//------------------------------// // Mounting Tensions // Story: Prisoners of the Heart // by KidatHeart5 //------------------------------// “Look! There’s a town straight ahead!” “Hey, doesn’t that building remind me of the Temple of the Stars back home?” “Oh, I’d love to see it!” “Which one? Uh-oh. We’re losing wind!” “Oh, no! What do we do?!” “Okay, okay, just-just stay calm! Maybe we can land somewhere soft!” “Like that hay cart?” “Sure! Let’s aim for the hay cart! Okay! Here we go!” CRASH! “Well, we tried.” The schoolponies walking across Ponyville with their teacher stopped when they saw a leafy hang-glider crash near a hay cart. They then saw two lumps squirming under the contraption and heard them muttering. Suddenly, two strange beings emerged from underneath the glider. One was a bipedal cat with a red knee-high skirt and a large collar necklace adorned with many red and yellow jewels. The other was almost like a pony except for a curvy red horn, a scaly back, and a mane that was stylized like a lion’s. As the newcomers looked at the children in surprise, the cat awkwardly began to speak, “Uh…Hello?” A colt said, “Strangers.” Another filly spoke up, “From the outside.” The kids gave an “ooh” in unison. The strange pony introduced herself with a playful yet confident air, “Greetings! We are Autumn Blaze and Capper! We come in peace!” The kids then flocked towards them, despite their teacher’s protests. Autumn Blaze adored the attention while Capper was a bit apprehensive about the situation. Just then, Neighsay walked out of the doors of the Castle of Friendship to run an errand. Before he reached the steps, he saw two strange beings surrounded by children. He gasped at the strangers’ bizarre appearances and rushed back inside the castle, quickly slamming the doors behind him. He then skidded into the library and closed the doors to the large room with his bare hooves. Virtue Mystique – who was researching a book – asked, “Neighsay?” Juniper Montage – who was on a wheeled ladder – chimed in, “What are you doing?” Neighsay panted in a frightened tone, “Ladies, today I’ve seen something no pony should ever see.” Both mares came up to him and asked, “What?” He then cried, “Two beasts! Two horrible, monstrous beasts!” “What?!” All three of them ran to the front doors and creaked them open to watch the scene without being detected. Upon observing the two creatures, they were surprised to see the children greeting them with open arms. Neighsay whispered, “What are they doing?! Those children shouldn’t be near those monsters!” Juniper asked, “Is the one with the red horn supposed to be some kind of half-pony, half-lion hybrid?” Virtue answered indignantly, “Of course not! It’s a Kirin! Truth be told, I thought they were just a legend.” Neighsay said in uneasiness of the strangers, “And what about that creature there?” Virtue began to answer, “I think it’s an…” Suddenly, her eyes caught something. In the center of the cat’s bejeweled collar necklace was a red cameo. It had a cream-colored stone in the shape of a pony’s head, in which the eye was a rainbow jewel. To Virtue, the cameo meant only one thing. She breathed in awe, “The Rainbow-Eyes!” Juniper uttered, “Huh?” Neighsay asked, “Who?” Meanwhile, Autumn Blaze asked the kids, “We are on a really important mission. We need to speak to your leader. Who’s in charge here?” The teacher responded, “Why, the mayor, of course. I’ll go get –“ A voice then said, “I’ll take it from here, thank you.” When Capri landed next to the crowd of kids, the schoolponies gasped and fled behind their teacher. Capper also hid behind Autumn when he saw the draconequus with the dark maroon hair. Capri said in annoyance while placing his fists on her hips, “Oh, sure. You get all excited when they’re here, but when I’m here, suddenly it’s –“ Juniper Montage interrupted her as she introduced herself, “Hi! I’m Princess Juniper Montage of Applewood! Nice to meet you!” She extended her hoof for a hoofshake, but Autumn and Capper just stared at it in confusion. Juniper whispered to Neighsay, “I think they’re just shy.” Neighsay muttered in disdain, “Indeed.” He then spoke up and introduced himself in a formal manner, “I am the princess’s advisor, Neighsay.” Capri introduced herself, “I am Capri, sister of Prince Discord.” Finally, it was Virtue’s turn. “And I am Virtue Mystique. What are your names?” Capper introduced