainted with this fool" she points at Bio "And to answer your question... you did, and he got away"
We both shoot up "WHAT?!"
"How could it have escaped?! The cave-in should have crushed it, if not seal it in! Are you sure your feather head partner didn't miss it?!" Bio yells, both his eyes twitching
Quick sighs "I had him stay behind, you know how squeamish he his, I even had movement spells set up at both ends and entrances and nothing that big could have gotten passed them... but we did find something else... or somepony" she pulls out several sketches, mostly of an old, crushed pony
"What am I looking at?" she spreads them out and points to the first "This is Iron Key, a Manehatten lock and blacksmith that disappeared a few months ago... in fact he disappeared a week before the first killing" she points to the next one "This is who we found under the rocks"
A shiver passes down my spine "That's the same pony..."
She nods "Yes... but how could a missing pony appear where the slender was supposed to be? Unless it could teleport-" she starts pacing
"But why would it switch places with another pony if it could teleport? What purpose would it serve?" Bio mutters, pacing with her
I stare at the pictures "Did Iron Key have a gold tooth?" they both pause and look at me "Why?"
"Well, in this picture one of Iron Key's teeth is colored yellower than the rest, and when the slender spoke usin' that weird tear-mouth, I saw a somethin' shine... I thought that if the slender and Iron Key both had a gold tooth-"
"Then they might be the same pony!" they both yell and Bio turns to Quick "Where is Iron Key's body?"
"In the ice room to be sent to Manehatten once we leave town in two days" Quick gasps "We need to get in there!"
I shiver and Bio removes the tarp from the body and hisses "Aaaaahhhh... that's not natural..."
Quick turns green "I will never understand how Profile can stand his job... this should never be your job..." Bio gulps and pulls out a pencil "Pardon me..." he smiles a little "You were right... gold tooth..." he cocks his head "Hey... do you guys notice something... off about this body?"
I step closer "Besides bein' flattened to a pulp? No"
Quick cocks her head too "The bones... they seem too... thin"
Bio pulls out a knife "Right... let's see what we can't find" I jump back "WHAT DO YA THINK YER DOIN'?!"
He turns to me "These bones are too thin, and I need to test something" he slices into the corpse and I feel myself fall, hitting my head on the tiles and Quick grabs me "Are you okay?"
Bio pulls out his hoof and a snaps something "This... isn't good"
Quick sets me down and gasps "How is that even-" she shudders "I have seen some strange things in my life, one of the strangest being you, but this takes the cake"
I stand and look at what they're staring at "Is that-" "Bone, or at least, one that has been stretched and is thinner than the bones of a pegasus' wing"
Quick grabs Bio's pencil and pokes around in the body, much to my disgust "And it's not the only one... leg bones, ribs, joints... all thin and stretched like putty"
Bio bends the bone again and it snaps like celery "Brittle too..." He rubs his head and gasps "I have a theory... this is what's left of the slender... flip it onto its back" Quick nods and rolls the corpse over, several tears in the skin like something burst out of it
Quick looks at Bio "Your theory?"
"Like I said, this is the slender or its host body at least. For my theory to work, we need to assume the slender is a... parasite. A parasite that possesses ponies. Most would think that the hole in the back and crushed bones were from the rocks. but this can't be true considering the victim was an earth pony blacksmith so he would be very muscular with thick, hard bones, not thin, brittle ones. The slender must have stretched the bones to fit into it like a hoof into a sock. You with me so far?"
We both nod, my stomach falling
"These skin flaps are the tentacles that (KKKKKZZZZSSHSHSH!!!!!!!!!) noticed were, which is why you never found anything, it was skin and muscles underneath whatever the slender is made of... but why it needed to stretch Iron Key is something I can't theorize right now... or maybe it was bigger than Iron Key and stretched his body to accommodate the excess, which gave him is tall, slender form... maybe my analogy of a sock is wrong but more akin to a balloon..." Bio paces and stops "Wait... if we're here... and Iron Key's corpse is there... and Quick is still a virgin... then where the buck is the slender?!"
Quick blushes and gasps "It must still be out there! And most of the guards are packing up as we speak!"
I cough and they stare at me "Ah think Ah know where it's going to go... or who after..." I shiver again "It said as we were leaving 'If I die, he will take my place' th' slender is going to possess me next..."
Bio shivers and Quick snorts "Fine... Bio, I'm taking him back to Canterlot to get protection from the guards and- what?"
He frowns "If you think I am letting him out of my sight, you are sorely mistaken Captain Quick Write... I will slaughter that thing without mercy, unlike your pansy guards could do" She grits her teeth "Violence and needless bloodshed isn't the Equestrian way! We are going to protect him and-" "And then what? Are you willing to put not only your men's lives on the line, but to let it get away with all those other killings?! The way to justice is two fold; find those who have done ill, and destroy them before they can do more damage. Those Diamond dog rebel groups, I neutralized without a single fatality. The cult of the moon, I infiltrated and dispersed while your men couldn't even find a single member. And now, I have to do your dirty work. AGAIN" His horn glows red "I am sorry that I am not asking your opinion on this (KKKKKZZZZSSHSHSH!!!!!!!!!), but I am going to have to do something that has been 'forbidden' since the last war. I am going to exterminate the slender" he sighs and looks at Quick, his eyes devoid of the usual calm "You can either stand in my way like always, or help me for once, which will it be?"
She growls "That's how it boils down, 'With me or against me'? This is why you were discharged from being captain of the guard 5 years ago, you made the rash decision to charge at those dragons alone because everyone else wanted to go home to their families"
"I subdued half a dozen dragons twenty times my size, alone, without help, unarmed and unarmored, in the middle of the day, and I am discharged because I won?! Tell me how that works!"
"You told me you quit from the guard because you were a bicorn" I say and he shrugs "One of many reasons. And as to why it is is because, and I quote the princess on this, 'I do not want an unstable freak of nature leading my guards on suicide missions. Bicorns do not have the necessary skills to be guards' she wasn't saying that when she personally selected me to be captain 2 years before, and she KNEW I was a bicorn, talk about covering her sizable ass" he grinds his teeth "So many times I saved her from assassins... sometimes I think I should have helped those cultists instead of stopping them"
Quick stomps her hoof "Be that as it may, you cannot stop us from protecting him. you do not have rank anymore"
He smiles "But I do have the fact that the two of us solved the case, subdued the monster, and figured out how it works while you did nothing but give us some info we already had. Face it Quick, you lost, and I am offering you a ride on my coattails and to do something usefulfor once. and the longer we spend arguing, the more time the slender has to plan" She growls "I will end you..."
He steps closer,looking down his nose at her "I will take that as an 'against me'"
"Uh... we have a crowd..." I say, pointing to the numerous guards behind me
Bio groans "Wonderful... come on... I need to get you home to your family..." he turns to Quick and whispers something before pushing his way through them
My mother throws another apple at Bio, who grabs it in his magic and sets it in a pile without stopping his explanation "... And I am afraid I am going to need to ask you to take your other children somewhere else for a few-" another apple "Nights or until it is gone"
She huffs and glares at him "I should have known having a strange unicorn for a friend was a horrible idea! You brought this... 'Slender' onto him!"
"Ma... It was because I visited Mistah Plate that this is happenin'... Bio is helpin' me" I say, dodging an apple
"You were going to make this farm a prosperous business! Now you're gonna die and become a monster!" she yells, and Bio snorts "I know that we may never see eye-to-eye, but I promise that I will lay my life down to protect him. All I ask is that you put a little faith in me"
She hefts another apple and sighs "I trust you... but should you fail I will murder you myself" she trots out the door and looks back at us "Please be okay when I get back"
I nod and look at Bio "Now what do we do?"
"Now? We wait"
"You've paced for hours now, aren't you sleepy yet?" I ask and he turns to me "I have two brains, One sleeps while the other is awake so technically I never need to sleep, I still do sometimes but-" his horn sparks and he grins "It's her- DUCK!" I lower my head and a black tendril shoots over my head and grazes Bio's ear before being enveloped by magic and surging towards the source "Got you- GUH!" another tendril slams into his side and he falls over "Buck... my wound..."
