//------------------------------//
// Of Snakes and Supper 
// Story: King of Serpents: Concord's Dawn 
// by nobreiner 
//------------------------------//

	I stood there, tail raised in an awkward wave, before the three guards. For several seconds, we simply stared at each other, not saying a word. Then, Sky Box suddenly jumped forward, zipping up to me and grasping the end of my tail in his hooves, and then giving it a firm shake.
“Pleasure ta meet ya, Sal! Like the Commander said, I’m Sky Box! Welcome to Omega!” He said all of this with a grin on his face, and in a Brooklyn accent I had come to associate with Cloudsdale.
Red Dawn then stepped forward and, completing the stereotype, said in a thick Russian accent, “Vhat the hay is wrong vith you, Sky Box? Vindrunner isn’t even cold yet and you’re welcoming this… thing to take his place?” He turned his attention towards me, and I quailed under his stern glare. “You may keep those spiders back, vurm, but you could never replace Vindrunner. As far as I am concerned, everypony here would be better off if you vould just S’ebis’!” The pegasus then pushed past me and stormed out of the barracks, muttering scattered curses in Russian.
The three of us stared after his retreating form for several moments, until Sky Box gave me a slap on the back and said, “Oh, don’t worry about Red! He and Windrunner were really close, so he’s kinda on edge right now. I’m sure he doesn’t blame you for what happened to Windrunner. Well, actually that isn’t true, he said it was your fault, he said, “If he hadn’t shown up, then Windrunner might still be alive!” But I’m sure he’ll see reason soon enough! Don’t worry; me an’ Axel know you had nothin’ to do with what happened to Windrunner! Ain’t that right, Axel?” He directed this last statement to the diamond dog, who simply nodded in response.
He then returned to smiling widely at me, and I found myself grinning awkwardly in return. “Right well, thanks for that; I appreciate it. I’d love to talk, but I gotta meet with Doctor Keeper in an hour and uh,” I paused to carefully grab the bestiary in my jaws, before finishing with a muffled, “Lostha studying ta doogh!” I began looking at each of the cots in turn, before looking to Sky Box and asking, “Umm, wish unn’sh mine?”
Sky Box, thankfully seeming to comprehend my mumbling, pointed toward the bunk near the far left corner of the room. I slithered over and dropped the book on the cot, before turning back and giving him my thanks. I then slowly lifted myself onto the cot and made myself as comfortable as possible. Looking down at the book, I examined the cover. It was then I realized one major problem.
I couldn’t read Equestrian.
The entire cover of the book, save for a large picture of a paw print not unlike Dr. Keeper’s cutie mark, was a jumble of unintelligible symbols. I was shocked. This entire time everypony had been speaking English clear as day; I assumed that their written language was identical as well. Obviously, I was wrong, and now I was screwed. Without the knowledge in this book, the interview with Dr. Keeper was only going to end with him realizing I wasn’t really a Basilisk.
Hissing in anger, I shot a glare at the cover of the book, when suddenly my senses were overwhelmed with an intense burning sensation. It felt as though someone had lit my brain on fire, and was now attempting to put it out with acid. I clamped my eyes shut, thrashing my head about in agony, when suddenly the pain disappeared just as fast as it had come. Slowly, I blinked my eyes open, shaking away the haze that has enveloped my vision. Eventually, my surroundings became clear enough for me to realize that Sky Box and Axel were staring worriedly at me. 
“Uh… Heh heh, migraines?” I said apprehensively. The pair each lifted an ear as I would a brow (if I still had them) and looked to each other before shrugging. They then turned back to their card game; occasionally shooting curious glances my way. I turned back to my book, and felt my jaw drop.
There on the cover, where previously there had only been assorted incomprehensible symbols, were words. They weren’t printed in English, but just by looking at them I got the message, it read:

	From Alicorns to Zebras: 
Paw Print’s guide to Sentient Species of Equestria.

I continued to gape at the title, trying to comprehend the significance of this event. Whatever that burning sensation was, it had somehow allowed me to read Equestrian. Given this astounding turn of events, I could only think one thing in response: Well shit that’s convenient.
