//------------------------------// // Chapter 22: The Plot Thickens...For Better Or Worse // Story: The (Mis)adventures of Nava: Book One // by Navanastra //------------------------------// Chapter 22: The plot thickens…for better or worse Edited by: Chrome Masquerade Proofread by: Midnight Gear “Okay, just follow the needle and I’ll find this new source of magic and be able to work in relative peace, or perhaps I should move to Ponyville, it seems much less distracting than Canterlot,” As Midnight Gear was walking along the main path in Ponyville, he did not notice a certain pink mare look at him and rush off elsewhere, perhaps to prepare a welcome party, nor did he notice the split-second confusion of the townsponies. “Hmm... I could improve the design and internal mechanisms a bit and add a few more diverse options of magical signatures, although I couldn’t possibly add Harmonic Magic as an option, studying let alone wielding that sort of magic would be an impressive feat and this town has all six of the bearers of the elements and the Tree of Harmony nearby.” While shaking his head, Gear said bemusedly “These townsponies hardly realize how lucky they truly are.” “LOOK OUT!” shouted a young tomboy-ish voice. Looking ahead, Gear managed to avoid the oncoming orange filly on a scooter and stop her with a sweep of his wing due to his guard reflexes. “D... do be more c... caref... ful with that sc... scooter of yours,” Gear said. While looking at her scooter he continued. “Perhaps you sh... should think of installing b... brakes in it.” “Nah, I kinda like the rush it gives me when I can’t stop and go super-fast, mister.” replied the orange filly. “We... well then, be more careful and try not to c... crash into other p... ponies,” Midnight advised while continuing on his way to find the source of the unique magical signature he was tracking. “Where was I? Ah! This magical signature is quite unique if it has never been studied or even recorded before. This makes it much harder to track. But, while unique, this works against it in terms of hiding, due to the fact that it is one of a kind and easy to follow and trace once you know what you’re looking for.” As Gear looked up, he noticed he was standing in front of a library named ‘The Golden Oaks Library’. Excitement coursed through him as he began thinking, “Aha! I’ve found it! Now I shall prove all of them wrong and perhaps be able to study this new form of magic.” Instantly, he rushed in and shouted... ……………………………………………………………………………………… “Well…” I began as I tried my best to formulate the right words I wanted to say. “Well, here goes nothing then, I guess. Fingers… or in my case, hooves crossed and let’s hope for the best.” I thought to myself as Twilight gave me her full attention while Dash in the background gave me an encouraging look, despite looking somewhat worried herself. “Ok, Twilight… the truth is that-” I began but didn’t really get too far with my long and probably broken explanation, for all of the sudden the main front door of the library busted open with a loud crash which caused us all of jump in fright. “HA! SO IT'S YOU!!! I KNEW THAT MY INVENTION WASN’T LYING TO ME, AND PROVING THAT IT WORKS AS WELL. HA! I SHOWED THOSE NEIGHSAYERS!” A young male voice suddenly shouted, which only added to both of our shock and surprise at this unexpected event. Rainbow Dash was the first to react as she immediately took to the air and dive bombed directly towards the intruder at the doorway. “No, wait! I was actually just-” was all that the young stallion could nervously sputter out before he suddenly found himself tackled by a rather speedy rainbow colored mare and back out of the library. A long sliding sound, followed by a loud crash echoed from the outside as both Twi and I were still stunned. We both eventually shook our heads and looked to one another before the two of us dashed out of the library and after the two as the sound of struggling was audible. What I saw the moment we made it outside the library and out onto the roads was… honestly something I expected. Dash was standing above the brown hooded stallion, pinning the poor guy down expertly while the victim in question was trying desperately to get the mare off him. Very unsuccessfully, I might add. A crowd quickly began to form as these two still continued to struggle alone against the wall of a house opposite the library. Twilight and I got closer to the scuffle as the two of them began to argue with one another… or more like pleading for the stallion. “Please get o… off of me! I… I was just trying to… follow and… determine the source… of an unknown magical signature!” The timid sounding stallion tried to explain as his struggling slowly began to die out. Dash, on the other hand simply snorted as she glared down at the cloaked stud while making sure that he stayed pinned under her forelegs. “Yeah sure. Cut the horseapples and stop struggling before I am tempted to knock you out instead. I know what you are. You’re one of those sharp-toothed bat-ponies that occupied Cloudsdale a while back.” Dash accused