‘Tickets are purchased while boarding,’ says the sign at the station. Not surprising considering how desolate this station feels. Hills at the distance with a small forest around it in one direction, and desert nearly everywhere else including the direction of the train tracks. Only one word could describe my reaction to this peace and tranquility ‘bored.’ That was all I could say about it. “This place is boring,” I said to no pony in particular, “why is there even a train that comes to this remote location that has nothing? The nearest town is that simple one with only one street.”
Seeing nothing of interest towards the hills, I decide to stare out into the desert and think. “Mas-“ I quickly stop myself, “the Arch Mage has been decidedly quiet about the plan. He used to be so open that he would even allow me to check on the scientists’ progress.” As I stare down the desert, my mind begins to wander to the young filly, the doll, he was worried about. “He never told me what was so dangerous about her. She couldn’t even handle a simple blast, and I doubt she could have taken any other of the spells I gained through my training.” I sighed as I stared out at the desert only to catch sight of something moving towards me. It looked like a pink filly and a blue cat.
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“Cherry Blossom, I love you, but are you sure we’re heading in the right direction?” asked my blue cat in a sour voice, “we’ve been walking forever and I only see desert in any direction.”
“Yes, Azurinne, I'm sure,” I assure her, “part of weather mapping that Night Glider taught me was adjusting my internal compass to ensure I didn’t get lost.” Admittedly, I couldn’t blame her for being sour. The heat was a lot less tolerable when there wasn’t a building every three to five feet. “According to the map we should be there soon. Would you like to take a rest? We could set up part of the tent to stay out of the heat for a bit.” With a wider than average grin and many nods, we set up a small temporary hideout from the heat.
Once we cooled down a bit, we continued onward and began to see the train platform in the distance. As we approached the platform, a young pony began to take shape and was looking towards us. I stopped as his shape took a clearer image. “I knew we would eventually run into him again,” I spoke to the feline whose grin was now gone as she stared, “but for us to face him now? Be careful, Azurinne.” A nod was all I got from her as we both began to approach the colt in question.
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Their pace was slow, but if I had to guess, she was being defensive after noticing what I looked like. Not unexpected considering I tried to destroy her. The blue cat to her side was interesting. Normally, feline species tend to become defensive with dark creatures around, but this cat complete with blue stripes looked as if it was being defensive against me. Her shape looked very exaggerated for a cat, and it almost looked like it was floating.
As we got closer, I began noticing that he was eyeing Azurinne rather curiously. “Maybe he didn’t get a good look at you back in the mountain,” I spoke trying to break the silence, “if that’s the case, and we have to fight him, that might be quite the advantage.” This brought a smirk on her face. I was glad for that. Not because of the advantage, but because having a bit of fun on our journey would be a good thing.
“I never did wait long enough to get your name,” I spoke to her as she got within hearing range, “I know it seems like a moot point now, especially after- “
“Don’t you think it’s kind of rude for a stallion to request a mare to introduce herself before he introduces himself?” I playfully interject. If this was going to escalate, I wanted to get as much information as I could from him.
He stared silently at me for a bit then blinked. “I apologize, my name is Comet Blaze, I am an apprentice Archmagi and am responsible for attacking you on that mountain over a year ago.” He said boldly as if teasing me back.
“I figured,” I responded back, “my name is Cherry Blossom, and I’m on a journey to reunite with my parents. I was hoping the attack was accidental in nature seeing as how you had taken the time to inform the village of what happened to me. I am saddened it wasn’t.” I stare at him with a small frown.
“You should just turn back,” I started, “your journey is a waste of time.” She began to glare at me. “Do you even know what you are? Do you even know you’re a failure, and if you do, do you know why you are?” Her gaze softened into a frown again as she shook her head a bit, though at what question, I couldn’t figure out.
“I don’t care,” she said, “I just want my parents back.” He at least seemed to be listening, and if he was, he might just see it in his heart to hear a filly out. “I don’t care what I am, or how I was made, or even why I was made. I was raised by my mom and dad, and I miss them. If there’s a way I can see them without having to resort to violence, then please tell me. I’ll go quietly if you want. Please, please, please! I just want my parents back!”
He stared at me blankly. I wish I could read minds right now. I wish a lot of things right now, but wishing hardly ever helps. “Would you still call them your ‘parents’ if they had continued with the experiment and treated you like a living doll?”
“Yes,” I stated firmly, “would I have been a different pony? Of course, but I would still love them. After all they’re my mom and dad. Being created, being born, growing out of a flower, or from a peach. It doesn’t matter to me. Those two are my parents, and I will get them back. I don’t care what I have to do to get them back.”
Seeing her determination, I can only stare and soon I close my eyes and sigh. "I wish there was a way this would be able to work out for you," I open my eyes and steel myself, "but you cannot be allowed to go near them. Too high are the stakes, and you are a variable that cannot be allowed to be factored in." With that I begin to cast my spell. She sees this and casts a ring of shields around herself. For an amateur in magical combat, she has promise. Too bad I was her first opponent.
Keeping on my guard with my shields, I try to charge only to be lifted by an explosion of mud from directly under me. After I landed, I took a moment to steady myself only to be knocked back by Azurinne being thrown at me. "Interesting, what did you do to befriend such a specimen?" He asked while waiting for me to get back up.
"I'm her familiar!" roared the feline causing me to pause for a moment. The moment didn't last long as a cold blast from the filly hit me. "Nice shot, Cherry Blossom!"
Before the filly could respond to the complement, I blasted them both with my own element imbued ray spell. "I see... a familiar. Not surprising to see how you survived the first time then. Still I believe we should end this game now." I begin casting my spell.
As he casts his spell, I fire a basic ray spell only to meet a shield spell blocking it. "You can cast multiple spells at once?"
"Of course, I can," he stated, "now it's time for us to part, but I do hope you and your familiar survive this time around as well. I've never gotten to use this next spell before, and I would truly love a chance to do it again."
Suddenly, Azurinne and I were surrounded in a tornado. Before we could respond fire and ice were swirling with the wind while shooting out at us. In desperation, I create a shield spell in all directions around myself as I grab a hold of Azurinne. The last thing to begin to attack us was the land below us. Rising in a torrent of fire, ice, land, and wind; I struggle as bits of the spell hit us from the openings between my shields. The last thing I remember was seeing the ground get further away as my shields shattered.