Shrugging off the shock of suddenly learning how to read a new language, I slowly raised my tail to flip open the cover. Inside was a title page, and the usual pompous promotion of the author, most likely written by said author himself. Skipping past that, I found what I really wanted, the Table of Contents. The list was surprisingly long, but I ignored a majority of it in search of the ‘B’ section. Basilisk, Basilisk, I thought, B, B, B, where is it? I searched the ‘B’s, but couldn’t find any entry on a Basilisk. What was it Dr. Keeper had called me again? Mistwitch? With that in mind I focused my attention on the ‘M’s and quickly found what I was looking for.
Here we go, Mistwatch Basilisk, page 196. Flipping to the appropriate page, (a task not made easy with only one appendage, and one without fingers at that) I found myself staring at a picture of a large, emerald serpent, coiled in a threatening pose, with its jaws open and ready to strike. To the right of the picture was passage of text, which I began reading with great interest. It read,


	The Mistwatch Basilisk, also known as the King of Serpents, is a rare species of reptile native to the Mistwatch Isles, found to the Southeast of Black Marsh. Very little is known about the Mistwatch Basilisks, given their extremely reclusive nature. What little is written about them here, is from contact with the limited number of Basilisks to have left Mistwatch for one reason or another, though from my experience this is usually the result of banishment. What few Basilisks I have been able to converse with have refused to elaborate on their culture, but were willing to impart with me most of their physiological traits and abilities. Mistwatch Basilisks are giant snakes that are capable of growing up to 50 meters in length, and possess scales that range from bright green to solid brown. They have large eyes that lack any sort of iris, instead bearing only a slitted black pupil surrounded by a yellow sclera. Atop the head of male Basilisks is a small fringe of red colored feathers, which if my experiences talking to Mistwatch Basilisks is correct, function similarly to a ponies’ ears, with regards to conveying emotion. It extends upwards when the Basilisk is angered or surprised, and flattens out when the Basilisk is relaxed or relieved. The Basilisk’s most obvious attribute, however, is its jaws. Basilisks jaws are extremely wide, making up a dominant portion of its head, and are lined with a set of razor-sharp teeth, each one the size of a small dagger. From what I was told, these jaws are apparently strong enough to crush bone with relative ease. Dripping from these jaws is the Basilisk’s signature weapon, its venom. Unlike most snakes Mistwatch Basilisks do not produce venom in sacs that is later pumped through fangs, but rather produce it similarly to how ponies produce saliva. Mistwatch Basilisk venom is an extremely potent poison, capable of inducing a paralysis so complete; the victim is often confused for having turned to stone. There is a myth that looking into the eyes of a Basilisk will result in instant death. This is in reality false. Mistwatch Basilisks hold no magical power, aside from their tendency to hypnotize their prey with their gaze, an attribute found within most snakes. This myth of their deathly stare is a result of the Mistwatch Basilisk’s tendency to spit their venom, similarly to a King Cobra. Mistwatch Basilisks can propel the venom from their mouths so quickly and with such accuracy, that very few ponies would be able to follow the motion with a naked eye. Mistwatch Basilisks also have a nasty tendency to aim for the eyes of their victims, blinding them and delivering the venom into their bloodstream. Another method of delivering their venom to the bloodstream that Basilisks favor is to coat their teeth with venom, and simply bite their target. Once within the victim’s blood, the Basilisk’s venom will travel through the body, paralyzing whatever body parts it passes along the way until it reaches the victims heart. The venom will then paralyze the muscles within the heart, stopping it and sending the victim into cardiac arrest. There is no cure for Basilisk venom, and once it reaches the blood, the victim is ensured death within several minutes. Basilisks are naturally carnivorous, incapable of digesting anything but meat. Their primary source of nourishment comes from another species known as Acromentula. For more details on the Acromentula please see its entry on page 23, but in short Acromentulae are giant spiders, and the usual prey for Mistwatch Basilisks. Acromentulae are the largest animals found in the Mistwatch Isles, second of course to Basilisks, and as such were often hunted for the abundance of meat available from them. As a result, all Acromentulae everywhere are terrified of Basilisks, so much so that a fully-grown Acromentula will undoubtedly run screaming from even an adolescent Basilisk. Acromentulae have been known to refer to Basilisks as “Great Serpents,” as they refuse to speak the word “Basilisk” aloud.


The book went on for another few paragraphs, explaining other things such as preferred living conditions (tropical), reproduction (I had TWO!), and even more about how reclusive they are. Overall, it was informative, and even gave me an excellent new strategy. My plan before had been to borrow the book under the guise of learning more about Acromentulae, then simply look up everything about my own species, and when it came time to answer his questions, bullshit him with information he already knew, while carefully avoiding making up specifics he may call out as lies. Naturally this was flawed, because if Dr. Keeper had even one working brain cell then he would know I was simply spouting out information anyone could have read out of that book. I was simply going to hope for the best. 
