My Little Argonian: Family is Sacred

by Warren Peace


Where Royal Sisters Preside (Pt2|Ch6)

Chapter Six: Where Royal Sisters Preside

 
“You’re a hair taller than I imagined,” Rarity commented as she animatedly measured my acolytes, “Hoof, please, darling,” she said, tugging at one of Choc’s large legs, “Though I do suppose the last time I saw you, you were laid out on Fluttershy’s bed in a rather wretched state.”
It took me a second to realize that she’d been addressing me, and the mention of Fluttershy made me feel...strange. I stopped the small upwards pull of my lips, calming my heart with a breath.
“How is she?” I felt prompted to ask, “Fluttershy, that is.”
“She’s well,” Rarity said, then to Rain as she measured around her: “Wings up please, there we go,” then it was back to me, “Shall I tell her you said hello?”
Yes, I wanted to say, “No,” I answered, reaching into my bag to grab another gemstone. Rarity’s work paused as she eyed the fresh bribe, “In fact, I’d prefer it if you kept this after-hours visit under wraps.”
The unicorn eyed the offered gem for a moment, eyes gauging before she hopped back to her measurements, “Oh, no need to pay me for something so drab as keeping a secret, darling. We all have them and we all have our reasons for having them,” she gave a quick smile as she finished up Moonbeam’s measurements, “My boutique is already closed up for the night anyways.
“Now, to the subject at hoof,” her magic put away her measuring devices, “The outfits.”
“I’d like something similar to what I’m wearing,” I replied, thinking, “Full body, tight fitting, dark colors, but without any hampering of movement,” I reached up to my head, pulling up the small face cover over my snout, “Hood with a face cover.”
“Materials?” Rarity asked, scribbling all this down on a notepad with her magic, “Same as well?” she frowned, “Actually, I never did get an answer from Fluttershy or Twilight, did they ever ask you what your outfit was made of?”
“Hardened leather,” I replied, pulling the face cover back down, expecting sickness or fear at the mention of the material. Though Moonbeam and Rain both appeared uneased by the notion of what my armor was made of, neither Rarity or Choc seemed to be disgusted.
“Ah, I thought so. Might I suggest synthetic?” Rarity asked, unphased, “Same quality, less cost, easier to get in these lands.”
“Leather?” Moonbeam commented, eyeing my armor with a new sense of unease, “Like, from animals leather?”
“Yes,” I replied, “Now shush,” I turned to Rarity, “Just so long as it’s as protective, sure,” I allowed, frowning at her nonchalant attitude.
“I’m quite the popular seamstress, darling,” Rarity seemed to read my mind, “I’ve had griffon customers before, from Griffonstone to Great Grifŏn, and they have quite the thing for leather...though usually not so much as armor as other things…” she blushed briefly, “Do you have any deadline of sorts?”
“This time tomorrow,” I replied, procuring another gem.
Eyeing it only breifly, Rarity’s horn lit up as she took it, “This time tomorrow, then.”
“Oh, u-um,” Moonbeam spoke up as he and the mares stepped down from the measuring booth, “We’ll want enchantable lining,” he turned to me, “Silver would be best, copper if you want to cut down on the price.”
“What?” I asked, confused.
“Well you said you wanted it enchanted, right?” Moonbeam raised an eyebrow.
“Of course,” I replied, looking between the four ponies, “Don’t you use soul gems for that?”
If the leather armor hadn’t gotten to them, the mention of soul gems certainly did. Even Choc’s normally stony expression took on a disturbed look.
Clearly there are some differences between Skyrim and this land when it comes to enchanting, my mind observed.
“You mean soul crystals? Um...no, that’s like,” he glanced briefly at Rarity, “really, really illegal.”
That coming from a thief? I mused, then gave a wave of my hand, “Fine, do it your way, then. Cost isn’t an issue.”
“R-right,” Rarity still seemed a little unsettled at the mention of soul gems...or crystals, I supposed. Still, she took a breath and collected herself, getting back to business as usual, “Silver lining, then? Will you want it in the standard cross-hatching, or…”
“That’s really leather?” Rain startled me as spoke up from my side, taking my attention from Moonbeam and Rarity, “Enchanted with...soul crystals? That stuff’s normal from where you come from?”
She’s rather good at sneaking up on you now, my mind commented.
She has a good teacher, I replied, then to Rain, “Yes, though they’re called soul gems in Skyrim. That’s not going to be a problem, is it?”
“No, I…” she began, trailing off, “Nevermind,” she said.
Odd, my mind commented, and I was forced to agree.
“So this time tomorrow, then?” Rarity spoke up, noticing the lull in our conversation.
“What’ll it cost?” I asked, wanting a price before I confirmed my purchase.
“Well, a few more gemstones of this karat? Let’s say one a piece?” Rarity bartered.
“Okay,” I replied, We’ve got plenty of gems left in that dragon’s horde, I thought to myself. If anything, it was better that she’d asked for that over bits, the gemstones, crystals, and odd gold and silver baubles that made up most of the treasure raised too many brows when used for trade. Yet before I turned to go, Rarity spoke up once more.
“You know, I could make something for you too, if you’d like,” she said, eyes dancing over my frame. Not lust, I noticed, but a certain peculiar intrigue, “Your current getup, pardon me for saying, is all rather drab and dreary. I do believe you’d look brilliant in a nice shade of gold, it goes surprisingly well with black and you’ve got the eyes for it,” she took a step back as if to better frame me, “Hmm, I’m thinking a sash of sorts, loose fit…”
“I’m fine...thanks,” I cut in, “This armor suits me just fine.”
“Very well,” Rarity sighed, a little off-put, “I’ll have your armor done by tomorrow, then.”
 

