//------------------------------// // A Crafter's Dream Ch. 66: Playing Catch-Up (Part 1) // Story: A Crafter's Dream (Discontinued) // by ruthim345 //------------------------------// Now, without further ado, I present, “A Crafter’s Dream” The conference didn’t last too long after that. There were a few ponies after Clear Shine that asked questions, but with the exception of that one stallion who asked about the attack on the guard barracks, they were more general inquires about what he’d been up to since his arrival in Equestria, which he’d had no trouble answering. Eventually, the questions stopped coming and Steve, taking the lack of raised hooves as a sign to wrap the conference up, thanked everyone for their time and swiftly left the conference room. He walked by Celestia, taking a moment to shoot her a grin before he moved past her to leave the backstage area. The alicorn followed him out the backdoor and into the large hallway. Two nearby guards did an immediate double-take at the duo’s appearance. “Your highness!” They both called as they simultaneously bowed. Celestia sighed. “At ease.” She spoke calmly, her smile looking just a little bit forced. The two guards rose. “I’m going to take a guess and assume you two are still new?” They both nodded. “Then let me tell you a little secret.” She leaned in close. “The whole ‘bowing whenever I’m around’ really isn’t necessary, unless it’s during an important event or meeting. It’s more of a formality than anything else.” “O-oh.” One of the guards spoke. “Sorry your Highness.” She shook her head. “It’s fine. Now, if you will excuse us, Steve and I must get going.” Nodding to the Crafter next to her, the two began walking off, leaving the two guards behind. “That happen a lot?” The Crafter asked once the guards weren’t in sight anymore. “Oh, you have no idea.” Celestia replied with an exasperated sigh. “Not matter what I say or do, I can never get them to stop. It’s like they’re afraid I’ll smite them if they so much as breathe wrong in my presence.” “Well, it’s not like you’re one of the most powerful beings currently in existence, with the capabilities of moving the literal fucking sun.” Steve spoke, giving the alicorn a cheeky grin. She laughed and rolled her eyes. “Okay, I suppose I understand where they’re coming from, but still. They seem to have this whole mindset that if they upset me, I’ll banish them to the sun or something like that.” “Nah, you wouldn’t do that.” Steve commented. “You’re too nice.” “See!?” She exclaimed. “You get it! I just don’t understand why nopony else does.” “I think I know why.” Steve spoke. Celestia gave him a raised eyebrow, a small look of surprise on her face. “Really?” She inquired. The Crafter nodded. “Yeah. It’s because in their minds, you’re kind of like this, untouchable goddess, of sorts. They put you on this figurative pedestal, one that they could never dream of reaching. They see you as some perfect, divine being instead of what you really are.” Celestia quirked an eyebrow. “And that is?” “You’re, well, you’re a lot like me, actually.” She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion at the Crafter’s response. “What do you mean?” “Well, we’re both beings of power, for one. You control the sun, I’m basically a one-man army. Neither of us are perfect, and we’ve both made our fair share of mistakes. If the history books are anything to go by, then we’ve both fought in numerous wars. We’ve lost loved ones, more than either one of us can count. And, lastly, you and I are both members of a dying or dead race, respectively.” Celestia furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. “What are you talking about? There are thousands of ponies living in Canterlot, not to mention the rest of Equestria.” “True. But how many alicorns are there?” Celestia’s breath caught in her throat. “Because when I noticed how you, Luna and Cadence were the only alicorns I’d met, I decided to do a bit of digging, try and find out how many alicorns there were. Turns out, you three are the only alicorns currently alive. Now, I don’t know about you, Celestia, but if there’s only three remaining members of a species, they are at the very least at risk of dying out.” The alicorn opened her mouth to speak, but Steve quickly stopped her with a raised hand. “And yes, I know that alicorns are blessed with immortality, but remember, so was my kind, and look what happened to them. Immortality doesn’t make you unkillable, Celestia. I