But now, I had a perfect excuse: Mistwatch Basilisks were extremely reclusive. I could simply answer what questions I knew, and when he asked one I didn’t, just say it was against my culture to reveal it! It was the perfect plan!
Smiling smugly to myself, I looked back down to the page, and began to read it again. If I was going to have any hope of looking like I knew about Basilisks enough to have been one all my life, I was going to need to memorize all of this information. 
So, for the next hour, I read and reread the entry on Basilisks, memorizing as much as the information as I could before Dr. Keeper arrived. Sky Box and Axel continued their card game in relative silence, only shooting curious looks to me on occasion, but otherwise leaving me to my own devices. Eventually, I heard the sound of hoofsteps on the stairs, and realized my hour must have been up.
I was proven right as Dr. Keeper stepped into the barracks. He immediately looked to me, and his expression brightened. “Ah, Salazar!” He said, stepping towards me. “Are you ready? Have prepared the carcass, should be just to your liking!” 
Deciding to ignore how he knew how to prepare a giant spider corpse, I slithered off the cot, using my tail to shut the book as I did so. “That’s good to hear, I guess.” I said uncertainly. “But, umm, could you call it something besides a carcass? It’s kinda freaking me out.” Dr. Keeper smirked slightly in response.
“Very well. Shall we go?” He gestured to the staircase, and I slunk past him up the stairs. Together we emerged back out onto the street, and I was surprised to find that it was dark out. I suppose it must have been close to dusk when I entered the village. It made sense, I hadn’t seen the sun through the canopy the village offered, so the trees must have been blocking it.
Dr. Keeper proceeded to head back towards the labs, and I followed diligently. A few minutes later we had arrived at the lab, and we were now standing facing each other. Between us, was the body of an Acromentula.
It lay there, belly down, with its legs arranged forward similar to the legs of a cooked lobster. I observed its form, cringing as I looked from the hard black carapace on its legs, to the coarse fur that covered its swollen body, to the multitude of eyes set into its fanged face. I was suddenly hit with a wave of trepidation.
There’s no way I can do this. I thought, gazing over the grotesque features of the carcass before me, as Dr. Keeper looked on expectantly. But no matter how much the sight before me disgusted me, I couldn’t help but feel the small trails of drool sliding down my chin. I may not have wanted this, but my body sure did.
“Well?” Keeper said impatiently. “What are you waiting for?” I jerked my head dismissively, and slowly bent down towards my meal. Just don’t think about it. I thought. Just pretend its something else. You aren’t about to bite into a giant spider; you’re about to eat a giant… Oh, damn it; I can’t think of anything similar in texture to a spider that I would ever consider eating. Fuck it, nothing ventured, nothing gained!
With that I quickly grasped one of the spiders many legs in my mouth and bit down, my razor-sharp teeth quickly severing the exoskeleton and the tissue within. Suddenly, my brain was assaulted with the overpowering flavor of… Licorice?
Yes, it seemed that to my Basilisk taste buds the exoskeleton of an Acromentula tasted just like Black Licorice, one of my favorite kinds of candy. Not only that, but as the meat of the Acromentula’s leg hit my tongue, I was again blasted with the taste of lobster meat. Fresh, New England Lobster meat! Maybe not the best thing to mix with Black Licorice, but for some reason I found the combination to be the single most delicious thing I had ever tasted!
Apparently my body took over then as I found myself gulping heavily, sending the combined meat and exoskeleton down my throat in one great swallow. As I felt the remains of the leg begin its journey to my stomach I nearly gagged as I realized that I was disappointed for not being able to savor the flavor longer. I looked down to the rest of the meal before me, and without any further thought dug in. For the next few minutes I didn’t think, I only ate and ate and ate. Soon the entire Acromentula was reduced to a dark smear on the floor of the lab, and I gave a satisfied belch.
My mind then made the unfortunate decision of returning to me, and I realized what I had just done. I had eaten a spider, a giant spider, and enjoyed it. I nearly lost my recent lunch right there, but thankfully managed to keep it down. Shuddering slightly, I looked up from the puddle of fluids that had once been my meal to meet Dr. Keeper’s gaze. I had honestly expected revulsion, or horror at the spectacle before him. What I didn’t expect was for him to be floating a notebook before himself, scrawling notes at a rapid pace, with a gleeful smile on his face, as if he had just witnessed a fascinating magic show.
