//------------------------------//
// Bonus Issue-The More You Learn [Epilogue]-Stops Along the Way 
// Story: I Am Not a Charlatan! I Am Mysterio, Master of the Arcane Arts! 
// by The Quidam 
//------------------------------//

	<So we have learned quite a lot about our players in this strange tale. Each has their secrets, and their own set of hidden talents.  Yet even now we only caught a glimpse of their souls.  But do not fret, for we will certainly acquire more about them as this tale extends into the horizon. After all, the more you learn, the more you gain. >


[}0{]


|The Sorcerer and his Associates|

“Everyone ready?” Ethan asked in his plain clothes.  He had the Mysterio outfit wrapped up in the cape and hanging on a stick like a ‘hobo-bag”.  He had his backpack on and whatever supplies he would need, so he was pretty much ready to go.   It seemed his associates were all ready to go as well.  From Tsavorite carrying a couple of barrels engorged with goods, to Norah dragging a case nearly as big as herself full of stuff, they all showed each was packed up and ready in their own way.  Yet it seemed the dragoness, mare, and pup had something to ask about before they boarded this finished method of transportation of hers.

“Well, Master, we wanted to ask…” Tsavorite slowly began.

“If it’s not too much trouble-” Trixie tried to finish only to be interrupted.

“What's up with yous?” Norah blurted out.  The other two looked nervous at the puppy cutting to the chase.  However, Ethan was a bit confused as to what they were asking.

“What do you mean?” He asked as plainly as he could. 

“We each talked a bit abouts us these past few days, but I seemed to realize that we barely know anythings about yous!” Norah pouted, as she didn’t get why the other two were hesitating to ask such a thing.

“So what’s my story?”

He tilted his head to the side as he pondered what to say.  

“Not much that I really want to say.” Now wasn't that the truth!  Just thinking about his past life experiences filled him with melancholy and lost nostalgia. “For a long time, I had a great deal of trouble making friends.  Even when I did, I rarely got to stick by them very long for one reason or another.  It left me with a lot of free time, but plenty of lonesomeness. I trained myself to be the best I could be in the arts that my father taught me, as well as learning a few other things here and there.  There were times where the loneliness nearly caused me to give up alongside all the things I did to get as skilled as I am now.”  

He gave a slight grin as he thought up a memory that gave him a sense of hope back then. “But it wasn't all bad.”

“That really doesn't tells us much about yous.” Norah pointed out.  Trixie and Tsavorite didn’t say it, but they too seemed a bit underwhelmed by that story. Ethan just shrugged.

“No, I suppose not. But then again, isn't it better to at least know we will discover more about each other the longer we stick together? An incentive to become closer as it were?” His smile at that was infectious for everyone seemed to gain one at that.  He then snapped his fingers as it came to him. “That reminds me! Did you think about my advice, Norah?”

Norah thought quickly about what he meant, before she hurried into her luggage to look for it. “Yep! I gots it right here somewheres…!”

“What is she-?” Trixie asked as she and the Dragoness looked over the doggie digging through her stuff.

“Here you go!” Norah quipped the moment she found her present and immediately handed it to the blue unicorn.  Trixie seemed hesitant to do more than hold the thing wrapped up in in cheap paper, so Ethan tried to assure her that it wasn’t some form of explosive.

“I told Norah that the best way to show someone you’re really sorry is to get them a gift. Norah is the sorriest puppy I have yet to see here, so perhaps the gift will reflect it.”

Trixie raised an eyebrow, still a bit suspicious at the thing. “What’s the catch?”

“The catch is that if you accept the gift, you also accept a bit of her friendship and give a bit more forgiveness in return.” He motioned towards Norah as he advised her to accept it. “Why don’t you give it a glance before making up your mind.”

The young pup was giving such an innocent and sad look, that even Trixie was moved despite once having this pup be a button away from blowing her up.  

“Fine, but Trixie doubt she will just forget having a bomb strapped to her neck with just a simple bribe of….!” She stopped her rant the moment the last bit of wrapping came off the object.  She stared dumbfounded at it for a full minute or two before brusquely asking the pup, “Where did you find this!?”