0 . o . 0 . o . 0

 
The Sanctuary...
 
“You’re lucky you’d already bribed her to keep quiet,” Moonbeam finally spoke his mind as we made our way across the short field of grass leading up to the sanctuary, “And that you can claim ignorance when it comes to the laws here.”
Finally, he speaks! my mind commented. I too had noticed the unicorn’s antsy nature since we’d left Ponyville. His coat stood on end as if he had goosebumps, tail held low with discomfort.
“What’s the big deal?” I countered, “I understand why you’re upset about my armor, but what’s so bad about using soul gems or crystals?”
“What?!” Moonbeam spoke up, turning his head to look back at me.
“Moonbeam…” Rain spoke up.
“How can you not see the big deal here!?” Moonbeam snapped, “How could you possibly be okay with ensnaring a wonderful, eternal, consciousness just so you can get sparkly effects!?” he waved one forehoof at the last two words.
“Because I would be dead without them,” I countered with a scowl.
“But...but you’re literally using another creature’s soul to enchant something! Taking that eternal consciousness away from whatever afterlife they subscribe to!”
“Good,” I replied.
“Good!?” Moonbeam spat back, halting in his tracks and turning about to face me.
“Moonbeam,” Rain spoke up again, “What’s the big deal, he’s from another land. Their customs are different, let it go.”
Different!?” Moonbeam retorted, turning to Rain, “Downright wrong is more like it!”
Rain opened her mouth to reply, but Choc stopped her with a hoof, “Let fight, is what males do, Rain.”
“Necromancy is practically one step up from enchanting!” Moonbeam was on me again, as I crossed my arms and gave him a scowl, “Enchanting is what I do best, so when you bring up this talk about soul crystals you insult every legitimate enchanter out there!”
“Not the ones from Skyrim,” I replied, “Not the ones who made my armor.”
“The ones who made your armor are crooks of the most ultimate crime!” Moonbeam spat back.
“And you’re a crook of the most petty level!” I retorted, giving him pause, “We all are, aren’t we?” I threw a hand towards where Rain and Choc were watching, “They’re murderers,” I pointed to him, “And you’re a goddamned thief and a hypocrite to boot. You stand there and accuse those in Skyrim of being crooks? You’re the lowliest kind of crook, a petty thief who doesn’t even have the balls to kill.”
“Killing is wrong!” Moonbeam snapped.
“Then you’re a hypocrite for colluding with killers!” I said, again gesturing to Choc and Rain.
“They...they’re not...it’s not the same!” Moonbeam replied, fumbling over his words.
“It’s exactly the same!” I snarled with a menacing step forwards, “If you’ve got your own way of enchanting things, then fine. Do it your way, I don’t care, but you’d better take a good long look at your soul before you go and curse my way of doing things.
“Now watch your tongue before you start breaking any tenets,” I finished, turning to walk up the steps of our sanctuary.
 

0 . o . 0 . o . 0

 
Tomorrow...
 
