You're sure it's there?
My hindsight is hardly limitless, yet the palpable energy resonating from that innocent town rings true. We were right to have departed swiftly.
Well... Anything better than to have partaken in what comes next. Just before my journey onwards, Twilight had received an invitation to the Crystal Empire, and, myself knowing exactly what happens next, provided my eager girlfriend a folded prepared list of instructions in case of an emergency, alongside giving the only warning I could before my hurried exit: "Whatever you do, do not let her get anywhere near the Crystal Heart."
Twilight, however, wasn't too thrilled with the fact I was going to miss out on the baby's 'Crystalling,' and practically pleaded with me to join them at the Empire for the once-in-a-lifetime occasion. But, sadly, more pressing matters attracted my attention, though I had promised to join them the second I was done with the matter. Even Twilight know how crucial it was in stopping a major threat to all of Equestria and its inhabitants for good. The alicorn had reluctantly agreed in the end, for what Starswirl detected had to be stooped at all costs, and that would further the protection of our loved ones.
I wish I could join them, just to see the young Flurry Heart face-to-face for the first time, but duty called, sadly. Starswirl had detected an imbalance anomaly at the far southeast of Equestria, prompting me to act. I'll join them later; it was time to clear up a mistake indefinitely, if, as my teacher predicts, he was there after all.
There are no promises, but the strong residual imbalance emanating from Appleloosa insinuates Zagreus's presence. The sooner we deal with this threat to everything that is and ever will be, the quicker we can return home and witness the miracle that is the young Princess of the Empire.
My Empire, mind you. Not once have I granted those fools my blessings... But this old unicorn presents a valid point. Zagreus must be destroyed; time is short. Even if those clowns make a mess of my kingdom with allowing that unholy infant alicorn near the Heart.
Please refrain from calling my niece 'unholy' again, Sombra. But yeah, rather here than over what could be considered the worst season premiere of the whole show thus far. A huge mess of inconsistencies and missteps; a chance to have made people like Starlight Glimmer all the more by making her the unexpected saviour of the Empire. Instead, as they wrote everyone like incompetent morons, the responsibility weighed on this random unicorn who somehow knew the answer to their crisis for no reason.
Suffice to say, I'm glad I wasn't there to facepalm repeatedly at everyone and everything around me. I only recently returned from the events of Friendship Games, and that was awful to endure already.
Hm. I could proceed for ten hours describing everything that was wrong with that two-parter, but I'm not you so, let's just concur that Celestia and Luna have lost a number of credibility through inability to combat a sentient storm.
Agreed.
Anyway, Zagreus. If he's there, terrorizing the populace of Appleloosa, of all places, there was no perfect time than to defeat him for good. What's the play Starswirl?
His presence in a seemingly tranquil town is a logical approach. Preventing his full power at Crystal Prep has, I presume, weakened him enough to find a place to rest and feed off the negative energy of imbalance. Should we hurry, we can halt him further in attempting to lay harm on any of the occupants within Appleloosa.
...Might be a little late there, teach.
From the window beside me, a rising smoke emerged from the center of the town the train approached steadily, and the imbalance's presence growing stronger upon my travel there had me inhale sharply, leaning back against my seat in preparation, mouth firm and eyes narrowed. The memory of that [BEEP]tard backhanding the human Twilight remained fresh in my mind, something I wasn't going to let go of anytime soon.
This time, there is no escape for that creature.
Amen.
I suppose a bright side to all this is seeing old friends again. Gripping onto any small positive sides to my visit as the train slowly grinded to a halt, a tiny smile rose on my muzzle, despite the heavy presence of imbalance in the air. It'd be great to see Braeburn and Strongheart again; all the more reason to deal with Zagreus ASAP so my friends will be safe.
As the compartment doors opened, I was greeted to... A bare Western station.
...Huh.
Well I sensed that there were others around, but not in plain sight. Actually, looking around, I was the sole occupant who took the train ride here, and who exited the station currently. Cyan eyes glanced upwards to the smoke originating further into the old-fashioned town. If that's not a sign something was wrong, I don't know what is-
Ah... Uh oh.
I'd move.