“It was in a shipment of scraps they sent us!” Norah asked with worry she somehow made things worse. “It came with a junky wagon full of stuff we found.  Big Sis and I fixed it up and are gonna use with her motor-wagon-puller-thingy.  As for the stuff, I took all of it and kept it in my room but put it backs when we was done. Wait here and I’ll shows you!”

The pup hurried off, leaving the rest to ponder the significance of the object Trixie was now holding.  

“What is it?” Tsavorite had to ask. Seeing her rival like this was quite unnerving to her.

“It's mine.” Trixie said.  She looked as though she was fighting off a crying session with the way her lips were pouting.  “My wagon was here with all of my things buried here.  This whole time.”

All three looked at the purple cloaked she held tightly in her hands.  It was a dusty purple, and was patched by discolored thread and scarps of cloth.  Yet the yellow and blue stars scattered upon it gave it a sense of wonder still entwined in the fabric.  

Norah came back with her arms full of all kinds of objects: scraps of paper, posters, and even a couple of tomes.  Yet what stood out the most to Trixie was the rumpled purple witch’s hat that was placed on top of the pile of a similar make to the cloak!

“Bo thoughts the wagon would make a good spare house to take with us on our trip.  She seemed really adamant to fix it up instead of usings it for parts. So it really is yours?” Norah asked as she handed all of her stuff to the mare.

Trixie was shedding a few tears she could no longer hold back as she saw what she now held.  There were a couple of her old advertisements, a few of her old spell books, and even her diploma!  But even those paled in the fact she had the hat and cape of her performing outfit! “Yes!  Was there anything else?”

“Whatever else we gots is probably on the cabin.  Bo says we was goings to gives it to you if you evah paid your dues, but you knows how that turned out.” Norah sighed as she looked a bit solemn at the fact she may have caused the unicorn to cry instead of cheering her up. “Sorrys about the patches on the clothes. I’m not as good with my paws for sewings like Big Sis is, but I guess if it’s yours you at least gots it back!”

Trixie said nothing for a good long minute.  After lessoning her sniffles, she handed the things to Tsavorite, who simply seemed eager to comply if it meant it was a good thing the pup did.  The unicorn mare let out a couple cough to clear her throat as she collected herself into a more serious image.  

“Norah, Trixie…I am going to be honest.  I may never fully forgive you for the things you’ve done to me.”

The pups ears drooped.

“But,”

They then perked up at attention. Ethan and Tsavorite felt happy at how Trixie seemed to regain a sense of pride and regality as placed the cloak and hat properly upon her person.

“Trixie is not in the business of making children cry when they know they did a terrible wrong.” She placed a hand on the pup’s shoulder as she gave her an honest smile, before smirking haughtily.  “Perhaps if you admit that Trixie is the greatest and most beautiful mare you’ve met, I will start to accept your long apology!”

“Fine! Trixie is a pretty mare!” Norah cheerfully sensed a great weight lift from her shoulders, but still felt a need to express some childish rebellion as she stuck her tongue out. “But you still have a puffed-up plot!”

“Oh, you-!”

-Honk!- -Honk!-

“Hey, what’s all the hold-up!?” Bo’s voice shouted at them. “Y’all coming or not? We’re wasting the fuel as y’all stand there doing nothing!”

They all turned to see the amazing sight before them.  Bo had really outdone herself.  The motor-truck looked like a powerful form of transport that while too old for Ethan’s world, it was a great deal more advanced than what Equestria had to offer.  Like an old-timey big rig in a way with how it was cobbled steel and had spokes that spewed forth some form of steam instead of smog. Behind it was a couple of wagons connected, with the one at the end being the one Trixie recognized as her own!  And there in the driver’s seat was Bo, who looked imposing but graceful as a trucker.

“We’re coming, Big Sis! We just had to gets some last-minute stuff together.”

“Well gets on, before I goes and change my mind.” Bo shouted back.  Everyone then got to it, and quickly loaded up the vehicle as they all were ready to go. Still, Bo stopped Ethan as he was about to pass her by in the driver’s seat.