Moonbeam remained sour towards me, but I couldn’t complain as he kept it to himself...mostly.
“That doesn’t make any sense for the hood,” he said as I went over enchantments with him, “you’re the only one who uses a bow. The same goes for the armor, nobody we’ll run into here even uses poisons!”
“Fine, what would you suggest, then?” I growled back. The armor was due for pickup in a matter of hours and I still hadn’t gotten the enchantments down.
He’s got a point, the mages back home… my mind began.
I said ‘fine!’ I interrupted.
“Well the quieting spell for the boots and movement makes sense, but the only missile weapon we have aside from your bow are Rain’s throwing knives...”
“So copy the spell and make it for throwing weapons, then,” I cut in.
“I...I suppose I could do that,” he stuttered, “Though for the armor...I know some basic mage armor spells. Leather isn’t as tough as steel, but with a spell like metalflesh…”
“Fine, do it,” I gave a flippant wave.
“To cut back on the draw I could even have it work temporarily upon impact…”
“I said do it,” I interrupted again.
“Fine, sure, you don’t have to be an ass about it,” Moonbeam grumbled, marking it down in a notepad as I ignored the remark, “For my own hood...I’ll think of something, probably a lockbreaking enhancement, but Choc…”
“Fortify her strength,” I suggested.
“I’m a modifier, not a warder, and I don’t think making Choc’s muscles bulge up every time she flips on the hood would be a good idea.”
“What in oblivion does that even mean?” I asked.
“I’m good with modification magic: transmutation, lockbreaking, mage armor. A strength fortification spell falls under nature magic: healing, warding, phytokinesis, all that.”
I hate magic, I mentally scowled, understanding next to nothing about what he was talking about, “So learn nature magic,” I said.
“Oh, yeah, just learn a whole new magical school outside of my own proficiency, hah!” he laughed, “You clearly have no idea how magic works, do you? What, no unicorns in Skyrim?”
“No,” I replied, crossing my arms and fixing him with an appraising look, “Cyrodiil, where they’re hunted for their horns.”
Moonbeam blanched, taking a step back, “You...you’re joking.”
“Horses from where I come from aren’t exactly conversational,” I replied, then getting the subject back on track, “If you don’t want to give Choc’s hood the same enchantment that mine has, then fine, find something suitable on your own time. I don’t know how long it will take us to find the creature of stone, but you’ll have all that time that we’re gone to work something out.”
 

0 . o . 0 . o . 0

 
Rarity’s Boutique...
 
“Wow, I was expecting this to make me feel like a gimp or something,” Rain commented as she eyed herself in the mirror, “No offense, Rarity.”
“I’ll try not to be offended,” Rarity replied, with a rather unladylike look before turning to me and taking the offered gems, “You change your mind about my offer, darling? I would love to work on a biped for once.”
“I’ll think about it,” I said, more to get her to drop it than any desire for fancy clothes, “You three,” I addressed my acolytes, “Come along, we’ve got business to attend to.”

0 . o . 0 . o . 0

 
Canterlot...
 
It was deep into the night when the final train from Ponyville to Canterlot arrived, chugging to a stop at a mostly-empty terminal.
“End of the line, folks!” the conductor called, rousing the few sleeping passengers from their rest and ushering them out. He yawned as he saw the last one off, stepping back into the train as it lurched forwards and headed off again.
Only once the train had departed and the passengers had made their way off the terminal did Rain and I rise like a pair of living shadows from the side of the tracks. I brushed some loose gravel off my armor and readjusted my belt before taking in my surroundings.
Pools of shadow leaked across the cobblestone streets around me, surrounding the street lamps marching down the boulevard. The night air was cool and quiet, dead of all noise and empty of bystanders. I felt a ghost of a smile tug at my lips...it almost felt like old times.
“And you wanted to walk,” Rain said with a smile, “Told you sneaking aboard the train was the easiest way to get here.”
I gave a short grunt of acknowledgement, turning the subject to the mission at hand, “Which way to the castle grounds?”
Rain lifted a hoof to the impressive spires of a great castle, pushing off the side of the mountain in a way that could only have been accomplished with magic.
“Most of the main roads lead there, shouldn’t be too many guards out at this hour so this will be a cakewalk,” her teeth shone white as she gave me a devilish smile.
“All the same, keep your guard up and your voice down,” I advised, motioning for her to lead the way, “We don’t want to run into any trouble.”
 

