//------------------------------// // REMASTERED - Chapter 6 - Not Your Standard Supply Run // Story: The Equestrian Odyssey - A Tale of Two Worlds // by Kamahido //------------------------------// The days pass quickly for Arc and Ember. A few weeks later they sit around the fire talking as Arc patches his armor. He frowns. “Darn crazy imps… or whatever they are.” Ember chuckles. “I told you they had sharp claws.” Arc holds up his armor and points at the tiny holes. “Well I thought we made this armor to protect me.” “Look on the bright side.” “Which is…?” “The holes are in your armor, not you.” Arc shrugs. “Guess that makes sense.” “You did good against them though. Even after they got the drop on you.” “Don’t you mean ‘us’?” Ember frowns. “I said what I meant, tiny.” Arc chuckles. “Okay, Ember. Whatever you say.” “In fact, I think you’re about ready for a bigger challenge.” “What did you have in mind?” “Mythic Honor tells me that he needs some very special supplies to fix the magic forge at the Town Hall.” “So where am I headed then?” Ember shakes her head. “Not just you. Us.” Arc shrugs. “I’m not afraid to go out by myself.” “You might be when I tell you where this stuff is?” “Well, why don’t we start with what we’re looking for getting then?” Ember holds up a piece of paper. “Got it all written down right here. Even you couldn’t mess this one up, tiny.” Arc rolls his eyes as he takes the list. “Yeah, I guess not.” Reading it over, Arc looks up at Ember. “I don’t actually know what any of the stuff on this list is.” Ember shrugs. “Neither do I.” “Then how are we supposed to…?” “Mythic Honor will explain it to us when we go see him over at the Town Hall. You ready?” Arc sighs as he puts on his freshly patched armor. “I am now. Let’s go.” Heading to the workshop, they spot Mythic Honor putting a number of items into two brown burlap sacks. He looks over to them and beckons the pair over with the wave of a hoof. “Ah, glad you two could make it! Give me a hoof with this, will you?!” Ember frowns. “What do you need?” “There’s a list over there! Just read off what it says for me so I can verify that everything’s here!” “Alright.” Picking up the paper from the desk, Ember begins to read aloud.” “One beetle liver.” “Check!” “Five leather outfits.” “Check!” “Three hearts, any variety.” “Check!” “Ten vials of pony blood.” “Check!” “Twenty-five sausages.” “Check!” “One hundred strips of jerky.” “Check!” “An unruptured venom sack.” “Check!” “Lastly, one sack full of chitin.” “And check! That should do it!” Arc frowns. “Dare I ask what all this is for?” Ember chuckles. “Another one of your weird experiments?” Mythic Honor sighs. “Not… exactly!” Ember puts a claw to her chin thoughtfully. “Wait a minute…! Now I remember you talking about this list of goods!” Arc appears confused. “Ember?” Frowning, Ember points an accusatory claw at Mythic Honor. “You want us to go to Vengeance and trade these sacks with the demons!” Mythic Honor grins. “Yup!” “That’s suicide!” “It was YOUR idea though, Ember!” Arc gasps. “What?!” Ember groans. “That’s true, I supposed. But I didn’t think you were crazy enough to actually go through with it!” Mythic Honor cackles. “Believe you me, I’m more than crazy enough to organize this!” Arc facepalms. “I’m going to regret this, but what exactly did you do?” “Somehow or another I’ve been able to magically contact a certain demon trader in Vengeance! He’s willing to trade up the items we need for those in these sacks!” Ember shakes her head. “Dare I ask how exactly you did that?” “You could, yes! But it’s very technical!” “So what you’re saying is that I’m not smart enough to understand, right?!” Mythic Honor shrugs. “Your words, not mine! All that’s left now is to ask if you’ll do this, Ember!” Ember paces in front of the sacks for a few moments considering this. Eventually she groans and turns to the stallion. “Fine. But only if my… apprentice comes along.” Arc sighs. “I guess. After all, it’s not like there’s anything else for me to do around here, right?” Ember