I jump and he blasts another tendril "I got this! Just hold on!" his horn charges and the room fills with light as he splits "Now then... show yourself!"
A pool of red and black oozes under the doors and a a giant white eye rises from the center. The Bios smile "You're ugly, fought uglier but... not many**" their horns blast the eye, passing through it and several tendrils grab for them, white-blue blasts blowing them away
"Took you long enough Cappy. I thought you stood me up on our date" they grin as a brown blur slams into the mass, bouncing off "Shut up you jerk"
"Quick Write!" I gasp and she smiles "Hello (KKKKKZZZZSSHSHSH!!!!!!!!!)" several unicorns in royal armor burst through the doors, looking annoyed "Captain! Why did you fly- SWEET CELESTIA!" a tendril slams into them, launching them through the door "You brought royal goons? Nice one" the Bios say and charge their horns when the eye blasts them with red energy, slamming them into the wall "I'm hurt!"
Quick glares at the mass and charges, slamming her hooves into the mass, which shudders and slaps her away and into the Bios
It lurches forward and towers over me the eye growing and red energy focusing on me "Aaaahh... aaaahhh..." the words die in my mouth as the beam seems to intensify before two green energy blasts slam into it, the energy exploding and tearing apart the eye, the behemoth groaning in pain "HAHA! Got it!" the Bios cheer, firing another blast and hitting with an explosion, tearing it apart
The monster lashes blindly, missing the twins completely as they fire another volley of magic at it "You have taken too many lives you denizen of nightmares. Now begone!" their magic intensifies and launches at the mass, obliterating it "And now for good measure!" they fires dozens of small blasts where it stood, blinding me with the brightness "Bio! Stahp! Ah can't see!"
A loud slap cuts through the air as the lights die, the Bio's embedded back into the wall, one of their horn's broken "I... He killed my half..." the one with the broken horn glows and disappears into Bio, a snapped horn appearing on his head "Nearly dead..." he grits his teeth and red energy envelopes him, his eyes glowing yellow and sparking "I am going to end your miserable existance"
The writhing mass of red, black and white seems to shiver and surged towards me, a large red blast of energy scattering it "You are going to be obliterated" he smiles, eyes seeming to glow as white as his teeth "I am going to enjoy this"
The mass shoots towards Quick but another red blast cuts it off "Now... run" the mass seems to rise up into the form of a foal "I... want to... live..." it whispers
Bio scoffs "Yeah yeah... I don't care. You nearly killed half of me, and successfully killed at least a dozen ponies in the span of 3 months" it shivers and Quick Write steps forward only to be cut off by a blast of energy "Don't go maternal on me captain"
"I was... created to kill-" "Likely story, you are probably lying and-" It winces "Please! I just want... to live! Can't... you understand... that?"
"Ah understand" I say, stepping forward before a blast nearly scorches my flesh off "Stay. Back."
"But Ah do! Ah know that my life as a simple farm pony ain't much compared to that of a guard captain, a monster, or some kind of arbiter* but ah just want to live. But living by killing ponies ain't right... can't we put it in jail or something?"
"The families of the dead will want justice. I am here to administer it. That is all" Bio says and charges his horn "May Luna have mercy on your soul you amorphous monstrosity" I jump in the way and he nearly blasts me, singing my fur "DAMMIT (KKKKKZZZZSSHSHSH!!!!!!!!!)! I could've killed you!" he yells, eyes shining yellow again
"Let's just hear him out!" I say and I am enveloped by magic and set down where I stood "Fine, but if it attacks I am going to kill it and punish you for interfering with justice" he turns to the slender "Continue"
"I was created by the lunar cult for the sole purpose of spreading fear and killing a dissenter of their teachings"
Bio stiffens "So you are after me is that it?"
It nods slowly "But I was weak and couldn't kill... they used the books that princess Luna utilized to create life before her banishment! Surely you know about that!"
Bio nods "So... you are the imperfect creation? Really? You expect me to believe that you were used using information in books destroyed by Celestia at least 500 years ago? I find that hard to believe"
It shivers "But not her notes! her aids stole the notes from the castle while the princesses fought! it was a last resort! the notes were passed down from each head of the cult to the next!"
His horn charges "And why tell me this? I am your target! and there is no proof you are telling the truth anyways"
Quick clears her throat "Actually... if you had stayed around long to process what their next move was, you would know that there was some kind of-" he smiles "Experiment, I made that memo remember? That's how I got them in one place to 'Capture' them" his face pales "Someone actually did an experiment..."
The slender nods "That was Iron Key, so he used me as a living weapon and armor... but something snapped in his mind... he turned murderous... I tried to stop him but the mages of the cult bound me to him... I think that after killing so many ponies he only slightly remembered the true reason... to kill you"
Bio ponders this "Then why come after (KKKKKZZZZSSHSHSH!!!!!!!!!)? Why not me?"
the slender shivers "He knew that you two were friends, and knew that if he was in trouble, you would help and then he could kill you and him... but when you killed him... his mind stayed with me... until he killed one of you and then his mind-" "Disappeared, like a vengeful spirit..." his magic dims "I still don't believe you but what you say makes sense... but there is still the matter of justice..."
Quick smiles "But by nearly dying... the true killer died completely, justice is served"
Bio ponders this "Hhhmmm... I guess that works..." his magic dims to nothing "But I need you to take me to the place where you were created"
The slender nods and Bio smiles "But you are coming with me. Quick, the jar"
Quick coughs "Yes... about that... I couldn't find one... and none of the guards know any warding spells"
He face hoofs "You had three jobs! One, bring me a scroll, ink, and a clay jar. Two, secure a perimeter around the house. Three, don't be late"
"Where am I supposed to get a scroll in an earth pony town?!"
"From. The. Parchment. Shop. Across from. The. Station" he mutters and she blushes "Oh... my apologies"
He groans "Just... go grab a jar from the basement, some stationary... and try to at least grab some ink or paint... can you manage that?"
She frowns "yes, I can manage that... do I look like an idiot"
"Is that rhetorical?" I tap his shoulder "I have all that stuff under my bed and in my closet"
"Mala Suerte..." his horn lights up and with a bright flash, in front of him is a jar with a scroll on the top and glowing red chains wrapped around it "Now... shouldn't you be seeing to your men, they aren't moving"
Quick sighs "Right"
"Is the slender in there?" I ask, wiping my eyes
He nods "a prison meant to keep things in and out... and only I can open it... Luna help me, this may not end well"
Quick reenters "They're unconscious... So I guess you're coming along with me to Manehattan?"
"You guessed right, when do we go, because the sooner the notes are recovered and hid away, the better"
"I'm coming too, I want to be of some use besides bait" I say
they shake their heads "Sorry (KKKKKZZZZSSHSHSH!!!!!!!!!), you're a civilian"
Bio sighs "I hate to say that she's right but she is... but you'll come anyways, right?"
I nod "Nothing you can do about that Bio"
He sighs "I need 2 days to rest enough so that half of me doesn't die completely... when are your men leaving?"
Quick frowns "They were going to leave tomorrow afternoon but now... the day after... give me the jar"
Bio smiles "Fat chance. I am keeping it. only I can open the jar, and the moment someone writes up a report. Ol' Sunbutt will take it, banish it, and say that there was no threat. Or have me banished as well. and I have something that she will never know about. The answers"
Quick sighs "You are still an anarchist?"
"I would rather die for a goddess whom I have never met than die for one I know is nothing but a coward who hides behind a throne"
She grumbles several insults "FINE! And if you are calling the shots, what should my report be?"
"'Two local stallions were chased by the slender into a cave. one of them held the slender at bay while the other contacted the guards. after detonating fuses hidden by the locals, the slender was crushed by rocks, apparently a magical construct of a mad pony, the missing Iron Key of Manehatten. The magic was dispersed and his crushed body is to be buried in Manehatten after being cremated and buried underground. the locals were told to never speak a word of their involvement' that will be your report, word for word" he rummages through his saddle bags and pulls out a piece of paper "I wrote it while we waited for nightfall"
She grabs it "... Fine. You don't want the recognition?"
