//------------------------------// // Chapter 15 - Out of Options // Story: The Equestrian Odyssey - A Tale of Two Worlds // by Kamahido //------------------------------// Rose looks at Arc curiously. “But Arc! You haven’t even heard what…” “We don’t have time! This force is going to move out any moment now!” Arc looks to Sereb. “If you have an idea, now’s the time to act!” “Very well.” Sereb turns to Kane and takes up a battle stance. “Brother! I challenge you to a duel for the title of Warchief!” Kane turns away. “We do not have time for…!” Iris steps in front of her son. “You have been challenged, Kane. The call must be answered.” He continues past his mother. “After the campaign. Warriors, to me!” None of them move. Iris walks over to Kane “They will only follow the one who is strongest.” Kane frowns. “But that is me!” “That fact is in question now that you have an unanswered challenge.” He turns back to Sereb. “Very well, brother! I accept!” Iris turns to the Dragon Lord. “My apologies for the delay in our conquest of Equestria, Dragon Lord. If you’d like, we can move this elsewhere.” “CONTINUE! THIS SHOULD PROVE INTERESTING! I WOULD LIKE TO SEE FIRSTCLAW THE FRUITS OF ARC’S TRAINING!” Arc and his friends along with the Forsaken and dragons step back to give the pair plenty of room. Twilight nervously looks to Arc. “I don’t like this, Arc. Sereb could get hurt!” Rose nods. “Or worse!” Arc crosses his arms over his chest. “He knows what he’s doing.” Ember grins. “I too have faith in my furry friend.” Brightwing flutters around happily. “Fight time!” Sereb uses his magic to remove his saddle and battle armor and set it aside as the pair square off. They circle one another for a time. Kane calls out to him as they pace. “You never could beat me, Sereb. What makes you think this time will be any different?” Sereb does not take his eyes off Kane. “I’m not the same warrior I was when I left our village, brother.” “Warrior?! HAH! You’ve always been weak!“ Sereb growls. “We will see about that.” After a few more moments of posturing they lunge at one another. Sereb takes a mighty blow to the head from Kane’s massive paw. Rose winces as Sereb slides across the ground on his side. “That looked painful!” Ember nods. “Agreed. Come on Sereb! You can do it!” Sereb slowly rises and the pair circle again. He mutters to himself. “Kane is stronger, faster, and has more endurance than I.” They lunge forward yet again. This time Sereb rolls to one side to evade the attack. Kane frowns. “I see there is more to your fighting style now than just brute savagery. This will be a bit more interesting than I thought.” “I have been training, brother.” Kane chuckles. “Mayhap.” The pair again lock paws. Kane tosses Sereb effortlessly to the side. He shakes his head as Sereb stands up again. “As I said earlier, this will be only SLIGHTLY more interesting than before!” Sereb shakes himself before facing Kane again. “Overconfidence has always been your weakness.” “Everything else has been yours.” Sereb frowns. “Perhaps, brother. However even the smallest of cubs will one day grow into an adult.” “We shall see.” The pair go back and forth. Neither gaining the advantage. Rose looks to Arc. “Sereb needs to finish this fight soon! His heart rate is sky high!” Arc frowns. “Is he in danger?” “No. But he’s going to run out of stamina before too long.” Arc turns back to the battle before him as he mutters to himself. “Come on Sereb! Make your move! Whatever it is!” “I must admit, brother, you’ve always been the strongest amongst our tribe.” Kane nods as they circle again. “That much is undeniable.” “Tell me then… what is it like?” He looks to Sereb, confused. “I don’t get your meaning?” “Being the strongest. No one around can best you. Is that not correct?” Kane smiles proudly. “That is true!” Sereb shakes his head. “Sounds like a terribly