“So you’re certains that this place we’re going is gonna be safer?”

“Safer? Maybe, maybe not. I’m not going to make an empty promise like that.” He shrugged. ‘Castle Wonder’ still seemed to be the best option to avoid trouble until things calmed down, even if it was in a forest where the wildlife might be dangerous. “But I promise, Bo, that the moment we enter the castle, I’ll lead the way to all the treasure I owe you plus interest.”

The she-doggie pondered this.  Payment did sound nice, but there was another reason she was going so far to help him.

“And I promise that I will do my best to make sure your dream comes true as well.” He shared a knowing glance at the figure sitting next to her. “Right?”

The ‘Barkless One’ gave a thumbs-up.  

Bo sighed before setting a lever to get the motor running more. “If I didn’t knows what you could do after seeing it with my own two eyes, I woulds never believes it when you says that.”

But she still gave a slight smile as she said. “So, just keep going in that direction until we hit the trees?”

“Yep. We get lost, and I’ll use the same spell that got me here to find our way again.” He gave one last look at the place as he pondered what it was he found here.  Sure he had an access to scraps and junk to remake into things for his cause. That paled in comparison of what he really found in this place of castoffs:

Friends.

“Now let’s go!”

He’d be back.  

For like the card left on the newly placed flagstaff, this was a place where you could find: THE MYSTERIO.


[}0{]


|The Beta and The Alpha|

Back in the place that was once considered the den of the Desert Ash Pack, a regiment of huntresses had returned to the rest of their sisters.  It seemed they came during quite a time, for the she-doggies there were busy in revelry of all sorts.  From playing lots, having lively conversations, eating meat off the bone, to having friendly spars with one another.  These femmes seemed to be having quite the party. Especially since it seemed whatever leftover members of the Desert Ash were now finding themselves acting as service pets as best, or as newly crafted furniture of gold at worst!  Yet it all slowly eased into a leveled mumble the moment they realized the Pack’s Beta and company returned from their mission of checking up on Bo and Norah.

Runo stepped forward and took a knee in front of her Alpha’s presence. “Malkia (1), I bring news from our self-renounced sisters, Bo and Little Norah.”

All the others perked up at this.  Zolotaya herself leaned forward from her impromptu seat of transfigured crouched coyotes and tossed aside the bone she was gnawing as she listened intently. “Well, I would hope so considering both are not in front of me. So go on, Runo. Are dey well?”

Runo nodded. “Da, Bo and Little Norah are both safe and unharmed.”

A sigh of relief seemed to spread through the crowd.  That was certainly good news to here considering how much these scoundrel coyotes talked about their plans for them.  It made them glad that they were now…indisposed and disbanded.  Zolotaya here gave a pleased expression at that confirmation of the two’s status before asking further into the other purpose of the mission.

“And what of dis ‘Death Master’, dese desert pups kept yipping about?” She asked as she dug her lower paws further into her ‘footstool’s’ back. “Am I to believe he is just simply dere, scratching himself in places, and doing nothing to our sisters?”

Runo thought carefully about how to explain the strange sorcerer before final conceding with,“My Malkia, I do not know if their words of him being a ‘Death Master’ are true, but a powerful sorcerer does reside in Bo’s territory based on the skills I was able to partially witness.  He came with a dragoness who faithfully serves him and currently possesses a unicorn mare as an apprentice.  Yet he himself is neither of their kind, no of ours!”

Now that intrigued the hyena greatly! “Really? Den is he a minotaur, or perhaps some form of griffin capable of magic?”

Runo shook her head no, but did her best not to match her Alpha’s eagerness. She knew she had her hooked with the topic of possible prey, and this was where she would have her attention captured for certain!

“Net (2), he is somethings else! Something You and I have never encountered or seen before!” She looked amongst the crowd conspiratorially before finally saying it. “He calls himself a ‘Hyooman’.”

Zolotaya smiled a toothy grin at such an intriguing snippet to indulge in.

“Hyooman.” She tested the word on her tongue.  It had an intriguing feeling. That alone was enough to plague her curiosity. “Have you obtained any residue of dis sorcerer?”