He sighs "I want to be forgotten, that's why I came here, a place far from her politics and sight"
Quick sighs "Okay... but... I just want you to know that I do not approve of this. At all"
Bio grins "Tell that to somepony whom has the capacity to care about your opinion vice captain. Ta-ta~"
The trip to Manehatten was a long one, one I wish I could have slept through. Bio however did not have any problem, snoring silently the entire time
I look across the cart to Quick, who has been staring at Bio for a few minutes now "Why Ponyville? Why at the exact place he was hiding? Why?"
I cough, grabbing her attention "Can... can you tell me what Bio was before he came to Ponyville? Every time I ask he dodges the question"
She sighs "Well, as you probably know from last night, he was the captain of the guard until 5 years ago. He was made captain because of his impressive magic and his cunning mind. But he is also ruthless when he gets riled up and that made him a wild card that Princess Celestia wanted close to watch.
He was an impressive fighter, never admitting defeat and always playing fair, holding back to draw out the battle so that he and his sparring partner could have more fun. When he fought in battle though, it mattered if his opponent was strong or not. if they were weak or scared then he would pass over them or outright incapacitate them, if they were strong, he would focus only on them, drawing it out because he enjoyed fighting, a thing that let him rise in the ranks. I was his lieutenant for most of my career so I know him really well. He doesn't see species or anything. All he wants to know is if he can trust you, if you're strong, and if you want to fight for a reason.
This is why Celestia wanted him close, he was a wild fighter that had a merciless streak and yet never killed. He never wanted any relationships outside of brotherhood and friendship which made it hard to get ponies close to him.
I stare at her, obvious sadness in her features "What happened?"
I happened. I wasn't even supposed to be a guard! I was a scribe that got used as bait to get close to him. I didn't have the slightest clue why I was there, or why he ignored me.
But what happened next was that I got fed up with being ignored and threw a quill at him. He caught it in his hoof and looked over to me in surprise "How long have you been sitting there?"
Quick laughs "He hadn't noticed me in 2 weeks!"
Sounds like Bio, he can barely remember names or notices somepony right in front of him I think to myself, chuckling with her
I had told him that I had been assigned to assist him and he stared at me for a few seconds before returning my quill "Sorry I didn't notice you. Bad habit of mine"
So then I helped him whatever he needed which was mostly following him around, reminding him of things, and keeping him on schedule. It was basically my job before except that he was both incredibly sharp and a complete and utter idiot at the same time, which was annoying to say the least.
One night Princess Celestia called for me. I was overjoyed to get to talk to the princess. But after pleasantries, she asked me if I had gleaned any insights as to Bio's deeper personality.
All I told her were obvious things and what she already knew, so she asked me to start a conversation with him, try to get something from him. At the time I thought it was because he was being investigated or something...
After that night, I tried to get something from him but he never gave me anything but useless information or answered with a question of his own which led him to learn about me instead of the other way around. I got tired of this and asked the princess to give me another job, the only thing he cared about being his friends and fighting.
I regret those words every morning.
She gave me another job, but as his direct under officer. I hadn't fought a day in my life, heck, I could barely lift a spear! But he still let me do my original job, either because he knew that I couldn't fight or didn't notice. But after a recruit tried to get too "intimate" with me, Bio clocked him so hard my ears rung. He turned to me, looking worried "Are you okay?"
I told him I was and then I asked if he could teach me to defend myself. after staring at me for a few minutes he nodded and before actual work started, he would take me out to the training grounds and teach me. But like I said, I had no ability but he was patient... ish. Whenever he got tired of me tripping and missing the targets he would sit on the ground and fall silent for a few seconds before standing up.
Eventually I gained almost minimum level skill and he said that he had a mission that he had to do in a diamond dog mining town. I said I wanted to come to help and he agreed.
I regret that every day
After getting there we went to a large cave filled with pony prisoners. I remember how it went down because it was my first time seeing him fight.
He stomped his hoof "I wish to speak with the alpha!"
A large Diamond dog the size of a house lumbered out of the cave, its large under bite giving the illusion of tusks "What do you want with me pony?"
Bio bowed his head, clapping his horseshoes twice, the Diamond dog doing the same "I wish to negotiate for the release of the miners you have imprisoned for trespassing"
The alpha laughed, staring down at us "Why should I even consider such a thing? I am a giant compared to you and judging from the smell in the air, there are only two of you here... so what do you think you two can do against me and my pack?"
Bio smiled "I will make you submit to me in unarmed combat provided you and your pack do not attack my companion. I know from the stories about you, you are a dog of honor. Should I win, you release the miners and keep the mine. Should I lose, you can take me and my friend as prisoners for challenging you. Do we have a deal?
The dog smiled wide, blocky teeth and tusks gleaming yellow "Yes, I accept this challenge"
Bio's whole being seemed to change, his eyes turned scarlet, his pupils turning into X's and his usually emotionless face turned into that of a wild beast. He threw off his armor and weapons, cracking his neck as he prepared to fight.
I had heard rumors about how he gets when he fights outside of the castle. The state he was in was called "Frenzy", his whole being focused on ending the fight quickly.
He leapt into the air, seeming to sail towards the dog and pounds his shoulder into him, the dog coughing out air before batting him away with surprising speed "Nice attack, but not enough!"
Bio landed on his hooves, a bruise on his side, a grin on his face "Not too bad yourself" he shot towards the dog's legs, the dog moving to bat him away but Bio seemed to change direction instantly, ramming into the dog's other leg, leaving a sizable bruise on it before jumping away to avoid another punch
It looked like he jumped off the air, landing a kick on the dog's neck, making him wheeze and fall on his bruised leg before falling face-first onto the hard ground
As if summoned by the defeat of their leader, 30 or 40 smaller Diamond dogs appear, all at least twice the height of a normal pony. Without warning they all rushed towards Bio, who didn't even flinch
The wave of Diamond dogs were less than 3 feet away on all sides when, and I am not exaggerating, Bio seemed to split into copies of himself, one for each dog. All the Bios either counter attacked or outright clocked the dogs, all of them falling down in less than 10 seconds; and just as they appeared, the copies were gone.
Slowly the Alpha rose and shook his head "You... have beaten me and my pack. I must honor our agreement"
"Before I knew it, we were leading the miners away, Bio having returned to normal in the time it took me to blink" Quick says in a hushed tone, as if fearing that their sleeping companion had been listening
"So... he's some kind of crazy warrior?" I ask, impressed by the story
"Yes, but after I reported what happened to Princess Celestia, she gave him an obvious suicide mission... but things didn't go as planned"
"It failed?"
She smile weakly "No, he accomplished his mission... that mission was to expose the a cult of the moon hiding in Canterlot, and he succeeded, even though there was absolutely nothing to go on. He infiltrated seamlessly and had a group of others he befriended help him overthrow the leader at that time. I was so glad to know that my teacher was okay, but the princess... not so much. She was furious"
I give her a look "How does that work? He did what she asked, shouldn't she be proud?"
Quick snorts "you'd assume that, but no. She sent him on his last mission, one where he was to lead a platoon of guards to evict a half-dozen full-grown dragons from a cave. She knew that his sense of honor would not allow him to do something underhoofed... so he set out in the middle of the day, and told them that they were going to have to leave. They didn't like that and he... took them down"
I stare at her "That can't be possible, how does one bicorn take down 6 dragons?"
She shakes her head "I know what happened, because I saw it happen with my own two eyes. I flew back to Princess Celestia, telling her of his feat. She smiled and thanked me... when he got back, he found a notice on his door saying that he was relieved of his duties for life. He was drummed out, all of his possessions boxed up and on his back, the armor he never wore nailed to his door in warning to those who would defy orders. Princess Celestia is strict, and holds rules in the highest priority"
I gulp "She... she set him up... that's... that's..."
"You only think it's bad because you know context. She never told anyone why he was discharged besides not following orders. Only she and I knew the truth... and honestly, she scares me even now. I never told anypony this until now... and if Bio is listening, I thought I was doing my job... to report"
"I know that, I let you follow me to that cave. I knew that was her plan, and all you did was just confirm my suspicions. But there is another reason why I was able to enter the cult, I was the vice-leader of the Canterlot chapter back then. I came to Ponyville because it's the origin of the very cult I led. I wasn't a spy for either side, I just believed what they said. Honor, Mercy, Compassion, Hope, and Equality to name a few. Because the moment I saw Princess Celestia, I knew that she was the enemy even before I joined. She exuded intense malice, hatred, and loathing for whom I would soon call my brothers and sisters.
