//------------------------------// // Princesses // Story: As a Necromorph // by Crystal Jewelheart //------------------------------// Everyone stared at the food which has just got out of Ruby's body. Ruby smiled sheepishly at everyone before throwing it away outside. “So we finally know Writer hasn't harmed thanks to the said 'Writer' waking up and saying that the 'pool of blood' is actually ketchup,” she then looks at Windy and glared “But when did you turn into a mutant, Windy? Last I check, you never take steroids” Everyone turns around to look at Windy, who become nervous when she got everyone's attention “I don't know, but I think some creature I never have ever seen in my entire life broke into my house and stabbed me and on the forehead” she points her hoof at her forehead. There was a hole where the proboscis had impaled her head. Everyone looks in horror at the sight of the hole. “What kind of creature would do such horrific things to this pony?” Ruby said. “I don't know, but I think that's how I transformed into this” Windy said, “The same creature also happens to be responsible for the damage at Writer's house, so he was forced to live here with me for the day” she explained. “Wait a minute. You're telling us there is some creature with the abilities to change your body running around town?” Ire said. At this point, she was becoming paranoid not for herself, but for Stormlight. She turns to Writer and glared at him “Why didn't you tell us about this!?” “D-Don't tell me that. You guys won't believe me. I can still imagine how you guys would react if I told you about it!” Writer defended himself. Years of reading stories about first contacts made him understand how ponies and other creatures would react to the news about an alien living behind the darkness, and those who brought the news are often are thought to be crazy. He doesn't want to do the same mistake as the fictional characters did, but it seems he still made a mistake of not telling his friends about a dangerous creature on loose. Also, years of being punched at the face by Ire doesn't help. “Writer is right. We won't actually believe him at first, just like when Derpy told us to help him” Stormlight agreed. Ire Heaven gave her a questioning look but didn't say anything. “But sir Writer, it's still better to tell everypony about the mysterious creature rather than to keep quiet about it,” Ruby said. Writer bowed his head in shame, realizing that he still made one mistake that he shouldn't do “Sorry” “Apologies accepted,” Ruby said “But we have a monster hiding somewhere in Ponyville. We should tell the princesses about this!” everyone around her nodded in agreement. “We should tell Twilight first before telling the other princesses since she's the nearest of them all” Ire solemnly suggested. Ruby couldn't help but agree with the 'criminal' since she was one of Princess Twilight's guards. She doesn't want the thought of getting yelled at by the Princess of Friendship before losing her job. “Ugh, I can't help but agree to the scumbag. Come on, lets go everypony” “Wait, but who's going to stay with Windy” Writer spoke up. The stallion had walked and stood in front of the necromorph, who did nothing but stand like a statue. Writer didn't want to leave the mare mostly because of the pony shaped hole on the wall made by Ruby's attempt to 'save' him. “Guarding a citizen needed for protection is one of my top priorities. All of you can leave and tell Princess Twilight about this, that includes you, sir Spike since you are the one who send reports to Princess Celestia” she then glances at the said hole on the wall “I might not be a carpenter, but I'll try fixing this” she looks at Windy with a look with a smile filled with regret “I apologize for destroying the wall, Miss Windy. Your looks had deceived me into believing that you are a monster” “Oh no. It's okay, Ruby. I would react the same if I were to see somepony in this kind of...state” Windy could admit she would act the same if she were in this situation due to instinct and from training at the Wonderbolts Academy. She watches as Writer and the others said their goodbyes to her as they leave. Writer is relieved that he and the group arrived at Twilight's castle without intervention. Many ponies had been staring at them since seeing Spike in a group of ponies and without his guard, Ruby is unusual, and this includes Ire since she wasn't a social type to walk beside Spike. Spike reached out his hand to claw to knock on the door. He hesitated at first but gained the strength when he turns around and saw Ire, giving a dirty look. He knocked several times “Twilight, I'm back,” he said. Ire snorted “While do we have to knock on the door? We could just simply force it open, besides I got good reasons to do so” Stormlight gave her a horrified look. “Iree, that's horrible! You know this is owned by royalty!” Ire snorted “So what? They'll just let some monster go on a rampage while they're doing nothing to stop it? No way I can't allow that!” she backs away a few meters from the door before pawing on the ground, much to everyone's concern including Spike. “Uh, Ire. What are you doing?” “Stand back everypony. I'm going to ram open the door!” Spike's eyes widened when he heard her say this. “Ire, don't she-!” Spike's protest was completely ignored as Ire galloped towards the door, her head lowered to use it to force open