“Of course, malkia! I figured he would be of interest to you.” Runo answered with a grin, but did not give the object to her.  Zolotaya of course pondered this odd act of rebelliousness with her trusted second.

“Den where is it, Runo?” The hyena gave a slight pout as she playfully asked. “You knows I don’t like to play keep away in matters such a dese.”

“I knows! But first you must hear his message!” She reached into her cleavage, the most secure place on her person, and pulled out a slim object wrapped in cloth. “After I spoke what you imparted to me, he saids dis: He hopes your legs are strong enough to chase him and arms strong enough to grasp him! For like dee stars in sky, he shines brightly, yet forever remains out of reach!”

Everydoggie stopped whatever they were doing.  They had to process it a minute to be certain that what they were hearing was fact.  There was someone out there who had the gall to challenge their Alpha’s hunting capabilities with such a gesture!  Zolotaya herself blinked a couple of times before grinning roguishly at such a response to her message. Looking around her pack and their shock expressions, she stood up and began posing her body haughtily, making sure that her muscles were emphasized with every flex.

“I don’t know, sisters.  Perhaps I need more exercise to meet his needs?” She burst out into laughter, and the rest of her pack fallowed her guffaws.

“I thought as much, Malkia!” Runo laughed too, but calmed down to get the next part of her story across. This was when she handed the object to Zolotaya, who began to unconcernedly unwrap it. “But den, before we left, he gave me this to give to you.”

Unwrapping it, Zolotaya was surprised at what she found.  It looked like a simple card, perhaps one that she saw once held by a fortune teller.  Only this one had no depictions of an arcana like ‘The Empress’, or ‘The Lovers’, but a symbol of an eye with the words ‘THE MYSTERIO’ at the bottom.  However, what stood out the most to her was the bloody fingerprints covering its surface. 

“Did he…!?”

“Da, he actually covered his blood on it with purpose to ‘see if that was enough of a hint for the pup! Her father could surely do more with less!’.” Runo bowed low, expecting to be struck for such a message, and grimaced as she could just meekly defend herself with, “His words, not mine!”

The other pack members took a step back. One of the many unwritten rules was to never compare Zolotaya’s skills to her father’s.  For she may at times be considered ‘Her father’s pup’, she took the challenge to surpass his shadow to the extreme! It was enough to rile her up into a frenzy that would result in broken bones.

“Heh-Heh…”

The she-doggies ceased backtracking when the hyena didn’t break into a growl.

“HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA-!!”

No! She was instead laughing like the hyena she was! This wasn’t a laugh like earlier at a joke of her own making. No! This was the laughter of a predator who had found something it absolutely wanted and was willing to go the distance to prey on.  Only when she absolutely needed to breathe she concluded her amusement and wiped the tears from her eyes with her massive paws.

“Mysterio…huh? Even his name sounds like he will be a most intriguing trophy to collect!  I certainly hope it will be him who satisfies my urge for the most dangerous game.” She gave a gleeful growl as she gazed at her jewelry adorned claws as if already imagining them coated in his blood. “At the very least, he should be fun to hunt!”

Runo gave a gleeful grin of her own.  Oh sure, she was bound to be the one who would be sore the most these coming days. No doubt the poodle would be her Malkia’s training partner to keep in shape. However, there was one other thing that may have come into play if things went to her plan. 


[}0{]


“I knows that look, Runo!” Bo looked annoyed now that Norah had stepped out to fetch them some drinks. 

They had gotten further into their reunion chat, and decided to let the pup out so the grown-ups could have more serious topics come to the table.  Already the topic of Bo’s beau returning came and went, and Norah would no doubt be sneaking away to see the imprisoned swords-doggie.  Bo had already made Runo swear on their sisterhood to keep his presence hidden, to which she simply complied because of her secret fixation that would break the image of the ‘tough bitch’ she impressed onto others.  

“What look?” The poodle asked, trying to be straight-faced, but failing.  It was tricky to keep her giddiness hidden.  It didn’t help that it was Bo, the she-doggie whose position she had replaced in the pack. The same one who knew her well and had just used that unspoken weakness of her to have her silence from her own Malkia. 

