//------------------------------// // Pinkie and Somnambula: High Praise // Story: Where We May Lead // by Shadowmane PX-41 //------------------------------// Pinkie Pie and Somnambula strolled through the sands of southern Equestria with naught a road or signs to guide them. The winds were fairly still on their trek but their hooves constantly got swallowed up by the ground beneath them, rendering a simple trot into a slog across a barren wasteland. “Y’know, I never really liked sand,” said Pinkie Pie. “Well, not the sand on beaches, because you can make all kinds of cool stuff with them like castles, your names, your Cutie Marks, diving boards, and so much more! But out here, in this kinda place, the sand can just go away for all I care!” she spluttered. “I mean, seriously, how did you and your people deal with this stuff?” “The sand can be a hinderance to many. But it also serves as a slight method of protection.” Somnambula looked out into the expanses of the desert. “If a thief wants to escape judgement and move to another city, these dunes will stop them fairly quickly. As for attackers, they too will have trouble crossing them.” “Attackers?” Pinkie Pie parroted. “Southern Equestria is not like the place you and your compatriots are used to.” Somnambula shook her head. “Often at times, there are some who challenge the pharoahs of this corner of the world in a bid for power and influence. Civil unrest can spread very fast, thieves are always lying in wait, and there are some ponies who break off and form their own cults.” She opened up her wings and beat them forward, blasting a chunk of sand away. “But in the end, all of their insurgency will amount to nothing. I will make sure of it.” “O...kay?” Pinkie tilted her head. Somnambula noticed what she had done and took a moment to compose herself. “Sorry about that. After Stygian turned his back on us, my trust in other ponies has... slipped away a little. I still mean well for you and all of your friends, but I feel that saving my home should befall me and me alone.” “Hey. Cheer up!” Pinkie’s smile returned as she pulled Somnambula close. “You won’t be able to save everyone with such a big frowny-wowny on your face.” She played with Somnambula’s cheeks, forcibly molding them so that she smiled. “Take my super-duper Pinkie Pie advice: Smile more and you can do anything!” Once her cheeks were free again, Somnambula just walked forward. “I appreciate the thought, Pinkie, but smiles won’t stop the monsters of southern Equestria.” “I know, I know.” Pinkie twisted her hoof. “You aren’t the Pillar of Happiness, after all. But it’s still a good idea.” “So, you know the tales that you read about me and the other Pillars?” Somnambula asked. “Yes. And I know how you beat that horrid sphinx with just your hope and a very good sense of hearing.” Pinkie grinned once again. “By the way, you never really answered my question. What did that sphinx’s breath smell like? I'm just dying to know.” “If you must know, it smelt oddly like cat food,” said Somnambula. “But we’re getting off-topic. The point is that we’ve faced nothing but daunting trials before and during our time as the Pillars of Equestria. And now that we’re all back, I fear that everything will intensify from here on out.” Somnambula stopped Pinkie in her tracks and stared deep into her eyes. “I trust that you and your friends are prepared for any future threats to this world? If not, then...” “Ah, don’t worry, Somnambula.” Pinkie Pie noogied her headress. “We’ve got the Magic of Friendship on our side. Plus, it’s like I said back at Ponehenge. All that stuff about the bad guys we faced? It’s all true.” She pulled a copy of her and her friends’ diary out of her mane and showed Somnambula the pages. “See?” “Hmm...” Somnambula skimmed through the text, only stopping to read the important parts. Which, to her was all the parts that weren’t childish and immature like Pinkie Pie’s little jokes and quips about the issue or Rarity’s words on fashion. “Alright.” She slammed the book shut and cracked a tiny smile. “I will take your word for it. For now, at least...” Finally, after their long battle against the sands, Pinkie and Somnambula arrived at a city with a pair of pyramids behind it. Straight away, they saw merchant ponies and other villagers all congregating in the stalls ahead, seeling and purchasing gems, urns, golden trinkets, and other items of interest. “Civilisation.” Somnambula trotted across the last few specks of sand and entered the village. “Come, Pinkie Pie. Let us see just what has changed since we left.” “Okie dokie lokie, Somnambie!” Pinkie bounced into the city. “Somnambie?” Somnambula took a step back. “Just a little nickname. It’s good to have one, y’know?” Pinkie smiled. “Twilight’s nickname is Twily, Applejack’s is Jackie, I call Rainbow Dash Dashie, the list goes on!” “Hmm...” Somnambula’s smile got a bit wider. “Do you think I should give the other Pillars titles like that?” “I would, but right now, I’m having a little bit of trouble doing that myself...” said Pinkie as they waltzed by the stalls. “I mean, I’ve got Rocky, Flashie, and Swirly going round in my head, but I think those are a bit on the nose. Plus, Twilight would get a little mad if I called Starswirl that...” Somnambula just gave out a little giggle. “I don’t think I’ve ever met a pony as eccentric as you are, Pinkie Pie.” “Aw, thanks!” She smiled wider. “I try.” As