himself, “Capper’s the name. Charming’s my game.” He gave a bow. Autumn then said, “And I’m Autumn Blaze. Pleased to meet you all. We came from –“ Suddenly, Capper shut her mouth with his paws. He tittered nervously, “Eh-heh-heh. We’re not allowed to say in public. Shall we go inside for a little chat?” When the six of them were in the castle, Neighsay decided to retire to his guest room because he wasn’t very interested in what the newcomers had to say. Juniper, however, wanted to be in the library with them. Capri and Virtue knew that the princess would do anything to listen in, so they begrudgingly allowed her to be present, on one condition… “Absolute secrecy?” Juniper whined. Virtue stressed, “Juniper, this is too important to share with the world. If you want to be included, you have to do what we say.” Capri whipped up a piece of taffy and told her, “This is a candy I like to call ‘Tight-Lips’. It prevents you from telling anyone outside of our circle and the royal family about what you are going to hear.” Juniper’s eyes widened, “You mean, it’s a conspiracy?!” Capri sputtered in frustration, “No, it’s not a conspiracy! Just eat it!” After she shoved the taffy into the mare’s mouth, she added, “The spell will lift only if it’s absolutely necessary that you tell someone about the topic.” After Juniper swallowed the candy, she said in an irritated tone, “Okay, I ate it. Can I please be included now?” Virtue and Capri said in unison as they closed the library doors so no one else could hear the conversation they were about to have, “Yes.” A few days ago, a gentle army of Kirin was traversing the jungles of Southern Equestria. After their home on the Peaks of Peril fell prey to a dragon attack, Queen Rain Shine decided that it was time to return to the place where the Kirin had originally called home before they migrated to the Peaks thousands of years ago. As the Kirin got closer to their birthplace, they sang and trotted to the tune, “Hega hega ya-hi-ye-hega…Ya-hi-ye-ne-he hega…” One of the Kirin blew into a wooden horn. “Hega hega ya-hi-ye-hega…Ya-hi-ye-ne-he hega…” After the Kirin blew his horn again, the female Kirin sang, “Steady as the beating drum…Singing to the cedar flute…Seasons go and seasons come…Bring the corn and bear the fruit…” The male Kirin then joined in with the ladies, “By the waters sweet and clean…where the mighty sturgeon lives…Plant the squash and reap the bean...All the earth our mother gives…O great spirit, hear our song…Help us keep the ancient ways…keep the sacred fire strong…walk in balance all our days… “Seasons go and seasons come…Steady as the beating drum…Plum to seed to bud to plum…Hega hega ya-hi-ye hega…Steady as the beating drum…Hega hega ya-hi-ye-hega…Ya-hi-ye-ne-he hega… “Hega hega ya-hi-ye-hega…Ya-hi-ye-ne-he hega…Hega…Hega…Hega… Hega…Hega…Hega…Hega…” They trailed off when Rain Shine suddenly stopped walking. They kept silent as her ears strained to hear whatever was coming from the dark cave. After a few minutes, their leader told her party, “Wait here. Something may be in these tunnels. If I do not return by sunset, leave at once.” And so the Kirin waited anxiously for their queen to return from the cave. After an hour of uneasy silence and nervous chatter among the Kirin, they saw glowing white eyes and a burning fire of red, cyan, and violet ascend from the deepest depths of the cave. It was none other than Queen Rain Shine, who now assumed her Nirik form. The Kirin were shocked to see their leader like this and knew that something was terribly wrong. Thankfully for them and the surrounding plants of the jungle, Rain Shine calmed down and returned to her Kirin form. However, anger was still etched on her face. “We head back to the clearing as our temporary home,” she told her subjects in a low voice. No one dared to question her and followed her to the glade. That night, everyone gathered in the great conference tent to hear what Rain Shine had to say. She related her tale: while in the tunnels, she found cat guards at a gate where the entry to the birthplace was. From them, she learned that a group called the Rainbow-Eyes had built their city on their homeland. She tried to enter the city to speak with the Rainbow-Eyes’ leader, but the guards treated her as an intruder who was lying in order to conquer it. After finishing her story, she told her subjects that they would prepare for war in the next