“That look that you gets when you wants to play ‘matchmaker’!” Bo barked. Oh she knew that look well! She saw it quite a few times in her days of being a prominent member of Golden Nailed.

Runo’s face had an expression of dreamy eagerness; an odd expression to see on the powerfully built poodle for certain.  Yet it was even stranger when Bo considered why it was developing on her muzzle.

“Our Malkia deserves best! And from what you says, he sounds as though he exceeds her prerequisites!” Runo crossed her arms as she sat back and just imagined to wonderful occurrence to come once Msterio and Zolotoya met.  Already she could imagine the marvel to occur once they met in person! The passion! The fury! The glorious clash of forces once the two got riled up! And then…kul'minatsiya(3)!

“But he’s not…! She’s wouldn’t even want…Grrr! Why do I needs to says it if you’re not listenin'!?” Bo face palmed herself with both paws as she felt her argument was dying before it could even be said.  It didn’t help that she knew how Runo got when it came to setting up ‘matches’ with her pack sisters! 

“But I am, Bo.” Runo sighed as she nonchalantly shrugged. “But my record is practically flawless. Just recently Hideay was successfully paired up!”

True it was to a captured coyote, and he was more of a pet, but details!

Bo still wasn’t convinced. In fact she was more determined to stop this nonsense. “But Zolotaya has more jewelry than lovers because none have met those standards to avoids becoming another of he prizes!”

Runo nodded in agreement, but raised another counterpoint. “Dis is true. Would you rather I suggest your vlyublennyy shchenok (4), though? I’m sure he would make fine match with our Malkia!”

Bo blanched at that!  Runo actually laid that card onto the table, and it was a powerful card that laid control over her heart.  She just reunited with him.  Mysterio may also be a stranger and a magnet for trouble, but throwing him to the wolves (or Chief Hyena in this case!) was downright murky to do and both knew it!

“That’s dirty and you knows it!” Bo growled, but knew she had no choice.

“Dirty? Or strategiya(5)?” Runo chided with a raised nail. “After all, whether it’s love, or battle, matches lead to conquest! And as Beta it is duty to ensure Malkia receives finest in all matters!”

Before Bo could offer any form of rebuttal, Norah came in and informed the two of just what the Golden Nailed dogs were doing with the sorcerer.  And that in turn led them to see what mischief was occurring when Mysterio was involved in games of chance.


[}0{]


Was it wrong doing what she wanted to accomplish for some mere form of pleasure? Perhaps! But it wasn’t entirely for her self-interests she assured herself! So why not act part of ‘matchmaker’ for Zolotaya? Whether she took him for a worthy trophy, or a new pet to play with, she would simply be playing her role. It was her duty as Beta to ensure that her Alpha only got the best after all!


[}0{]


|The Impostor and The Wanderer|

“Should I have turned left at the canyon, or the right?” Rep asked himself as he tried to make sense of where he was in divergence to where he was headed.  Considering his abilities, he had very little to worry about as he traveled alone. Using a library of forms, he was practically prepared for any situation to make this journey shorter and more bearable than others he was certain. Such as his current form of an Earth Pony Stallion had benefits of speed, strength, and endurance.  That was all good sure, but that also seemed to do nothing when it came to his current dilemma.

The desert environment was indeed no challenge for him.  No, what the main problem was that he had a poor sense of direction.  Even after all these years he had trouble reading maps and knowing how to use them in conjunction with his location.  Then again, it would probably help if he had a map that was up to date instead of this old one he was currently glancing over.  In fact, he was certain that it was etched long before the owner of Clutter Coulee was born, let alone when she established her junkyard.

“ I haven’t even reached halfway there and I’m already lost!” He tried his best to not get mad and crumple up the map, but it was an internal struggle.  “Can’t I get a break?”

“Depends. Are you willing to take a smaller piece if you do?”

