//------------------------------// // On Tour! // Story: An Absol In Ponyville // by Knightwolf1875 //------------------------------// CH.7 On Tour! Well, this is a problem that I didn’t see coming. Both Octavia and Vinyl wanted me to go with them on tour. However, I’m not sure who to go with. Octy is going to be in Canterlot for her tour, and it would let me see the city in person. Meanwhile Vinyl is going to be touring some tropical islands. This makes it hard for me to pick who to go with, and what to pack. Why pack you ask? Well, if I go with Vinyl I could spend most of my time as a biped, wear the clothes that Rarity made for me, and just enjoy being close to normal again. Going with Octavia would let me explore the city of Canterlot with her, and maybe meet Celestia. At this point I’ve got to make up my mind before one of them picked for me. I told Vinyl as I head out the door with a small pack. “Check the post office on the way back please.” Vinyl yelled after me before she closed the front door. As I walked through town I took note of a small number of new guards. I didn’t pay them any mind as I made straight for the library. There was this feeling that they were there to watch me for some reason, but I could have been wrong. I might have closed the door on one of them as I entered the library and returned Vinyl’s books. I was walking around the library looking for a book about Canterlot to help me make up my mind. It felt like a slow day for the whole town. There were barely any disasters for me to feel, besides the odd pulse from the forest I felt in my horn. Guess the Timberwolves still wanted a piece of me for some reason. Maybe their pride was still hurt from our first meeting. Said meeting is why I stayed far away from the Everfree forest. I saw a map of the town someone had left out as I thought more about the forest. I knew about the Tree of Harmony, and kind of wanted to go see it. It should be easy to find, the Castle of the Two Sisters is above it after all. How my soul ached to explore it all and more. I shook my head as I returned to find that book again. “Looking for something?” Spike asked, nearly made me jump out of my fur. I had to have jumped pretty high, because as I landed he said. “Nice distance.” I panted softly getting out a pen and paper. “Don’t sneak up on me like that!” I wrote down for him. “I’m looking for a book about Canterlot.” Spike blinked seeing what I wrote. “Whoa. When did you learn to write?” “I’ve been teaching myself since Vinyl and Octavia took me in.” I wrote with a grin. “So about that book? I need to make up my mind before the girls go on their tour.” “Sure thing! Maybe Twilight and I can help you too?” I gave Spike a nod for him to go on. “We did live up there, so we could tell you about the city.” “It couldn’t hurt, but if I see one giant needle, Spike. I’m out.” I wrote before adding. “I’m a little surprised you didn’t know I was doing this. It is how I talk with others in the market after all.” Spike chuckled at that. “Okay. Just be ready for Twilight to ask all her questions about this.” “She can wait for a translation spell to be made. The one Moondancer gave her the notes about mainly.” I wrote down with a growl. “In any case, Spike. I’ll just need a book about the city for now. We heading out before Cider Season starts.” “One book on Canterlot coming right up.” Spike said with a salute that I chuckled at. He really is Twilight’s number one assistant. Third Person (Pony?) View “Target is now living the library.” An earth pony mare in guard armor with brown fur, and red mane said to another guard. Both of them were hiding in a bush. “Shouldn’t we just take it, instead of watching it?” “The Princesses don’t see her as a threat. Plus, she did fight off a Changeling to protect the ponies watching over her.” The other guard was a bat pony with black fur and blue mane. She was wearing light blue with silver armor. “So cool it, Hardcase.” Neither of them took note of how loud they were getting, or that the Absol they were watching heard them. This was normal with Lyra when she was still trying to learn about the Eevee Pack. However, with the new guard this was something odd. Even for Ponyville, this had gotten really weird as it was a Day and Night Guard. “How can I cool it when we know nothing about them, and that white one is bigger than a pony!” Hardcase stated loudly. “It could eat anypony at any time!” “I think we would have been called in sooner if that was the case.” Midnight said flatly. “You’re looking for trouble way it isn’t again. What’s your problem with them anyway?” Athena snuck up on the bush as the two kept going back and forth on their view of the Absol. She turned out to be very