"She is not honorable, she always wanted to do cloak and dagger tactics that I ignored to protect my friends. She is not merciful, her orders were always to kill with extreme prejudice. She is not compassionate, she cares only for her crown and her image, nothing more. She is not hope, she is willing to throw countless lives into battle, knowing that they will fail, so that she can act as if she has hope for them. And she does not view anypony as her equal, otherwise she wouldn't cry dry, fake tears at the funerals of my brothers and sisters in the forces, she would lead the battles, getting to know us, fighting alongside us, proving that she is more than a face that we look to for help"
Bio grits his teeth "But I didn't know that Iron would do something like making the slender... He was directly below me in ranking, and I had thought that he was an overzealous pony. I was too generous with that, he was a supremacist and saw my saving the group as betrayal against our cause..."
He lifts the sealed jar "At least once we get to his house, we can destroy the notes and be done with this once and for all"
The carriage stops suddenly, Bio catching the jar in his magic
"What happened?" Quick asks, leaving the carriage
Bio groans and teleports out, leaving me alone with the jar
The carriage rocks again, a bunch of monsters from the forest jumping out of the forest
"Animal ambush!" Quick yells, grabbing her sword as Bio cackles, his eyes switching from dark green to scarlet
I duck onto the floor of the carriage, clutching the jar to my chest, wondering if I should've stayed on the farm
the sound of a sword slashing through the air, wood splintering, and whimpers fill the otherwise silent path. I can feel my heart trying to burst out of my chest, the slender... I can feel it squirming inside the jar, as if trying to see the fight
I don't know how much time passed until the carriage door opened again, Bio looking down at me with a bruise on his foreleg "You gonna get up some time, or are we going to have to just walk around you?"
I slowly sit up, still scared "Are... are they gone?"
Bio nods and nudges past me "Yeah, we got a little bruised but otherwise we're good"
Quick enters behind him, her armor dented in several places "That was... unexpected. We aren't even near Timberwolf territory. If anything, we should've seen a manticore or two"
I shiver at the thought "That doesn't sound pleasant"
Quick shrugs "Manticores don't have magic that makes it hard to fight"
Bio hums in thought "If this isn't Timberwolf territory... then something must have forced them out. But what? Timberwolves and manticores are both the Apex predators of the Everfree... nothing short of a monster would force them out..." his gaze goes to the jar "Something like The Slender... but that can't be why they attacked us, timberwolves don't ambush, they're opportunistic... so we intruded on their territory, but how?" he pauses and the left side of his face scowls "Logical explanations for this: they were forced out by manticores"
I laugh "He's going to argue with himself again"
Quick rolls her eyes "Seems so, might as well let him"
"Counter point, manticores don't band together unless they are being attacked, not the other way around. Explanation number 2: something that isn't a manticore forced them out. Counterpoint: there are no other apex predators in the Everfree besides those two. Meaning that a new species has been introduced to its ecosystem. Elucidation: something not naturally occurring in this region is now present. But who would introduce it? And what is it?" he pauses "Quick, the timberwolves' wooden bodies, how did they seem to you?"
She blinks and shakes her head "Light and dry, why?"
"Because that is how they adapt to prey and enemies. If they made themselves lighter and dried out their bodies, they'd be dealing with something that relies on something besides weight or power... what besides a magical, poisonous, and immaterial predator is there? This excludes The Slender because it relied on its large size and power to fight. So that means something like a basilisk, wyvern, elemental sprite, or non-acidic venom possessing snakes and other reptiles..."
"... Giant mutant plants?" I suggest
He pauses again "Possibly, why?"
"Because ah think that flower just moved closer to the carriage" I say, ducking down
"Don't be- MANDRAKES!!" Bio gasps, his horns lighting
Quick snorts "Mandrakes? They live in Scoltland and Neighpon, not here"
"I wasn't saying it because I figured it out, I was saying it as a warning..." Bio whispers
"War- whoa!" the whole carriage shakes, dark green vines pushing against it
Bio growls "Iron had several Mandrakes in his employ. They would protect him by using their vines to not only enter the bodies of the enemy, but also suck all the moisture and nutrients from their bodies, leaving them weak enough to be carried away and spend several days recuperating... I don't think that his lab is in Manehatten. I think it's in the Everfree"
One of the vines reaches through the window and shoots towards me "Oh bu-"
Quick throws her helmet and intercepts it "Bio! What are you doing?!"
"This!" a stream of magic connects both of his horns and a column of fire shoots out from it, burning the helmet and vines, carving a hole through the mass of vines coming from the forest "Fire... they hate fire..."
Quick and I stare at him, stunned
"I read books on this kind of stuff" he replies, jumping through the hole
"Where are you going?!" Quick calls
"The lab. Mandrakes are sedentary hunters and we have a large window of time to get there by following the vines back to the source"
She pauses and nods "Makes sense, lead the way. Come on (KKKKZZZZSSHSHSHSH!!!!!!)"
I nod slowly and leave the carriage, the jar in my saddlebags
Bio pauses and sniffs the air "... Oh that's clever, very clever... Quick?"
She salutes back at him "Yes?"
"The lab is at the top of this tree. Only you can fly up there and let down a rope so that we can climb it"
She nods and takes flight, leaving me alone with him "So... what makes you think it's in the tree?"
"Look at it, there are vines draping from the branches but none on the trunk, these are mandrake vines that would carry Iron Key up and also act as ways to defend the lab itself. But my attack earlier stunned them and they're busy photosynthesizing and absorbing nutrients from whatever they can find in order to repair. That's why I said we had a large window of time, otherwise the vines would've just gone back onto the tree and we wouldn't know that this one is the origin and therefor, the lab"
I nod in understanding "So it's a livin' castle?"
"More akin to a fortress, but yes, basically"
The rope drops down in front of us and he grins "Let's go"
I gulp and follow him up the rope, the slender seems to get more and more restless the closer we get
Bio looks around, his horn glowing yellow "Okay, we have about 5 hours to get in and get out with the research. Quick, you're on protection duty. I'll take point"
Quick salutes and walks beside me "How you holding up?"
"P-pretty shaken... two days ago ah was bucking apple trees an' now ah'm following my best friend into the lab of a dead anarchist..." I answer weakly
She puts her arm over my shoulders "Trust me, I know the feeling. Let's just hope that Bio is right about how much time we have"
Bio stares up at the vine covered building "The Mandrakes took over the lab itself. These vines are protective and immune to magic and most force... hard as stone"
Quick sighs "So we came all this way for nothing?"
He shakes his head "I have an idea of how to solve this problem. Quick, do you have the quill I gave you?"
She nods and pulls a vibrant red quill out of her saddlebags "Yes, why?"
He takes it and his horn glows, the tip radiating the same magic "Because while this is a pen, it is also a magic knife"
With three quick slashes, the door is freed of vines "Thanks Quick, I really need to get another one of those..."
She accepts the quill "Does everything you've given me have a multiple uses?"
"Just a few. Anyways, we're wasting time chatting out here" Bio says, walking through the door
Quick starts to fidget "Are you as scared as ah am?" I whisper
"Y-es... I'm just a former scribe turned soldier! The scariest thing I've ever seen was when one of the new recruit's frog split!" she whispers back
I put one of my arms over her shoulder like she did for me "Bio an' I are here, though ah can't say ah'll be much help, but ah'll give it my best"
She smiles and kisses my cheek "Thanks (KKKKZZZZSSHSHSHSH!!!!!!)"
Bio stops and sniffs the air "Quick, read the air if you will"
She nods and steps away, spreading her wings "... Draft from behind us... updraft from the floor consistent with the height we're at... static charges... static?"
Bio stiffens as a swarm of glowing insects swarm moves towards us "TWITTER-MITES!!"
I cock my head "Ah can deal wit' Twitter-mites." I inhale and whistle, the swarm flocking towards me "Good thing my Pa taught me how to do this..."