Heeding the King's casual warning, Balance enhanced me to quickly leap out of the way of the stampede of equines, righting myself upwards as squabbling, panicking ponies shoved one another and rushed quickly towards the station, uncaring of the golden Earth Pony with a cape and fedora observing them curiously. Fear, terror and uncertainty. Those were the aroma of feelings stenching from them.
"Settle down! Settle down!" Ah, an old face at last, but not the one I was entirely welcoming towards. Pushing through the crowd, guided by his two cohorts, the stereotypical Sheriff of Appleloosa stood between the frightened ponies and the doorways into the train. The Earth Pony regarded the citizens firmly. "Now, we gonna do this the ol-fashioned way. One at a time! We can't afford to panic right now."
Funnily enough, they heeded that advice, one pony at a time being escorted inside with reassuring gestures from the town enforcers. Huh. After gently guiding a mare inside next, the Sheriff finally noticed the Earth Pony waiting by the side, eyes narrowing briefly then widening in recollection. Oh yeah, he recognized me alright.
Aren't we meant to pursue someone... Or something?
We'll get round to it. But first, it'd be beneficial checking if the Sheriff knows anything beforehand. The more info we have, the easier it'll be in finding our shared foe.
"Now, there's a face I never thought I'd see anytime soon!" The Western Earth Pony approached with that ridiculous mustache, pointing forward. "Yer the pony who prevented an all-out war here in Appleloosa? Here to do so again?"
Again?
"I'm here to help, if that's what you mean."
The Sheriff nodded, and no, I don't feel bad for forgetting his name... If he had one. Wouldn't surprise if even Hasbro only acknowledged this stereotype as 'Sheriff.' The stallion opened his muzzle to respond-
"THEY'RE BACK!"
A terrified scream, thus starting more panic. "Doh, for the love of- Everypony keep calm!" No one was listening, shoving by the poor officers into the train in a frenzy. But my attention was focused moreso on the negative rush of imbalance suddenly emerging where the townsfolk fled from, alongside the sounds of panic... And devastation.
Something was attacking the town, right at this moment.
And what are we waiting for? An opportunity awaits!
Without awaiting the Sheriff's word, my own hoofs ran down the station, swiftly passing by fleeing equines to where the danger presented itself. Guys, we're on!
Running running running.
Swerving.
Dodging terrified ponies among other various obstacles. Destination was set. Source of imbalance drawn closer and closer the further I delved into the wrecked town, narrowing missing as a wheelbarrow flew overhead and into the side of a building, beginning to fall...
On top of a screaming filly.
My legs acted, grabbing the child in time as we rolled away from the falling object, out of harm's way. The stunned filly was then retrieved by a gratified mother, who fled with her child back to the station alongside everyone else. My attention was attracted then by the screams, roars and imbalances of nearby.
...Huh.
So, good news; I've located the source of the sudden spike regarding imbalance.
Bad news... Buffaloes.
Very, very mad buffaloes.
The round woolly mammoths, with normal eyes drenched by a sickening black sea, charged without coordination nor sense through the town streets, randomly bashing into objects, doors and walls in their pursuit to attacking the citizens. Getting some flashbacks to the yaks... Maybe they're distinctly related.
Either way, we must concentrate on stopping them. Any longer and somepony will gain serious injuries.
Right.
One buffalo, having targeted a petrified pony on the spot, was abruptly halted from its charge against the now-fleeing stallion by a sudden rope tied around its short limbs, following by a triumphant sound of "Yee-Haw!" Corrupted eyes glared over to the perpetrator, a certain cousin's of Applejack attempting to keep the enslaved animal under control... And failed. The buffalo immediately snarled maliciously and charged towards Braeburn, who raised a limb to defend himself.
Which wasn't necessary, as I stepped in next. As a wall between the two, my two hoofs rose in preparation and met the buffalo head-on. The enraged creature was barely amused by another Earth Pony quickly halting its advance, steam protruding from his nostrils. Wincing, I held on, Balance enforcing my strength and reflexes. Couldn't handle this for long, still other buffaloes attacking the town... But I was refraining from hurting the poor controlled creature either.
In this case, an approach to reasoning is foolhardy. Zagreus holds some grasp over these furry brutes' minds.