“Whoah!” Rep turned around to the voice that came from behind him.  Standing there a few feet from the rocks he sat upon was a figure dressed in a grey, but weaving patterned poncho.  His face was hidden in the shadow of a wide brimmed hat of a similar shade.  He looked like a desperado, and Rep would have had no problem changing into a shape to deal with him. Except his gruff picture was ruined by offering an opened candy bar to him.

“Thanks.” Rep broke off a piece for himself.  He only ate it though the moment he saw a wanderer take a bite of his own. “I don’t suppose your generosity would also extend to sharing some directions as well. I’m trying to find a place called Clutter Coulee.”

“Clutter Coulee?” The stranger pondered as he looked at the object on his shoulder. “What would bring you to that scrapyard alone? Especially since it’s run by Diamond Dogs, albeit nicer ones, but still…”

Rep quickly came up with an answer to placate the stranger’s sudden suspicions. “Believe it or not, I’m heading there hoping to find a magician who may have the spell I’m looking for!”

“A Magician?” The stranger raised an eyebrow, before shrugging. "Works for me!”

He then motioned for Rep to hand him the map, which he did thinking it was to point the way.  That is until the pony desperado decided to use it to make an airplane that he promptly threw into the horizon.

“HEY!”

“We won’t be needing that! Trust me!” He then started trotting in the opposite direction. “I can already tell we won’t be needing it!”

“You sure?” The reptile disguised as a pony questioned.  It didn’t help that the desperado’s motion revealed the object on his shoulder was a rubber chicken! Yet what choice did he have?

“Trust me,” The orange stallion grinned as he pointed a twitching finger forward like it was a pistol. “I have a certain sense when it comes to these things!”


[}0{]


|The Farmer|

Big Mac kept counting the bits in his hand and he pulled a wagon full of the empty baskets from sold apples, as well as the goods he bought today.  He was amazed at how many he got just from appraising a few of those coins that sorcery fellow gave him.  The amount was already triple whatever he earned that day! He would without a doubt be hiding the rest for further emergencies that would hit the farm down the line.  Right now, however, he used the amount he earned to buy off supplies that the orchard needed as well as the other amenities his family needed. Sure, it was money he might have easily used on himself, but he never felt the want to spend more than what he needed.  He was a simple stallion, with simple needs despite his strength and prowess.

Nevertheless, there was another factor he was grateful for today.  That was being the only stallion in a house full of mares.  That was odd to point out, but it certainly had its advantage of not being odd for him to be out in the marketplace doing the shopping. Nor did it seem out of place when he purchased things like sweet soaps and mane brushes among other things.  Most assumed he was buying these things for his sisters and his granny.  Sometimes that was true.

However, it was nearing that time of the month where a certain acquaintance of his would show up.  Normally he would scrounge up whatever leftover bits he could spare from his expenses to pitch in an extra soap or a convenience he could spare to her. Now thanks to that Mysterio fellow, he had more of a budget he could work with to not only provide for the farm, but for her as well!

Oh, he was going to punch that pearl-headed prestidigitator in the ribs for what he pulled on his sister. The Big Brother Code was quite clear on that course of action! Still, he would thank him at least for making it possible to help not just his family, but her. 

“Ee’yup!” He declared as the thought of her expression at what he had to offer her this time. More than her usual list and even with a few of the needed ingredients for her brews! It was enough to make him smile, and he thought it would be just the thing to lift her spirits.  He would absolutely like to see her smile again as well, Ee’yup!


[}0{]


|The Shamaness| 

Zecora was finding it very hard to keep anything but a frown on her face.  Expressing anything but absolute calm would ruin her concentration, as well as her balance and neither would be good.  Normally the only threat of doing so would be a stinging shoulder, an aching back, or a sore rump.  Now her meditation had the added incentive of not falling off her staff for another reason: doing so would have her land on a cub and possible have the pride descend upon her like the part-lions they were.

Oh, Zecora was certainly more annoyed at this odd turn off events than scared! She came to Mysterio’s residence expecting to find him and give him a piece of her mind in the form of a few whacks from her staff.  Only to find that he wasn’t there.  So, she stayed hoping to encounter him, and when she heard movement, she thought he had returned.  Only instead she found a pride of Manticores curiously exploring the castle!

