//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 // Story: MLP G5 Pilot: The Harvest // by aceotaku //------------------------------// "So what new spells have you been working on?" Razzle rolled her eyes. "I have not been learning new spells, contrary to popular theory, a good wizard does not learn a variety of spells early on, and instead focuses on studying more practical abilities and work up from there, looking for a good mix of spells they can use later. After all, it is better to now a few spells that you can recall easily than a mass of spells that you may never use and so complex you forget important details in casting it or even other spells you need more." Horseshoes shrugged, her golden shoes tapping against the stone floor as the two of them trotted. "So...what have ya been learning?" Razzle sighed. "Levitation is the spell Master Hocus Pocus has me working on. I am now able to move a feather without making it touch a candle by accident. However, now I need to learn how to use the same spell to manipulate objects in far more complex ways, such as writing." Again, the brown mare shrugged. "I have nothing to worry about there. Earth ponies don't have to worry about using our mouths or complicated methods to write." "I know this. There is no need to brag." "Not bragging, just saying." As they walked underneath a beautiful stained glass window showing a six pointed, purple star, a black coated Pegasus with a braided mane and tail crashed through the window and onto the ground. The two mares stared and moved closer to the stallion, checking to see he was alright. "He's not moving...H-he's not even breathing!" Horseshoes exclaimed. "I have to get bro!" "And I'll get Master, he is closer!" The two panic stricken mares ran off in separate directions, leaving the motionless, almost frozen Pegasus alone. ------------------------------------------- Sergeant Green Acre, Horseshoes direct superior, mentor and half-brother gazed sternly at Horseshoes. "Why did you leave the Pegasus alone? Anything could have happened!" Horseshoes nodded, head low. "I know but I was...well...panicking! A-and I didn't know what else to do! I-it just seemed like something for the knights to be concerned about!" "You were right there." He turned to the frozen Pegasus, who had been brought to hospital bed by the other knights. However, he remained frozen, to the point where his body didn't even change position despite changing locations and being carried around. He would look more like a statue if it weren't for his coloration and his obvious flesh. "Whatever has afflicted this Pegasus, it is something we have never encountered before, and could be very dangerous. Fortunately it doesn't seem to be contagious, lucky for us." Hocus Pocus stood on the other side of the bed, his horn glowing. "He is alive, somehow. This doesn't seem to be a lethal affliction. However, it is magical in nature, I can tell that much, so how could this have happened?" Acre's expression grew more stern and hard. "Do you think it's an attack?" "We can't jump to rash conclusions." Hocus Pocus pointed out. "However, it is not an unreasonable assumption, especially since the affliction is something we have never seen before and is magical in nature." Green Acre nodded. "I will assemble the knights, every abled stallion and mare we have at our disposal." He narrowed his eyes, noticing Horseshoe's excited and hopeful expression. "Horseshoes, you are still a trainee, you are not a knight yet. This isn't a game, there could be something very dangerous behind this." "I know that but... I-I'm sick of waiting! A-and this could be my chance to prove myself!" Horseshoes pleaded. Green Acre socked her in the shoulder, pushing her to the ground. "It is not about you, your ego or whatever it is you are trying to prove! I thought I taught you better than that. You are staying here for now, and that is final!" As he left and Horseshoes stared at him, Razzle turned to ehr mentor. "Does this mean the festival is cancelled?" Hocus Pocus shook his head. "No, I doubt it. We are merely taking precautions. For allw e know, this isn't an attack and could be any number of things." Razzle nodded and looked over at friend who was getting up and leaving the room. "I-I better keep an eye on her. Make sure she doesn't cause any trouble." "You do that. She is your friend after all. There's nothing you can do right now anyway, this isn't soemthign you should worry yourself over. Go, and make sure she doesn't cause another incident like last time." Razzle nodded and walked out, chasing after Horseshoes. "Horseshoes, I know you must be upset, but you ahve to understand what you saying sounded very.." "I know. I'm not bothered by that. But still, I'm gonna become a knight no matter what, even if I have to disobey orders and look like a terrible pony." Razzle froze, eyes wide. "Horseshoes? Th-that doesn't sound good...what are you planning?" Horseshoes smirked humourlessly and ran off, faster than Razzle could follow despite her best attempt. She very quickly lost Horseshoes and was left panting for breath, alone in the hallway. She wondered what her friend could possibly be planning, and how much damage it would cause. ------------------------------------------- A thick, black mass of thorny black weeds covered the ground, wrapped around the legs of ponies, frozen like statues. Any pegasi who tried to flee by ear were simply frozen in mid air and fell to the ground. A figure in a black robe or cloak stalked slowly forwards, the mass of weeds increasing and growing forwards with each step he took. "Halt!" A pony in knight uniform declared. "You shall go no further, monster!" He charged forward, hooves lifted up as he moved into battle stance and hefted a heavy punch into the figure's face...but his hoof passed through as if the figure was made of air. "W- " was all he managed before he was frozen like everyone else. Ponies further along who witnessed the sight fled in terror, but the figure was surprisingly fast despite his slow gait and movement, and they too were frozen. Acre stood in front of his assembled knights, eyes narrowing. There were far fewer than he thought there would be. "Where are the others?" Acre asked a lower ranking knight. "We sent several mail pegasi to deliver the message to the other knights stationed throughout the city, but we ahven't gotten any word back." He looked down. "At leats one of