Another solution arose, however, from the Earth Pony behind me. "Hold him steady there now!" Braeburn was a quick thinker, using this opportunity with the buffalo pinned to finish with its limbs. The giant furball was swiftly robbed of its ability to use its hoofs and fell harmlessly onto the ground as I released it, or him, whichever. "Nice goin' partner!" Braeburn grinned and pat my back in gratitude. "Still some more to take care of though."
"Then let's not waste any time." The other buffaloes was preoccupied with causing devastation of their own, ignoring the escaping townsfolks for the sake of smashing and breaking everything in sight. The stetson-adorned stallion traded a glance with me, revealing another rope on standby.
"Thinkin' what I'm thinkin'?"
"...Yee-haw."
We quickly got to work, moving onto the nearest untamed buffalo next. The creature, upon almost trampling over a poor citizen, was caught entirely off-guard by the golden hind kick across its face, forcing the dazed creature flying into a stand of tomatoes. Braeburn, again, took that chance while he could use it.
So much for intending no harm against the tribes folk.
They'll thank me for it. Oh. I quickly pinned the roaring buffalo down before it could break Braeburn's concentration. His work completed, we wasted no further time in dealing with the next two buffalo's, both of which almost charging straight into each other. This time I had my work cut out for me, standing between the two and opposing them, one hoof placed firmly into their faces each. Any chance of being crushed were diminished by my friend swiftly tying up the two together while I leapt out of the way to avoid joining them. Alright, next up-
...Huh. Our work was quickly done for us.
The fifth buffalo, having targeted a group of clowns who had attempted to pass by, was intercepted by the least likely source, yet a very welcome one at that. A certain large, imposing but terribly clumsy brown equine was responsible for saving his friends in the nick of time, ducking onto the ground and, hence, forcing the unsteering buffalo to trip and roll towards a stack of empty boxes, leaving a mess in its wake. "Woo-ee! Nice goin' Trouble Shoes!" Nice going indeed, Braeburn handling the dazed buffalo as I walked to inspect the horse.
"You alright mate?"
"Uhh, I'll manage." Trouble Shoes slowly rose, nodding over to his fellow clown friends. "Get to the station; I'll be right behind you." And looked back to us as the others fled. "I can't jus' leave with so many in trouble, even though I might not be entirely helpful."
"Tell that to the buffalo you just took care of for us!" Braeburn smacked the horse's hind leg cheerfully upon joining us, grinning upwards. "All that's left now are the rest of the stampede." Just as he said that, the ground began vibrating, rising steadily in volume, and we all turned our heads to the source. "...Ah."
Yep. I counted... Ten, twelve of them. All heading out way, black vapour emerging from their narrowed eyes. So much for preventing a war all those years ago. But then again, this time it was my fault for this particular skirmish.
Save the self-suffering for after surviving getting trampled on by multiple buffalo's. Then you can wallow in misery all your please.
Well, he was correct about surviving through the stampede. Because what happened next was what can only be described as classical.
Without warning, Trouble Shoes made to move out of the way, tripping over his own limbs and unintentionally pushing a nearby barrel away... Rolling into an inexplicable stacked tower of barrels just casually standing by the side and, you guessed it, prompting a collapse. Right on top of the now-blind stampede.
In true cartoon style, the small oval-shaped barrels managed to cover the top half of their bodies, temporarily unable to see and, eventually, beginning to fall over one another and roll around hilariously. Braeburn, Trouble Shoes and I were quick to jump repeatedly over the uncoordinated stampede and land behind them, resulting in a large crash which shook the ground and prompted our winces.
A stunned crowd of buffaloes scattered over broken pieces of wood, providing Braeburn, the arriving Sheriff and his helpers more than enough time to round them up. Well, that was swiftly taken care of. "Nice going." I praised the sheepish horse beside me.
"Just doing what I can..."
"Mighty fine work there partners!" Braeburn, after subduing the group, walked over our way once again with a [BEEP]-eating grin. "Couldn't have done that without ya, Trouble Shoes. And you as well, newcomer... Wait a sec... Haven't we met somewhere before...?"
"I'll just give you a moment." I smirked.