Pinkie and Somnambulampassed through the village, the hustle and bustle of the merchants and their consumers had died down to mere whispers and gasps. Even ponies who were in the middle of collecting their items had stopped and turned to see what was happening. “Is that...” A female pony jabbed a hoof. “Somnambula?!” Another one finished her sentence for her. “By the stars above, it is! It’s her!” Another pony called out. “Our prayers have been answered!” A fourth one joined in. And before Pinkie or Somnambula could say or do anything else, the two of them were quickly swarmed on by the townsfolk. Cheers and hollers were heard all around as the two of them were picked up and carried off down the streets. “Wh-whoa!” Somnambula stumbled in the ponies’ lift. “What is this?” “Looks like you’ve got yourself some fans.” Pinkie Pie smiled and rode the wave of ponies, laughing all the way as she did so. “You’re lucky. We never get this much praise for saving Ponyville!” “Still, I did not think that ponies would remember me.” Somnambula tried to get even a glimpse of where she and Pinkie were going. “All I did was save one pharoah from a sphinx. Surely, such a tale would have been lost to time after a thousand years...” “I don’t think you’re being remembered just for beating that big ol’ meanie.” Pinkie Pie saw a statue of Somnambula out of the corner of her eyes. Pinkie and Somnambula were taken through many streets and off towards a large palace at the end of the town. The group of ponies brought both of them to a massive gate with hieroglyphics enscribed onto them. The guards saw the crowd approaching and readied a set of three-pronged spears, but the ponies stopped right in front of them before setting Somnambula and Pinkie down. “What madness is this, citizens?” One of the guards asked the townsponies. “Sorry to distress you, palace guards.” A male pony with a brown coat and black mane stepped forward. “But we just wanted to inform the pharaoh that Somnambula has finally returned.” And he stepped aside to reveal her and Pinkie Pie. “Somnambula?” The second guard’s eyes bulged out so much that they almost popped out of his head. “As in the Goddess of Hope?” “Goddess of Hope?” Both Pinkie and Somnambula chimed together. “Allow me to explain, your holiness.” A female pony with light blue skin and white hair stepped forward. She had a pair of cats as her Cutie Mark and wore a bright green necklace. “Ever since you saved the pharoah of a thousand years past from that sphinx, you have inspired hope in all of us. Your past subjects, the ones in this day and age, and all the future ponies will look back upon you and think of you as a true goddess.” “Hence the title, Goddess of Hope,” a third pony added. “You should feel honoured. It’s not very often that a simple pony such as yourself can join the ranks of Thoth, Geb, and Ptah...” “Still, I don’t think that all that warrants me a place among such true legends...” Somnambula’s hoof brushed against the ground. “I mean, Thoth was a legend that far surpasses even that of the Pillars themselves, Geb was a pony who saved countless lives with his powers, and Ptah’ acts make mine and my compatriots’ acts look simple and plain.” “Oh, don’t be so modest, Somnambula. You truly are deserving of the godddess status.” The female pony with the cat Cutie Mark chuckled. “I bet the schoolkids would love to see you in the flesh.” “What is your name, miss?” Somnambula asked. “My name is Bastet, your holiness.” She bowed before her. “I am a teacher at the local school.” “But your Cutie Mark is to do with cats.” Pinkie Pie pointed towards it. “Unless, you teach a group of super-cats who have the power to talk to ponies!” Bastet just laughed. “Not exactly, but you’re close. Yes, I do work with cats as well, but my main job focuses on teaching the fillies and colts of this fine city everything they need to know.” She turned back to the guards. “But we’re getting side-tracked here. I’m sure the pharoah will be quite surprised when he sees you.” “Yes. He will be surprised.” One of the guard pushed the gates wide open and made an inviting gesture. “Come, Somnambula. Pharoah Oasis awaits.” “I humbly request to bring my escort, Pinkie Pie along with me.” Somnambula pointed to Pinkie, who had been looking at Bastet’s Cutie Mark until her name had been called. “Very well,” said the guard. “Step forth, Pinkie Pie.” “Huh? Oh!” Pinkie snapped out of her gaze. “Coming!” Pinkie and Somnambula walked through the giant gates into a large courtyard. Undisturbed water channels covered the slight gaps at each path, with flowers growing around the walls. There were also large torches in the centre of the court and some more hanging high on the walls. At the other end of the courtyard stood a large palace, with giant pony statues with jackal heads standing guard over the place. They held large stone spears in their hands and were constantly gazing down on everything inside. Inbetween the two statues was a large entryway into the palace, with a smaller set of wooden doors in the frame. More guards stood watch at these doors than the ones outside, and this new line of defenders were more armoured than the others. “Whoa...” Pinkie Pie’s breath was taken away by the sight. “This place is huge!” She darted over to one of the walls and tried to bounce up to the top of it. But no matter how hard she tried, her hooves didn’t even reach the top. “You’d