the door. Unfortunately, the door parted, instead of wood, a lavender alicorn was what Ire rammed into. She and Twilight crashed in the hallway. Twilight puts a hoof to her head because of the headache she received from her collision with Ire “R-Rainbow, why do you always have to...” she trailed off when she saw it wasn't Rainbow, who rammed to her, but was Ire “Ire, what brings you here?” “There's a monster hiding somewhere in Ponyville, that's why I'm here” Ire grumbled as she stood up “and you are just here, inside your castle, doing nothing until it hurts somepony” Twilight lifted an eyebrow at her. “A monster?” she was confused. First the weather, second Windy, third a monster? “They are talking about the monster who is responsible for Windy's transformation” Twilight glance to see Writer, Spike, Derpy, and Stormlight came in from the open doorway. “Writer, I thought we promised not to tell everypony about this” “Yes, we did, Twilight, but somehow one of them found out and decided to spread it, then they made a hole in the wall in an attempt to save me, and now I found myself here” Writer explained. “Derpy said she saw Writer was dragged by some 'monster' into Windy's house and we were alarmed to hear that, so we were going to save him, but we bump into Spike and his guard on the way” Stormlight added. Twilight stop the urge to facehoof. It was luck that has saved them since it appears no one in town seemed to notice or even find out. On the other hand, if someone finds out, then they'll spread the news throughout Ponyville, which could cause panic. Twilight knew this could cause the situation to become worse and she will do anything to stop it from happening. “Let's talk about this in the throne room,” she lights up her horn with raspberry aura and closed the double wooden doors with her magic. She leads the group to the throne room on the second floor of the castle. It was the first time for Ire Heaven, Stormlight, and Derpy to be in Twilight's castle and they stare at everything that caught their attention. For Ire, it was just like the glorious castle back in Canterlot and wasn't impressed at all. Writer had been in the castle numerous times to get some books from Twilight for his own purposes. After the last plank is nailed on the wall to conceal the kitchen, Ruby wiped out sweat from her head. She looks out from a window to see if someone is outside the house. When she finds the street empty, she sat, facing Windy across the table. “So what do you want to say?” she said. “Um, Ruby, can you keep good care of my necklace?” Windy asked. She doesn't want to wear the gift given by one of her friends while looking like a monster. Ruby knew what Windy wants and agrees to take care of the item. She uses her magic to take the necklace off Windy's neck, able stop from cringing when she saw the pendant got stuck on one of the necromorph's mandible before successfully removing it. She put the necklace on her own neck. “Thank you,” Windy said, “I think you should wear that all the time. It's too expensive and it would be prone to stealing, so I want you not to never ever take it off your neck, okay” “If it pleases the citizen” Ruby smiled. At the castle of friendship, everyone sat on the thrones as Twilight told the group she had searched for any clues of what monster is secretly hiding. Writer had described what it looks like, but she finds none of any creature of the descriptions he gave, much to everyone's dismay. Spike ultimately had enough. “Let's just tell Princess Celestia about this, Twilight” "I agree with the little dragon. We should tell the princesses about this” Ire agreed. “No, this is my responsibility. The princess should not be involved” Twilight disagreed. Ire moved her face very close to the alicorn's, that their muzzle is touching each other. “Your responsibility or not. The princesses must know of this” she yelled furiously at Twilight “We are not talking about some parsprite or a bugbear, Twilight. No, we are talking about an unknown creature. A dangerous creature that could silently bring down all of Ponyville in only a few days!” “Iree, you're disrespecting her!” Stormlight doesn't like it when her friend is yelling at the face of someone in royalty. Ire looked at her with a stern look. She may be looking at her, but that glare is directed at Twilight “Please...” Ire sighed in defeat and backs away from Twilight “Fine” she glances back at Twilight and said “You're very lucky I didn't punch your face” it was at this moment Spike was restraining himself from yelling at the mare. The only reason why he hasn't done it is that there are too many ponies to witness, including Stormlight. Twilight turned around, looking at the door in front of her. She made her decision “Spike get a quill and a parchment” this didn't surprise Spike, except Writer Rhyme, Stormlight, Derpy, and Ire, the latter broke her stern expression to gave way for the shock for a few seconds before she furrowed her eyebrows and smirked. “Oh, what a relief” Ire muttered sarcastically to herself. Spike arrives with and prepares to write down every word Twilight says. “Dear Princess Celestia” Twilight started “Me and a lot of my friends found ourselves in a difficult situation we couldn't handle. One of the Wonderbolts, Windy Breeze, is attacked by an unknown creature and is infected with some kind of skin disease. I'm afraid I am unable to find