Bio blinks "One, how in Luna's infinite wisdom can you do that? You have a (KKKKZZZZSSHSHSHSH!!!!!!) cutie mark, not a pest pony mark... neither did your father. Two, why aren't they shocking you?"
"Ah can soothe 'em with a whistle, an' they only have a charge when far apart. Keep 'em close, an' you keep the shock off. Make pretty good light too"
Quick pulls out a notepad and starts writing "This is superb information! Hardly anypony knows anything about Twitter-mites! I was right, gather information from those who know how to deal with them that aren't profession-mmph!"
Bio summons a muzzle "Silent. Mandrakes have ears and while weak, if you keep screaming they'll wake up!" he hisses
"Does... that mean ah have to get rid of th' Twitter-mites?"
He shakes his head and starts walking ahead "Mandrakes possess only one sense; touch. They distinguish intruders from friends by their unique electro-magnetic signature. Twitter-mites are insectiod lightning sprites, meaning that they release electro-magnetic energy constantly, can you ask them to form a ring around us?"
I nod and whistle again, the swarm forming a ring around us "Uh... so why do they need to make a ring?"
"Simple, the discharges may make our fur stand up but it also makes us invisible because the electricity is confusing the mandrakes' sense of touch. Simple application of a hampering coincidence and turning it into an incredible boon. Anypony could do it, honestly"
Quick rolls her eyes "Or only you..."
Bio ignores her and walks away "Come on! Being in a ring is amplifying the voltage and amperes, touch them and you might not be able to get a 'I harnessed the power of nature and all I got was this lousy T-shirt' T-shirt... but I'll put 'I harnessed the power of nature and all I got was this lousy epitaph' on your tombstone"
"Only you have such a grim sense of humor Bio..." Quick mutters, following
I check the jar and follow them, still scared
Bio motions for us to stop "Okay, slowly now, we're at the lab itself... and the mandrakes"
I swallow and look around the room "Uh... ah can't see anything..."
Quick picks up a leaf and blows it towards the twitter-mites, the leaf burning to cinders "And the mites are overcharged. Do you know of any ways to safely discharge it?"
Bio pauses "Uhhhh... no, I hadn't thought of how to undo it, I was hoping that either of you two would figure it out..."
"Hey, what is immune to electricity? Like a... 'ground' or something?" I ask, an idea forming in my head
"Uh, a few. Rubber, rocks, ceramics... no, you can't be thinking about doing that"
Quick stares at both of us "I know I'm new to this group, but I have no idea what either of you are implying we do"
"Use the Slender's jar to absorb the energy. That discharge would burn the seal off and then it'd be free! There has to be another solution I haven't thought of yet!"
"Ah want to get home as fast as ah can so that ah can forget that all this happened!" I pull the jar out and throw it towards the twitter-mites
Bio's magic grabs it mid-air "No! I just need some time to think! I'm not going to let that thing out in its own backyard! For all you know, it isn't the only one and when it's free, it'll release the others! I say that we don't risk that and come up with a better plan"
Quick shakes her head "No, we don't have anything else to use unless you can use dented armor, my pen, or... whatever it is that you have."
Bio sighs "I do possess something that might solve the problem but it also might make the situation worse" he reaches into his saddle bags and pulls a rusted sword out "This is the blade that is said to have been wielded by Princess Luna, it's one of the many artifacts I was given by the cult right before I left..."
I sit down, the jar sitting right next to Bio "Can ah have th' jar back?"
Bio shakes his head "Sorry, (KKKKZZZZSSHSHSHSH!!!!!!), you threw it once, who's to say that you won't again?"
Quick groans "I'll watch the jar!"
Bio levitates it to her "Can I use your helmet and pen?"
She nods and slides them to him
I look at the ring of Twitter-mites and shiver "Uhhh... is it jus' me, or is th' buzzing gettin' louder?"
Guick and Bio's ears flick "Yeah, sounds like a cloud with too much lightning... I hope what ever you have planned doesn't take too long to do Bio..."
Bio grunts, lifting some kind of new blade, the pen sticking out as the point "Okay, I charge my horns with opposing frequencies and stab the ring. Three possible outcomes now folks; one, the pen, and sword's magic cooperate and my horns disperse the charge. Two, the magics reject each other and I get knocked back into the other side of the ring, electrocuting me dead. Third, Ka-boom"
me and quick turn to each other then back at him "'Ka-boom'?"
He nods "Yup, a mix of outcomes one and two. They work together, the reverse polarities of my horns send the magic and charge right into my brains and kill me dead, knocking me into a number of mites and because they're getting farther away from the others, they'll build a charge that will shock me and light my corpse on fire, which will light the slumbering mandrakes and then everything will burn to ashes as the Everfree is consumed by flames..." he shrugs "Best case scenario anyways."
"That's the best case scenario?!" Quick yells
"Worst is shorter, I just explode into a bloody mess" he says "Well, I'm not getting any less trepidatious so let's see what it'll be!" He swings the blade into the ring, the whole room filling with brilliant blue-white and dark magenta-navy light, the mites' buzzing deafening us
It was breath taking and horrifying as I saw Bio's fur stand on end and catch fire before suddenly everything is black and silent
"B-bio?" I whisper
A cough answers me "Owww... oh my Luna, I can taste static..."
Quick and I run over to him when he holds up a hoof "Wait... I'm still holding some charge... Who turned out the ligh- oh right, me... hahaha- OW! It hurts to laugh..."
Quick snorts "You had us scared to death! What the hay is wrong with you?"
Bio stands and several arcs of blue static shoot around his coat "Two brains, both of them brilliant and impulsive. Or was that rhetorical?"
I grin "Ya survived somehow, thought ah might lose ya, ya stupid galoot."
He snorts "Heck of a way to thank somepony who just saved you from being electrocuted from 180 degrees. Anyways, let's see if we can't shed some light on this situation... does anypony have a wooden stick or two?"
I reach grab some burnt vines "These should work right?"
He shrugs "Worth a shot" he sticks them on his still burning tail and they catch instantly
Quick grabs one and Bio passes another to me "Okay, spread out and look for any books, journals, anything that might be related to the creation of The Slender. Once we have them and sealed away where nopony will ever find them, we all go our separate ways. I'll go to another town, possibly Heartsdale. Quick will go back to Canterlot and play the loyal captain. And you, (KKKKZZZZSSHSHSHSH!!!!!!), are going to go home and we never speak of this so long as we live, nor if we are reanimated. This never happened."
We nod "But what about th' Slender? Ya never said what we were gonna do wit' it."
Bio sighs "I gave my word to it, I will let it free once the notes are collected and what happens after, is up to it. It may be an abomination, but I honor-bound to keep my word."
Quick nods and walks to a corner of the large room, Bio going to the opposite side and I sit next to the jar "What happened to the twitter-mites?"
"They're basically lightning bolts, so when Bio absorbed the energy they lost shape. Wait for a stray thunderstorm to sit for a while and it'll turn into a swarm of them. That's pretty much all that's known about them anyways." Quick replies, picking up a book "'Cartomancy'?"
"The practice of using cards to divine fortunes, the future, the past, anything really so long as you have the right formation." Bio says, levitating a pestle "This is just some moss..."
Both of them walk back to the center of the room "Nothing. Not a single bit of information. I highly doubt that Iron would have been able to do something like making the Slender from just memory."
Quick nods "The only thing that even seems related is this hole-ridden copy of the memo you sent out"
Bio sighs then jerks his head towards the walls "Wait, If this is the center of the lab, shouldn't the mandrake bodies be here too?"
Quick nods "Yes... but from what I saw flying up here this is as high up as the lab goes"
"'Look up, look around, but don't forget to look down'" I whisper
They both stare at me "What did you say?"
"Well, my Pa said that when he was chasin' critters off th' farm... don't know why ah thought of that, but ah did"
Both of them slap themselves "The tree is hollow! The real lab is inside!"
Bio's horns light up and the whole floor glows "The floor is a door... so where's the knob?"
Quick scans it and grins "Right here!"
She stamps her hoof and the whole floor disappears
Bio glares at her, gravity not yet affecting him "Have I ever told you how much of an idiot you are Quick Write?"