have to be a super-bold pegasus to get in here without an invitation!” “The pharoahs of southern Equestria have always had ponies trying to take the throne.” Somnambula walked forward. “It has been that way since the dawn of time, and it shall remain that way for years to come.” “Yeah, but isn’t this kinda overdoing it?” Pinkie pulled out a ladder and placed it against the wall. She scaled it and tried to pull herself up to the top, but as she leapt off, she missed again and landed back on her tail. “I mean, Celestia doesn’t have walls this big...” “Losing a pharoah in this part of the world is just as devastating as losing someone else’s life.” Somnambula approached the doors. “It has a massive impact that rocks the townsponies to their very cores. But they still move on, eventually.” She finally walked up to the doors and watched the guards stand aside. “This way. The pharoah awaits.” Pinkie took the ladder and shoved it back in her mane before dashing back to Somnambula’s side. Together, the two of them opened the doors and revealed a staircase on the other side. “Now, I will warn you right now that the pharoah is a very revered pony.” Somnambula trotted up the staircase first, with Pinkie behind her. “If you do anything that upsets them, then I can’t be held responsible for the consequences.” “I’m sure I can behave for one pony.” Pinkie Pie nodded. “Besides, what’s the worst that could happen?” Suddenly, a muffled scream rang out just as Pinkie and Somnambula made it to the top of the stairs. It sounded feminine and distressed, as if someone was making it suffer. The noise sent shivers down both of the mares’ spines and made them shudder from head to toe. “Does Celestia have torture rooms back in your kingdom?” Somnambula asked. “No.” Pinkie hastily shook her head. “That was the one thing I hoped we didn’t need anymore. But alas, even a thousand years later, there are still ponies who suffer barbaric tortures in the pharoah’s punishment chambers.” Somnambula frowned. “I just hope that they live to see the light of day again.” “I’m sure they will.” Pinkie shook away her frown. “Sure, they may have done some bad stuff, but the fact that they’re still kicking means that they have a chance. I mean, just look at Princess Luna, or Discord, or even Starlight Glimmer!” “Well, if you say so.” Somnambula grinned weakly. The pharaoh's throne room was not like what Pinkie or Somnambula were expecting. There was a glass wall behind it with a pair of doors leading out towards a balcony behind the throne itself. The only sights that could bee seen from it were the pyramids in the distance and another vast desert. As for the throne room itself, a pillar stood at each of the four corners with braziers burning brightly at each of the walls. A set of hieroglyphs ran all the way around the room, depicting a lot of different characters. From the door to the throne itselt was a long, indigo carpet with gold fabric lining the edges. There were tables and other pieces of furniture holding up bundles of papyrus paper. Nobody could actually see what was on the paper, but Somnambula figured that it was all important economical and political documents for the pharaoh to revise or sign. Pinkie Pie, on the other hand, thought that they were something else entirely. The pharaoh stood up from his throne and stepped forward before Somnambula and Pinkie Pie, who very quickly bowed before him. His skin was aquamarine with his hair being a slightly darker shade of the same colour. He wore ceremonial armour with gems burned into it and a tall yellow crown on his head with a tiny cobra snake poking out of it. As for his Cutie Mark, it depicted an oasis shimmering in the midst of a roaring sandstorm. "You may rise," said the Pharaoh calmly, prompting Pinkie and Somnambula to follow his order. "Greetings, o pharaoh of this land." Somnambula gave the pharaoh a smile. "We have traveled all the way from Central Equestria to seek an audience with you." "You need not seek permission here, almighty one." The pharaoh smiled and took his crown off, kneeling before the two of them in return. "If anything, it should be me asking an audience with you, Somnambula, the Optimist." "Gee. It seems like everypony in this place loves you to bits, Somnambula." Pinkie looked down at the bowing pharaoh. "That big, nasty sphinx must've been more trouble than I thought..." "Pinkie Pie, I keep telling you that it was just an ordinary sphinx." Somnambula turned towards Pinkie, seeming a little bit harassed. "Why does everypony keep treating me like a goddess for stopping one creature one time?" "Well, I mean, I guess it could be the fact that other ponies in other parts of the globe think a little differently to the rest of the world and that you actually are a god, or..." Pinkie tossed away the globe she had been fiddling with. "It could be that you actually ARE a goddess now! Which, wouldn't be too surprising, seeing as how you're one of the Pillars of Equestria..." "And I am quite proud to have that honor," she said. "But I think that being called a goddess is a little too much praise..." "Oh, Somnambula. Your modesty never ceases to inspire us." The pharaoh chuckled and put his crown back on. "Whether you are one of the Pillars of Equestria or a goddess here in Southern Equestria, there is nopony here who doesn't worship you. You should be proud of all you have done for us." "When you say everypony