//------------------------------// // Chapter 4 // Story: My Little Pony: Exodus // by HunterBrony101 //------------------------------// Nearing Egrypt, Moses and Zipporah were greeted by Aaron. They traveled quite a bit each way but arrived in Egrypt and saw the suffering, as they neared the palace Aaron said a short statement of encouragement. "I will help you in any way I can brother." Moses thanked Aaron as they entered the palace, Moses looked around the throne room where there was dancing females as entertainment, The Pharaoh held up his talon telling everyone to stop the entertainment. He looked at Moses amazed. "Ramesses??" Moses said in surprise, it had been a long time after all. "Moses? Is it really?" Ramesses said joyfully, but Moses saved him the walk and approached him. Ramesses chuckled in delight and embraced him. "Moses!" "Ramesses! Look at you...Pharaoh?" "Well, look at you. What on earth are you dressed as?" Ramesses asked looking perplexed and amused. "I'm a Sheppard…" The two were happy to see each other again and were about to go over more about what they each did with their time apart, when the high priests interfered. "We are compelled to remind you this stallion committed a serious crime against the gods." The, heavier yet shorter priest said, his name was Hotep. "We are loathe to bring it up, mind you." Huy added. "The law clearly states the punishment for such a crime-..." Hotep went on saying "...Death!" Huy cut in. "We hesitate to say it..." Hotep finished trailing off. "Be still." Ramesses interrupted. "Pharaoh speaks. I am the morning and the evening star. It shall be as I say. I pardon forever all crimes of which he stands accused... And will have it known that he is... Our brother Moses, the Prince of Egrypt." "Ramesses...you know that is not true…" Ramesses looked to Moses in confusion at the sudden remark. "You know what I am...and the Goddess of the Earth has a command for you." "What?" Ramesses could only reply still trying to make sense of his adopted brother's words. "She commands that you let the Pegasi go..." "Commands?" Ramesses asked, tilting his head further confused. Moses then held up his staff, "Behold...the power of Amalthea..." He then banged his staff to the ground and it became a cobra. Despite the display Ramesses only smirked in amusement before dryly replying. "Well, uh....Impressive. Hmm....Very well Moses, I'll play along." He chuckles before turning to his Priests. "Give this snake charmer our answer." He ordered backing off to return to his throne to watch this unfold as if it was another act for his entertainment. His priests then did as he commanded while also making a show out of it for the crowd trying at the same time to make it a statement to humiliate Moses. Ramesses' priests countered Moses by turning two staffs into snakes as well as trying to prove their gods' superiority over Amalthea, but when the priests' snakes attacked the snake of Moses, his snake attacked and with ease ate the two snakes before returning to Moses' side and reverting to his staff. Ramesses, still unconvinced beckoned Moses into another room, which was another Throne Room, the very same Seti spoke to them in years ago. "All right, Moses. I know you. What's this really about?" Ramesses asked chuckling, thinking Moses was up to his old ways again as if things picked up where they left off. But things were not the same and Moses was in no jestering mood, he meant business and got Ramesses on track by asking. "Ramesses...look out there, what do you see?" Ramesses humored him by walking to the observation spot beside Moses, taking a moment to scan the sight of the city and the buildings he gave his view. "A greater Egrypt, than that of my father." "That is not what I see…" "Moses, I cannot change what you see..." Ramesses stating, chuckling due to trying to understand what Moses was getting at. "I have to maintain the traditions, I bear the weight of my father's crown." He finished as he sat on the throne. "Do you know what kind of King Seti was??" Moses asked trying to stress a greater matter Ramesses was oblivious to. "He was a great leader..." "He ordered the death of foals!" Moses corrected. "Slaves." Ramesses explained dismissively. "My kind! I will not stand by and let them suffer...by your talon and Luna's hoof…" Moses informed with no less a heavy heart. "So...You have returned...Only to free them." Ramesses realized, showing sadness upon getting the idea. "Indeed…...I'm sorry." Moses said softly as her returns his gift from Ramesses. The item given to him out of trust and brotherly love, to be by his side in Ramesses' work he did for Egrypt....All that was being returned, ending what they had in one act. Ramesses took the gift in his talon, feeling hurt from this gesture of Moses. "Yes. I had hoped...That-..." Ramesses could not even finish his thought before his emotions shifted sharply! His face then turned to anger and authority as he stood up and returned the crown to his head. "I do not know this Goddess, neither will I let your tribe go." Ramesses stated as he scornfully made his way out past Moses. "Ramesses, please! You must listen!" Moses begged only to be cut off. "I WILL NOT BE THE WEAK LINK!" Ramesses screeched pointing a talon at him, Moses could only stare in silence as he made his way to the door. "Tell your tribe, as of today...Their workload has been doubled, thanks to your Goddess. Or is it thanks...To you?." Ramesses said as he shut the door in front of Moses Moses could only sigh in defeat knowing what had been done and what may occur. Later Moses eventually left the palace, out in the yard where the Pegasi slaves were working, Moses walked by them as he made his way. After hearing Ramesses' decree of a doubled workload, there were many angered by Moses being the supposed cause of their increased strife...So one slave decided to exact his anger on Moses when he noticed him and struck him with mud used for making bricks. Moses stumbled and fell from the impact. "Moses!" Zipporah shouted in shock as she and Aaron rushed to his aide, a young pegasus stallion named Seth walked up and began to speak his mind. "So, Moses, how does it feel when you get struck to the ground?" He asked derisively. "I am sorry...I did not mean for this to happen...I was just doing what Amalthea to me." Moses said weakly, knowing they were angry and had a right to be. "Amalthea? Pff. When did