raises an eyebrow. “Just for the sake of clarity, you DO realize that we’re going to the capital city, right?” “Home of the demons?” “Yup.” “I understand.” Mythic Honor claps his hooves together happily. “Then it’s settled! You two will leave at dusk!” Arc frowns. “Why not right now while we’re well rested?” Ember shakes her head. “Because it’s safer to enter the city under cover of darkness.” Mythic Honor shrugs. “Actually, you’ll only be entering the city at night! I recommend that you make contact with the trader during the day!” Ember appears confused. “Uh… why?” “Because the demons are out in force at night partying! During the day they’re sleeping it off! They’ll be a lot less eyes on you two at that point!” Arc sighs. “But we won’t be able to hide in the shadows.” Ember nods. “And if things go south I’d like a crowd to blend into.” Mythic Honor sighs. “Well, that’s just my two bits! You plan this out any way you want!” Arc turns to Ember. “What do you want to do?” “I say we head there tonight like Mythic Honor said, find the trader, make the exchange, and get back here before morning.” “Okay. And in the meantime?” “Rest until this evening. We’ll want to be hale and hearty for tonight.” Arc nods. “Sounds good.” “I’ll come get you at suppertime. We’ll eat, grab these sacks, and head out as the darkness settles over the land.” Mythic Honor nods. “I’ll see to it you both have proper disguises at that time.” Ember sighs. “We’ll need it.” Leaving the Town Hall, Arc and Ember walk back toward the dwellings. Arc turns to her. “Can I assume you’ve never done anything like this before?” “Right. No one has.” “Then how did Mythic Honor set this thing up?” Ember shrugs. “I have no idea. But he has a reputation for making things work out somehow. Normally no one questions it, as he provides what we need. Leadership and technical know-how.” “But…?” “This time his planning is going to put us at risk.” Arc raises an eyebrow. “So why did we agree to it?” Ember sighs. “Because he’s right about being in need of supplies. It sucks not being able to have something when you need it, after all.” “You mean medicine, or something?” Ember shrugs. “I don’t actually know what most of the stuff on the list is for, no. However some of it I have seen Mythic Honor use in medical tonics.” “So if someone gets sick these supplies could be the difference between life and death.” “Could be.” They reach her dwelling. As Arc turns to his tent Ember calls out after him. “Hey.” “Yeah, Ember?” “Um… I just kinda wanted to say… that you’ve been doing… okay in your training, I guess.” “Coming from you, that’s high praise.” “That and… thanks for volunteering to come with me. This isn’t going to be a walk in the part, after all.” Arc shrugs. “Didn’t really have anything else planned.” “Yeah, well… it’s appreciated nonetheless, tiny. Now get some rest.” The pair part ways. Arc enters his tent and lies down on his makeshift bed. Staring upward at the cloth overhead he muses to himself. “I think that’s the first real compliment I’ve heard out of Ember.” Closing his eyes, he drifts off to sleep. Sometime later he opens them to the feeling of cloth on his face. Groaning, he crawls toward the tent entrance and peeks out. Spotting Ember landing in front of her, he sighs. “Do you think you could possibly wake me up some way other than knocking my tent down?” Ember grins. “Not sure how.” “How about poking your head inside and saying ‘hey, time to get up’, or something?” Ember cackles. “I guess I could. But this way is MUCH more fun!” Arc shakes his head as he crawls out and stands up. “Fine, have it your way. You ready to go?” “Yeah. Let’s head over to the Town Hall and see what Mythic Honor’s come up with.” Making the short walk to the large building, they enter and look around. Seeing no one Ember calls out. “Mythic Honor?!” A voice rings out from a pile next to them. “Yes?!” Ember jumps back as he pokes his head out. Tripping backwards she fall back into Arc. Pushing her back into a standing position, Ember