them should have gotten back by now." Green Acre nodded. "Very well. Then it is likely that our hypothesis was right and we are under attack." The other knights straightened and grew serious at that. Another, much larger and bulkier green pony approached from the side. Acre and the other knights got up on their hind legs and saluted. "I am glad you are here Captain!" Green Acre replied to the mare in question. "At ease." Captain Minty Breath replied calmly and the knights and Green Acre fell back to all fours. "Now, are we absolutely sure that there is an attack? For all we know, this could be any number of things. We do not wish to cause a panic over nothing and jump to conclusions." "Captain, we sent messengers to retrieve the other knights stationed throughout the city, but none have returned or reported back." Green Acre pointed out. "That is cause for concern." The Captain agreed. "Very well, we shall erect a defensive perimeter and ensure that—" "Captain!" A knight observing though a nearby window called out. "Someone approaches!" "Can you make out their appearance?" "No ma'am! They are wearing a cloak that covers their whole body, but i can tell that they are standing upright and holding some sort of tool or weapon." She narrowed her eyes. "Be on your guard, all of you! For all we know, this figure could be the enemy, or one of the knights, though I can't fathom why they would be wearing such attire." She gestured to Green Acre and a pony in full armour complete with face concealing helmet. "You two, follow me." The two ponies nodded and followed her, the other knights surrounding them, forming a living shield as they marched out. Quite a large number stayed behind as backup. As the Captain, the Sergeant and the helmeted pony marched forward along with the ponies surrounding them, they all gazed at the cloaked figure walking down the same hall towards them. "You there halt!" The captain ordered. "What are your intentions? Who are you? Are you the one causing this strange paralysis plague?" The figure did not reply and just continued walked forward. "Answer me!" He kept walking slowly. "You should show the captain some respect!" One of the other knights yelled and charged forward, passing through the figure as if he weren't there and then suddenly freezing in place. The Captain stared and then gritted her teeth. "Pull out your weapons! Do not let this being pass through!" The other knights nodded, pulling getting on their hind legs and readying swords, spears and other weapons and charged at the creature. However, their weapons passed through its body and it touched their foreheads lightly with its fingers, making the attackers freeze in place. The helmeted pony charged, hoof raised but Green Acre stopped her. "No! That tactic won't work!" he turned to the captain. "Captain, conventional methods aren't working! We need to come up with a better plan!" The Captain grunted and nodded. "We should ask the wizards. We are clearly dealing with something magical; they might know a method to hurt...whoever or whatever this being is." She called out. "Anyone isn't frozen, fall back!" She and Green Acre retreated, Acre dragging the struggling and protesting knight away as the other knights followed, or tried to as some ended up frozen by the cloaked figure. As the three lead leading ponies ran past, the other knights took up defensive positions in an attempt to stall the enemy. The cloaked figure merely walked through them as if they weren't there, the strange thorny black vines now covering hall as the knights were frozen like statues. -------------------------------- Razzle Dazzle trotted in place, fretting over her friend and whatever she could be planning, when suddenly three figures ran past her and into the medical ward. She blinked and walked over to see what was happening. The Captain of the knights was talking to her Master, her nodded and said something in reply. She was too far away and they were conversing too quietly for her to hear them. The four ponies walked out towards her and she panicked, quickly turning away from the door. "Razzle, I know you were watching us!" her Master called out. She froze, eyes wide inf right. Hocus Pocus laid a hoof over her shoulder, smiling. "Do not fret you are not in trouble. I just feel I'll be in need of your help, as well as the help of the other wizards." "B-but I'm just a student! I-I don't know any grand spells!" he protested. "it doesn't matter your skill level, I have a feeling that whatever we're facing is something we need every wizard on hand to confront." She stared, her eyes growing wider. "I-is it that serious? We ARE under attack then?" He didn't answer and they all turned as they screams and shouts of alarm that were silenced midway. Hocus Pocus stepped in front of her protectively as he was flanked by the two senior knights. She stared in terror as she saw a few of other students who she had seen around the building suddenly freezing like statues as they ran, the sight very disconcerting, made worse as a foreboding figure strode forward. She noticed that some strange plants were growing from behind it along the ground. Her Master's horn glowed and the Captain and Sergeant took up defensive positions. The figure moved forward, eerily calm, not saying a word. Hocus Pocus fired a blast of energy at the creature, but simply passed through and the two knights charged forward, striking the creature with their swords, but it touched them and they froze. It gazed at Hocus Pocus and his student and amrched forward. Razzle shivered in fright, horn glowing as she decided to help her master, but she was suddenly grabbed by the helmeted pony and pulled out of the way as one of the black vines almost snaked around her. She struggled in the pny's grip, crying out in desperation and stared as her master's horn glowed and she, along with the helmeted knight, were telepotrted out of the hall. Hocus Pocus glared at the monster defiantly, and surrounded the creature with a magical bubble of energy. Her smirked. "That shield is vitually impenetrable. Nothing but the strongest magic can break it." His eyes widened in shock as the being swung its scythe and split the shield in two, causing it to disappear as it was broken. It stepped towards him and he closed his eyes, a calm expression on his face as he was frozen by the creature. "The Harvest is half way done." The creature intoned. "The meal is ripe."