Amalthea start caring about any of us? In fact, Moses, when did you start caring about slaves? Was it when you found out that you were one of us?!" "Don't listen to him..." Zipporah said glaring at Seth while posturing protectively by Moses. "I only rejected what I did not wish to see…" Moses explained weakly trying to alleviate the situation. "Oh, you rejected what you did not wish to see. Ah! Well, that makes everything fine then, doesn't it?" He retorted sarcastically. "Seth!" A voice called out rebukingly, walking up was an older Hurricane; as ponies let him pass, he made it to Seth and rebuked further. "You shame yourself." Hurricane then made his way to Moses who acknowledged the elder pegasus. "Moses, hear what I say. I have been a slave...Most of my life, and Amalthea has never answered my prayers until now. Amalthea saved you from the river, She saved you in all your wanderings, and even now She saves you from the wrath of Pharaoh. Amalthea will not abandon you, so don't you abandon us." Moses, encouraged by those words took to his hooves and stood. Moses then walked to the Nile River to as they found out was a hunt for Ramesses, he found him; Ramesses was on a boat with his wife Nefertari and their son while the priests were entertaining the young prince. "Ramesses!!! Let my tribe go!!" Moses ordered as he ran to the river bank. "Ha! Still gnawing away at that bone, are we?" Ramesses said slightly amused before turning to his guards. "Carry on." "You cannot ignore me forever Ramesses!" "Enough! I will hear no more of this Pony nonsense." Ramesses said having enough he turned to his guards. "Bring him to me." The guards wade the river to make it to him but Moses held his ground. Just then, Amalthea spoke to him. "Take the staff in your hoof, Moses." Moses did as he was told and as soon as he did, the river began to turn crimson red, at first they were unsure what it was; the guard then tested the water, soon after Ramesses' son tested it...His talon was painted red. Soon they realized the river was turned to blood! The guards then ran in a panic back to the boat to escape the horror they were in, as they frantically tried to get on the boat they splashed blood on Ramesses who was already horrified and frightened more when he was coated in blood. "Hotep! Huy! Explain this to me!" He squawked in terror. The priests then awkwardly tried to compose themselves before speaking. "Ah great pharaoh, we shall now show the might of OUR god..." It was then Hotep subtly took red powder from under his sleeve and shouted."By the power of Ra!" Before casting the powder into the bowl of water Huy held, the powder swirled before turning the water red as well. Ramesses tested the red water dipping his claw to see if it was the same...Honestly it wasn't but to Ramesses it was, and chuckling he turned toward Moses who was standing in perfectly clean water surrounded by blood only inches away from the bank. "Abandon this futile mission, Moses. I've indulged you long enough, this must now be finished." "No Ramesses, it is only the beginning...." Moses said lowly. "But, Moses, d-didn't you see what happened? The priests did the same thing! Pharaoh still has the power over our lives." Seth said dejected. Moses turned to them. "That is true, Ramesses does have power, he can take your home, your food, your sons and daughters; he can even take your very lives...." But there is one thing he cannot take away, your Faith. Believe, for we will see Amalthea's wonders." So it was, Amalthea sent terrible plagues on Egrypt. But with each one, Ramesses hardened his heart... Soon, Moses visited Ramesses, Ramesses was sitting on the statue like he use to when he was younger. "I was hoping I'd find you here." "Get out!" Ramesses squawked as he threw a cup at Moses. Moses sighed and sat by the statute, before recalling old memories. "This place...so many memories." Moses then recalled with a chuckle switching animal head jars' head's in a temple. "If I recall correctly, you were there switching heads right along with me." "No that was you, I didn't do that…" Moses said while trying to recollect the details but Ramesses stepped in hopping from his perch. "Oh, yes, you did. You put the hippo on the crocodile, and the crocodile-..." Ramesses was interrupted when Moses finally remembered. "...On the falcon..." "Yes! The priest thought it was a horrible omen and fasted for two months! Father was furious! You were always getting me into trouble!" Ramesses ranted but paused when he too remembered a happy and funny detail. "But then-...." He chuckled before adding, "You were always there to... Get me out of trouble again....Hmmph...." He sighed. "Why can't things be the way they were before?" He asked with kindness of long ago. Moses gave a look of mutual agreement. Out of the darkness came Ramesses' wife Nefertari and their son Amun who was holding a torch. "Father. It's so dark. I'm frightened...." Ramesses rushed over to comfort him when Nefertari saw Moses. "Why is he here? Isn't that the stallion who did all this?" She asked bitterly. "Yes. But one must wonder...Why?" Ramesses asked turning to Moses with an interrogating glare. "Because no kingdom should be built on the backs of slaves...Ramesses, your stubbornness is what’s bringing this misery upon Egrypt, it will only cease if you let my tribe go." "I will not be dictated to. I will not be threatened. I am the Morning and Evening star. I am Pharaoh..." Ramesses said beginning to seethe again. "Something's happening, something is coming! Please! Let go of your anger, jealousy, and pride before it causes MORE harm; think of your son!!" Moses pleading near tearfully pointing at Amun. "I do. You Pegasus Ponies have been nothing but trouble. My father had the right idea about how to deal with your tribe...." "Ramesses...." Moses called looking panicked as Ramesses devolved into a rage fueled act of authority. "And I think it's time I finished the job..." "Ramesses!!" Moses shouted trying to make him stop, pleading...BEGGING to have him cease before he said and ordered something he would regret. "And there shall be a great cry in all of Egrypt... Such as never has been or ever will be again!" Moses could only stand in shock and horror at what he just heard knowing that was the end of it...What happened next was out of Moses' hooves... "Ramesses you bring this upon yourself...." Moses warned sorrowfully. To Be Continued....