lonely existence.” “What are you saying?” “You have no equal. No rival to help you move on up.” Kane laughs. “Where you have reached the top of the mountain, there is nowhere else to go!” “I disagree.” Kane laughs. “How?! One cannot go higher than the top! Where else is there to go?!” “Down.” Kane takes a mighty swing at Sereb who deftly dodges it. “DOWN?! Who would send me there?! YOU?!” “Maybe. Maybe not. You will not be young and strong forever, brother.” Kane comes at him again. “Young or old, I am still the best!” “For how long? Will you never succumb to the physical weakness of an elder? As your coat grays, will you continue to dominate as you always have? Or will you one day stumble as your strength falters?” Kane’s eye twitches. “I… I will! I’ll show you! I’LL SHOW YOU ALL!!!” He lunges forward yet again. Sereb catches him and rolls over onto his back. Using Kane’s momentum against him, he tosses him overhead with his powerful back legs. Kane skids across the ground. “What… what happened?” Sereb shakes his head. “You stumbled.” Ember elbows Arc happily as she whispers. “You showed him that one!” Arc nods. “I remember that. He’s using his opponent’s strength against them.” Twilight clops her hooves together. “Good job, Sereb! Keep it up!” Rose turns to Arc. “He still cannot keep this up.” Arc nods as he folds his arms over his chest. “If Sereb is doing what I think he is, he won’t have to.” Kane scoffs. “A lucky blow! It shall not happen again!” “Perhaps. Perhaps not. Maybe you are not as infallible as you would like to believe.” Kane sneers at Sereb. “ENOUGH!” He lunges again at Sereb, who is charging up his magic. When Kane is within around ten feet Sereb blasts the ground under his opponent sending Kane a few feet into the air! Sereb lowers his body to allow Kane to fly over top of him before dealing a savage blow to his brother’s exposed chest. Kane falls to the ground some distance away, the wind knocked out of him. He unsteadily gets up. “You… where did you…?” Sereb smiles. “As I said earlier, I’m not the same warrior you knew before.” Furious, Kane charges forward. “THIS… ENDS… NOW!!!” Sereb calmly waits as he charges up for one last attack. “I could not agree more.” As the distance between the pair rapidly closes, Sereb continues to charge his magic. Kane leaps at him in a final ditch effort to fell his opponent. Mere feet before Kane reaches him Sereb makes his move. He puts all his magic into a barrier. “Here goes nothing.” Kane flails for but a moment before smashing headfirst into the barrier. He slides down it to land in a heap on the ground. The wolf attempts to rise, but fails. The Forsaken tribe can only stand there stunned. Matriarch Iris is the first to speak as she walks past Kane to stand with Sereb. “All hail the new Warchief!” The tribe bursts into congratulatory roars as Iris turns to Sereb. Iris turns to Sereb. “Now then, Warchief. Lead our forces in their glorious campaign against Equestria!” Sereb shakes his head. “I will not.” “What?! But… but why?!” “They have done nothing to earn our wrath for many generations. That would quickly change if we were to do this.” Kane slowly stands up. “But… but they cannot hope to stand against us and the dragon’s combined might!” “You are wrong brother. They have much strength, great heroes and cunning leadership. I am confident they would prevail.” Sereb motions to Arc before continuing. “I also cannot take to the battlefield against the human with whom I share a life pact.” Iris nods. “Understood.” Sereb sighs. “Believe me when I say it would not end well with him leading the Equestrian forces.” Matriarch Iris turns back to the Dragon Lord. “I am sorry, but we must return to our village now.” “I UNDERSTAND! THANK YOU FOR THE EXHIBITION!” Kane shakily stands up, looks at his brother angrily and leaves with the others as Sereb returns