composes herself for a few moments. Glaring at him, she clenches a fist. “I know you can hear us come in!” “That I can!” “Then why do you do this to me?!” Mythic Honor grins. “Because I like it!” Arc chuckles as he looks to Ember. “Guess you two have something in common.” “Shut up, tiny.” She turns back to the stallion before continuing. “So what’d you come up with?” Mythic Honor grins. “In a word… pulling the wool over their eyes!” Arc raises an eyebrow. “How is that one…” Ember sighs. “Let it go.” Returning her gaze to Mythic Honor she grimaces. “Keep talking.” “My plan is multi-stepped to be honest with you.” Ember rolls her eyes. “It usually is.” Pointing a hoof at a nearby rack, Mythic Honor continues. “There’s a couple black cloaks over there! Go ahead and try them on for size, you two!” Arc and Ember do so. Ember grabs the big one while Arc takes the larger one. Draping them over their shoulders, they fasten the clasps before looking one another over. Ember is the first to speak. “I think you need to have a talk with the tailor about my sizing, Mythic Honor. This thing is WAY too short.” Mythic Honor shakes his head. “Not for this purpose it isn’t.” Arc looks himself over. “Well mine comes all the way to the ground.” “Because you need to stay completely hidden!” Ember frowns. “There’s something you’re not telling us, isn’t there?” “Yup!” He walks over to Ember and points a hoof at her legs. “If this plan is going to work, your legs need to be visible!” “For what?!” Mythic Honor walks over to a table and picks up a bucket. Heading for Ember he gives it to her before speaking. “Do you know what this is?!” Ember frowns as she sniffs the contents. “Looks like paint. “That’s because it is paint!” “But what am I supposed to do with it?” “Wear it!” Ember cackles. “That’s very funny, but we don’t really have time for your nonsense!” The elderly stallions frowns. “My plan is no ordinary nonsense, Ember. This here is SERIOUS nonsense!” Arc sighs. “Glad we can agree on that.” Mythic Honor pulls a large paintbrush looking object from his robe and sets it on a table as he speaks. “You’ll use this to liberally paint this stuff onto your scales!” Ember narrows her eyes. “This plan had better start making sense!” “It’s to turn your scales red! At a simple glance you’ll appear to have the same skin tone as the other residents of Vengeance!” Arc raises an eyebrow. “In case she’s seen?” Mythic Honor shakes his head. “No, she’ll be visible regardless. It’s to take the attention off of you mostly!” “Uh… why?” “I’ll explain more after Ember gets done painting herself!” Ember grunts as she leans her spear against the wall and recalls her armor. Arc looks to her, amazed. “How’d you DO that?!” Ember shrugs. “It’s a spear thing. You wouldn’t understand.” “That doesn’t make any sense.” “As I said it wouldn’t.” Ember walks over to the table and picks up the brush as she sets the bucket on the floor next to her. Getting to work, she dips the brush into the blood and starts laying a coat on her feet and legs. Arc sits down and looks out the window as she works. Eventually he hears the sound of grunting. Turning back to her, Arc spies Ember trying unsuccessfully to paint her back. “Need a hand?” Ember shakes her head. “I can manage.” “Oh really?” “Yes!” Arc sits there and watches her struggle for nearly five minutes. Eventually she sighs and turns back to him. “Fine. Help me.” Standing, Arc walks over to her and takes the brush. Dipping it back into the bucket, he gives her back a good coating. Ember smiles strangely as he does so. “You okay, Ember?” “Y-yeah. It just… feels really nice.” Eventually he steps back and looks her over. Frowning, he points. “Your wings.” “What about them?” “They’re still your natural color. Want me to paint them too?” Ember sighs and spreads her wings. “Go ahead.” Arc gets to work. Starting with the tips, he works his way down the shaft of each wing before getting to the root. Ember grits her teeth and squeezes her eyes shut as he does so. “Am I hurting