Chapter I
The Great (accidental) Escape
I was just a simple man, who loved a particular cult classic game known as: Dark Cloud. When I decided to go to my first Con, I thought I would go as Toan, and my friends agreed to go as other major characters, more accurately the heroes; I had his outfit down perfect (save the Atlamillia, can’t get a custom sapphire cut on short notice apparently), and even managed to get a real chronicle 2 sword forged and decorated (be it dull so I could actually carry it in public); but like so many stories before me, my ‘friends’ ditched me. And apparently, nobody in the entire goddamn place knew who I was dressed as, and called me a bad link cosplayer. Needless to say, I was infuriated, and I decided to head back to the hotel room I was renting, humming the main theme as I went.
AND NOW CLICHÉ MERCHANT HAS NEEDED ITEM(S)! On my way back, I found a cosplayer dressed as Odd Gaffer, and naturally, I was intrigued, so I went over to him, looking at the goods he was selling.
“Is there something you wish to buy?” He gestured to the items on his mat, all of high quality.
“Yeah…” A trio of rather large precious gems caught my eye, one yellow, one blue, and one red gem, I assumed they were rather expensive, as each was an ovaloid about 2 inches in diameter. “How much for the gem set?” I asked, pulling my wallet out of my pouch.
“How does 60 dollars sound?” I almost dropped my wallet, stumbling for a second. “Is that a no?”
“NO! No, just, I wasn’t expecting that. Yeah, sure, that sounds great.” I give him the money, and take the set, discovering that each one works quite well with my costume; the blue one fit in the holster I made on my left hand quite well, the red one in the right socket (what, I was being overcautious, gems that big are heavy), and the yellow one having its own necklace. {A.N.: In canon from game 1, Toan only bore the blue Atlamillia, while in game 2 Max bore red, Monica blue, and Griffon yellow.} After finishing my quick touch-ups to the costume, I looked back at the merchant. “Yeah, sorry for freakin’ out, I just thought you would want at least 6 grand, given the quality, but I guess that’s what I get for not knowing the difference between real, and fake gems.”
Gaffer chuckled, eying me before saying: “Have a nice trip.”
“Thanks?” I half ask, scrunching my brow. “You too, I guess.” Then I see nothing but colors, bright and dim, light and dull. Then the most eerie nothing I’ve seen, heard, or felt, like my mind was torn from my body, and left to rot. And finally, as quickly as they had left, all my senses returned to me, causing me to breath in sharply; and in turn, making me cough from the excessive expansion of my lungs. I reached for my sword, upon grabbing it, I took note of the sharp edge (I accidentally cut myself ok?). Getting up, I took a look at my surroundings, realizing I’m in the middle of a forest. There was a clearing nearby, so I approached it, only to feel a sharp pain in my left arm, and I couldn’t move afterwards; I was stoned.
“And that’s how I got here.” Toan finished, light applause coming from the other statues in the garden. “Of course, 12 thousand years of no one but yourself to talk to tends to make people snap, which is why there were extra voices. Thanks again for fixing that, Discord.”
“Plus, the last thousand or so with me?” Discord asked, ignoring the gratitude.
“Indeedy.”
“And you haven’t escaped… why?” General Fodder inquired.
“I have no magic.”
“What about the Atlamillia?”
“They can only distort time in certain ways, if I used them, it’d just be me moving myself as-is to a different time. Which means, I have to wait until it cracks enough to break out by myself.”
“And I thought we had it bad.” Commented Ingenious.
“Yeah, well, if my memory and intuition serve, which they have so far, the next wave of villains should start in a month or two, and twilight’s going to be a magnet for them.” Toan said, attempting to change the subject.
“I can confirm account one.” Discord chimed.
“THE MENACE HAS ARRIVED!” Watcher called, just in time, as a pink blur zipped between the statues; making all of them groan in frustration.
After another month of being trapped in stone, the regular gardener came by, and as usual, was washing the statues; making everyone antsy to see if someone, if anyone, was going to be released by her clumsiness. When she was called away from the area, she dropped the watering can she was using, and sprinted away. Making everyone sigh in disappointment. This was short lived, however, when a grey mare blasted Toan off his pedestal, shattering the statue he was incased in, and with one final ‘hoorah’ from everyone else, Toan stood, feeling his body, to make sure he was intact.
“Oh, I could kiss you! ButIwon’t. But I could! ButIwon’t. Thankyougattagobye!” He picked up his sword and sprinted out the castle gates, leaving behind a very confused mare, several stunned or laughing statues, and many confused guards; as he was smiling the entire time. Everyone on the streets just watched, jaws on the floor, as Toan jumped off the side of the cliff, sliding down it to reach the bottom. Once at the bottom, Toan sprinted towards the nearest village, leaving everyone who might have been chasing behind.
“Your majesty!” Called Shining Armor, glancing between the door and the princess.
“Yes, what is it?” Celestia responded, worriedly.
“The statue seems to have… escaped.”
Celestia looked nervous, her worries growing. “Which one?”
“THE statue, Princess Celestia. The ancient statue.” He responded, cringing.
She dropped her teacup, eye twitching.