“Amazing. Simply amazing.” He muttered, not taking his eyes off the notebook. “Full consumption of carcass in three minutes and twenty-four seconds.” He finished his notes and looked up at me, still wearing that disturbing smile. “Must thank you. Data on Basilisk feeding habits most interesting. Sure to prove useful in future.” 
I didn’t know what he meant by that, but frankly I was too full and satisfied to care. I could feel the meal already sapping my strength. I yawned widely. “Glad I could help ya, Doc. How about we get this interview over with then?” Dr. Keeper agreed emphatically, and we began the one-on-one study.
For the next Hour or so, Dr. Keeper would circle me slowly, occasionally taking measurements or jotting down notes, all the while bombarding me with questions. Thankfully most of them kept to my anatomy, something I had studied extensively. He did seem put out that I offered no new information, but thankfully didn’t press the issue. He did on occasion ask a question about Basilisk culture, and I simply replied with the same phrase each time. “I’m sorry, that’s only for basilisks to know.” It did get a little ridiculous when I gave the same answer for questions like what form of currency we used, but Dr. Keeper never seemed to press the issue.
Then, after at least an hour-and-a-half of questions and answers, Dr. Keeper stepped back, finishing one last note before setting his notebook down on a nearby table. He gave me a wide smile, and said, “Thank you for your time, Salazar. Data collected will be revolutionary in study of your species.” He seemed thoughtful for a moment, before adding, “Anything I can do to repay you?” 
This took me by surprise, and I pondered what the doctor could give me that I might need. I then realized he had one thing in abundance that I required: Knowledge. “Actually, would you mind telling me about this camp? It seems odd for a Pony scientific expedition camp to be named something like 'Wolf’s Hollow.'”
Dr. Keeper grinned in response. “Astute observation. In truth, camp not built by Ponies, rather, by Diamond Dogs. Originally mining town, abandoned after mines ran dry. Lay collecting mold until our team arrived. Unfortunately, after Dogs left, Acromentulae moved in. Have been attacking our presence here since we moved in. Killed many good Ponies.” He seemed to wilt slightly at that last comment, and I tilted my head curiously.
“Why exactly are the Acromentulae attacking you? What do they want?” Dr. Keeper gave a harsh bark of laughter in response, his expression darkening noticeably. 
“Did not give reason, only attacked.” His eyes strayed to the puddle that had once been an Acromentula as he continued, “Mindless beasts. Deserve to be destroyed.” I jerked back in surprise; that was most certainly not a scientific way of thinking, especially from a zoologist. 
Desperate to escape the now disturbing conversation, I said, “Well, I should get going now, that meal left me bushed. I’ll, umm… I’ll see you later, Doc.”
Dr. Keeper nodded, and turned back to his notes. “Farewell, Salazar. Look forward to conversing again.” On that note I hastened toward the exit, leaving the scientist behind to fume quietly. 
Eventually I made my way back at Omega Barracks, and as I reached the bottom of the stairs I saw that the only other occupant in the room was Red Dawn, who lay on his cot, reading some thick, paperback novel. He looked up from his book as I entered, and his expression darkened, but he remained silent. I slithered past him, casting a glance at the two empty cots on the opposite wall.
“Where are Sky Box and Axel?” I asked, earning a glare from the Pegasus.
“They have the night guard.” He huffed in response, before returning to his novel. Deciding that I wouldn’t be getting any more in the way of conversation tonight, I curled up on my own cot, attempting to fit as much of my fifteen-foot length on it as comfortably as possible. The large meal I had ingested seemed to have done its job, because no sooner had I shut my eyes than I was fast asleep. 

Author’s Note: Finally I have this chapter done! Sorry to keep all of you waiting so long, these classes I have been taking are murder. Although, what can I expect from trying to cram a yearlong course into six weeks. Anyway, as a reward for your patience we finally have an explanation of the Mistwatch Basilisk’s powers, and very soon we will see them in use. Also, I am now working on another story, the first chapter of which will be up shortly. It is called The Noble Guardians, and it will be a crossover. Don’t want to spoil anything else, so give it a look-see if you’re interested. Once again, thank you to all my readers for your patience, and I will see you in the next chapter!