before using one of her wings to remove the hood from the stallion's head and revealing him fully for the whole town to see. What I saw left me surprised, to say the least. "A Thestral? What is a lone Thestral doing here?" I thought to myself as I kept my distance from it by standing behind Twilight and the rest of the crowd. Dash, on the other hand (hoof), continued her glare after she realized that her assumption was right. “Twilight.” She suddenly called out while keeping her gaze fixed on the fearful Thestral under her. “Go take and hold him with your magic and bring him back into the library and into the basement.” She commanded with a type of tone I have never heard or seen before of her, which again was highly surprising. And more than a bit frightening. “Wait… what? Why?” Twilight questioned confused. “Don’t ask questions. Just DO IT!” Dash demanded with a shout at the end, which caused Twilight to flinch a bit. “Alright, alright. Fine. Just… just step out of the way when I have him.” Twilight submitted before her horn quickly began to glow in a soft purple hue, which was mimicked on the Thestral’s body. Dash immediately stepped away, allowing Twilight to lift the Thestral stallion off the ground and over and between her and Dash. Whispers started to circulate from the now dozens of bystanders who surrounded us as Twilight began to gently levitate the stock still Thestral back toward her library. We, of course, followed her, with RD hovering right behind the now obviously nervous looking stud suspended in Twi’s field to keep a close on him by my guess. “Uhm…what are you three going to do with me?” The timid Thestral questioned as Twilight ducked him through the door. “Interrogate you. Duh. What do you think?” Dash responded as she landed back onto the ground to fallow Twilight through the main door. I stopped right before entering the library as I began to look back behind me, seeing the crowd previously there slowly disperse. I looked down at my hooves as I started to think on this new situation we were (or more like I was) stuck in. “Can I ever get a break from all of this? Just this once? I could mentally say more to this, but I don’t want to tempt fate by even thinking about it.” I thought to myself as I again started to look around me some more. To be honest, I really shouldn’t be that surprised that stuff just immediately started to go crazy once more, out of nowhere. This has pretty much been my whole new life since I get here. And yes, I am calling this my new life because… what else am I going to call it? New world, new body, new challenges that I may or may not conquer at all, pretty much new life material in my mind, even more so if I am going to stay here, or would be forced to stay here. I shook my head. “So much for my plan of just flat out telling Twilight the truth. Now with this new event having crashed itself through the window -or in this case door- I guess it would now be a bad time to be telling her.” I again thought to myself as I could hear some ruckus from the inside. “HEY Nava! Are you coming too or what? Better come back inside in case more of these Bat-pony hybrids are still lurking around town.” I heard Dash call out from within the library which immediately stopped my thoughts. “Well… I guess this situation could also be a blessing in disguise, because I still have this nagging feeling in my head that telling Twi about my… alicorn-hood would have possibly backfired on me.” I mentally mused as I made my way back inside of Twilight's messy library to see what both these mares will do to the Thestral. ……………………………………………………………………………………… “Being all alone at home with nothing else to do is the worst.” I muttered as I simply laid flat on the couch. With Flitter having gone off to work while I unexpectedly got a day off thanks to some really outstanding work from one of our co-workers the other day I am now basically trapped in this house for a whole day with nothing better to do than just lay flat on my stomach and occasionally swish my tail back and forth. I know it has only been a day since Nava had temporarily moved to Ponyville in hopes in getting that frantic horn of his fixed up, but it’s already enough to make this place feel so lifeless and empty without him around. Which is actually kind of strange, given that he hadn’t really been living that long with us to begin with, but yet again he just seems so interesting and mysterious on his own. I mean seriously, what pony could ever say that they are friends with, or even lived together with a freaking alicorn! Though, that’s not the main thing that makes him so interesting and even somewhat fun to be around. It’s mostly because of his introvert type personally. The fact that he is basically has the powers of a demigod while also being a complete dork and honestly, kind of a pussy is… kind of cute in my opinion. I immediately blushed when that particular realization hit me before I shook my head to get these ideas out of my mind quickly. “Though to be honest, I guess I can admit to myself that he is rather cute, since I am