//------------------------------// // The Next Few Months // Story: The Last Apprentice: Equestria's Redemption // by general cat4 //------------------------------// The Spook and I got up early in the morning, and made a breakfast of bread, jam, and eggs. We put on our cloaks over our tunics, grabbed our staffs and bags, and went to town. As soon as our figures rose over the hills on the way to town someone spotted up. They alerted their friends, sending them into a panic and they all ran away. The usual welcome. When we got to Twilight's tree library there were at least 30 ponies, likely about a third of the town. Twilight came to welcome us. "John, Tom! Your here. Let's go around back, there are a few things we need to talk about." She said, motioning towards a door. When we entered the room there were a few ponies, all stallions. One I recognized to be Mischief. There was one leaning against a wall. He was black with a brown mane that resembled a military cut. He had a large sword on his back. I noticed a large scar over his face. The other was sitting in a chair. He had a yellow/orange body with a black mane that flipped to the side down to his eyebrows. He had red eyes and had a knife. "Gentlemen, these are the ones." Twilight said. "These? Ha!" The military like black stallion asked. "They're more like deformed snow ponies. Throw them in the water. They'll drown like witches." "That's Lt. Stoner, although he prefers just Lt." Twilight said. "The yellow/orange one is Cole." She motioned to him. "Nice cloak." Cole was eyeing my staff. "And you already know Mischief." She finished. Mischief gave them a half smile. "Now. Tom and John know how to fight all the monsters in Equestria. They might be able to help this town prepare itself against...The Dark you said?" "Aye." The Spook replied, nodding. "The lad and i can indeed help you fight The Dark, and get rid of the more dangerous foes." He stated. "And we expect you me to believe you because?" Lt. asked mockingly. "Cause he has a blade in that staff of his." Cole said, eyeing us. "Judging by the scars on Tom's face they've been through some heavy situations. The older one has that look in his eyes too. The one that says his knowledge of The Dark is high." "How did you figure that?" I asked, getting nervous. "It doesn't matter." Twilight said. "I called everypony that would come to my library so you two could...give them a lesson on fighting The Dark." "I don't see a problem with that." The Spook said shrugging. "Got it." Twilight happily said. I'll go-" She started but was cut off. "But the lad and I have something that we need to ask. Is there...something like a devil? a master evil? something that caused all this chaos?" The ponies looked at each other, worried. Then they looked back. Twilight gulped. "Well, there are five entities like that. One dominates the others, but they're all very dangerous." "What are they like? Maybe it's like our dimension." I said. "The grand master is known to us as Discord. He usually looks like a monstrosity on a being, but can change form. He can do anything really. Stop time, create other dark entities, cause famine..." Cole listed sarcastically. "That's the one we need to kill." The Spook and I said in unison. "there's also one that makes winter brutal. freezing every-" Lt. started. "Golgoth." "One burns all the land, living in a gigantic flaming tower of-" "The Ordeen. Let me guess. One that lives in an underground maze of a dungeon, and a giant flying crow." I said, face turning pale. "You know of them?" "We've encountered some before, but since we're not from around here, they probably are different here." "Okay..." Twilight said, very puzzled. "Are you ready to prep the town?" "One more question. Why are these ponies here?" I asked, looking at the stallions. "Oh! Right! These are your officers. Lt. here is the best at fighting The Dark and organizing the militia." Twilight said. "Find me when you need some weapons, or if you want to spar." He taunted. "Cole can steal, find, or sabotage anything you could ask for." Twilight continued. "And he's kinda smart...not like me though." "Jealous babe?" he asked Twilight, holding my staff. When I looked at my back, it was there again. "Shut up." She said, smiling. "Finally we have Mischief. He wanted to continue working with you two, so if you have work for him, or you need him to fight, he's yours." "I'm basically a hoof for hire." He said. "Good. We're going to get this town back in order, then we're killing the Old Gods." The Spook said. "Old Gods?" "The five higher dark powers. The Dark will be weaker if the Old Gods aren't roaming this world. Makes it easier to kill The Fiend, err Discord." The Spook answered. "I see. Are you ready to address the public?" "Aye." He replied. The Spook