would know this, because I am immortal and I can’t count the times I’ve nearly died in the past few months.” “Steve, there are so few alicorns for a reason. There can only be six alicorns alive at any given time.” Steve quirked an eyebrow. “Why?” She sighed as she rubbed a hoof against her face. “Steve, have you ever heard anything about the balance of nature?” “Eh, a little bit. Never thought too hard about it, though. It says something about how ‘nature is in a state of equilibrium,’ or something along those lines, right?” “Basically speaking, yes. That balance applies to every living thing in the world, most especially alicorns. As such, only six alicorns can ever exist at any given time. If that limit is exceeded, then Harmony would be disrupted and the world would fall into chaos and ruin. In my entire lifetime, such an event has only ever occurred once.” “What happened?” Steve asked. A look of pain flashed in Celestia’s eyes. She opened her mouth to respond, but no words passed her lips. Finally, after a few moments, she closed her mouth, lips drawn in a thin line. “Equestria was never the same afterwards.” Steve opened his mouth to inquire further, but he was interrupted before he could. “Princess Celestia!! Princess Celestia!!” A voice called, accompanied by a hurried clanking. Both Crafter and alicorn whirled around to see a guard running towards them. Upon getting close enough, the pony tried to slide to a stop, but couldn’t keep his footing, resulting in him falling onto his back with a loud clanking sound. Hurriedly rolling onto his back, he managed to stand up straight and salute. “What is it?” Celestia asked, confusion and worry on her face. “There’s a situation, your Highness.” The guard spoke. “A dragon landed in the west gardens, carrying some, uh, rather peculiar company. The dragon hasn’t done anything, but she’s demanding to see you, Princess.” Celestia quirked an eyebrow. “What do you mean, peculiar company?” “Well, one of them is a stallion. He said his name is Braeburn Apple, from Appleoosa. The other is a creature that I’ve, well, I’ve never seen anypony like it before, your Highness.” “What do you mean?” The pale alicorn inquired, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “What does this being look like?” The guard’s eyes trailed over to Steve as he pointed a hoof at the Crafter. “It looks like him, your Majesty.” He responded. Celestia and Steve looked at each other with wide eyes before looking back at the guard. After a few moments, the Crafter uttered a single word. “What?” * * * * * “So, um, not that I’m complaining, or anything.” Martha began. “But do you guys really have to be doing this?” In response, the four dozen or so guards surrounding her, Abyss and Braeburn reinforced their stances. “As annoying as it is, I can’t say I’m surprised.” Abyss commented with a roll of her eyes. “Why not?” Martha asked, to which the dragoness looked at her with a raised eyebrow. “Uh, maybe because I’m a huge, terrifying dragon, and they’re a bunch of little ponies?” “Ah. So, like how Braeburn passed out when he saw you?” Abyss nodded as the yellow stallion standing next to them face-hoofed, his cheeks slightly tinted red. “Please, Ah’m already embarrassed about it. Ya don’t need to keep bringing it up.” Martha knelt down and gave Braeburn a hug. “Aw, there’s nothing to be embarrassed about. It happens to everyone at some point.” She cooed as she petted his head with one hand. Suddenly, without warning, there was a cracking sound, accompanied by a bright flash of light. As Martha rubbed the spots from her vision, she turned to see what had caused the flash. Her jaw dropped as her eyes widened in shock. The first thing she saw was another pony, though this one was much taller than any other pony she’d ever seen, though that wasn’t saying much. It’s fur was a pale white color, which contrasted heavily with its pink, green and blue colored mane. It not only had a pair of wings, but also a large white horn. However, though it was truly a strange sight for the Testificate, it wasn’t the pony that had shocked Martha. It was the being standing next to her. A being that Martha recognized, from her childhood. Several Years Prior She stood there on the hard, cold cobblestone. Next to her stood her father, the village Chieftain. All around stood a mix of iron and snow golems, with a few scattered village guards, the only villagers who had the will and training to actually use a sword. They all