She flaps her wings and grabs us "Yes you have, at least once a week back in Canterlot"
Quick lowers us onto the floor, Bio's horns glowing brighter "Okay, if he hadn't been a complete loon, I'd give him an accolade for this set-up."
"Oh... I'm sure he'd... like that..." someone whispers
The whole room lights up and sitting in the middle of a huge flower is a pony the color of wood, glowing moss covering parts of her body "Hello... ponies..."
Bio frowns "Hello mandrake"
She waves slowly "Are... you here for... the notes...?"
Quick nods "Yes, where are the others?"
"Just... me here... a hybrid..."
Bio walks up to her and looks her over "Well, I see that you're the result of that hybridization project he was always ranting about... a pony-mandrake homunculus..."
She nods "Yes... an artificial pony... I'm guessing... my brother... is in the jar?"
I nod and bring it over to her, tearing the seal off "Yeh, ya can go free Slender"
The mass of black, white, and red slithers out of the jar and coils around the mandrake-pony "Thank... you..."
Bio sighs "Please, give us the notes and we'll leave you alone. I want to make sure that nopony can make another like you two... no offence"
She nods "I take... none. Thank you... for bringing... my brother... home"
Quick bows "I'm sorry about your..." she blushes "N-never mind..."
A thick vine places several books and notes in our bags "Please-"
We all nod "Tell nopony. We know."
Bio looks up the walls of the hollow tree "Quick, you carry me up and I'll levitate (KKKKZZZZSSHSHSHSH!!!!!!), sound like a plan?"
"Ah have a question... what are you two goin' to do now?"
The mandrake shrugs "I don't... know. We are... together again..."
The Slender nods "I am... no longer a... killer... so we shall... live here..."
I nod slowly "Well, all right... bye"
Bio grabs me in his magic and Quick carries him up, the dying light of the moss fading as the distance grows, the last thing to fade away was the head of the Slender, staring up at me
Bio pulls the cart forward "Well... if you don't want this back, I'll take it..."
Quick nods "You can have it. It's not even mine anyways"
Bio turns around to me "Are you okay? You seem... down"
"Jus'... ah feel sorry for them. Born as monsters and dyin' as monsters... doesn't seem fair" I sigh
Bio and quick sigh in unison "Life often isn't, trust me (KKKKZZZZSSHSHSHSH!!!!!!), I know."
"Yes... I lacked the foresight to stop myself from getting you discharged... I'm sorr-"
Bio snorts "Trust me, I don't hold a grudge Quick. I never had any animosity and like I said, I knew what her plan was. So no need to beat yourself up over it. It does nopony good if you do"
Quick nods "I know... so you're going to another town?"
"Yeah, the locals know that I know the captain of the guard and a bicorn. Time for me to disappear" he looks back at me "I mean it when I say you're my best friend (KKKKZZZZSSHSHSHSH!!!!!!)"
I swallow my sadness and nod silently
The rest of the ride goes on quietly, an unspoken consensus for silent thinking
Arriving back in town, Quick jumps off the cart and salutes before joining her fellow guards
I start to dread going home, because that means losing my best friend "Bio?"
"I'm not stopping. I'm too obvious here and I need to disappear. But don't worry, we'll always be connected by our friendship, and nothing can break that."
I grin "You are th' biggest sap ah've ever known Bio Lateral"
He laughs "If I'm a sap, you're a hayseed"
"Ah guess ah am..." I look towards the Everfree, and I swear I saw the Slender looking at me from its edge of the forest.
Bio's sudeen disappearance was never asked about, my mother said one thing "Good riddance to tha' varmint."
I didn't reply, and kept working, my mind blank and empty. I replayed the last time I saw Bio whenever I thought about him.
Bio sighs, his saddlebags slung over his back and a weak smile on his lips "So... I guess this is... farewell?"
I nodded, fighting back my tears "Ah... ah've known ya for five years now... but they were the best years of my life. Do ya really need to go?"
He nodded "Yeah... I'm so, so sorry (KKKKZZZZSSHSHSHSH!!!!!!), but I have to... I can't risk anyone finding me... because of what I am. I've been labeled dissident, traitor, madpony, even monster..." he swallows "I never wanted this to happen. I would like to think... that if given another chance... I'd do it different... but I know I wouldn't. But I have to leave... not because I'm afraid of what will come, but of what I might do. I lost my mind trying to protect this town and everyone in it and I have to face my past. I can't live this life... knowing that my past is going to hound me to my grave and hurt the ones I love... especially you."
"Wh-what?" I asked, confused.
Bio blushes, tears springing to his eyes "I... I love you (KKKKZZZZSSHSHSHSH!!!!!!)... I've been so afraid of what'd happen if I said it... do you know why I did all of those things; making you laugh and protecting you from the Slender? I wanted to die in the act of protecting my friend... and the one I loved with all my heart."
He swallows nervously "I'm a monster... I know how is feel isn't wrong, but... I didn't know how you felt so... so I just kept on smiling and bit my tongue... because I cared for you too much to push you away..."
I watched him crumble, shocked "B-Bio-"
He shakes his head, smiling through his tears "The Lunars have a saying... 'The loneliest ponies are the kindest. The saddest ponies smile the brightest. The most damaged ponies are the wisest. All because they don't want anypony else to suffer like they did.' I... I thought that was a sad notion but..." he shuts his eyes in pain "It's one of the greatest truths I've ever known. I'm so sorry... please... never forgive me for anything... it'll be... easier for you to hate me... but if fate wills it, this won't be 'Goodbye', but 'Until next time.'" his horn glow and before I can say anything, he's gone in a flash of light.
"Bio... I can't hate ya... ya idiot..." I mutter, breaking down into sobs.
I never told my family what happened, and I didn't think they would care.
I walked to the collapsed mine and dug, trying to keep my mind empty
"I'm so, so sorry..."
"Stupid idiot... jerk... varmint..." I mutter, digging faster
Two weeks later the cave is empty, the dirt and rocks turned into pillars and I lit a new lantern and set down to write our story, a little bit at a time. I saw how he had tried so hard to hold himself back and I hated both him and myself for being such idiots.
I had finished the last page and I heard someone breathing behind me "Whoever's there... go away."
"Hey... I just wanted to see how you were doing."
Quick Write.
I turn and she gives me a sad smile "Hey (KKKKZZZZSSHSHSHSH!!!!!!), how have you been?"
I shake my head "He's a jerk..."
She sighs and sits next to me "He told you how he felt, didn't he?"
I nodded silently.
"He told me that the night before we went to take the Slender back. He said that he hated himself for feeling that way..."
"'That way'? Just say it! He loved me! He was head over hooves for me... and I was too stupid to see it!" I yelled, before quickly apologizing.
Quick sighed "I always knew that he had his heart locked tight, but I think that your friendship broke that lock. He found a kindred spirit, one who considered him family, regardless of what he was." she shakes her head "I told The Princess what Bio told me, and she believed me. She even gave me a commendation for it. I think she knew where the Slender came from, and nopony said a word about Bio."
I grin weakly "That's great. I don't think you've seen him?"
She shakes her head again, sitting next to me "No, if he doesn't want to be found, you can't ever find him. I'm sorry... no, I'm not."
I turn to her and she grits her teeth "He was a coward who was afraid of being feared, of being thought as a freak! I can empathize, but he never finishes what he starts, never even makes an effort to follow through! Always leaving us to finish it for him!" she groans "And I bet, even now, he's still leaving things incomplete."
I laugh "Yeah, he would always leave the end of his sentences hanging whenever he was just making stuff up on the spot. Or forgetting a topping and wondering why what he was eating tasted so weird."
Quick laughs and we swap stories, our laughter echoing out of the cave.
Night falls, and Quick waves goodbye, returning to speak with the officers passing through.
I sighed and a harsh whisper calls from behind me "Alone... again?"
I whip my head around and undulating next to me is the Slender, white head and red eyes in a pool of black.
"Yeh... ah guess so..." I sigh, sitting.
"Sad... so very alone... each of you." it shivers, as if disturbed "You... guard... bicorn... all sad and... alone."
"Quick? Why would she be sad or alone? She got an honor for this whole fracas an' that."
The red eyes turn to look me in mine "She... resents... Princess deep... in her heart. She sent... away first friend... twice... and your best... friend too. All afraid of... her now. Or treat... her like... heroine... so alone... at the top."
