//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 Quick chase and a new home (edited...) // Story: Serpent of the south // by J-90 //------------------------------// Chapter 2 Quick chase and a new home three month's after the death of Solaris... Three months, three long freaking month's have passed after my little brush up with the pony royal's and accidentally killing the king with flare-spell. Figured latter out soon after getting somewhere safer to think for a moment. I guess alicorn is not immune to a non-elemental-spell, that seemingly got stronger from my anger fueled to the 'boiling feeling'. Figured out the emotion side of it by trying to cast flare again. First ten or so attempts where closer to small firecracker, until I got frustrated with small amount of anger and got bigger explosion happen. Still smaller than the one that killed the king. Aside from figuring out the control of my explosive spell, I had to pretty much sleep one eye open, due to loads of bounty hunters and soldiers coming after me. Most definitely I had a price on my head now for obvious reasons. All close call encounters where with a bounty hunter group of four ponies; two pegasi, earth pony and unicorn, two griffons and a minotaur. All of them seemed to even have an actual working strategy, compared to the official soldiers, who simply rushed at me, if they managed to find me, spears pointed upfront, which caused plenty of broken spears. Clearly guard did not have well crafted weapons yet, or more serious training. informative flashback... "Chaaarge!!" commander yelled, while pointing his hoof towards huge sleeping serpentine creature, responsible of their kings death. And dozen soldier company indeed charged towards the monster, spears held proudly, ready pierce its hide. And they the spears reached their target... Only bend and break, like frail foals toys on impact with its hide. But they did manage to receive sleepy serpents attention. And it seemed little peeved for the rude awakening. "...Retreaaaat!!!" was commanders final order, before everypony ran away from serpent, who was preparing a fireball... Three soldiers lost their manes... informative flashback end... The hunter group on the other hand, actually first study me from a safe distance. Luckily I managed to notice one pegasi and griffon on low hanging cloud briefly, and managed to behave like nothing was bothering me. Then they tried to use baited death traps, like pitfalls with spikes, several feather spear traps and such. I managed to avoid most of them, but still did get some scratch and few puncture injuries on my humanoid side. Luckily snake tail part of me survived without any puncturing hits; I'm still not sure where my vital organs are located, so I worried for a good reason. Couple of times they even managed to ambush me and just attacked. Most of them had swords, but minotaur wielded an axe. Those scuffles ended mostly with them retreating after one of them injured too much, either by my blade, tail or basic fire-magic. As this little dance with them went on, I learned to wield my swords even better, even if it was mostly holding back my killing-intent while letting instinct lead the blades, quite effectively. One time I even blocked unicorns magic-bolt barrage via blades. informative flashback... Shadow Petal POV "Give us some covering fire! Were getting out of here, NOW!!" roared minotaur, Greyhorn, while carrying Swift Wing, groups poison loving griffon, away from the monstrous serpent creature, we have been following and trying to bag, which was approaching them just slithering slowly through flames that covered good chunk of their surroundings. Maybe it was not such good idea to annoy it from afar... It lit up surrounding very fast once we closed in on it. With only me and Falgo, our big softy of a griffon, left properly standing, while the rest have gotten injured in many ways, I could come up only one thing in a short notice. "Falgo! Grab my tail and crank it!" I yelled at him. "What?! Shadow Petal, I don't think now is not the best time to do that!" was his answer. "What?!! No, not like that dummy! The maneuver!" I yelled back, my cheeks burning. After clearing that out, we got in the position, me pointing my horn toward the serpent and Falgo holding me from my front and tail. And then we did our little rapid-fire maneuver at the creature. My grayish bolt's flew well and fast. i knew they most likely could not kill the serpent, but that was not the task now. We only had to make it stop advancing toward us as fast. And it did stop it's advance to cover itself, and block the magic bolts with it's blades, either by slashing them, deflecting them or just plain blocking them. Quite fluidly I might add. Several bolts did find their badly aimed mark, but they were all just concussive shots. "All right! Let's all get the buck out of here!!" we heard Greyhorn yelling, and saw him pull out a teleportation-charm, he kept for a quick escapes. And soon I felt the feeling of being pulled away from this place before the serpent, who was just that second seemingly breathing a stream of fire towards us. Next thing I knew, we all were completely different locale, to lick our wounds. "Alright, let's get patched up. And Falgo, you can let go of Petals tail now." informative flashback end... Finally after many attempt's to get me captured or dead, I think it was four-hundredth and twenty-sixth attempt, they gave up and left me alone. Maybe they came to conclusion that I was not worth the reward offered. Good for them. I on the other hand managed to finally get far enough from ponies. Or at least after successfully crossing a swamp, 'Hayseed swamps' I think it was called, and reached some jungle. At least it's nice and cozy temperature around here. Good weather aside, I was going to find somekinda proper home to stay in. After finding coastline, I decided to head towards the inland jungle, which led me to old almost overgrown path. And following said path, finally led to some nice looking temple-pyramid's ruin. After confirming it to be truly abandoned, containing about four room-entry hall and shrine/central-room, pyramid ruin, it's structural-integrity was quite sound. And its room size's where also comfy for somebeing of my frame, having enough room to move around and not hitting my head at the roof. With a little work, it can be livable place. Just have to clear out some overgrown plants and get some manner of proper bedding and I'm good to make a average time living here... Thank goodness I have gotten several different shock's out of my system soon after coming to this world... Back in Equestria. Canterlot castle... "What do you mean it has disappeared?!" Celestia yelled at guard, who was reporting latest official information about serpentine beast, that had killed her late father king Solaris. "Exactly that, your highness. The creature has not being seen after it evaded capture in southern border of Equestria few days ago..." guard answered, ears ringing a little bit from royal shouting. Luckily princesses yelling was not in the level of queen's 'royal voice'. "Well try and find that accursed monster and...!" young princesses rant-like order was interrupted by sound throat clearing right behind her, making her turn around slowly and find her mother standing there. "You may leave. I will take it from here." Faust told the guard, who left with a thankful bow to her. After that was cleared up, queen turned her attention to the princess. "Might I inquire why you are terrorizing our guards and palace personnel, AND have put out wanted posting's of the serpentine being with obscene bounty rewards, that could potentially bankrupt our nation?" she asked Celestia, while looking obviously disappointed. "B-but mother..." "I understand you miss your father, and want his death avenged. But I cannot allow you to do it in a way that might make our subjects suffer for it. If you off change manage to pay the promised reward, we would need to make cuts in several part's of royal budget. All of which are necessary to keep the palace and more importantly, our country running smoothly." "But..." "No buts little miss! I will send an order to make your little bounty offer null and void at the next court. And you are grounded until further notice." Faust gave final say, with a ground thundering hoof-stomp to emphasize, and left with an disappointed scowl. After this, Celestia returned back to her room, head hanging low. Said room was somewhat bare for a young princess; there was a bed, vanity table with a mirror, balcony with a nice view, simple small bookshelf and closet with several outfits for the more formal occasions. One of the rooms walls was dominated large painting, which pictured the royal family; King Solaris, Queen Faust, Princesses Celestia and Luna. Latter was still little baby foal in the painting. Somberly glancing at the painting, Celestia walked to her vanity table, ruffling trough one its drawers and fishing out a familiar lock of hair, held together with a gray ribbon. "Where ever you have crawled into hiding monster... One day, I will find you and make you pay..." princess whispered a promise while glaring the lock of hair, like it was the most offending thing in the world. After putting the offending piece of hair back into the drawers, Celestia went to the bookshelf to choose something read while waiting for her mother to repeal the 'being-grounded'-order.