//------------------------------// // Bats and Backgrounds // Story: Nebula Stepper: A New Beginning // by WanderingDuplighost //------------------------------// “Zecora!” I shakily forced myself onto my hooves, muscles screeching in exhaustion as I rushed over to the Zebra, practically tackling her in an embrace before being shoved back. “Ugh, another one of you deadbeats asking for bits. I already told the rest of you to go away, you're testing my wits.” “W-What?” I looked myself over, noticing my shirt was ripped to shreds from all of the branches and bushes I must have run through, my scarf being completely absent from my neck. I groaned, feeling like I had lost a small piece of myself, “No, I'm here because I need a favor.” She seemed to get a bit flustered, twisting her head away in disgust. “Away with you, stranger! I may be patient, but I'm not that kind of favor exchanger.” I could hear Discord beginning to chuckle softly, my face burning red in embarrassment as Zecora resumed reading from a book on an old oak desk, in sprawling with all types of plants, liquids, and instructions for other stuff I couldn't begin to wrap my head around. “If you came here to jest, then I do not need you as my guest. Now stop with the compelling, I need to practice for my Nightmare Moon storytellin- GAH!” She jumped back a bit, bumping into the boiling cauldron in the middle of the room as she looked above my head, a small amount of panic seeping through me as I felt the tiny chaos god jump off from the top of my head and land beside me, “Well well, a fellow magic manipulator? Its been ages since I've met someone with my hobby!” She quickly turned and grabbed a purple vial with a small skull printed on it from her workstation, prepared to chuck it before I yelled and help my hooves up in defense. “I won't have any hesitation to throw this unless you explain what has gone amiss!” “I need help!” A crash resonated through the room, slowly starting to open my eyes as I noticed the vial now splattered all over the wall, it bubbling as it burned the wood to a crisp as we all silently stared at it. Zecora slowly turned back to me, I wearily got up and tried not to make any sudden movements as I approached her. “How did you”- “I just need your assistance, Zecora. I've heard lots about you, and how good of a shaman you are. I need help, and you're the only one I can turn to right now.” I explained my situation as best as I could, the strange occurrences with magic id been having and trying to omit the fact I was basically a runaway from my actions. I even tried to demonstrate my strange powers again, the only result was a faint dark aura emanating from my body as a nearby flask erratically jerked into the air. After the whole spiel, she seemed surprisingly calm as she motioned us to follow her, leading us up the staircase and through a door to a small library tucked into the back of the bedroom. “I thought the legends were just hay, I never thought id see the day..” She opened up one of the books, dust filling the room as I coughed, Discord pulling a tissue out of seemingly thin air and passing it to me, chortling a bit as more and more colored rags kept connecting to it as I rolled my eyes and gave a weak chuckle. Zecora's flipping seemed to go blindingly fast. “The legend foretells of a group of misfits, trying to keep the world from crumbling to bits. A cursed..” Her brow raised a bit as she read on, “hoomin.. will wander the land, soon finding luck in making a band. A lord among jokesters along with a lazy worker, accompanied by a confrontational bat and shady lurker. The group will overcome perils and then some, all until they find four pieces of scattered pages to render the spell numb.” She turned the book to us, two of the pages at the back off the book being torn out completely, along with a picture of a vaguely familiar charm on the previous page. “Finally, a snowy introvert and outcasted demon will join in the aftermath, to determine their fates and give new hope to all who crossed their paths.” The book shut with a thud, my eyes slowly filling with childhood wonder. “Woah… well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!” I was awestruck, already imagining all the way I could impact Equestria as I bolted for the door. I did a U-turn, “Erm… where to?” Discord seemed less than pleased, sighing, “As much as I love spreading chaos to as many as I can, is there any way to stop this any faster? An immediate cure for this… “Human”s curse?” Zecora leered at him, “Well, the only true way is to use the fabled Alicorn Amulet, but tweaking would be needed for it to be capable of Dark Magic management. Perhaps that aqua mare who, frankly is hopelessly self-absorbed, could be used as a resort.” I jolted and snapped my head towards her, “Wait, did she call herself the grea”- “-t and powerful Trixie, indeed it was her. She came here a while ago, looking for directions to a place to work. I sent her over near Appleloosa to a rock farm, from what I've heard of it sounds rather calm”. “Great! We could stop to maybe take a look around the town for help. Although... We do need some help out there.” Zecora looked out from a window, looking down at what seemed to be her backyard in the forest as she seemed to space out for a bit. “I could give you metals and alloys used for some of the brews I prepare, but you must do something for me, if you dare.” “Erm, sure! What is it? Want me to clean your yard or somethin’?” Discord quickly covered my mouth, grumbling as he just looked back at Zecora. “Well, recently the storage in which I kept my extra brewing ingredients has been turned into a residence, some shoddy figure being a bother with their presence. I don't need any conflict, so I must ask you to talk to them and evict.” I looked outside, shivering as I could hear timberwolves howling in the distance, “Fine.. just hold up your end up the deal, okay?” Zecora nodded, Discord opening his mouth to speak before I grabbed him and started pulling him back downstairs, mentally preparing myself for the worst. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ As I approached the small cottage made shed surrounded by a set of trees, I jumped a bit as more wild animals called in the distance, the leaves flailing in the wind as I looked around wildly. I quickly built up my courage and made my way up the steps of the shed, swinging the door open as I looked around. The inside was caked in dust and cobwebs, old scraps of iron and what seemed to be arcade machine parts littered the floor, along with loose cables and jars of indiscernible age and contents. I then looked up, noticing something hanging off of one of the support beams. It didn't take long for me to see what it was; a sleeping bat pony, wings around itself in a form of camouflage along with the rest of the darkness surrounding it. The only way I could of seen it being the barely visible multicolored tail. Discord was hiding behind me this point, even him being too rattled by the situation as I slowly approached the sleeping figure and called out, “H-hello..?” As soon as its wings opened up to reveal a set of piercing yellow eyes, it lunged down, stopping in front of me as I jumped back outside, tumbling down the stairs and landing on the dirt with a thud. “Well well, a genuine earth pony… guess they really are cowards when it comes to this sort of stuff.” I lifted my head up slightly, a bit confused to be met with a female batpony. Her gray mane seemed to shimmer in the moonlight as her amber eyes stared down at me, a blank expression adorning her face that seemed to be looking me over as he adjusted her glasses. “Excuse me- Ack!” I was suddenly pulled onto my hooves, not even given time to think as she began to circle around me, looking over my whole figure like if I was an exhibit. I blushed slightly as she even began noting every feature on my face she could, her face barely an inch away from mine as I could feel her breath on my snout. “Somewhat tall figure… average build… long mane and tail… I guess you'll have to do. I’m Amy, nice to make your acquaintance.” She extended her left hook as I shakily grabbed it and shook, still a bit rattled from the whole event that occurred. “Nebula… nice to meetcha as well.” “So, let me get right to the point. I was hoping I would meet somebody reasonable to discuss and solve my troubles with, but all I got what that weird witch that stays home and brews potions all day long… until you, that is. I had to leave my village near Hollow Shades, the citizens drove me out for being too “free-spirited” for being the daughter of the mayor. Not like I ever wanted that stupid position in the first place… But I need to get back home somehow. ” I shook my head, “Well, I can somewhat relate, I've been through something similar recently. Although, why do you wanna join me? I mean, if you're the daughter of the mayor, didn't they speak up for you or anything..?” She paused, thinking her answer over, “I'm not going back like that, I wanna prove to them in a strong enough person to come back and show them all how wrong they were. Besides, my father is a reckless fool anyways, and I've never been much for social interaction. And as for why, It would be rather boring to just travel the land alone, Don't you think?” “I.. erm..” She was suddenly at my side, my heart beginning to race as she leaned herself on the side of my body, “Come on, you seem like a confident enough guy. Well, more or less anyways. It'd be fun to travel with you and... Whatever that thing is.” Discord scoffed a bit, beginning to approach her “Well, excuse you! I happen to be a draqo-” She suddenly hissed, showing sharp and almost pearl-white fangs as Discord shrunk in size, backing away slowly. She then turned back to me as if nothing had happened, a hint of a smile on her face as she continued to rest on me. I think she could sense how low my resolve was getting, because she practically rubbed herself onto me, dropping her eyelids as she whispered three words right into my ear that made me break right then and there. “Please… for me?” My face was beet red as I nodded my head hysterically, standing up and scurrying off back into the tree to thank Zecora for her help. With a smile, Amy walked onto the path again with Discord following behind her. Discord looked down at her, a cautious but inquisitive look on his face, “How did you..” Amy giggled, “Trust me, with all the guys living in that village, you learn how easy it is to confuse them and slink away scott-free with whatever you desired.” Zecora followed me out, going into the shed for a few seconds before coming out with a large bag full of scrap iron and wires, her struggling to give it over to me as I almost tumbled over. She pointed over in the direction of a dirt path through the woods, it being barely visible through the bushes and weeds, “The train station is to the west, I wish you luck on your quest.” “Thanks, hope everything goes well at Nightmare Night” I started off, somehow managing to drag the 30-pound heavy sack along with relative ease, still starting to break a sweat as I dragged it along. Amy just trotting off ahead as Discord followed closely behind. Amy Joined Your Party! “Oh, come on!”