to his friends. Arc smiles and nods. “Congratulations, Sereb!” Ember grins. “I knew he had it in him!” Rose breathes a sigh of relief. “You had me kinda worried for a bit back there!” Twilight looks to her friend. “Arc is a pretty good teacher, after all!” Sereb nods. “Thank you all.” Ember turns to Arc. “I don’t have to ask where you learned all THAT from.” “Yes, well…” “WARCHIEF, THAT WAS A MOST IMPRESSIVE DISPLAY! I SEE THAT ARC HAS TAUGHT YOU WELL!” “Thank you, Dragon Lord. He is a true and honorable warrior.” “YES, YOU WOULD DO WELL TO LEARN ALL YOU CAN FROM MY FRIEND, ARC! I AM CONFIDENT I MADE THE RIGHT CHOICE ALLOWING MY DAUGHTER TO REMAIN WITH HIM!” Ember blushes. “Dad! You’re embarrassing me!” The Dragon Lord stands up. “THAT WAS NOT MY INTENTION, EMBER! NOW IF YOU WILL EXCUSE ME, THERE IS STILL MUCH TO BE DONE!” He looks out over the other dragons. “IN ANY CASE… ALL OF YOU, PREPARE FOR BATTLE!” Ember turns back to her father. “Hold on just a minute!” “WHAT IS IT, EMBER?!” “Are you STILL planning to go to war with Equestria?!” “YES! A WRONG WAS STILL COMMITTED AND MUST BE RECTIFIED!” “But doesn’t Equestria have the right to present their case before you start MURDERING them?!” “THEY MAY DO SO, YES! HOWEVER YOU EMBER ARE NOT AN EQUESTRIAN!” Arc nods. “Maybe not. But I am!” Twilight shakily nods. “T-that’s right! Princess C-C-Cadance granted Arc citizenship f-for him s-saving me.” Ember rolls her eyes. “Really?! Who saved whom now Twilight?” Arc shrugs. “It went both ways.” He looks up at the Dragon Lord. “I’d like to plead Equestria’s case before you.” “YOU ARE HARDLY A PONY, ARC!” “That may be! But remember, by your own admission, I am still a friend to both them and the Dragon Lord” “VERY WELL! I HAVE QUESTIONS FOR YOU, ARC!” Rose looks confused. “Do what?” Ember turns to Rose. “Tell him what happened.” Twilight nods nervously. “Good luck, Arc!” “Thanks.” Arc stands before the Dragon Lord, his friends behind him. “DID AN EQUESTRIAN KNOWINGLY GROW DRAGON FRUIT?” “Knowingly, no.” “EXPLAIN!” Arc gestures to Twilight. “My friend here was given a sample of the fruit. She grew it without knowing what it was, or that it was forbidden.” The Dragon Lord eyes Twilight. “IS THAT TRUE?!” “Y-yes sir!” “DO YOU ALWAYS GROW THINGS HAPHAZARDLY?!” “No sir! But I was told to study it by… um…” “BY WHOM?!” “By… Princess Cadance.” “WHAT?! A PRINCESS OF EQUESTRIA KNOWINGLY GAVE YOU THIS FRUIT?! FOR WHAT PURPOSE WERE YOU STUDYING IT?!” Twilight shrugs. “I don’t know! She just told me to grow and study its properties in the letter that came with it!” “HER INTENTIONS WERE MOST CERTAINLY FOUL, ARC! WHAT MORE PROOF DO I NEED?!” Arc sighs. “I have a question for Twilight as well.” “SPEAK IT!” He turns to the visibly shaken mare. “When did this happen, Twilight?” Twilight thinks for a moment. “Shortly before she and Princess Luna took ill.” Ember frowns. “What does that prove?” “That Princess Cadance was not in her right mind at the time. She wouldn’t have known what she was doing.” He turns back to the Dragon Lord, “If you want to get mad at someone, I’m the one you want.” “YOU?! WHY YOU, ARC?!” “Because I was the Lord Regent at the time. If this plant was grown during my reign I am responsible for it.” “YOU DID NOT SEND THE FRUIT OR HAVE ANY KNOWLEDGE OF IT’S EXISTENCE!” Auriel steps forward. “Please sir! Twilight didn’t act alone!” “THERE WERE OTHERS?!” She nods. “Yes! I too helped her grow this plant! We studied it together!” “STUDY?! WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED?!” Twilight does her best to compose herself. “I learned how to extract, purify and compress the latent magical essence from that fruit. Dragon Lord Torch narrows his eyes. “FOR WHAT PURPOSE?!” Rose steps forward. “To create me, sir!” Arc nods. “It’s true.” “CREATE YOU?! ARC, WHAT MANNER OF FOOL DO YOU TAKE ME FOR?!” Brightwing