I snort "Bio said that a lot. So everypony thinks that she's somekinda battle-hard soldier?"
Slender nods "You... know better. But... only you. Sister... wants to leave... forest. See... world. Leave... heavy roots... behind."
I blink "Why're ya tellin' me?"
It shivers again "I... cannot hurt... sister... need help." the red eyes look at me again "Help us..."
Before I can even process a thought, I'm nodding and walking back to the farm.
I pull down the enchanted axe my father had bought from a trader, who said that it could through the thickest, hardest plant roots or vines.
Perfect.
As I turn to leave, several other implements in my saddlebags, I notice one of my younger sisters watching me with curiosity
"Where ya goin' brother?" she asks, her too-big bonnet tied around her neck like a bandana.
"Ta help a friend. Don' worry Smithy; I'll be back." I reply, scruffing the little grey bun of mane on her head in passing.
I would realize that this was a promise I would never keep.
I would never be back.
The rope that Quick had used was still hanging from the top of the tree, even the dented and scorched helmet that she had thrown away before ascending sat like a grim memorial to what would happen.
After ascending the rope, Slender guided me through the dark lab, and carried me down the steep drop to where the mandrake sat, moss still glowing, but this time, her eyes were open "Hello... thank you... for helping me..."
I shrug and avert my eyes from the pink-white eyes she had "Ain't even started yet, so save yall's thanks for later."
I pulled out the enchanted axe and poured my earth pony magic into it, making the blade glow dimly "Okay... hup!"
The blade comes down and with a resounding clang...
The shaft and blade shatter.
"... Ah knew those travelin' twins Shim an' Sham weren't tellin' th' truth..." I mutter, pulling out a saw.
Several hours pass, and no matter what I do, the skin of the root remains untouched.
"Augh! How do ah even do this if nothin' works?!"
The Mandrake looks down at me in pity and sadness "I don't... know. How did... you cut the vines... on the door?"
"Enchanted quill-blade... which ah don't have..." I groan when a slim black tendril drops something in front of me.
Bio's sword.
"Took it... after you... left."
I grin and focus my magic into the blade and it glows red, and I bring it down...
The root is severed with a near-silent slice, and she winces "Ow."
I shrug and heft the blade again, cutting the next root, working in a rhythm.
Soon, the last root is severed and I wipe the black-green slime from the blade "Now ya can thank me."
"Yes... Thank you for severing my link with this wretched laboratory."
"Uh, you ain't pausin' anymore."
She smiles, several flowers and leaves wilting as she hums, leaving very few on her body and the moss' light dims "My mind is no longer spread thin by my roots and vines. I... can move now... and I have you to thank." she walks over to me and kisses my cheek "Thank you."
I nod and look at the blade sadly "Ah... ah guess ya want this back..."
Slender slides towards me "It's... yours. The bicorn... returned and... told us this."
I nod again, and place the blade tenderly into my saddlebags "Thanks... so how do ah get out of here?"
The Mandrake smiles and several vines extend from under its leaves, and push on the ground, lifting her up into the air like a spider "I can carry you up... but as for payment for this... I think we should show you something that not even our creator knew of."
Another vine wraps around me like a harness and we ascend, the other vine-legs crawling up the sheer walls of the hollow tree.
I'm set down in front of the ruins of what was left of the princess' first castle "What? Everypony in Ponyville knows about this place."
She shakes her head, the vines retreating under her leaves "The castle is part of it... but we must look below."
Slender slides past me and tendrils of shadow slice away at a wall of vines before moving ahead.
She nods to me and I follow, and what I saw took my breath away.
Glittering in the light of the moon, is a crystal tree with six holes on the branches, a mass of black and thorny vines at the base.
"This is what's known as the Crystal tree of harmony. The two princesses used the six fruits, known to you as the elements of harmony, to seal the spirit of chaos and disharmony in stone. But soon after, a being known as Somnadastica, or the Nightmare, took root in the heart of the younger sister, whom had lost her daughter and memories of her child, and twisted her into a being known to you as Nightmare Moon. Celestia, who had no idea what had happened, used the elements to banish her own sister to the moon, and to this day and for many more, she will stay. But the element's power was depleted, and they turned to stone, for Celestia had been the root of her sister's misery and her pride had drove her only friend, her best friend, to turn against her. The elements slumber within the castle, waiting for the next generation of wielders to appear and undo the damage that the former had wrought. And they shall also return the elements to their home. To give the tree back its children."
I sit in silence, letting the story wash over me "So... this is th' source of all of th' harmony in Equestria?"
She nods "But even so, it is not native to this world. It fell from the stars before there were even ponies. The benevolent goddess, the Mother Mare, planted it in the newly formed world and watched it grow. But within the seed of harmony, was a root of disharmony. So while the harmony grew, so did its opposite. Together, they were the crystal seed of chaos, a balance of opposites in disharmonic harmony. But the ponies knew what immense power it held, and an audacious, wicked wizard brought the two princesses to the tree. The eldest, obeyed his command, but the younger questioned, and wanted to befriend the spirit of chaos. Both the wizard and her elder sister laughed, but that was fine with her, she had also sensed the disharmony and when the other two were looking at the fruits, she split the two plants, and the disharmonic root turned to seeds. She dropped a number into the hole, and wished for them to grow and spread, forcing them to release the spirit of chaos."
She sighs, her light eyes sad "This did not come to pass, and still the seeds slumber. I brought you here to show you that even in the most dire and dangerous of times, hope is still burning brighter than the shadows. But do not live without shadows, lest you become blinded."
I nodded and looked at the blade in my bags "... It belongs here." Pulling it out, the feather of the quill fused to the hilt and the point forged into the edge of the blade itself shone in the light "If she slumbers here, than so should her sword."
I drive the sword into the earth and it glows with ethereal light, and I see her.
Princess Luna.
I hastily bow but she smiles "Our thanks to thee, for thou hast returnt the lost remnant of our saber Tsukuyomi. And to us thou offerest a phoenix's feather, one pluck'd from our sister's own beloved companion. Thou must'd hath much courage or a barren wellspring of mind. Nor doth it change the merit of thy actions. We wish to know thy motion of action?"
I rub my head "Ah'm sorry Princess... ah can't understand what you just said..."
She sighs "Aye, t'would be a wrong time to speaketh to thee in mine forsaken tongue. Why hath thou brought mine saber?"
I smiled weakly "A friend of mine gave it to me... as a parting gift 'fore he left..."
She frowns "Ah, we see... t'was not duty nor honour, but kindness and generosity?"
I nod "Yeh, ah just thought that if this was where ya would be able to see it, ya'd know where it is... an' so that nopony could ever find it and use it for evil."
"Yet thou return't it to us, whom mightest be the epitome of ill intentions." she says sadly.
I shake my head "Ah brought it to ya, 'cause it's yours, not mine."
She smiles and nods to me "Thank thee... but now we must return't to our rest. Fare thee well, noble knight of earth!"
The light fades with her, until all that is left is the image burned into my eyes, and the missing sword.
I turn around and Mandrake and Slender stare at me in awe "Ah'm guessin' that wasn't in my head?"
"That was Princess Luna..."
"That is... impossible..." Slender whispers, still as stone.
I look up and I swear that The Mare in the Moon smiled "Well... that happened. Ah feel better somehow..."
Mandrake grins "Slumber in peace mother."
Slender remains still "We have succeeded where our father hadn't. Now what is our purpose?"
I shrug and turn to head back to the farm "I don't know, but ah guess that now ah can move on... hopefully."
"Please wait. My brother and I are without purpose now, we could wander this world and see it... but that is foalish. Please, give us a purpose." Mandrake says, pleading with her violet eyes.
"Live. Live free of loss and sorrow an' if ya see Bio... tell him ah forgive him." I say, walking away.
What happened next is crystal clear, though I still feel it was a dream.
I had stepped out from the clearing when the ground suddenly shook as Timberwolves fled from something massive.
I look around and a black pegasus with a burnt knit-cap and a bulging jacket stumbles out from the clearing, his cutie mark a brown rectangle with a black oval in the center "(KKKKZZZZSSHSHSHSH!!!!!!)? Are you... (KKKKZZZZSSHSHSHSH!!!!!!)?"