stared at what lay in front of them. An empty Nether Portal frame, though this particular one was twice as tall and several times wider than any portal Martha had read about in her books. The portal had been built only a few days before. Afterwards, several thousand Minecraftians, with King Steve at the front, had marched into the purple portal. After the last Crafter had stepped through, the portal was destroyed, so that nothing could come through until the Minecraftians returned. Now, three days later, there were signs of activity again. Purple wisps began to form within the cold, black frame. Her father had gathered every golem and villager guard in New Ironwood to stand at the ready, in case it wasn’t the Minecraftians who were returning. Suddenly, the wisps of purple molded together, and the portal activated, the space inside the frame turning into a swirling wall of purple. Everyone around her tensed up slightly. For a moment, there was nothing. Then, a single person fell through. He stumbled and fell face-first on the ground, his body making a sickening “Thwap!” as he hit the ground, as though he was soaking wet. Which he was, Martha found a moment later. He was soaked, just not with water. Dark red blood covered him, though she couldn’t tell if it was his blood or not. He wore no armor, save for a pair of cracked diamond boots. The pants and shirt he wore were in tatters, covered in holes and tears, seemingly on the brink of falling apart at any moment. “Your majesty!” Martha’s father cried out as he and the villager guards all rushed forward, helping pull the Minecraftian to his feet. Martha’s eyes widened. ‘King Steve?’ She inwardly questioned as she stared at the heavily injured Minecraftian, who despite the aid of her father and others, seemed to be barely standing. It was hard to recognize him with all of the blood covering his features. “Swefvj sadhdwo, adjgid. Jgqpcnacliy zxcepoif.” King Steve spoke quietly, his softly spoken words garbled. Martha heard her father speak. “Damn. Knew I should’ve brought a translator.” Shaking his head, her father turned to one of the nearby guards. “Go get some potions and food from Father James! Tell him the Minecraftians have come back!” The guard nodded. “On it, sir!” With that, he ran off, back towards the village. “Uh, sir?” Another guard spoke. “Where are the rest of the Minecraftians?” Martha’s father took a quick glance at the Nether portal. “I… I don’t know. Maybe they fell behind?” “Wdn acnhdu sdmfje czakhiu.” The Minecraftian spoke, shaking his head. Pushing away from her father, Martha watched as King Steve slowly trudged back towards the portal, falling to his knees before it. He reached over his shoulder and slowly withdrew a diamond pick-axe. Pulling it back, he slammed the crystalline tool into the obsidian base. “What are you doing?!” Her father cried, despite knowing that the Minecraftian couldn’t understand a word he said. King Steve slammed the pick-axe down once more, the black stone beginning to crack. Before another blow could land, her father grabbed the Minecraftian’s arm. Steve immediately snapped his gaze towards the chieftain, causing the villager to release his grip and take a step back. Something happened between the two. Some silent conversation occurred between them, spoken not with their words, but with their eyes. Her father stared King Steve straight in the face, then gave a shaky sigh as he nodded his head and stepped away. The Minecraftian resumed his task, his pick-axe slowly chipping away at the obsidian block. “Sir?” One of the guards spoke. “What happened? Why is he breaking the portal?” For a moment, her father remained silent. Then, he answered. “Because I don’t think anyone else is coming.” There was a loud clunk, and the mass of swirling purple disappeared. The Present “It’s you.” She whispered. Steve’s gaze turned into one of confusion. “What?” Steve asked. “It’s you. You’re King Steve.” She spoke, louder this time. The Testificate began making her way towards the Crafter. “I lived in New Ironwood. I was there when you lead your army into the Nether, and when you returned.” Her eyes suddenly got even wider as she realized something. “Wait. I can understand you.” She said, quiet at first, but soon she began to shout. “I can actually understand you!” She rushed forward, clamping her arms around his torso in a tight hug. Steve, still in a state of shock, looked down at the grinning Testificate. “...I am so lost right now.”