//------------------------------// // Ch.5- Many Years Ago // Story: Chronicles of Arche // by Spellbounder //------------------------------// “And like that....it’s gone! TADAH!” Arche watched from the other side of the fence as his older brother, Jack Pot, performed his magic routine for all the little fillies. Funny, seeing his act for free when a typical ticket would cost five hundred bits. Seemed like everypony was having a great time, he started to wonder if this was the best option. But then it was too late, Jack Pot looked over to him in shock and stopped performing, walking off his stage to much of the fillies sorrow. “It’s alright, a few more minutes and the show will resume, I promise!” His back to the kids, the smile on his face turned to an annoyed frown, staring into the one good eye of the military pony. “I’ll admit, this is a surprise even the greatest of magicians would never have expected.” “Hello to you too, brother.” “Arche, just what do you think you’re doing here?” Using his magic, Arche levitates a nicely wrapped present above the fence. There’s colorful ribbons on the top of it, and the paper itself has pictures of stars on it. “What does it look like? I’m here for my niece’s birthday.” Jack Pot looks over behind him, seeing the fillies run around, playing. “I don’t wanna do this, not in front of the children.” “There won’t be anything to worry about if you just let me see her.” There’s a strong tone in his voice. His good eye glaring at the blue unicorn. Jack Pot releases a sigh, using his own magic to open the gate to let Arche in. “You’ll get five minutes, then you have to leave.” Arche didn’t even dignify with a response. He just slowly makes his way inside the house. To his right he sees an orange coated mare, finishing up a rather large birthday cake. She takes one look at Arche and immediately turns to her husband in disgust. Before she can even say a word, Jack Pot already has a response. “He’ll leave as soon as he sees her. I promise.” There’s an awkward silence, but she goes back to the cake. Arche walks into the living room, the sounds of giggling and cheering can be heard. A small blue coated filly is performing magic tricks to her friends. Arche’s eye widens, seeing she has a wand marked on her flank. She turns her head and smiles, running over to Arche and hugging his leg. “Uncle Archie! You’re here! You came to my party!” Arche releases an embarrassed chuckle, never cared for that nickname, but wraps his arm around the small blue filly for a hug. “Of course I did, I wouldn’t dare miss this fun party!” “Oh my gosh! I got so many toys! And there’s a piñata, and fireworks, and daddy let me set up my own show and-“ “Slow down Trixie, you can’t be this hyped on sugar so soon, can you?” “Oh! And look! I got my cutie mark! I’m gonna be a magician just like daddy!” “I saw, it’s.....really amazing. Speaking of....I got you a present.” “Present? For me!?! YAY! Gimme! Gimmie! Gimmie! Gimmie!” “Heehee....alright alright....settle down, there you go.” He sets the present down, and the young filly goes crazy with joy ripping it open. Using her magic, she pulls out a strange looking artifact out of the box. “Wow....what is it?” Jack Pot looks over at it, then back at Arche. “Exactly, WHAT is it, Uncle Archie?” Arche didn’t appreciate the sarcasm and annoyance in his brother’s tone. He looks back at Trixie and smiles. “This is a medal I earned during my time doing recon in the swamplands. I had to do a lot of hard work to get that, and now I’m giving it to you.” Trixie looks up at him with a look of confusion. “But....this is yours. Why would I take it from you?” “No no no, sweetheart, you aren’t taking it from me, this is your gift. I want you to have this so whenever you feel scared or worried, you can look at this medal and known your uncle is out there protecting you and all the other fillies from bad ponies and monsters.” She forms a smile, as Jack Pot looks over at the clock. “Really!?! That’s so cool!” “Yep! And when you’re a grown mare, you can-“ “Ok! I think Uncle Archie needs to head on back to his base! Its a very....very...long ride back!" "Awwww! Does he have to, daddy?" "I'm afraid so, baby." The look of anger now on his brother's face was nothing new to Arche. He rolls his eyes and pats Trixie on the head. "Take good care of that for me, ok dear?" "I will Uncle Archie! I promise!" "Good, have a Happy Birthday, Trixie." He began to walk away when he felt something tug at his leg. Looking down to see Trixie hugging it again. "When I become a famous magician like daddy, you'll come to my shows, right?" "Hehehee....of course I will. You'll be a sold out show!" "Promise?" "I promise." She lets him go and runs back to her friends, Jack Pot practically dragging Arche out the front of the house, closing the door to make sure Trixie won't here. "Don't keep promises you can't remotely keep!" "Was that really necessary, Jack?" "You really are something else, you know that? What the living hay were you thinking giving that thing to her!?!" "She's important to me, and so is that medal. Where I'm going, I won't have much use for it. It's safer in her hooves." "Stop lying, this was all just a setup to drive her away from her passion like before!" "Her cutie mark....when did she get it?" "Arche, just leave my daughter alone!" "WHEN did she get her cutie mark?" The silence between the two seemed like an eternity. But Jack Pot soon realized his brother wouldn't dare leave that spot on the front lawn until he is given an answer. "Few months back.....she's a real natural....." He forms a small smile. "Just like her old man." "I'll have my first class soon. She needs to be there." "Arche, I don't know how many times I have to repeat myself about this! Trixie is not a fighter! She's not some war horse you can just send into your insane little crusade against the changelings." "Dammit Jack Pot her magic is blazing! I can sense it in my very being! It must be tapped towards the cause!" "There is no cause! There never was a cause! This isn't about Trixie, this isn't about the military, this is about you and your personal hatred for the changelings after what they did to you!" "You have no right to tell me what this is about. And you don't know the first thing about what I'm trying to accomplish here. You were just as skilled as she was at her age, maybe even more! You could've served Equestria well and helped us in the fight against the dark and wicked, I even begged you to come with me when I signed up, but no. You wanted to play magician, and while you're here pulling rabbits out of a freaking hat, I'm on the other side of the land slaughtering the monsters that hunger for every bit of love that little filly in there has for me! For you!" "Arche.....there's so much more to magic...than simply using it to kill one another." There's yet another awkward silence. Arche turns away and slowly trots off. Jack Pot wants to say something, but at this point, what else is there? He just returns to the party, as Arche leaves in his personal carriage. "Sir? Admiral? Can you hear me, sir? Sir!" Arche's mind wandered, repeating the same sentence over and over again in his book of creature anatomy. "A changeling mimics to adapt, to survive, to hunger." "Admiral Arche? Are you well, sir?" "Hmmm? Oh yes...yes...I'm terribly sorry, soldier. This book is quite...fascinating, to say the least. What is it that you need?" "I just wanted to let you know we'll be arriving in Baltimare soon. Won't be much longer now." "Yes.....of course...thank you, soldier. Carry on." He returns to his book, studying how the cells of changelings could even mimic that of real pony blood is focused properly. Such thing could never really happen, could it? It would require further testing.