you?” Ember shakes her head. “No, just hurry up and finish!” Doing as he is told, Arc completes the job and steps back. Mythic Honor looks Ember over carefully before pointing to her face. “You missed several spots on the head!” Ember rolls her eyes. “Of course I did! I can’t see my own face!” Arc walks back over to her. “Want me to get them?” Ember nods. “Might as well.” Arc dips the brush back in the paint and layers it on Ember’s head as she closes her eyes. Mythic Honor nods. “Much better!” Ember groans. “Glad that’s done.” She sniffs herself and makes a face before turning to Mythic Honor. “This stuff really stinks. What’s in it?” Mythic Honor puts a hoof to his chin thoughtfully. “Well… a few different things! Some red dirt along with a bit of liquified cinnabar!” Ember gasps. “Cinnabar?! That’s really rare! How’d you get so much of it?!” “Don’t worry! There’s only a hooffull of that in there. To liquify the dirt I just used a bunch of demon blood!” Arc frowns. “Wait, what?” Ember seethes. “Mythic Honor? Are you trying to say that I’m covered in the blood of DEMONS?!” “More or less! Tell me, do you feel any nausea or burning sensations?!” “Should I?!” “Probably not! But I’ve never really tried this before!” Ember grits her teeth. “So I’m an experiment now?!” Mythic Honor shrugs. “Kinda! But look at it this way! It works! Arc frowns. “That may be true. However did you absolutely HAVE to use… blood to get that paint made?” “I couldn’t figure out what else was plentiful enough! Tried just using water, but that just make the dirt runny! But when combined with the blood it adds adhesion!” Ember groans. “I feel so dirty.” Mythic Honor nods. “That may be, yes. But it also serves another purpose other than camouflage!” Arc rolls his eyes. “There’s more?” “Yup! Remember how Ember said earlier how it stunk?! Well, this way she also SMELLS like a demon!” Ember’s pupil’s shrink. “I… I do?!” Mythic Honor nods happily. “Very much so!” Arc sniffs the bucket and makes a face. “Kind of a mix between body odor, urine, and something rotting.” “I thought the same thing when I was mixing it up! Wonder what makes it smell that way!” Ember shakes her head. “Well, we’re not sticking around Vengeance long enough to write a report on it!” “That’s probably for the best! Just get in there tonight, find the shop in the instructions, make the trade, and get back here!” Arc turns to the stallion. “Hey, that reminds me. I was wondering how exactly you made this so-called deal.” Ember frowns. “Me too!” “There are some demons whom will do anything to get what they want! You find out what that is and they’ll eat out of your hoof!” Arc raises an eyebrow. “Oh really? How many?” “All of them!” Ember shakes her head. “So you befriended a demon?” Mythic Honor puts a hoof to his chin thoughtfully. “I think the word ‘befriended’ might be a bit strong! Think of it more like ‘subcontracted’! Arc rolls his eyes. “Anything else you need to tell us?” “Yes! The second part of my plan! Getting you into the city!” Ember raises an eyebrow. “Walk in the front gates. How hard is that?” “This disguise isn’t perfect! So we need to add a bit of realism to make it so! Ember, would you please kneel down a moment?!” “What for?” “A bit of jewelry to make the look complete!” Shrugging, Ember does as she is told. Mythic Honor walks over to her with a large black necklace. Fastening it around her neck he steps back to look her over. “Perfect!” Arc frowns. “It looks kinda heavy.” Ember grits her teeth. “It’s more uncomfortable than anything.” Mythic Honor shrugs. “Sadly that can’t be helped! My contact only had this one! Sorry if it’s a bit tight!” Arc looks it over. “So this is a customary demon female accessory?” “Oh, yes! All the submissive one’s are wearing them!” Ember frowns. “Submissive?” Mythic Honor nods. “Well, it is a fairly common fetish over there!” Arc raises an eyebrow. “Fetish?!” “Oh yes! With this Obedience Collar on, she…!” Ember explodes in a fit of rage. “WHAT?!” “They’re very popular in Tartarus! You see, a