alone.” I whispered to myself as my tail continued to swish back and forth. I sighed as I laid myself down onto my crossed fore hoofs while letting my tail do its own thing back there. “He might have only been with us for a couple of weeks, but he has already made our normally mundane lives so much more interesting than it had been these last few years.” I thought to myself as I started to close my eyes while remembering father and mother. I began to softly hum the lullaby that our father used to sing for us when we were just little foals. Whenever I feel sad and lonely I usually start to hum it automatically, either openly or in my head if I don’t want ponies to hear me hum it. I hummed it all the way to the end and repeated it a couple of times to try to pass the time, though for some reason it didn’t help me as much this time as it normally does, as I was still feeling rather lonely and bored. I sighed again as I rolled myself onto my back before opening my eyes to stare at the white ceiling above me, my thoughts once again wandering back to Nava. “I wonder what Nava might be doing right about now? Did he already talk to Twilight and manage to convince her to help him with his magic problem without getting himself found out by her?” I wondered as I moved my forelegs under my head to support it better. “You know, we did agree that we can come over there to visit him whenever we want, but I would seriously take almost half a day to just fly there myself, plus I can’t just leave without sis; she would be pissed if I did that.” I thought to myself some more. I know this seems a bit too soon and also somewhat ridiculous to want to visit him, even though it has only been a whole day, basically, since he “moved out” of our home, but this place really doesn’t feel the same anymore without him being around. Plus I also don’t have anything to tease around anymore as well. My sister had stopped playing along with my antics over a year ago so she obviously won’t be an option in that subject. I moved my eyes to the clock on the far side of the wall I was facing to check the time. “Still three more hours before sis comes back from her shift at the weather factory. Damn, time really crawls by when you are all alone with nothing else to do or talk to.” I muttered before rolling myself back onto my belly. My tail once again swayed back and forth almost on its own as I started to once again think about the timid alicorn again. Seriously, though. Why the hay can’t get him out of my mind lately, since we were forced to leave him with Dashie to move over to Ponyville? My mind just has the tendency to randomly move to him. I know that he feels very interesting and also a bit mysterious, since neither me or sis really know much about him, but he can’t possibly be that interesting for my mind to continuously wander to him… at least to me… right? I started to groan as I buried my face into the fabric of the couch. “Ahhh… I can’t take this laying around alone and doing nothing anymore. And also why is my tail actively moving back and forth on its own? I am not on heat, it’s not that time of the year yet…or at least I don’t... think... so.” I groaned out into the sofa before lifting my head back up to glare at my self-conscious tail. “Stop!” I commented out loud, which thankfully did the trick as my tail quickly fell limp onto my flank. I smiled a bit to myself at this as I laid my head back down onto my forelegs, or at least that is what I was planning to do when both my mind and tail had, once again, different ideas. Nava back in the forefront and my tail beginning to casually wave back and forth again. “You know what, I might as well just go see what we have sitting around in the fridge and get my mind some well needed rest of all this wondering. Plus it’s long past lunch time as well, and I haven’t eating anything yet.” I muttered to myself as I pushed myself off the couch with a bit of a grunt. As if on cue, my stomach immediately began to voice its concerns when I mentioned ‘past lunch’, which only solidified my decision even more to quickly grab some cold grub from the fridge, maybe even snatch something that actually belongs to Flitter and eat that instead just to piss her off and then just retreat myself back to my room to doze off a bit. Maybe even pulling out my special box from under my bed to at least have SOMETHING to do while waiting around in the house. That, and it IS a perfect time to open it up now, since I am all alone in the first place. I actually felt myself get a bit excited at those thoughts as i casually made my way over to the kitchen to get myself something to nibble on before following on my plans to just relax for the rest of the day. “Maybe I can convince Flitter later to -hopefully- travel to Ponyville together tomorrow and to see how Nava is doing there?” ……………………………………………………………………………………… “Alright buddy. Speak or I am going to start shouting into your so-called sensitive ears loud enough to make them ring.” Dash threatened as she shone a really bright table light right at the terrified and expertly bound