//------------------------------// // Chapter 14 - Cutie Marked // Story: Monado Of Harmony // by Yosh-E-O //------------------------------// The next thing Yosh knew was that he was in bed hearing a familiar voice and feeling a most unwelcome cold and clammy sensation in his drawers. “Mayor?” Isabelle asked as she saw his frosted eyes open. “Are you okay?” The dragon-duck let out a big quacking yawn before quickly rolling himself out of bed. “Oof!” he gasped as he felt all saturated in his shorts after falling upon a much harder floor than he was used to. “What…? Where are we?” “The Castle Of Friendship,” replied Isabelle. “And, just so you know, the tree told us to expect some, uh, side effects for your part in saving us all from Anarchy.” “Side effects?” the blind dragon-duck wondered as he started to regain memories of what had just happened. “What kind of ‘side effects’?” Isabelle sighed as she handed Yosh a familiar pair of thick undergarments in which had Rarity’s Cutie Mark embroidered on them. “Oh…,” pouted the dragon-duck upon knowing what the ‘side effects’ were. “Did the tree happen to say how long?” Isabelle shook her head so the bells in her hair would allow the blind dragon-duck to know that she didn’t know. “Sorry, Mayor,” she said somberly. “Though there is word of a surprise for us if we help with just one more thing.” Yosh slipped out of his wet clothing. “Hopefully it’s not anything like this,” he pouted. “It took years to fix this problem and having it back is just… well… discouraging.” The yellow shih tzu put her hand upon Yosh’s shoulder. “You know I don’t see you as anything but awesome, right?” she asked. “…,” Yosh sighed. MUAH Yosh blushed as he felt Isabelle smooch him upon his feathery-white cheek. “You got this, Mayor,” she said. “No. We got this.” Yosh blushed as Isabelle gathered his sodden clothing. “Remember, Mayor,” she said. “We’re a team and I know you’d do the same for me if the roles were switched.” Yosh reached towards where the yellow canine’s voice was coming from to get a hug. “I love you, too, Mr. Mayor,” she said while rubbing his back reassuringly. “Now lets get all set as everyone is waiting down in the throne room for us.” *** The dragon-duck was in tears as Isabelle lead him down to the throne room. Not only had he lost his bladder control but also the duck wings he had recently gotten used to using while out on walks with his shih tzu colleague along with other new friends in canine Crossroads. “There, there, Mayor,” assured Isabelle. “Everything is going to be alright. Didn’t we do just fine when you had no wings and little accidents?” “That’s not the point,” Yosh whimpered. “The point is years of hard work and achievement are all gone.” “No they aren’t,” added Isabelle. “You and I both know they happened and, in time, they can happen again.” “Did anything like this happen to the others?” the dragon-duck inquired with a hint of anger. Isabelle shook her head so the bells could let Yosh know the answer was ‘No’. “Argh!” he growled. “It’s not fair!” “Mayor,” stated the shih tzu. “Do you really wish bad things to befall your friends?” Yosh sighed and lowered his head. “No…,” he sighed. “Of course not.” “Besides,” Isabelle chirped while squeezing more firmly around Yosh’s arm. “This just means we get to spend more time together, right?” Yosh blushed. “Yeah,” he replied bashfully. “Time with you is always time well spent.” The shih tzu jingled her bells and Yosh knew she was happy with the idea. “Okay,” she said. “Let’s just wrap this all up and get back home.” *** Every pony, along with Spike, was eagerly awaiting the arrival of Yosh and Isabelle. Pinkie Pie had created a whole bunch of fun, tactile streamers and decorations along with noise makers so Yosh could enjoy the celebration of Harmony’s victory just like everyone else. “I can’t believe I almost destroyed us all,” remarked Twilight as she looked down upon the Cutie Map. “I can definitely understand why Harmony decided to entrust others with its powers if even we, The Elements Of Harmony, can be corrupted by Anarchy.” “I just can’t believe how mean and nasty and violent I became,” noted Pinkie. “I had these urges to cut off wings and eat heart cupcakes.” The room grew silent. “Why is every pony looking at me like that?” she asked. “Darling,” replied Rarity. “You did have a baseball bat kept inside your mane. One wonders what you might also have hidden up in there?” Pinkie beamed. “Good point!” she cheered. “It just seems like its own pocket dimension so I just throw things in and they come to me as I need them.” “Pocket dimension?” baffled Twilight. KA-CREEK “We’re here!” announced Isabelle as she and Yosh entered into the throne room. Pinkie seemed to breathe a sigh of relief as the attention shifted to someone else. “We were really