light on her paws as she got closer to the bush. The Absol, and the few ponies that heard her, wondered what the problem Hardcase had with even the Eevee pack. If anything the pack and Absol have been very helpful to the town. “They have powers that let them down things most unicorns can’t! It’s like they’re an army of trouble just waiting to let loose. Discord had a hoof in this I’m sure of it!” Hardcase shouted. Midnight sighed. “How can you still be going on about that? He’s in stone, and can’t do anything. So just drop it already.” “When we get it put in a cage, Midnight.” Hardcase stated flatly. “It and those things are nothing but trouble.” Athena said softly, making the mare jump out of the bush. “Who knew earth ponies could fly?” Midnight chuckled as Hardcase landed on her face. “That’s going to leave a mark.” She looked at the white furred hound as she wrote something down. “What’s the..?” The Absol said sliding the paper over before walking away. Hardcase pulled herself off the ground, holding her nose. “Ooowww. Who knew she was so quiet on her paws. We need to catch that mutt!” Midnight sighed hoofing over the note. “She’s not going to be in town for much longer. Athena, her name, is going to be going on tour with either Octavia Melody, or Vinyl Scratch a.k.a. DJpon3. Looks like it’s just the Eevee pack to watch.” “What?!” The earth mare shouted taking the note and reading it. Dear Guards, You must be new in town, so welcome. I’m Athena and I live with Octavia and Vinyl here in town. Hope the level of strange this town has doesn’t bother you two too much. If you, and the other new guard, are here to watch me for whatever reason there is. It’s only fair to give you a heads up about me going on tour with either mare once I make up my mind. Wishing you both a good day, Athena Hardcase just blinked reading the note again. “I feel like I just got kicked in the gut. She’s just trouble!” “You called her a she.” Midnight said with a grin as her partner let out a scream. First Person (Mon? Oh who cares!) I rolled my eyes as I heard the scream of the Day Guard mare. There’s going to be a lot of fun to be had in town if those two are anything to go by, but I won’t be putting bets on it. I was heading for the post office to check for any mail for Vinyl. She had something coming that she needed before her tour started, and it was late. I saw the Umbreon of the Eevee pack, Abes, leaving the office with a small yawn. Guess he was staying late for work. I called out with a wave of my paw, and got a wave back. We might not understand each other for some reason, but I still try in case something changes. The bell rang as I entered the post office, and was greeted by some of the ponies. Derpy waved at me as I wrote down what I was there for, and pawed the paper to one of the post workers. I didn’t like to stay in town for very long since Runic and his two summonses showed up. The pranks of the Abra weren’t funny, and the Klink tried to crush my tail for no reason. Last time both appeared at the post office and tried starting a fight with me. “Here you go, dear.” An older mare said hoofing over a small package to me. “It seems a lot of packages have been coming in with Poison Joke for those mares you’re staying with. Somepony must really want to keep them away from their tours.” I muttered as I took the package and put in my pack. I wrote down what I said and waved goodbye. I heard a pair of voices in a bush and sighed. Hardcase, and Midnight were failing to keep a low profile following me again. Well, Hardcase was at least. That mare could be louder than Vinyl’s music somehow, and that’s not easy to do. I rolled my eyes as I walked past the bush and dropped a note I wrote. “I’m not loud!” The Day Guard mare shouted as I head home. “And I’m great at hiding!” I said before I heard something rushing at me. I put up Protect just in time as Hardcase slammed into it. “Hardcase! Stop that!” Midnight shouted as she grabbed her partner. “I’m sorry about her. She’s just really stressed out about our new posting.” She said as she held Hardcase in a headlock. I sighed and got out a paper. “She made it clear she hates me and the Eevee pack. A mindset like that has no place in the guard.” I glared at Hardcase and pointed at her. “A little harsh, but I get where you’re coming from.” Midnight said reading the note. “Still we were told you beat a Changeling, and save the two mares you were staying with. Any creature that can do that needs to be watched for a little while, and make sure it is not a threat to others.” I nodded my head. “A fair point, Midnight.” I wrote. “I need to get this package to Vinyl. It should be the parts she needs to repair her turntables.” “Get