female demon puts one on and…!” “I DID NOT APPROVE THIS!” Mythic Honor shrugs. “Technically, you did!” “WHEN?!” “By allowing me to put it on you!” Arc sighs. “Maybe you should have said something first though.” “Mythic Honor appears confused. “But I did!” “YOU DID NOT!” “Sure I did! When I told you to kneel down and you did!” Ember tugs at the necklace. “Well, get it OFF!” “It can’t be removed though!” “ARE YOU JOKING?!” Mythic Honor shakes his head. “Nope! It’s enchanted to only be removable after twenty-four hours!” Arc frowns. “Why though?” “As I was saying before Ember interrupted me, this Obedience Collar is a demon fetish. One demon puts one on somepony they’re with and can control them for one day!” “So you control Ember?” “Nope! Nopony’s holding her chain!” Ember grits her teeth. “CHAIN?!” Mythic Honor nods as he pulls out a strange looking clamp and chain from a nearby shelf. He tosses it to Arc. “There’s ring on the back the collar! This goes there!” Arc frowns. “Are you telling me to… hook her up?” “Yup!” Ember turns to Arc as bears her teeth and claws. “Don’t… you… DARE!” Mythic Honor raises an eyebrow, confused. “But Ember, don’t you want to collar off?!” “OF COURSE I WANT IT OFF!” “Then he needs to attach the chain to it!” Arc sighs. “Can’t we just wait twenty-four hours?” Mythic Honor shakes his head. “The magical timer only counts down when the chain is connected and held by somepony!” Ember grimaces. “And if we don’t do anything?!” “Then it’ll stay there forever!” Ember sighs and bows her head as she turns around. “Fine. Hook it up.” Nodding, Arc walks over and puts the clasp on the collar. It glows slightly for a few seconds before returning to normal. Mythic Honor nods approvingly. “There! The collar recognizes the chain and has started the timer!” Ember grunts. “Great. At least I only have to be like this for a day.” Arc nods. “So you want to stay here then?” “Of course! If my cover gets blown any demon could take you out and take control of me!” Mythic Honor shakes his head. “That isn’t possible! After all, the one whom hooks you up is recognized as the one whom is in the ‘master’ position! Only they can control you, Ember!” Ember groans. “You do realize that isn’t reassuring.” “In any case, you two should probably get moving! It’ll be dark soon enough!” “I am NOT going anywhere until this… THING is off of me!” Mythic Honor frowns. “Uh… but the contact was already told you’re coming!” Arc shrugs. “So tell his they’ll be a delay, or something.” “It isn’t quite that simple! You see, demons take it as a personal insult if you break an agreement!” Ember facepalms. “We’re not breaking anything! Just tell him it’ll be a day later!” “But they’ll see it as us going back on our word and won’t do business with us in the future!” Arc frowns. “Find someone else then.” “That’s taken decades already!” Ember sighs as she looks to the stallion. “So we really do need to do this today?” Mythic Honor nods and gestures to the forge. “Yes! That is if we ever want armor or weapons again!” Arc looks to Ember. “Sounds like neither of us has a choice in the matter.” “Yeah. Guess not.” Mythic Honor pulls a paper out of his robe and gives it to Arc. “Here’s directions to the shop in question along with the lines you need to speak in order to let him know it’s you!” Arc frowns as he takes the paper. “And if something goes wrong?” “Grab the sacks he should have waiting for you and skedaddle!” Ember groans. “That’s what I was afraid of.” Arc turns to her. “You ready to get this over with?” “Yes sir.” Ember’s claws fly to her mouth as her eyes grow wide. Arc turns to Mythic Honor. “Collar’s magic?” “Yup!” Ember clenches her claws and seethes. “I’ll get you for this, Mythic Honor!” “Great! Thanks for being so helpful in this matter, Ember! Arc shakes his head. “I’m pretty sure Ember means that she’ll get revenge.” Mythic Honor appears confused. “What for?!” Ember turns to Arc and grits her teeth. “Can we PLEASE just get going now… s-s-sir?” “Yeah, that’s probably for the best.”