Finally, those green eyes widened, the grin widening in recollection. "Well I'll be. Stardust Balance! Boy it's been too long!" Oof! Okay, personal space has been violated. But with Equestrians, what else was knew. Braeburn then stepped back after the tight embrace. "And what timin' too! Say, is Applejack here too? I wasn't expectin' a visit anytime soon."
"It's good to see you, Braeburn." I nodded with a polite smile. "Sadly, just me today. And more depressing... This isn't a social call. Something's wrong, and I'm here to resolve it."
"Well, in that case, we welcome all the help we can get." The positive stallion beamed. "Heck, you were responsible for stoppin' all-out war the last time you were here. Maybe you can prevent things from escalatin' with the buffalo's further." Emerald eyes glanced back to the subdued invaders. "But first, let's see about the safety of the townsfolk."
"'Ere you go partner; one fresh cup of Appleloosa-exclusive apple juice on the house!" The bright Earth Pony declared happily. "We've come a long way since your first visit to our fair town." Abruptly, his mood dampened, ears drooping considerably. "Although now, it seems that'll be all for nothin'."
Nodding, I gratefully took a sip. Bleh. Honestly, I preferred apple juice with added water. Pure apple was just... Well I won't act displeased before the host. Instead, time to get to the matter at hand. With the townsfolk safely evacuated, the buffalo's placed in a special pen since they couldn't all fit in that sorry excuse of a prison cell to my right without bringing the whole building down, and the imbalance lessened somewhat, now was perfect to discuss things through and develop a full plan for our shared conundrum.
Leaning forward, I inquired, "The buffalo's. When did they start attacking?"
"Out of nowhere!" Braeburn exclaimed with widened limbs. "We don't know what happened, but the stampede suddenly charged through our hard-earned apple orchid field one day without any provocation. At first we thought it was a misunderstanding, but the attacks kept happenin' again and again, drawin' closer to Appleloosa."
The Sheriff, as this was his building, chimed in, "Those no-good, double crossin', snake-like, furry-"
Uhh, no. "Sheriff, please keep quiet. The adults are conversing." The dressed-up Earth Pony blinked in surprise, and Braeburn couldn't hide his tiny smile. My focus was solely on the latter, nodding in encouragement. "Continue Braeburn."
"Well, as you clearly saw today, the stampede reached the town shortly afterwards. Two weeks invadin' the orchids, we were taken by complete surprise."
"Lousy, good-for-nothin'-"
"Sheriff." The stallion shut his muzzle at the flat command.
Braeburn sighed, staring into his own cup after a gulp. "No one got hurt, thankfully. But... This wasn't what I wanted for the relationship between Appleloosa and the tribe. There was suppose to be peace for a very long time. I don't know what got those buffalo's all riled up for, but we seem to be held accountable for it..."
The sheriff opened his mouth... And promptly shut it from my glance. Leaning forward again, I pressed curiously, "Nothing at all? No leads or evidence behind these unexpected invasions? What about Strongheart?"
The Earth Pony looked up. "That's just it. We haven't seen Strongheart since before the attacks first started. And sending our own parties to negotiate often results in them almost getting hurt." He shook his head remorsefully. "Out of the blue attacks, and we have no inklin' as to why. The only clue so far are the strange blackness coverin' their eyes, but that's it. I just thought at first it was a buffalo thing... But now..."
"Now you think it's something that's making them attack in the first place."
Green eyes stared back at cyan. "It's the only thing makin' sense nowadays. If this keeps up, Appleloosa will soon be nothin' more than a ghost town. We can't afford to declare war on them, especially without knowin' where Strongheart was."
Strongheart... She was the key. "If we find her, we could potentially uncover what's going on." Braeburn nodded, sharing that exact rationalization. Problem being, where to start? Obviously back at the tribe's camp, but it's been so long since my last visit here; they could've moved elsewhere...
There is another possibility to solving our crisis.
Yeah? I'm all ears Gandalf.
It involves visiting the captured buffalo people. The imbalance continues holding sway over them, and we mustn't ignore their suffering. It's time we liberated them from that control. In addition, by helping the tribes folk regain their senses...
...We can learn quicker over what's going on.
Then let's not waste further time.
"Hm? Goin' somewhere?" Braeburn inquired as I stood up to depart.