moon. Autumn Blaze tried to reason with the queen and vouch for a more diplomatic approach. Rain Shine dismissed her suggestion and so did everyone else. When she went to bed, Autumn couldn’t sleep and thus decided to take matters into her own hooves. She sneaked off towards the nearest papaya tree and began picking its fruit. She hoped to take a bowl of fruit to the guards as a peace offering tomorrow morning. Then, a voice startled her, “You know they’re bad, right?” Autumn yelped and fell to the ground. A lone papaya then fell and impaled itself on her horn. She hurriedly got on her hooves and faced the treeline in a defensive stance. “Who are you?! Don’t hurt me! I…got a papaya on my head and I’m not afraid to use it!” A tall cat with a red skirt then emerged from the brush and said smoothly, “Whoa, whoa there, miss. You don’t need to use the papaya. Besides…” He pulled the impaled fruit from her horn. “…you were getting yourself a bad batch.” He split it open and Autumn Blaze saw black and white splotches inside the fruit. She grimaced, “Yuck! Glad you stopped me before I gave those papayas to the cat guards.” “You mean Chummer and Alley? Yeah, I know those two.” “That’s great! We could meet them tomorrow and tell them this whole land thing was a big misunderstanding.” “Well, sorry to rain on your parade, Miss…” “Autumn Blaze.” “Right. Hate to tell you this, but the Rainbow-Eyes see your kind as the intruders, not them.” “But it’s our land!” As she said this, red wisps of magic danced around her horn for a second. “Well, when my ancestors came here a couple thousand years ago, they didn’t see any sign that said ‘This Land is Taken’. They just assumed that the place was abandoned and built El Dortroto right on top of the ruins.” Autumn said in realization, “Oh, wow. I never thought of it like that before.” She then gasped, “Oh my gosh! We have to stop the war before it happens!” “What war?” “Rain Shine and the other Kirin are going to war with the Rainbow-Eyes in the next moon!” “How big is their army?” “They don’t need a big army to cause a lot of damage.” “Oh, they must have a secret weapon, then.” “Er…something like that. Do you think you can talk to your friends about negotiating peace with the Kirin?” “E-e-e-I don’t think I can. I’m considered small potatoes in El Dortroto.” Autumn Blaze then gasped in revelation, “That’s it! We need a third party to help us with this! Do you know any jungle tribes around here?” “Not too many, I’m afraid.” At that moment, the cat got an idea. “Oh, say! Why don’t we travel beyond the jungle to find a third party?” “That’s a great idea! I got a hang-glider that I’ve been working on for forever. I’ll finish it so we can take off for who-knows-where tomorrow night!” “Sounds like a plan!” He then pointed to a tall rock formation, “I’ll meet you up there, okay?” “Okay!” Before she and the cat parted ways, she said to him, “Oh! I never got your name.” “It’s Capper. Capper Dapperpaws.” Virtue asked, “So you took the hang-glider and flew your way to Ponyville?” Autumn nodded, “Yep! Only we didn’t know we were going to land in Ponyville. We were just following the northern lights in the sky.” Capri’s ears perked in realization, “Oh! You saw the northern lights? Those were from the Crystal Empire as a way to calm everyone during a crisis.” Capper asked, “Crisis?” Juniper nodded, “Yeah. Celestia and Luna got captured and pirates –“ Capri quickly covered Juniper’s mouth as she smiled nervously, “Oh, you don’t need to worry about that. We’re taking care of it right now.” Autumn’s spirits lowered, “So you’re not coming with us, then?” Virtue said, “I will, if Capper answers one question.” The cat asked, “Yeah?” “Do you know anyone named Quibble Pants?” He waved his paw nonchalantly as he answered, “Oh, yeah. I know him. He and his wife are the talk of the town ever since they arrived in El Dortroto about a week ago.” Virtue jumped and shouted for joy, “YES! They’re alive! They’re alive! I knew it! I knew it all along!” Autumn Blaze smiled, “So you’re coming?” “Yes, yes! Absolutely, I will!” Juniper then piped up, “I wanna come, too!” Capri asked her, “But what about forging an alliance with the deer?” “Well, Skyla and Blackthorn are doing that. I can come with you guys to help stop a war and forge two alliances! One between the Rainbow-Eyes and the Kirin, and the other between El Dortroto and Equestria!” The draconequus