a medicine for this disease, and worst of all, the creature is hiding somewhere in Ponyville. We need your help princess” “and tell them to send hundreds of guards” Ire added. Twilight, however, ignored her. From your faithful student and the princess of friendship, Twilight Sparkle” Spike rolled the parchment and sends it to Celestia via his magical fire breath. “It's going to take long, isn't it?” Ire asked. “Don't worry, Ire. It will reach the princess in seconds” Twilight assured her “All we have to do right now is wait” Celestia sat lazily on her throne in the Canterlot Castle throne room. Sitting to her left on another throne is her younger sister, Luna, who is staring into space. They have assigned many of her guards to guard the sky while the rest went to the city to order the citizens of Canterlot to stay indoors just in case something happens. Celestia also ordered a group of guards to go to Ponyville since it was the epicenter of the weird phenomenon. The presence of maids and servants in the castle have decreased since many decided to go back to their families. As Celestia was about to fell into a deep sleep. A green flame suddenly came out of nowhere and suddenly materialize on top of her head. It falls and hits her head enough to wake her up. She levitates and unrolls the parchment. Luna heard her reading and asks. “What does it say, sister?” Celestia let out a sigh after she finished reading the message from her former student. “Something has already happened, Luna, and it isn't good,” Celestia said as she rolls the parchment before giving it to one of her guards. “W-What do you mean, sister?” “Somepony has been attacked by some unknown creature,” Celestia told her. Luna's eyes widened. “One of our little ponies attacked?” Luna gasped “We should visit them and pay their hospital bill, then find whatever attacked them and drag it into the deep sections of the Canterlot dungeons!” “Relax, Luna. We don't know just how powerful the creature could be” Celestia told her “For now, we are just going to bring some guards to Ponyville and visit the injured” she turns to the guard holding Twilight's scroll using his magic “Go and tell Raven I need a scroll and parchment” “Yes, your highness” the guard bowed before he went out of the throne room. “Don't worry, Luna, I'm sure everything will be alright” Celestia assured her sister. “Ugh, Why does it take long for the princesses to give us a reply?” Ire frowned as she and Writer play chess on the floor of the throne room of Twilight's castle. The two decided to play the board game while they wait for a reply from the princesses. ”They are probably busy because of the sky turning red” “Hmph, you're right, Twilight. With all those wealthy ponies living in that big modest city on the mountain, many would come at the castle gates and complain about it” Ire snorted as she put a hight in front of Writer's bishop, to which the latter took it off the chessboard using his magic. “Daw, you got me this time!” Ire smirked, “Do you think I will let myself fall easy to a very dumb horror novelist?” “Ouch, that is a very rude comment,” Writer said, grimacing in mock pain “But you left your king unguarded” he casually moves his queen and knocks Ire's king, much to the latter becoming displeased. “Ugh, well that's okay, at least you did not give me any good reason to squish that head of yours” she groaned. Meanwhile, Spike had been busy putting back books on the bookshelves with some help from Stormlight. The baby dragon was very lucky that his 'big sister' forgot all about buying hayburger with Ruby, he'll be investigated. “I couldn't imagine how much Princesses Twilight used you to clean up all her mess she caused” ”I don't really mind. It only happens if she's in a 'study frenzy'” he told her as he put the purple book into the shelf. With her help, he doesn't need to go down the ladder and pick up books laying on the floor, Stormlight would just pick a random book, flew up, and give it to him. Sometimes, he would give it back to her if it doesn't belong to the shelf he is currently filling. “I just noticed something” Spike lifted an eyebrow “What is it, Stormlight?” “Most of the books I pick up from the pile are mostly about animals, mythology, and weather. Most of the books are about animals than about weather, how long does Twilight know of Windy's... horrific turning?” “I guess only several minutes only, Writer seems to have more knowledge, and he also heard that he was attacked before Windy” he grabs the book from her hooves and looks at it for a few seconds before putting it on the shelf. “Whatever it was, it didn't sound friendly” she mused, to which Spike replied. “Obviously,” he added. “I wonder how it changed Windy into something monstrous” “Magic probably,” he said as Stormlight went back to pick up a random book from the pile. The pegasus quickly flew back to him. “I couldn't imagine how much pain Windy went through during that transformation” she sympathized “Her face is very horrible, especially her lower jaw, and her wing? ...I..I felt bad she couldn't use them to fly” Spike Clearly understand what she means: to be a pegasus without the ability to fly is a great shame to them, especially if they lost their wings in a very... terrible way, justing by her expression, she is disturbed by her own words. “...Let's just hope, Twilight finds a cure” he said as he grab the book from