going then. I’ve got to drag my partner back so she wakes up.” Midnight chuckled weakly. “I held the headlock for too long.” She muttered holding up the pass out Hardcase. I said before I turned and headed home. “Just when I thought it couldn’t be any stranger, and those mares are from Canterlot. Maybe it’ll be safer to go with Vinyl after all.” A Short Time Later I called out as I closed the door. I pulled the package from my pack and set it next to the white unicorn’s turntable. A loud pair of thuds from the bedroom answered my question. I deadpanned. I put my pack near the door, and made sure the door was locked. No need for someone to walk in on those two like I did once, and that was in the shower. Octavia and Vinyl really took to their new biped bodies. It kind of scared me with how much they enjoyed even having fingers. Don’t ask about it, please. Next I shifted to my biped form and pulled out the book I got. The nice thing about my collar was the four gems it held with my mega stone. It held three stars, and the crescent moon made of diamond held my clothes for my biped body. I had workout clothes, a diamond dog costume for in town, and regular clothes. The moon held a combat outfit that could take a heavy amount of damage. I do make sure to change them out when I have worn a set, and wash them. At the moment I was dressed in blue jeans, and a red tank top. It was time to relax as the mares had fun in their bedroom, and hope the book helped me make up my mind. One Week Later I was wearing my diamond dog costume as I rode with Octavia to Canterlot. My tail was wrapped in leather scraps to help hide it, fingerless leather gloves, a long black duster, brown pants, white button up shirt, and a hat to hide my horn. I kind of looked like a female Indiana Jones. I even had a whip on my hip with two long daggers hidden under the duster. I needed my biped form to help Octy carry her things, and talk to her. “I’m still surprised the idea came from Rarity for this.” Octavia said as we ate lunch at a café. “Where did she say the idea came from again?” “She said it was from one of her mystery novels.” I answered as I sipped my tea. “I’ve got to give the mare credit for thinking on her hooves for this costume, and a few other ideas for hiding me in plain sight.” “Think I should ask for a costume as well to do the same?” Octy asked before she took a bite of her sandwich. She had a thoughtful look on her face as she ate and looked around. “I wonder where our host is. They’re running late.” I shrugged as I dug into my lunch of chicken, mashed potatoes, and a small salad. “I’m still not sure why either Princess would want to see us like this. At least we get a private area to enjoy some peace from the crowds. How do some of those nobles even get by on being so rude?” Octavia rolled her eyes. “Your guess is as good as mine. I’m more surprised at how you shut up that last pair.” She chuckled as they trashed talked about my clothes. “Guess some of them have never been outside the city in their lives.” “It is a shame to hear you both had some trouble here.” A voice said. We turned to see Celestia walk up to the table and sat down. A waiter placed her lunch before her. It was a chicken and bacon sandwich with fries. “I hope I didn’t keep you two waiting too long.” “I’m sure you had something important to deal with. Running a country can’t be easy.” I waved it off. “So, how much did BonBon tell you in her report?” “I can see how you’d think the invite would be about that.” The solar mare said as she ate. “But I wanted to know the creature that saved some of my ponies.” “Athena has been a busy Absol.” Octavia said with a grin. “When we first met she took out an Alpha Timberwolf while injured.” “Really?” Celestia asked as she looked at me. “What kind of magic did you use to drive it off?” I chuckled softly. “I don’t use magic, Princess. It only looks like it with how some of it works.” I had to think back for a moment. “If I recall from after I got knocked into that tree. I used Thunder to knock the wooden mutt of its paws, followed up with Blizzard, and then broke it down using Razor Wind. Then I passed out from the pain.” Celestia just blinked as I ate my meal. She turned to Octavia while she pointed a hoof at me. “Did that really happen?” “Yes, she used those attack moves, that’s what she said those are called, and before that she used Protect to us from being hit by the wolf’s paw.” Octy said as she ate as well. This seemed to throw Celestia off her game a little. “But that’s not the only reason you wanted to see us, is it?” “BonBon gave you an unedited report about Imago’s attack in person?” I asked as I sipped my tea. “Or should I say…” “Yes. It’s the fact you