0 . o . 0

As Rain had predicted, patrolling guards were few and far between. The only ones we spotted were a small group standing about chatting with hot drinks. I frowned at the sight of their shimmering armor, noting the many weak points. It looked ceremonial more than anything else, though their lances were sharp enough.
“Don’t let it fool you. That armor is made from a brass-gold alloy with interwoven silver fibers,” Rain answered as I made my observation. I frowned at her description, not understanding her meaning, “Ugh, too much time around Moonbeam and his mumbo-jumbo enchanter’s talk,” she muttered, “In laymare’s terms, it’s an enchanter’s wet dream come true. Super good at holding really advanced spells.”
“Like what?” I asked as we came to a halt at an intersection, peeking around the buildings and moving when the coast was clear.
“For one, their uniform enchantment: not all royal guards are white and gray with blue manes. That’s an enchantment, also comes with an IFF spell.”
“A what?” I asked.
“If I or Moonbeam put on armor that didn’t belong to us, other guards would know,” Rain said, “The real spells you should be worried about are the personal forcefield and diagnostics spell. First one is what it sounds like: a personal shield that blocks just about anything you throw at it. You can overload it, but that takes a pretty powerful weapon.”
“My bow is a pretty powerful weapon,” I said.
Rain smirked, “Maybe...but even then, if you did manage to kill one the diagnostic spell would go off and alert others nearby that one of their own was dead. It also heals them over time.”
It almost sounds like it would be better to have their armor than this stuff my mind commented, Sure you’d be an easy target, but a near-invulnerable one, too!
Maybe we’ll get to see how invulnerable these guards really are... I thought back.
“Oh yeah, and those are elemental lances. They can burn, freeze, or shock you when they strike,” Rain added, hopping into the street and staying low to remain within the shadows. I followed her, eyeing the windows on the houses to either side, yet all remained dark and empty.
“How much further to the castle?” I asked.
“Should be…” Rain said, turning a bend up ahead before halting, “we’re here.”
Rounding the bend after her, I stared up the road and saw the massive gates of the castle waiting up a short hill and across a drawbridge. Both were open, yet the sight of dutiful guards and bright lights killed any idea of simply walking through it. Scowling, I wished I had an invisibility potion.
“How do we get in?” I asked, “We still don’t want to be seen.”
“I know,” Rain answered, eying the scene, “I could fly...but I can’t fly you, and you’re the one supposed to ‘speak your name’ or whatever, hmm…” Rain chewed her lip, “How good are you at climbing?”
 

0 . o . 0

The moat surrounding the castle was only waist deep at its deepest, and had clearly never been designed with defense in mind. It was easy enough to cross, even if it left me wet and dripping for a while.
“Maybe I could find a rope?” Rain didn’t sound very hopeful as she eyed the pearlescent white walls rising above us.
The stone looked like it had been carved from a single slab, there wasn’t a seam in sight. I’d had to climb my fair share of castle walls in the past, stabbing into crevices with my knives to pull myself up, but I wasn’t this good.
“Where would you even find one?” I asked with a scowl, looking further down the wall, “If there’s one thing I learned about castles it’s that there’s always another way in somewhere. Sewer access, a break in the wall, a servant’s door or secret entryway.”
Silence fell for a time as we stuck to the wall, tones hushed and steps quieter for fear of being noticed. My decision to keep moving played out as we came across a small side door partway hidden in an alcove.
Rain pressed an eye to the keyhole, then her ear before looking back to me and nodding. It was almost insulting that the door was unlocked.
Pushing inside, a predatory smile played across Rain’s face as she looked back at me, “We’re in.”
 

0 . o . 0 . o . 0

 
Some time later...
 
“What I wouldn’t give for a map…” Rain hissed under her breath.
“Quiet,” I whispered back, pointing to a tall set of ornamental armor. Rain ducked low and hid behind it as I crammed myself behind a pillar, peeking out as a tired looking guard clopped by.
“Remain vigilant,” I admonished once the coast was clear.
“Right,” Rain ruffled and relaxed her wings before we moved onto the next door, “Wait...I think this one leads outside,” she reported with her eye to the keyhole.
“Where outside?” I asked.
“Only one way to find out,” Rain replied, cracking the door open and double checking that we were clear. As the door was swung fully open I spotted well trimmed hedges and a winding dirt path lined with the forms of ponies...all made of stone.
“Now we just need to find the one that makes ponies tremble,” I said as we crept out in silence.
“Nothing makes me tremble,” Rain said as she crept forwards fast and low.
“That’s a stupid statement,” I scowled as we stuck to the tall hedges and the extra darkness they provided, “Fear keeps you alive, keeps you from making stupid risks like taking on a master vampire or a frost troll.”
“A frost roll?” Rain gave a quiet snort, “What’s that? A cold pastry?”
“No, a…” I grumbled, “nevermind, keep moving.”
 