flutters over to Rose and perches on her head before moving to her shoulder. “Pretty lady smells good! Like Dragon Fruit!” “STEP FORWARD, MISS!” Rose bravely does so. The Dragon Lord picks her up with his dragon magic and looks her over carefully. “YOU DO APPEAR TO BE EMINATING A STRANGE MAGICAL FORCE!” Twilight nods. “That’s the essence within it! I used it to make this robot’s power core!” “SHE REALLY ISN’T ALIVE AT ALL!” Ember nods. “Right!” The Dragon Lord appears to consider his next move carefully. “I BELIEVE I HAVE HEARD ENOUGH!” He looks at Arc. “IS WHAT THIS LITTLE PONY SAID TRUE, ARC?!” “Yes.” “VERY WELL! I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS WAS ALL JUST A RATHER LARGE MISTAKE, AND AM WILLING TO FORGET THE MATTER!” Twilight breathes a sigh of relief. “Thank you, sir! I promise you I’ll never do this again!” Auriel nods. “Nor will I!” “I TRUST YOU WON’T!” He again looks at Rose. “HOWEVER, I REQUIRE SOMETHING IN RETURN! OTHER THAN YOUR WORD THAT YOU WILL NEVER AGAIN GROW ANOTHER DRAGON FRUIT, OF COURSE!” Auriel nods. “Anything!” “THIS MECHANICAL DOLL… HOW MANY HAVE YOU MADE, PONY?!” “She’s the only one. My first and only.” “YOU WILL SURRENDER HER TO ME AT ONCE!” Arc frowns. “Now just a minute, Dragon Lord! You can’t…!” “SHE IS MADE OF DRAGON FRUIT, WHICH MAKES HER THE PROPERTY OF THE DRAGON LANDS!” Ember clenches her fists angrily. “So she can’t leave?!” “NO! I WOULD LIKE TO SEE HER DESTROYED!” Brightwing jumps up and flies over to Torch. “What?! But pretty lady is so very nice! Please let her go!” “TO SHOW YOUR DETERMINATION TO AVOID WAR, I WOULD LIKE TO WATCH THE PURPLE PONY DESTROY THE ROBOT IN MY PRESENCE!” “Come on, dad! You don’t really see Rose as a threat, do you?!” “I DO NOT! BUT DISLIKE THE THOUGHT OF HER CORE CONTINUING TO EXIST!” Rose sighs. “I agree, Dragon Lord.” “GOOD!” “Might I have a few moments to say goodbye to my friends?” “VERY WELL!” The Dragon Lord lowers her to the ground in front of Arc and company. Rose rushes over to Arc and throws her arms around him. “… I’m sorry, Arc. But if this unit’s destruction will save Equestria…” Ember frowns. “You can’t do this, Rose!” Auriel nods. “We can find another way!” Twilight turns to the Dragon Lord. “Is there nothing else we could do to show our sincerity?!” “THERE IS NOT, PURPLE PONY!” “Might I at least be allowed to remove her memory banks? I could probably find a way to build another robot without a Dragon Fruit heart.” “NO! THE ROBOT MUST BE DESTROYED IN ITS ENTIRETY!” Ikis sighs. “DRAGON LORD! IS THAT REALLY NECESSARY?!” “But dad, she’s…!” “ENOUGH, EMBER!” Torch sits back down and composes himself before turning back to Arc. “THIS IS YOUR ONE AND ONLY CHANCE TO RECTIFY THE SITUATION WITH MY NATION, ARC! WHAT WILL YOU DO?!” “I…” He looks up at Rose. She looks back and makes a small but frightened smile and nods. “I… um… I…” Rose turns back toward the Dragon Lord. “I accept, Dragon Lord. Do with this unit what you will. Just please spare Equestria your wrath.” Arc’s eyes grow wide. “Wait… NO! Sereb frowns. “There must be another way!” Auriel sighs. “I think Rose is right. Sad as it may be.” Twilight puts a hoof on his side, sadly. “Arc… I’m truly sorry for causing you all this trouble. I set out to make you happy. But instead I brought you only more heartache.” Rose turns and smiles at Twilight. “This isn’t your fault, administrator.” Arc nods. “Rose is right. You were doing your very best for me. Sometimes… you can do everything completely right… and still have it turn out so very, very wrong.” Ember frowns. “We should probably say goodbye now. My dad isn’t the most patient dragon out there.” Brightwing sits on the ground nearby and cries. “Poor pretty lady going to be eaten! Sadness!” Ember, Auriel and Sereb stand around Rose, sadly. “I… sorry Rose. I thought I could convince my dad to let this thing