Grabbing my fedora and placing it back on, I nodded with a sly smile. "I have a solution to figuring out what exactly is happening to our friends the buffalo's. I'd recommend evacuating with the townsfolk, you lot. Your people need you."
Following the gesture, Braeburn nodded seriously to the Sheriff, who returned that nod and swiftly departed the office with his assistants. Looking back, the fellow yellow Earth Pony smirked. "I'm gonna help out, any way I can."
I raised a brow. "It'll be dangerous. I can't promise your safety."
"This town, and the peace between ponies and buffalo's, are my responsibility." Braeburn shook his head. "No way am I leavin' it all behind."
Gotta respect that, at least.
"Your funeral." But we both smiled anyway.
Poor creatures...
Hmm, Zagreus's influence is vast and unprecedented. The tribe deserved nothing to have been used as puppets this way.
And yet, not so entirely different from how your people dictates their fate, hm?
This was different...
How, precisely? Don't tell me you honestly believe humanity is an improvement by any means compared to what that abomination is doing with these animals. No different than one writer passing their work to another; essentially the puppet strings handed to someone else.
The distinction being, Sombra, that the writers would never permit their own creations from this universe to suffer this way. Dealt with such hardships and manipulation to the point it is purely disheartening.
The King scoffed, bitterness present in his dark tone. Tell that to the suffering they bestowed upon me...
I sighed, steadily approaching the large pen surrounding the tied up buffalo's, wincing in sympathy upon being greeted by outraged roars and snarls. Even Braeburn wasn't happy at the sight. "Poor folk..." Alright Starswirl, I just simply walk into the pen, then what?
If you are prepared, similar to the same technique utilized with the Timberwolf a short while ago. You are to touch their hearts and remove the dark influence overtaking their senses. Same thing with the Timberwolf... Got it.
I'd feel nervous, but time couldn't afford that luxury. "Wait right here." I said to my yellow companion, walking forward and hopping over the fence, standing my ground despite the multiple heads turned my way because of it.
"Careful!"
I will be.
As your own powers connected with Balance grows, so do newfound abilities bestowed to you upon time. The teacher began sagely, educating as I approached one subdued buffalo, using my senses to detect where his heart was. This power, for example, could be considered an improvement from changing the feelings and motivations of that Timberwolf. You must focus into the buffalo's heart, clutch the imbalance by the roots and remove it in one full swoop.
...Would it hurt him?
I have every confidence in your ability.
...Not exactly a straight answer, but alright. Per Starswirl's instructions, my eyes closed right before the massive buffalo, ignoring the snorts of indignation blowing my mane. As always, my shut sight was greeted by a vibrant gold, focusing on the life signature in front of me. Chaos and Harmony were infused in the buffalo's heart... But the real danger was barely subtle.
It looked like a scar reaching in the middle of his heart. Blackness poured off from the edges, spreading over like a disease. It made me feel sick...
You have found the anomaly. Be prepared, this is the simplest, yet difficult task at once. Reach out through Balance, and grab the violation against the cursed buffalo.
Sounded simple enough-
Agh!
Don't be a wuss. Grab it!
The sensation will sting at first, the imbalance's attempt to fight back the vaccine. Now you tell me. Glaring in my mental state, I reached out again through my magic, gentle gripping the edges of this curse and flinching at the slight pain of protest, like a squealing insect. Sorry pal, but you gotta go.
With one tug, I basically ripped the imbalance off.
The backlash forced me to open my eyes, rearing back in surprise, the imbalance, as present on the buffalo's eyes, evaporated into thin air, the sensation quickly departing. My own limb was pulled back as though I had just physically took the disease out of him. Speaking of which, the snarls quickly died down... Into puzzled growls.
"What was that all about?" Braeburn joined us, looking between us curiously.
So... It worked?
"What... What happened... Braeburn...?" The buffalo muttered in a dazed state, regaining its senses slowly and inspecting the rope keeping its limbs and head tied down. "Why am I... What is happening...?"
Satisfied?
...Somewhat. "Release him, he's fine now." I instructed to the stunned Earth Pony, swiftly moving over to the next controlled buffalo, repeating the very same process upon close approximation.
The same process as just before. You may become slightly more tired as it continues. I will aid you my strength should you require it. Now, utilize Balance by closing your eyes, and focus on the Chaos and Harmony intertwining your heart. Excellent. Next extend those senses to the buffalo before you...