Thestral trapped on an old wooden chair. Who knew that Dash could do an impression of a cliché 1960’s style interrogator? All that was missing is a trench coat and a fedora and the image would be completed. Actually, I could just give her mine and it'd be close enough. “Please, I have already told the truth! I wasn’t part of the whole Cloudsdale occupation incident. I was actually in my workshop at the barracks, doing my own thing, I didn’t even hear about it until right after it was already over!” The timid looking Thestral replied, as sweat was slowly dripping down from his forehead, clearly visible thanks to the glare of the table light shined directly at his panicked looking expression. Actually, now that I had a better look at him, he does have a face somewhat similar to mine, having a muzzle that looks so much more likened to a mare’s than a stallion’s. Kind of weird, though, when you think about it. Mostly because the reason I have a much smaller and more slender looking muzzle compared to most stallions is probably because I was a European in origin before coming here. We do tend to have much narrower and pointier noses compared to others. But it could also be just because of me because… well I designed him this way myself. I rubbed my head as Twilight suddenly stepped up with a bit of a frown on her face. “Rainbow Dash, I think you are taking this just a bit too far now. Even if he was part of the whole Cloudsdale incident I heard (and read) about. These Bat-ponies are actually the primary members of the newly reformed night guard after Princess Luna’s return… or at least that is what Princess Celestia has told me in one of her letters.” Twilight explained as she stepped up to stand right next to the chair-bound captive. Dash scoffed at this before switching her gaze to her. “You wouldn’t understand Twi. You weren’t IN Cloudsdale at the time like I was. Some of them were even looking at me funny as if I was food. These guys mean business so I am NOT taking chances with this one either.” Dash retorted which made the Thestral in front of him suddenly light up in realization. I am not talking about the lamp, though. “Well, one of those might have been Ivan or Sigurd. They were always some of the more…extreme ones so to speak. Especially since they used to be Thestral Berserkers before joining the guard.” The Thestral explained, suddenly not looking or sounding so scared anymore and in more of a lecture mode. How such a sudden switch can work I don’t know, but at least it meant that the poor guy has some momentary rest from all the stress he found himself under. “Wait a minute...“ Twilight began as the explanation of what the Thestral said registered to her. “They allowed a brutal, literally bloodthirsty pony to join the Equestrian Night Guard?” She questioned in shock and slight concern, which caused the stud in question to look awkwardly to the side. “I don’t know, I… I am not part of the… whole recruitment program, or know how It even functions… in the first place. I am just an inventor and actually got forcefully drafted because of it.” The Thestral explained, suddenly being back to his normal timid self again. That thought immediately got Twilight's attention as her previous concerns suddenly got replaced by a glimmer in her eyes after he mentioned ‘inventor’. “Wait…did you say that you are actually an inventor? Like an actual one with all the magic and science behind it?” The Thestral simply nodded, or as much as his ropes even round his forehead allow him too. “Well… yes. But… why do you ask?” He asked as his interest was slightly piqued as well. “Well, it’s because I am a researcher myself, an expert in the subject of magic and Princess Celestia's personal student.” She explained with a smile, a revelation that quickly replaced the Thestral’s fear with overall curiosity and even slight excitement. “You research the fields of magic as well? Oh this is so interesting! It’s pretty rare these days to find someone with the same fields of study as mine.” He commented as a sparkle swiftly developed in his slit-pupiled eyes. “Wait, hold on a second. Aren’t we getting a bit sidetracked here?” Dash questioned, slightly dumbfounded by this sudden switch of focus. To be honest I actually found this cartoonish turnaround a bit amusing. “When two smarties find one another then the world around them might as well be nonexistent.” “Hold on, Rainbow Dash. This pony might actually have knowledge never seen before here in Equestria. Just think about the possibilities!” Twilight replied with a little squeak of excitement at the end. Dash, of course, was not impressed at all. “Are you serious?” she began, while giving her friend a strange look. “This guy is one of those bat-pony freaks that occupied the Cloud District back in Cloudsdale and almost caused a mass panic. You can’t possibly take this stud for granted?” She tried to argue before I stepped in and placed my hoof onto her shoulder to get her attention. “Leave her. In fact, as far as I can tell, these two will keep one another busy for quite a while. I mean, look