put her hands on Juniper’s shoulders and faced her at eye-level, “You promised your uncle that you’d help build an alliance with the deer. Plus, I don’t think you’re ready to do that yet. There’s still a lot more you need to learn, just as I do.” The princess growled, “ERRGGHH! Why does no one think I’m capable of doing anything?!” She then ran out of the library in a huff. Juniper tossed and turned in her bed, not being able to sleep. How could she? They thought she wasn’t capable of anything! Well, she’d show them. She would show them that she could forge an alliance with the deer and then El Dortroto. After she stopped the war, that is. Then Neighsay and her uncle will see her as a responsible mare. No, a responsible, heroic mare! She liked the sound of that. She jumped out of bed, grabbed a black cloak to wear, and put on her slippers so she wouldn’t make a sound. She then ran down the halls – sometimes losing her way – until she reached the front doors. She took off her slippers and slowly creaked open the door. Once she slipped out without being detected, she closed the door softly before trotting down the steps and towards the Everfree Forest. Right after she asked for directions. “Has Princess Skyla been escorted to her room?” Blackthorn nodded, “Yes, Your Highness. She finds Thicket to be a splendid and beautiful place.” Aspen said, “I would’ve liked to hear those words from her own mouth.” “Knowing you, you probably would’ve thought she was just buttering up to you.” “Hmm, perhaps. Let’s take a walk on the skyway for a few minutes, Captain. I must speak with you about something.” “As you wish, Your Majesty.” As the two of them started to ascend the spiral walkway, Aspen said, “Thicket’s long absence from the Everfree Forest is proof of the ponies’ carelessness and cruelty.” Blackthorn interjected, “With all due respect, Your Grace, the Everfree Forest hasn’t suffered while we were gone.” “And yet it hasn’t thrived either, has it?” Blackthorn’s eyes darted downwards, knowing that the king was right. When they reached the skyway, Blackthorn’s breath caught. Oh, how he had missed this view of the night sky as well as the small lights dotting the skyway. It was all so magical and he truly felt at peace whenever he was here. He returned to the subject at hoof and stated, “My king, my guards and I have lived among the ponies for a while. I grant you they may be somewhat ignorant, but…I think they’re a bit like us.” Aspen stopped in his tracks with a soft yet alarmed glare on his face. He slowly turned towards his companion and suggested, “Captain…has it ever occurred to you that you are perhaps being misled?” Blackthorn raised an eyebrow. “’Misled’?” Aspen gestured his hoof towards the horizon and explained, “Out there is a world where ponies and other creatures are attracted to the material and disposable. When they fight and quarrel over meaningless possessions, cities and kingdoms will fall. In here, we live in simplicity as one with nature. Even with Thicket’s entrapment, we have thrived for generations. The ponies and other creatures will one day perish, but the deer will remain on this very earth. But should the outside world be allowed to conquer our paradise, it will spell an end for the deer.” Blackthorn told him, “You make your point quite vividly, sir, but you’re focusing only on their destructive tendencies, not what they can do through friendship.” Aspen turned his nose up in dismissal, “Even their concept of friendship will surely poison our society from within. If an alliance with the Crystal Empire is forged, the ponies will leave us be except for aid alone. We are not to be involved in their wars, their celebrations, or their traditions. We must live by the code our ancestors created countless moons ago. We cannot allow ourselves to be like ponies. We are deer – steadfast, brave, and true.” “We may not be like ponies, Your Highness, but we must adapt. We can’t just live in isolation.” “We have, we can, and we will. Our way of life will be preserved and nothing will taint it.” “Is that why you’re threatened by anyone different from you?” Aspen looked at him in stunned silence before a guard ran up towards them. “Sire! A pony has trespassed into Thicket!” Aspen exclaimed in a soft but alarmed tone, “What?!” As the king went with the guard, Blackthorn lingered on the skyway until a dreadful thought crossed his mind. “Oh, no…”