worried about you, Yosh,” stated Fluttershy. “When we all woke up you didn’t move but were still breathing and Spike and Isabelle were so worried and I carried you on my back.” “Uhh…,” blushed Yosh. “Thanks, Fluttershy.” “You even had a little accident on your way back!” announced Pinkie. “But Fluttershy just kept going as you kept going.” Yosh hid his face in shame. “Pinkie!” called Twilight. “Oh!” the pink Earth Pony gasped. “Got to learn to better filter what I say.” “It couldn’t hurt,” agreed Rarity. “I, for one, would not want to be reminded of something so uncouthe.” “You got to admit it was kind of funny, though,” chuckled Rainbow Dash. “That little squeak Fluttershy made when she felt it happening was hilarious!” “Ahem!” barked Twilight. “Task at hand, girls.” “Ah-hem,” Spike added with a wink towards the purple Alicorn. Twilight blushed. “And boys,” she added sheepishly. PFFEEEWW WHOOO Twilight used her magic to levitate the Monado Of Harmony towards the dragon-duck. “After we returned the Elements Of Harmony to the Tree Of Harmony it asked us to bring the Monado and Cutie Map back to the castle,” she said. “Harmony then asked that you hold the Monado one more time to ensure that our world is protected when next Anarchy may return.” “It’s in front of you, Mayor,” whispered Isabelle. Yosh reached out and took hold of the relic. PWOOM A vision of Yosh holding up the Monado as the Cutie Marks in the lens flipped and flew into the Cutie Map appeared before the dragon-duck. FWOOM “Monado,” he said as he did as he saw in his vision. “Release your power!” TINK-TINK SHOO-TINK TINK-SHOO Each of the Elements’ Cutie Marks appeared and left the lens of the Monado. Each one quickly flying towards the Cutie Map. FWEESH! “Whoa…,” awed Spike as the Castle Of Friendship started to shimmer and shine. “What’s goin’ on?” wondered Applejack. “It’s like the whole place is its own Sonic Rainboom!” cheered Rainbow Dash. “Pretty!” awed Pinkie Pie. Isabelle described all that was going on to Yosh who smiled as he thought on what it must look like. “Huh?” wondered Starlight as a series of transparent clocks started to appear over the Cutie Map. FWIP! “Whoa!” gasped Yosh in surprise as the Monado flew out of his hands and hovered over the Cutie Map where the clocks had gathered. “It’s almost like your time spell…,” pondered Twilight. Starlight said nothing as the clocks ticked while circling about the Monado Of Harmony just before disappearing with the relic out of existance. “SQUACK!” exclaimed Yosh as he felt something rub against his backside. “Mayor?” wondered Isabelle. Spike rushed towards Yosh. “Do you need to use the restroom?” he asked as quickly and discretely as he could. “No,” Yosh blushed. “I just felt something press against my rump. Isabelle, going with maternal instinct, did a ‘diaper check’ on Yosh to see what may have happened. “Oh, my!” she gasped. “What?” quacked the dragon-duck as his white cheeks were burning crimson red. “You got a Cutie mark!” she announced. “It’s a blue duck with a rainbow gliding over it!” Gasps of awe and bewilderment filled the air. “How?” wondered Spike. “I thought only ponies got Cutie Marks?” “Is it alright if I take a look at it?” asked Twilight. Yosh pulled up on his shorts. “Uh…,” he hummed nervously. “You do know we’re all not wearing clothes, right?” asked Rainbow Dash as she flew closer. “So it’s no big deal to take them off so we can see that awesome mark of yours!” “I don’t wear clothes either,” shrugged Spike. “So I don’t see the problem in letting us see your mark.” “Mayor?” worried Isabelle. “Fine,” sighed Yosh as he pulled his shorts down to expose the Cutie Mark that had now made itself present on his backside. Sounds of amazement filled the throne room. “They’re all staring at my butt, aren’t they?” whimpered Yosh. “To be fair,” noted Isabelle. “It is a really cute Cutie Mark.” Yosh blushed as he felt himself break out in a cold sweat. “Hey, Twi!” cried Spike. “Does this mean I can get a Cutie mark, too?” “I don’t know, Spike,” the Princess Of Friendship responded. “However it does show that Cutie Mark magic isn’t limited to just ponies.” TING-TING-TING Attention went from Yosh to the Cutie Map as his newly-formed Cutie Mark displayed over Canine Crossroads. “Interesting…,” contemplated Twilight. “It looks like it’s calling you back to Canine Crossroads.” SHING-SHING-SHING “Ooh!” ogled Pinkie as she spotted Yosh’s Cutie Mark shining as their’s did when they were summoned by the map. “Your Cutie Mark glows, too!” Yosh had now grown very bothered by having his rump stared at. So he quickly pulled up his shorts. “What should we do?” he asked. “Answer the call!” proclaimed Spike. “See where your friendship mission takes you!” Isabelle smiled as she held Yosh’s hand. “Looks like we’re heading home, Mayor."