have this other form I really wanted to ask you about.” Celestia said to cut me off. “And I don’t think it was Moondancer’s spell.” The glare Octavia and I gave her sent a small shiver up her spine. She hid it very well, but I saw a bit of it in her wing twitch. I was surprised she let it slip like that. “Twilight might have said something about a side project of Moondancer’s, but she’s been busy with…” Octavia snorted. “Let me guess. Using four inch needles to take blood samples from the Eevee pack, and her translation spell?” “She does what to the Eevee pack?” Sunbutt asked shocked. “Doesn’t she know that’s too big for such a thing?” “She doesn’t care when her ‘For Science’ mindset kicks in.” I muttered. “She even tried it on me when Moondancer want to give me a check up before we left for tour.” “Here I thought Luna telling them about the side effects of the Elements was a bad idea. Looks like she was right to do so a few nights ago.” Celestia said as she returned to eating. “I’ll make sure to send a detailed letter to her about her ‘research’ methods, again.” Octy and I shared a look that said: “That’s not going to work at all with Twilight.” It wasn’t hard for Celestia to see it though. “So what’s with the outfit?” Celestia asked as she wanted to change subjects. “I have to say it works well in hiding your form.” “We have Rarity to thank for that, and she’s Pinkie Promised not to tell. I’ve got a few others clothes as well, thanks to Rarity, and a few other clothes I bought.” I said as I finished my meal. “I can’t help feeling like you wanted to learn something else, but I’m willing to tell you this form was gifted to me by Arceus. Well I would like to think it was him at any rate.” Celestia kept up her poker face this time, as I couldn’t tell if she knew the name or not. Still was worth a try at least. “I hope this meeting helped with your worries about me living in Ponyville, Princess.” “I feel much better knowing that there’s someone the guard can trust living there.” Celestia chuckled. “At least when you’re not out touring with Octavia or Vinyl. How has it been talking with the Eevee pack by the way?” “It’s been pretty good, but I stay out of the way for the most part.” I wasn’t going to let her in that Vinyl and I started to fully understand the Eevee Pack now. It just meant it was about time for me to have a talk with the pack was all. “They are busy with helping the Element Bearers after all. I don’t think even Rainbow could pull herself away from Leo.” Two Hours Later at the Royal Garden Luna’s P.O.V. Luna had joined them after waking up for a meeting with a group of nobles, which she really didn’t want to deal with. So she was more than happy to meet Athena, and Octavia as a means to make the stuff shirts wait. The mare of the night wanted to check on something as she hadn’t found any of the Absol’s dreams. At least she wasn’t sure if she had, but it was something she needed to check in person. Besides, she needed a little fun in the sun for a change and Tai had invited her along. Third View Octavia chuckled as she, Luna, and Celestia watched as the statue of Discord had a small river flowing from its base. It was truly the highlight of the three mare’s day as Athena glared up at the statue’s face. It was something else to see the embodiment of disharmony and chaos in fear, even if he was turned to stone at the moment. “This makes it worth awaking up so early in this day.” Luna said as she sipped her hot tea. It wasn’t her coffee but it was helping her wakeup. “And to think, sister. All we truly needed to strike fear into Discord was to find one like her.” “I’m sure there’s a story about this.” Celestia said with a smirk. “I’m still waiting for the whole truth from you, Athena.” The biped Absol glanced over her shoulder at the sisters. “I’ll tell when you give us a private area to talk, and make sure it is just us four, Princess. I don’t want the wrong beings to hear it.” Athena went back to her glaring at the stoned Discord. “Really? You’re going to try and play games to get a truth out of her you know she’s not going to give, sister?” Luna asked with a glare at her sister. “There is something more to her story I’m sure of it!” Celestia shot back as Luna sipped her tea. “I have to know what it is!” Octavia inched toward Athena. “So this is what they are like when alone? It’s nice to see them being sisters.” She said with a grin. “Refreshing really to know they aren’t so perfect.” The sound of something a keen to breaking made all four look at Discord’s statue. Along the neck from his right shoulder to his jaw as a visible creak. It was just enough to make it clear that something was very wrong. It was a question of what it was now.