worships me, what do you mean by that?" Somnambula tilted her head. "I apologize if it sounds bizarre of me to say that. It has been a thousand years since I was last here..." "From that one little tail of saving a former pharaoh, the ponies of Southern Equestria started to gain confidence." The pharaoh pointed towards the hieroglyphics on the walls. "When warriors went out to battle great monsters and ponies consumed by evil intent, they always took hoof-crafted trinkets made out of gems, in their devotion for you. Your will to believe against impossible odds struck deep with the ponies," he said. "Many more dreams were met, children did better in schools, and everyone had that much more confidence in themselves; both in the thousand years since your transcendence from this world and in this modern-day Southern Equestria." He finally walked back up to her. "In the end, the ponies decided to immortalize you, by creating shrines, statues, and certain prayers in churches entirely for you. And ever since, you became known as the Goddess of Hope: Somnambula, the Optimist." "I..." Somnambula didn't know what to feel about any of this. Being the wise and benevolent pony she was, she didn't think that this many ponies would've appreciated her feats for centuries on end. To her, it seemed like she was still in the past as a local hero. "This is all so strange..." "I know. Doing the limbo for a thousand years must be pretty draining..." Pinkie Pie patted Somnambula on her back. "Did you at least have a little bar to limbo under while holding back the Pony of Shadows for all that time?" "I highly doubt that a place like that would have any actual limbo bars, Pinkie Pie." Somnambula tousled Pinkie's mane. "If anything, everything just happened in the blink of an eye. One second, we were sealing him away and the next, we were back at Ponehenge with you and all of your other friends. It was instantaneous." "Well, whatever the reason you came back, it is good that you did, Somnambula." The pharaoh bowed once again. "Oh, but where are my manners? I haven't even introduced myself yet." He looked up at her. "I am pharaoh Glistening Oasis. My predecessor, Swift Blade, met a tragic end by venomous cobras and asps after attackers stormed the palace and hauled him away to the Tombs of Treachery. Since then, we have doubled the height of the walls, enlisted more guards into our ranks, and have ensured that nothing like this ever happens again." "Mmm. How sad." Somnambula looked out towards the sands beyond the throne. "I just hope that, in his last rites, his body believed that somepony would have saved him from his fate..." "His body was found, drained of all poisons, and then mummified," Glistening turned back to his guests. "If you want to see it, his sarcophagus was recently placed in the pyramids. But I must warn you, the place is heavily booby-trapped. It's to stop any thieves from pilfering his riches." "I think I'll pass." Somnambula shook her head. "I only just came back from a dimensional prison with my compatriots and saved the world. I feel like I need a break from all of this heroism for a while." "Suit yourself. I would not wish to step foot in such a dangerous place myself." Glistening sat back down on his throne. "What the heck is a sarcophagus?" Pinkie tilted her head. "You need not worry yourself with such things like that, Pinkie Pie," said Somnambula. "You are this generation's Element of Laughter. I would hate to do or tell you something that would diverge you from your destiny." "Speaking of destiny..." Glistening Oasis rubbed his hooves together. "This part of the continent has been waiting for someone like you for a very long time, Somnambula. You have inspired ponies for a very long time now and I'm sure that, in return, you would like something from us." "Oh, no. That's completely fine." She waved her front hooves. "You don't need to do anythi—" "How you rescued pharaoh Ancient Texts shows your devotion to this part of the world, and the sacrifices you would be willing to make to keep the place safe," Glistening continued. "I know that this is very sudden for you, and I don't meant to impart anything that would give you too much stress, but I think you are quite fitting of a very special title." He walked over towards a cupboard and opened it up, revealing a black headband with a peculiar eye-shaped mark on it. "Somnambula. How would you like to be a Medjay?" "WHAT?!" Both Pinkie and Somnambula stumbled backwards and fell onto their haunches. "Do not fret. There is no time limit to this question." He clopped on the ground twice, which caused the guards to open the door back up. "If you need to think it over, feel free to do so. Report back to me when you have your answer." All Pinkie and Somnambula could do was share a fret with each other as the question sunk into their minds. Their foreheads began to tighten up and sweat was running down Somnambula's forehead. The two of them eventually did stand back up and walk out of the throne room, but still, their brains were running a thousand miles a minute with the prospect. Me? A Medjay? Somnambula watched as the guards shut the doors behind her and Pinkie after they exited the throne room. I don't even know what to think right now... I just return from a thousand years and I'm suddenly to be anointed as a defender of Southern Equestria? How much more has this world changed since I last left it?