I nod and step closer to try to help him but he shakes his head "No... I can only stay for a little longer before I'm thrown again..." he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a folded letter "You... get this to the Apple family and... I'm sorry..." he coughs, spitting out blood "Sorry... and one last thing... protect this forest. Protect it no matter what... it's invaluable..."
I take the letter and his eyes start crackling with white, rainbow speckled lightning "Remember! Protect this forest!!"
The air around him starts to shimmer and suddenly the air explodes and he's gone in a flash of light.
I'm flung into a tree then I hear something snap and then everything is pain.
I realize as I die, that my spine snapped in half and the stranger's words echo in my head.
"I'm sorry"
I awaken to the feeling of floating in icy water So this is what death feels like...
"You are not dead, you live yet are no longer wholly yourself..." somepony whispers into my ear and I recognize the voice.
The Slender.
What do you mean? Ah know my spine broke! I yell in my head, my mouth feeling as if it's been fused closed.
"You did die, but I returned the favor that you did to me, I saved your life."
I struggle to open my eyes and what I see sends me reeling. I'm standing over my own body, a dried pool of blood around me. My mane and scalp sit next to my fading cutie mark, my corpse seems... empty.
"My sister and I used an ancient, forbidden ritual to transfer your soul into my body, mind, magic, and all." Slender whispers and I step back and trip on my long legs, falling onto my butt "No... I..."
"I'm so sorry (KKKKZZZZSSHSHSHSH!!!!!!), I had said that you should have been buried like your kin would want. But my brother decided to give up his own body to save you." Mandrake says from behind me, her leaves wilted and eyes glossier than I remembered.
"I... I'm th' Sl-" I stutter out but she shakes her head "You are you, just with a new vessel. I suppose... this is repayment for saving my brother, returning the blade to Princess Luna, and your suffering... a second life, one free of pony limitations or..." she wipes her eyes "Joys..."
I stare at the long, pale hooves attached to my shoulders and Slender is silent Bio... ah wonder what you'd think of me now? Would ya hate me or still love me? Ah'm so... confused... what do ah do now? Can't go home... nopony'd recognize me... an' did that stranger know ah was goin' to die?
Mandrake stands and passes the letter, still held in my hoof... or my body's hoof "I don't know why or how you spoke to the Duel Knight, but he was rumored to be a warrior and friend to Princess Luna and was caught in the midst of the two sisters' battle and is cursed to be thrown through time forever, appearing to leave trinkets and words to those who need it... or to save them. This letter..."
I stand on unsteady hooves "Ah have to deliver it..."
She shakes her head "No, you can barely stand and my brother's mind is fading as yours awakens, allow me to see him off..."
I slump to the ground and she steps closer, her eyes brimming with sweet-smelling tears "Brother... I wish you rest and peace in the eternal night, may you be one with our mother's sky and burn bright and just..." she kisses my forehead and my mouth moves on its own... no, Slender moves it "See the... world dear... Sister. I was to perish when the sun arose, so I give my waning life to save another. Thank you... and stay vibrant..." Slender's whispering voice fades away and I start to cry, but no tears come.
Mandrake smiles weakly and kisses my lips, the taste of fresh flowers and honey flooding my taste buds "Thank you... and now... the sun rises again, and though we may not bask in it, let it cleanse us of our tears and pain, if but for a moment."
I turn and watch the golden rays of the sun pierce the gloom of the Everfree, the dew on Mandrake's leaves and roots glittering like stars, her once unsettlingly pink eyes are a strong violet, full of life and passion.
"Ah... what'll ya do know?" I ask, though my lips don't feel as though they had moved.
She turns away and the flower on her head opens slowly, the leaves spreading like wings to catch the light of the sun "I will do that which I have wanted to since I sprouted. I will see the world, and spread my seeds to bring life to the barren lands I may find."
I nod in understanding and turn to my corpse, and I notice I'm smiling in contentment "Would you... plant your most vibrant seeds here? So that I can watch over them?"
She looks at me over her shoulder and between the leaves "I already have, and I suggest we go to see them breath their first breath."
In a clearing are several small trees, tiny white-pink flowers speckling them "Apples?"
She grins "Yes, I thought it appropriate. A new kind of apple that exudes the wild magic of this forest. Watch..."
A ray of sunlight hits one and a rainbow arcs from one flower to another, the trees shiver and erupt upwards, the branches brimming with rainbow-colored apples.
"They are in memory of both the Knight and my brother's sacrifice."
I stare at the apples and then at the letter still held in my new hooves "Ah have a mission to start... thank you Mandrake."
She smiles and she spreads her leaves and flaps them, pollen sprinkling from them as she takes flight "You are welcome."
I set the letter in the mailbox and sigh to myself before turning to leave when I hear a faint gasp from behind me. I turn my head and staring at me is my sister, her mane free of the usual bun, eyes staring in absolute shock. And I smile at her and wave before walking into the Everfree, hoping that whatever was in the letter explained what happened to me.
I catch her whisper something that sounds like my name, but I ignore it, knowing that who I was is dead, buried in the grove of the rainbow apples, two entwined Red Galas above it.
The Apples that Bio loved.
I had fashioned a home out of the cave that I had reinforced though I sealed the entrance and dug a tunnel from the grove to it. I had made it so that I could hear what happened in the grove to protect it.
So I awoke with a start when the sound of hoofsteps entering the grove "Ah hay... thought that nopony'd come inta th' forest!"
I melted into a shadow and darted through the tunnel and standing in the clearing was my little sister.
I slipped out from the small hole and stood behind the tree she was at and tapped her bonnet with a hoof.
She looked up in surprise and dropped the apple she had in her mouth "What th'... big brother?"
I was shocked Good thing ah ain't got a face... I shook my head and extended a tendril and scooped up the apple and another snaked around from behind me and removed the apples from her bag and sat, holding the apples above my head.
She sat too and looked into where I should've had eyes "Big Brother... ah know it's you. Th' letter... it told me everythin'. An' it told me ta come here tonight an' pick apples from this tree. Why did ya take th' apples?"
"Ah didn't know what th' letter said, that Dual Night wrote it." I shake my head and point to the way she came.
"Ah ain't goin' back! Everypony's hungry an' we ain't got much o' anythin' ta eat! These apples're magic an' we could sure as sugar use th' help!"
I suppress a pang of guilt and lower my hoof to the ground and write out a message "Take the apples... but do not plant the seeds."
"But th' letter said they grew like wildfire! Come on (KKKKZZZZSSHSHSHSH!!!!!!), this is for family! We need th' trees ta survive!" she says and I sigh to myself.
"Fine. But once the season is over, I will take them back." I write and walk back to the tunnel when she scrambles to her hooves "How're ya gon' do that?"
"Magic." I think to myself and melt into the shadows when the sound of Timberwolves growling causes me to turn back and sitting in shock is my sister, three wolves circling her "Ah hay..."
I leap into the air and land above her, my tendrils extended and pointed at the wolves.
They growl at me and one leaps, but to me, it looks as if it's moving through water. I swat at it, splitting it's wooden neck into splinters, my sister screams in response, but I'm focused on the other two, the one to my left leaping an instant after the one to my right. I duck and scoop her into my hooves, plucking a few apples from the trees as I gallop out of the grove and towards the edge of The Everfree.
"B-big brother? Yall're crushin' me." She coughs out and I loosen my grip "Sorry."
A manticore sleepily walks into the path but I easily jump over it "Yee-haw! Never stops bein' fun!!"
The edge comes into view and I leap out and start down the path towards my old home.
I set her down in front of the door, the apples safely in her bags "You never saw me. Tell nopony." I write and when she nods, I wipe it away and leave for the forest when she coughs "Th-thanks... ah'll visit."
She said it like a statement, but it sounded like a question. I nod and gallop back, the sun had begun to rise and so would my family.
"Ah wonder what they think happened ta me? Knowin' ma, she probably thinks ah ran away ta find Bio..."
I shake the thoughts from my head and I turn back to take a final look at the farm "Bye-"
"If fate wills it, this won't be 'Goodbye', but 'Until next time.'"