One by one, the process repeated itself. And one by one, another buffalo was released from spiritual and physical captivity. Braeburn removing the ropes as I removed an imbalance. Starswirl was right, doing the same trick over and over was daunting. But if it freed the poor beasts, the work wasn't for naught.
"Looks like that's all of them." Braeburn commented upon me stepping back from the last one, untying the ropes pinning the dazed buffalo and nodding in satisfaction. "I dunno how you did it, but it looks like they've all returned to normal." Indeed. The confused tribe slowly moved out of the open pen one by one. Braeburn faced me with a brightened grin. "First you stop a war in Appleloosa, now this. Ya gotta tell me yer secrets."
"Another time, maybe." I grinned lightly, breathing rather sharply. Just need a moment to regain some energy.
I share his praise, Jack. You succeeded with little to no difficulty; a remarkable example to your skills and devotion to Balance growing much higher. Yeah, thanks Starswirl, I just did my best is all.
With that ego-boosting out of the way, let us focus on our next development. Sombra interjected in seriousness. Uncovering what these buffalo's know.
Good idea. "Could you tell me what happened?" I began to the last freed buffalo, slowly standing up. "To the tribe?"
The formerly cursed creature shook his round head, small eyes blinking in slight disorientation. "My memories are... Foggy. All I remember was our leader one day declaring the Appleloosan's as our enemies, who would defile our ancestor's legacies and try to destroy us."
Braeburn and I traded curious glances, the former more stunned and inquiring, "Chief Thunderhooves said that?" Oh yeah, that was the Chief's name. Almost sounded epic. "We would never declare war on your tribe, not after a long while of peace!"
The buffalo continued, "We were skeptical too, but the Chief's word was law. Especially when he declared the ponies were responsible for the disappearance for his beloved daughter."
What?!
"Strongheart is missing?!" Two collective voices exclaimed in synchronized shock and concern. And I already suspected the culprit at work. I swear to God, if Zagreus had harmed a single hair on her fur, I'll eviscerate him.
Stand to reason, that monster would harm even the young to gain what he desires.
Reminds you of anyone Sombra?
Don't be ludicrous... I have standards.
The buffalo concluded with, "Next thing I knew, it felt as though I was... Being drifted away, to the realm of my dreams..." Wasn't hard to deduce the implications. The imbalance must've taken over the entire tribe as Thunderhooves provided his speech.
That said, I know what must happen next.
"It's better for your group here to stick around and stay clear of the tribe until we can say so." I stated firmly, features hardened to express this wasn't a matter to argue with. "I know what's happening to your tribe, and I will do everything in my power to help your Chief regain his senses, and find Strongheart before things get worse."
"We both will." Braeburn added with conviction. "You ain't fightin' this battle alone Stardust. Besides, I don't think Applejack would ever forgive me if I allowed her friend to get into harm's way by his lonesome, just as I'll never forgive myself if I let Little Strongheart get hurt by standin' around."
The stare in his eyes reminded me all too eerily of his stubborn cousin. I shrugged. "Fair enough."
Braebrun grinned, taking that as acknowledgement. "So, what's our next move then?"
"A visit to the Chief himself." I looked back to the observing bright brown buffalo. "Do you know the direction of the camp?"
"So, obvious ya already knew what might've been behind their influences in the first place." Braeburn started casually as we headed down the dusty path. "Care to enlighten this pony 'bout it?"
I saw no harm not to. If my friend here was insistent on tagging along, having the full details will make him more reliable just in case. "A creature, a parasite, has taken refuge around this area." My eyes kept focused on the path before us, leading right to the heart of the tribe's camp. "A monster who will use any means to control the weak and spread havoc wherever he goes. I've tracked him near Appleloosa, and it wasn't hard to connect the dots the second I saw the buffalo's attack."
"...Reckon we can stop this creature before he does any further harm."
"I'll die trying."
Braeburn was silent for a brief moment, probably processing those words. "Think he's got somethin; to do with Strongheart's disappearance." The worry in his old-fashioned voice was a s clear as day. I couldn't blame him; the two were most likely close since the agreement between the ponies and buffalo's from season one.