0 . o . 0

“Does that one seem scary?” I asked, pointing to a shadowed pony rearing triumphantly with a lance.
Rain looked to the statue and fixed me with a scowl, “Why would a pony with a lance scare me?”
“It could stab you,” I muttered.
I could stab you,” Rain retorted with a roll of her eyes, creeping on. Yet I yanked at her tail as she began to move on, getting a venomous scowl from her. Yet I silenced her with a finger to my lips, a motion she fortunately understood, and pointed to a tall statue of a cowering creature. She moved up behind it as I lay prone in the grass beside her, a pair of roving guards with lights shining from their horns rounding a corner in the hedge.
Their lights passed casually over the ground and over the statue. Nothing happened around here, especially not at this time of night, that made the guards lax in their duties. Yet all the same, my scales stood on end as they stopped before the statue we were hiding behind. I clutched my knives tighter as one of them spoke up.
“Yeesh, I still get terrors about this guy...what he made me do back when he escaped,” there was a clear tremble in the pony’s voice.
“Yeah, dude, I know what you mean,” the second said, “every time I see a hunk of cheddar cheese…” he trailed off, “What’d he do to you?”
“I...I don’t wanna talk about it, let’s just keep moving...don’t know why Celestia keeps him around,” boots treaded over grass as the two departed, voices fading, “He got out the first time, I’d have sent him to tartarus if I was in her position.”
“Yeah, you said it…” and then they were out of earshot.
“Nice catch,” Rain whispered, creeping off. But I wasn’t done just yet.
Checking to make sure that the coast was clear, I moved around to the front of the statue to get a good look at it. I’d written it off with a glance, nothing cowering like this thing was could possibly be the terror we were looking for.
“What are you doing? Let’s keep moving,” Rain hissed, glancing back at me.
“Didn’t you hear what those guards said?” I whispered back, looking up at the being before me. It was like nothing I’d ever seen in Skyrim...or perhaps a combination of many of the things I’d seen. Antlered, equine, dragon-like with mismatching paws, claws, and hooves. I didn’t know at all what it might be.
“Well...well yeah, I guess,” Rain frowned, glancing away briefly before joining me, “But what the hay is it?”
“You’re the pony,” I replied.
“Well, yeah, but I spent most of my time in the old pony lands, a whole ocean away from Equestria. You wouldn’t expect those guards to know anything about the sand jackals of Saddle Arabia, but just ask a camel and…”
“Okay, okay, I get it,” I grumbled, staring up at the utterly bizarre statue in front of me, “I just have a feeling...what that guard said, how he said it…”
“Well…” Rain lifted a hoof to the statue, as if to say ‘go ahead.’
Not sure what to expect, I took a breath and readied myself, knives clutched tightly, “Aram Falíe,” I said.
Wind blew, leaves rustled...and nothing happened.
Aram Falíe!” I said again with more conviction.
And again, nothing changed.
“C’mon, this clearly isn’t the statue we’re looking for,” Rain said, starting to move off again.
“No!” I stopped her with a hiss, getting an annoyed look from her, “I just...I have this feeling, this is the right statue, this is the creature of stone!”
“Well you tried the whole ‘secret riddle’ thing,” she said, air quoting the words with her wings, “How could this be the right one?”
“I don’t know...I just...” I scowled.
What is it? You spoke your name, nothing happened, my mind spoke up.
We’ve been searching these grounds for nearly an hour with nothing to show, this is the only thing that’s stood out so far! I retorted with a scowl, muttering the riddle over again to myself, “‘First travel to where regal sisters preside, and go to where creatures of stone reside...’” I started.
“Yeah, go to the canterlot statue gardens, duh,” Rain said, not buying any of it.
“‘Look for the creature that does most resemble, your dread lord, who makes many tremble…’” I stared up at the statue’s wide eyed stare. I could’ve sworn I saw...but no, there was no way.
“Yeah, obviously not this guy...gal...thing,” Rain turned to go, “We need to keep moving, this is a lost cause.”
But I wasn’t done just yet, “‘Once this creature you seek has been found, speak your name…’”

 

0 . o . 0 . o . 0

 
...
 
“‘And it shall be bound!’” a somewhat familiar voice interrupted me with joyous cheer.
“What the..!” Rain exclaimed, both of us shielding our eyes as...it wasn’t exactly sunlight, but something shone into our dilated pupils.
My eyes adjusted quickly as I kept a wary stance, ready for an attack, but what I beheld was utterly unreal.
Rain and I stood on a small grassy hill, looking as if it had been uprooted from some set of rolling plains and deposited...here. All around us was a swirling nimbus of dark hues, other islands floating about upside down at times, though there was no real sense of up or down here.
Great winged things flew in the distance as multi-colored waterfalls spilled endlessly from distant islands.
“What in the unholy name of Sithis?” I breathed.
“Yes, what in Sithie’s name indeed,” the voice spoke from behind me. Yet this time when I turned the creature didn’t turn with me and I spotted it in all its unnatural glory, “Glad you could finally drop by, Aram Falíe!” it offered a paw forwards for shaking, “I’m Discord, glad to make your acquaintance.”