Of course, she was unnerved to see them for who wouldn’t be! Yet these ones surprised her even more because they acted so…docile. They didn’t attack the zebra, who for all instinctual rights could be considered prey, but instead crowded around the fish she had been preparing that day for a meal.  Zecora shared it with them to avoided being considered another course, but it seemed from that point on she was no longer considered to them possible food. Instead they seemed to respect and interact with her as a provider for it. It was certainly an awkward situation, but at least it gave her time to cool her agitated thoughts she had been feeling since Mysterio’s exploits hit her ears.

‘Although that still remains to say. Is he to receive my utter disdain?’ The zebra pondered this. As of yet, she had not achieved a definite answer. She felt at this point she would have to wait and meet the sorcerer face-to-face and judge her choice from there.  But that was for another day to come.

-meow! -

-meow! -

-meow! –

The soft cries of the cubs surrounding her where signs that they either wanted more fish, or that they wanted to play with the striped not-prey instead of watching her strange quiet thing any longer!

“Indeed, now they act playful and cute!” Zecora spoke with one eye opened to gaze at her audience. Even her firm demeanor dissolved a bit at seeing the young cubs acting so innocent around her. “But it’s your parents whom I dispute!”

She threw her body as she leapt from her elevated pose and landed a few meters away from them.  The cubs clamored in amazement at seeing the feat of agility. “Not that long ago they considered me a dish! I suppose I can thank him for their craving for fish!”

Just the word was enough to get the cubs to settle as well as the adults who lazed around to suddenly perk up at attention.  Zecora chortled a bit, feeling oddly elated at how this whole strange relationship was now a possibility because she found as he said, ‘A stranger in a strange land’! To her it was more hilarious considering where she was from and wished to share it with someone she knew would laugh alongside her. Perhaps it would be another story to tell the next time they met for one of their rendezvous.


[}0{]


|The Captain, and The Princess of Love|

Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, or Cadance as she preferred to be called, was trying her best not to pout. As a member of Equestrian Royalty, she was used to having to make compromises against her feelings in regards to the situation. Such as the time she had to partake in in a few morsels of meat that a Griffin dignitary offered her during their visit.  Sure, she was sick for days after that, but it was worth it to see that peace was maintained because of the good will she showed that made negotiations easier.  Sometimes doing what was best for the situation involved doing something distasteful.  However, when it came to doing the right thing wasn’t that another form of tough love? 

“Now Shiny, are you going to be mad at me all day? It’s only for your own good!” Cadance rationalized, trying to be reasonable about her current actions.

“Reasonable? This is a magic nullifier!” Shinning scowled as he stared at the ring placed over his horn.  He was a strong white unicorn with an azure charged mane.  Another time he would be compared to stronger members of his species, but now it wouldn’t seem fair with his current state.  He was bandaged in multiple places and had an arm in a sling, but the most telling statement of his current health was that he was lying in a hospital bed hooked up to an IV bag! “It’s bad enough that I’m stuck here like a P.O.W., but to have this on me-! And by my own marefriend, no less!”

“And I’ve told you, if you can’t keep yourself from being overworked, you’ll be here longer!” Cadance exhaled her displeasure. “Besides, what are you going to use your magic for that you’re willing to risk worsening your injuries?”

“Well, I still need to write those letters to Twiley!” He argued.  

“Well they can wait until you’re better!” She countered. Before he could offer a rebuttal, the Princess of Love decided to overwhelm his need to check up on his LSBBF by utilizing her ultimate technique!

She stared down the Captain of the Royal Guard, matching him eye for eye. Then without delay she leaned in to kiss him!  It was an intense act of passionate love that hit the stallion’s mental faculties as well as tickle his physical desires.  His thoughts of being injured and having to assure his sister he was all right faded and were replaced with ones in which he was complaining about how he couldn’t go any further in his poor condition no matter how badly he wanted to try!