go.” Rose smiles and gives Ember a hug. “It’s not your fault! After all, you tried your best!” Sereb sighs. “You are very brave, Rose. I shall remember your sacrifice for as long as I draw breath!” Rose drops to her knees and wraps her arms around Sereb’s furry neck. “Take care of Arc for me please.” Auriel walks over as she stands back up. “Rose, I had hoped this new technology would be the beginning of some degree of comfort for all demonkind. But it seems that isn’t going to be the case.” Rose takes Auriel’s claws in her hands and gives them a squeeze. “You’ll find a way, Auriel. I just know it! Just remember to keep trying and you can do anything!” Auriel nods and turns away, unable to speak through her tears. Arc shakes his head in disbelief. “This… this isn’t happening! Not again!” Twilight puts a hoof on Arc’s side, sadly. “I’m sorry, Arc. But it looks like this is the only way to save Equestria.” Rose kneels down and takes Twilight’s hoof in her hand. Smiling through the tears that are beginning to fall. “Thank you for giving this unit life, administrator. While it was very short, this one enjoyed the time during which this unit was active!” Rose stands and walks the few paces over to Arc. She walks into his arms as they embrace. “Thank you for everything, Arc! I know we were only together for a limited time, but… they were very happy for me!” The pair look into each other’s eyes for what feels like forever before Rose gives Arc’s hands a final squeeze. “Miss Cherry… please continue to watch over Arc.” Cherry sounds on the verge of tears. “I will. Promise!” Twilight looks to her creation. “R-rose?!” “Yes, administrator?” “I… uh… just wanted to apologize for how I’ve treated you since your activation.” “It’s alright! Really!” Twilight shakes her head. “No it isn’t! I… I treated you like a machine!” “But I am a… “No you’re NOT!” Twilight takes a moment to wipe her eyes before continuing. “It was me who brought you into this world! I thought I knew what I was doing! I thought… I thought I was responsible enough to… I was wrong! And now you will pay the price for my foolishness! Rose smiles at her. “If my destruction will save Equestria from ruin… if it will spare Arc’s life, then I have no regrets, administrator. In keeping with my directives…” Twilight, smiling through her tears, looks up at her. “Please, Rose. Call me… call me mother!” “Very well. Goodbye… mother.” Rose takes one last look at her friends and, with a smile, turns back toward the Dragon Lord “I am ready.” “STEP FORWARD, BRAVE MACHINE, AND MEET YOUR DESTINY!” Rose slowly does so as the Dragon Lord descends from his Throne. The pair meet halfway, Rose looks up at him and the Dragon Lord looks down at her. The Marquis frowns. “SURELY THERE MUST BE ANOTHER WAY, OLD FRIEND!” The Dragon Lord shakes his head. “IF THERE IS ONE… I DO NOT SEE IT!” Torch looks back down at the tiny doll that stands bravely before him as he raises a massive claw. “I WILL MAKE THIS QUICK! FAREWELL…” Ember and Auriel stand on either side of Arc. They instinctively grab an arm as he kneels down in front of Twilight who is crying inconsolably. She buries her face in Arc’s chest as the tears flow without end. “This… this isn’t right, Arc!” Arc wraps his arms around Twilight in an effort to console her, almost whispering. “I… I know, Twilight. I know.” Rose looks up at the claw above. As it begins to descend toward her, she closes her eyes and smiles peacefully as a small smile creeps across her face. “I have no regrets. Goodbye, my love.” Arc holds Twilight in one arm and extending the other in futility, screaming! “ROSE!!!” The Dragon Lord’s claw hits the ground with such force that the entire area is covered in darkness from the ensuing dust cloud. After the initial shock-wave has passed the only sound to be heard is that of a certain mare and human crying together.