and listen to them, two nerds in one room.” I whispered to her while pointing a hoof at them which RD followed. “I wouldn’t be surprised if these two just keep talking nonstop about science and magic for the whole week.” I quickly added, or at least so I thought because Equestria sometimes operates with cartoon-like physics and logic. “Yeah… I guess you might be right.” RD eventually sighed as the other two cranked the science talk to eleven. I nodded before looking at those two. “Kind of funny, actually, how both of them look really excited now, even with the timid stallion still bound to the chair.” I chuckled, which made RD smile a bit as well. “Well, two eggheads go well together, I guess.” She said with a smile before looking back at me. “But wait… what about the… you know?” RD asked, the meaning of it quickly registering in me. I scratched the back of my head. “Well… to be honest I kind of prefer it like this.” I began before looking at her. “To be honest I still don’t really trust her with keeping my whole alicorn thing a secret. Kind of a blessing in disguise when this Thestral barged in earlier, shouting that he had found me. With these two now too occupied with one another’s magic and science knowledge, they will eventually forget about me. Probably.” I whispered to her while the two eggheads still keep on talking about stuff I honestly don’t understand. Dash rubbed the back of her neck. “Well, I can actually see your logic here.” She answered. “But still... what about you getting that horn of yours fixed? If not Twilight, then who?” She asked as I turned myself around to trot back up the stairs and out of the basement. “Well, do you maybe know any other unicorn who might be able to help while NOT being connected to the princess herself?” I asked while looking back as RD followed me out from the cold and dark basement below. RD rubbed her chin as we were back in the main room of the library. “I have to think about it.” She answered before both of us were greeted by Spike coming from the stairs leading up to the second floor. “Hey you two. What the heck was all that ruckus earlier?” Spike said while chewing on some gems and holding what I can guess is a comic book in one claw “Power Ponies. Yup. It’s a comic.” “Nothing much, just Dash here having tackled a Bat-pony out of the library before bringing him back inside trapped within Twilight's magic to tie him up on a chair in your basement for a cliché 1960’s interrogation process that didn’t last long.” I explain to him casually which caused the small drake to look at me funny and overall confused as well. “Oh, Twi and that stud are now talking about Science and magic down there, which is why we are up here to leave them to their own devices.” I quickly added while gazing up the ceiling a bit. “…huh?” was Spike’s only response as he somehow looked even more lost than he already was. “Yeah it is kind of… ridiculous when you think about it.” RD butted in before looking at the still-confused drake standing at the foot of the stairs. “Can you maybe keep an eye on Twi and our new… “special guest”?” she actually growled a bit when she said that. “I still don’t trust this guy. He might be timid and somewhat of a pushover, but I still have this nagging feeling that this guy might be trouble in the future.” Dash added, which helped the drake to shake off the goldfish expression. Spike shook his head. “Well… yeah, sure. It isn’t like I have much else to do right now anyway.” He replied while finishing the gem he was nibbling on. “Spike? Spike, you still up there? Can you maybe bring us two glasses of water?” Twilight suddenly shouted from the basement. Spike groaned at this before placing his comic on a nearby table before moving over to the kitchen. “Well I don’t have much of a choice in watching them now, do I?” He questioned rhetorically before disappearing somewhere into the kitchen. Both Dash and I shrugged before making our way out of the library after calling goodbye to Spike. “So…” I began as the afternoon sun shone down onto my fur. “What now? I still need a unicorn to teach me ze magiks.” I question with a mimic of Photo Finish at the end. Dash was about to reply before a sudden but also recognizable voice suddenly called out to us. “Oh greetings, Rainbow Dash and…. handsome-stallion-I-still-haven’t-gotten-the-chance-to-get-to-know. What are you two doing in front Twilight’s place?” A white alabaster unicorn mare questioned from the other side of the street while carrying shopping bags in her magic. “Oh, hey Rarity.” Both of us greeted her back in unison as she made her way over to us with the shopping bags floating beside her. Dash nudged me. “Jinx! You owe me a cider.” before laughing. ……………………………………………………………………………………… “I. Am going. TO KILL HIM.” Glade announced after having read the report from one of her Thestral spies that kept an eye on Midnight Gear, written that he was easily captured after so very unprofessionally barging into the home of one of the element bearers. “I specifically told him to not do anything stupid. You had ONE JOB, Gear! ONE!”