Shinning may have been a premier example of a pony stallion, but at the end of the day, Cadance was an alicorn whose appearance alone made his look paltry at times. Heck, he was still certain that she used a glamor to hide the fact she was taller than him do to her superior genetics. Granted, she lacked the dimensions her ‘Aunty Celestia’ who had centuries to have them augmented by magic, physical robustness, and the power of belief in her semblance.  Still, she was quite the magnificently appealing and incredibly amiable that sometimes he wondered why he of all beings was so lucky to have her in his life.

After the kiss ceased and he was able to restart his normal breathing patterns,  Shining apologized for his frustrations. “I’m sorry Candance.  You know how boneheaded I tend to get about these things!” 

“I know! And I’ve long accepted that about you. But you don’t have to act like you’re never going to get to it. Instead, just try to relax and enjoy this recovery time. Besides…” She gave a simmering glance and smile as she leaned closer towards him. “I know how to make the time go by better! And can even dress up for the part~!”

Now that would certainly be worth the loss of using his magic! But still, he had to avoid appearing too eager. “Well, I suppose I could.  There are worse things than being unable to write I suppo-”

“CAPTAIN SHINNING ARMOR!!”

“YES, SIR!! -YEOWCH!!-” Shining stood up from his bed at attention.  Unfortunately, while it could be commended how ingrained his military training was in him, he had momentarily forgotten that he was in that bed for a reason!

“Permision to visit, SIR!!” Shouted a voice outside the door.

‘Oh horseapples!’ The couple thought as they knew they weren’t imaging it.  SHE of all mares was here!

“P-P-Permision, granted!” Shining moaned as Cadance eased him onto the bed.  He knew there was no use avoiding it.  “At ease!”

Cadance was the first to greet their visitor as she entered. “Colonel Liebe, what brings you here?”

For there in the doorway, standing tall in salute was Colonel Harte Liebe herself.  “Guten tag (6), Captain! A Better Day  to you your majesty! Forgive my interruption to your bedroom activities, but I have something ve must discuss vith dire importance!”

The two blushed at that, but quickly stopped  when they heard ‘dire importance.  Considering the Pegusas’ mannerisms, that could truly be an emergency.

“What matter is that, Colonel?” Shining asked.

The yellow Pegasus grimaced as she held out a folder. “The matter regarding a new character in out lands. The one called Mysterio…”

And that was the start of a conversation that would lead to Shining furthering his hospital stay by trying to rush out the window of his third story room.  His only words of defense were that Somebody broke the Code of Big Brothers and needed to be taught a serious lesson!


[}0{]


|The Quidam|

When you are a being that exists in another state of time and place, you often wonder how to spend the time you have at the place you are at.  The Quidam had no head to scratch, or at least one that one could see, but if he did he would be seen scratching it. Currently he was gazing at the tome that represented the story of a boy named Ethan McIntyre, who currently possessed the Mantle of Mysterio and was now returning to his headquarters, ‘Castle Wonder’.  Still he pondered about the details that came to light before this point in time.

<So what did we learn here?> He asked despite being the only one in this Green Room. <I mean we certainly learned quite a lot about a number of beings, sure.  Yet why was it we learned those things and not others? Why those answers?>

He gently turned the page as he watched his current charge.  So far he seemed to be doing fine as expected. Unexpectedly was how he unknowingly made allies and enemies without even being present. It was as if his mere presence was enough to cause ripples in the threads of this world’s fate.  And despite seeing it many times before, the cosmic presence was still fascinated by its occurrence.  

<I’m sure there will be more answers to unspoken questions to come.  Just as I’m sure that he will continue to make strives to improve himself and those he meets. Still I wonder…> He stood up and walked towards the new collection of tokens from other displaced.  Each of them was a way to reach another in the void who had their owns hopes and dreams like his current charge. 

<...Will you keep strong as your challenges come forth with vaster peril? Or will you too be another that meets a…bad end?”>
He hoped not. But he thought the same thing when it came to other charges he once had.  Like the one with the damaged Lego brick he was reverently examining in his gloved hand. He too had such wonderful dreams…before like his body and mind, they shattered!


[}0{]



[TO BE CONTINUED…]




(1) Queen
(2) No 
(3) Climax
(4) lovesick puppy
(5) strategy/strategics
(6) Good Day