and I went in front of the people, on an inside balcony where Twilight had a bed and a telescope. We got them to calm down. The Spook and I sat in chair while Twilight stood next to me. Arrow, Cole, and Mischief stood in the back of the crowd. "Hello. My Name is John Gregory, and this is my apprentice Tom Ward. We are here to save you from The Dark." The ponies started cheering. We were off to a good start. The Spook had that inspirational voice. "We will help you, but we will need some things set up. First, how much silver does this town have?" Twilight who was standing next to us answered. "Ponyville has a small mine where a few ponies mine things to make a living. We send most of the metals to Canterlot, where most ponies are. We do have some, and a few ponies have a little in their houses." "We need as much as we can. Silver is one of the only things that hurt The Dark. Concentrate some more ponies to the mind to get more silver. Is there a forge to make silver alloy coated weapons?" "Yes. Iron Ingot, is the forge ready for use?" Twilight called into the crowd. A burly stallion covered in soot replied yes. "Good. Lt., assist with making an arsenal of silver alloy swords, knives, and spears. No arrows." the Spook commanded "That's a contradiction." He said, "yes sir, old man sir!" He said. Walking off with Iron Ingot. "Next, if anything from The Dark looks like a red shimmer, then it's either a boggart, ghost, or a ghast. Always keep salt and iron filings handy if you see one. They can also make a line to keep it from entering through it." The ponies made little notes about it. The crowd liked us! We might have a chance here, I thought to myself. But I knew he was just getting their moral up. Most people were paralyzed on the spot when The Dark as near. "Now, we will need to set up a bell on the side of town. If anyone has a problem with The Dark, then contact us. The local militia should only be used if We're gone." Everypony decided that to be the best idea. "And finally, we need a butcher shop." The Spook said. It suddenly became silent. Aside from Cole laughing loudly. Everypony was staring at the Spook in fear. I was probably right when I thought they didn't eat meat. I turned around to see Twilight staring at me, mouth agape. "Your vegetarians?" I asked rhetorically. ---------------------------------------two months later------------------------------------------------- Ponyville was starting to look up. There were two small armories on either side of town in case of a witch attack, or any other physically manifested dark servant. This made the local blacksmith's trade very profitable as many militia ponies requested weapons. I heard Iron Ingot had two apprentices. The Spook also received a new silver chain. A bell was set up, like The Spook had suggested. Most ponies were afraid The Spook or I would eat them if they got close. Others became afraid when they saw us fight The Dark that attacked Ponyville. Many ponies kept salt and iron throughout their homes as well. Unfortunately the ponies weren't seventh sons of seventh sons, and could not actually fight The Dark. Many were still slaughtered by ghasts and boggarts. Only us spooks could really fight anything. Only on one occasion did the militia ponies successfully kill one monster, and that was a simple witch. she had murdered four militia ponies until Lt. had split her head. Which reminded me of how the officers were doing. Lt. had done a lot with the town. He was training the militia, hoping they might fight as effective military instead of a bunch of rag tag stallions who got themselves killed. He had no family alive so he lived in the local motel. Cole had gotten silver for the forges in his own ways, taking a sword and a knife as payment, assuming he hadn't stolen. He wasn't in town much, mostly Twilight's house. I assumed he lived with her. I saw Mischief a few times around town, sometimes with his daughter. I think her name was Sweetie Belle. He worked with the militia, and part time as an assistant in the forge. He lived in a half destroyed place called Carousel Boutique. Since most ponies didn't have the nerve to actually fight The Dark on their own, The Spook and I were often called. This made us reasonably wealthy as most ponies paid in advance. With what little they had. Back on Earth, some people never paid. The Spook had used this money well. we now had a full wine cellar, books in the library, some written by The Spook in his free time. We also had more food, better doors, curtains, decent bedding, and much more. I enjoyed the life we had here, even if I missed home. The Spook wasn't as optimistic as I though. He missed his house, his garden, and the old County cheese. Nothing ever motivated him...until he got a lead on one of the Old Gods....