How close, it wasn't my place to know.
"We'll find her, don't worry."
A hoarse chuckle. "You sound so sure about it. Is there nothin' you can do?"
"Umm... Not get my own special somepony mad for at least an entire month." We both laughed lightly at that, briefly clearing away the tense atmosphere. Although, now that's got me thinking, how were Twilight and the rest doing, I wonder...?
Most likely disregarding your instructions and saving the Crystal Empire from a catastrophe of their own making.
Now that's... Not entirely implausible. Still, even if something goes awry, I have complete faith in their abilities, though I still stand by my opinion that Starlight should've saved the Empire instead of her childhood friend. But what can ya do? Hasbro really wanted to make Sunburst the hero because...
Because... Boredom?
Don't dwell on it too much. That entire fiasco is nothing more than a headache to even comprehend. I'd much rather deal with cleaning up this mess of yours as opposed to the wreck they've causing to my own kingdom.
Thank you... I guess.
If something terrible is arising there, in any case, you're right in believing in your friends. Together, there is little they aren't capable of repairing. Just as I'm certain your friends hold belief in your ability to vanquish Zagreus before matters worsen.
That actually made me feel better. With a small smile, picturing in my head the group of friends all smiling in encouragement and pride, my posture straightened and stride increased. For Braeburn, for Strongheart, for the tribe, for Appleloosa, for all my friends.
For Twilight...
It's time to [BEEP] up Zagreus's day forever!
"There's the camp!" Speaking of which! Braeburn's exclamation prompted our pace to quicken, eventually reaching to the entrance of the white tents and snuffed out campfires. Trading a confident glance with the stallion, we took a few steps closer-
Ow!
"Looks like we're all alone." My companion commented curiously and in slight worry, oblivious to me suddenly clutching my head at the sharp sense of imbalance spread around the place. But even through the darkness mentally covering the camp, in contrast to the setting sun far off, I growled in warning.
"We're not..."
That was a signal for them.
Immediately we found ourselves surrounded by a well-prepared ambush, as if they know our arrival was inevitable. Probably did. Both Braeburn and I stood back to back swiftly, the former regarding the sneering buffalo in concer whereas I glared heatedly at them. Just like the stampede which attacked Appleloosa, blackness decorated their eyes, controting their expressions into hate. Both the worst had yet to come.
"So!" A certain massive black buffalo stomped before us, joining the circle of his tribe. Unlike the other, his corrupted eyes actually had pupils, and they were far from friendly. "The ponies dare to invade our home, as I had predicted! You have become nuisances of the ribe for too long, Appleloosans!"
"Chief Thunderhooves!" Braeburn immediately retaliated in stress. "I implore ya! The Appleloosans want nothin' but peace between us and yer tribe. We 'aven't done anythin' wrong!"
Smoke emerged from those mighty nostrils. "Nothing wrong? Nothing wrong?!" He practically screeched. Yeesh. This time the ground rumbled from the repeated stomping into the dirt. "Because of you the tribe is endangered, the honour of our ancestors defiled by your ill claims for 'peace!'" He spat out the word as though it were venom. "And now, my beloved Little Strongheart... Taken from me, by your kind!"
"That ain't true!" Somehow, I don't think Thunderhooves was in any disposition to heed common sense. Braeburn continued attempting, regardless. "We'd never foalnap your daughter. Strongheart's our friend!"
"And look what that friendship with ponies has gotten!" The Chief buffalo roared. "TAKEN FROM ME!" Those eyes darkened considerably, influencing the following command. "Stomp them!"
Shame, I wasn't feeling like becoming a pancake today. We reared back slowly from the stomping buffalo, all getting ready to charge and smash us into a puddle. Balance give me strength here, it looks as though things will be difficult from here on out.
"Don't do this Chief!" Braeburn called out in futility.
Tch, these are nothing compared to other former threats you've endured. I'd accept the yaks as more fearsome adversaries.
Be ready to defend yourself Jack.
Already am.
"I knew long ago it was a mistake to allow these settlers to trespass our lands." Thunderhooves sneered in pure revulsion, almost grinning somewhat. "You have the choice; become part of the dirt beneath you, or return my daughter to me!"
To be continued...