her hooves “Weird, this book isn't about weather and mystical creatures” she gave him a skeptical look. “Huh? Let me take a look?” he gave her the book, looking at the cover before saying “Spike, this book is titled 'Everfree Forest and its inhabitants' and this book also tells us about creatures that have rumored to have been living in the forest” “Wait a minute” he suddenly snatched the book from her hooves and take a look. Indeed, the title is 'Everfree Forest and its inhabitants' “Wait what!?” “What's wrong, Spike?” “Nothing, Stormlight!” he let a chuckle, much to her confusion. He looks away at her and whispered to himself. “Funny, I thought the book is all about gemstones” he mentally shrugged himself when his stomach growled “Maybe its just mind” he turns back at Stormlight “Let's take a bit pause for now, I'm hungry” Stormlight smiled “Sure, ” Ruby had a popping vein staying at her head for several minutes after taking Windy's brand new necklace. Ponies had been going to the house, having heard the small incident when she, Spike, and the others first arrived. They are asking her what was going on and demanded to see Windy. All what she said is one word: “No,” luckily for her, the locals aren't that forceful and demanding. But still... “They are getting on my nerves” she huffed, she loom down at the necklace she is now wearing. Her horn glowed as she use her magic to left the spiral stone up to her eyes “this thing looks actually well-crafted. I wonder where I can buy this thing?” she mused. As she was saying this, something on the roof the house moved, casting a shadow over the unicorn guardsmare. She glanced up behind her and quickly had her offensive spell ready. There was nothing there. “I will not fell for your tricks, intruder” she growled “Come out and face me like a true stallion!” she waited for the 'intruder' to reveal themself. As Stormlight was eating, she heard a tray hitting the ground. She glanced to see Spike, who looks as if he's about to throw up. “Spike, are you on- Eep!” she out a shriek as she ducked to avoid being engulfed in green flames which materializes into a scroll. Said scroll landed on her head. Spike coughed two times before regaining himself and picking up the scroll and rushing out of the kitchen. “Hey, wait for me!” ... Spike had been running on the halls of Twilight's for only several second before reaching the throne room. There, he found Twilight, talking to Derpy while Writer naps on Fluttershy's throne, sleeping rather loudly, his mouth hung agape and a drool slowly falling off his mouth. Ire, well she was just aitting on Rainbow Dash's throne with a very grumpy look, hinting she's becoming impatient waiting for Celestia's message to come. So when Spike entered the room, she was the first to notice him and spoke up. “Oh, good, the princesses finally gave her message” she said in mock relief as she frowned at Spike, who assumed she was just glaring at him because he had the the princesses' scroll “Hey, Twilight, your former fatass teacher finally send you a letter!” Twilight gasped at this insult “Ire, don't insult Princess Celestia!” she scold the arrogant pegasus before getting the scroll from Spike using her magic. She silently read what it says there. At this point, Writer had woke up, looking at Twilight with curiosity. “So, what does the princess say?” Derpy approached the lavender alicorn. Twilight suddenly unrolled the scroll “The princesses are coming to the castle!” she gasped. Ire rolled her eyes. “Why does my own kind needs to be so dramatic sometimes” she muttered to herself just in time for Stormlight the enter the room. “D-Did I miss something important?” “THE PRINCESS ARE GOING TO PONYVILLE!” Twilight shouted as she panic, glancing around at everyone in the room “We need to get ready, everypony! The princessses are going to visit the town!” Ire snorted in amusement... or annoyance. It was hard to identify whether she's annoyed or just mocking her “What, are we going to up make up on for another celebration?” she smirked. “Iree!” Stormlight hissed, hearing her friend insulting a stranger was not good, but insulting a royalty? Now, that's a terrible idea. “I don't really need to get ready. All what the princesses did when they visited the town at the past was just greet us, order us to stop bowing at their presence, and began a very long speech at the town hall” he quickly found looking himself looking at Twilight's face. The alicorn had apparently heard him, then dragged him to her, of course by using magic. “That is not the same thing as now, Writer. They are going to visit Windy as well, then talk to me about her and what happened to you before her transformation” she unknowingly pushed him to the floor, earning a grunt from the poor stallion “I will be also questioned for letting somepony be attacked, and if I said something wrong, they'll-” Twilight was interrupted by a slap to her face, the force applied it was enough to move her head. “Twilight, you are overreacting, and that's a sign of being an overreacting idiot” Ire told her very bitterly with a glare “Did you remember back then you are still a unicorn and you casted a spell on a doll which makes everypony go mad and do great lengths to get it? I didn't know what exactly happened after Celestia came but everything seems normal the next day, and you are still in town!” Twilight was about to speak once again, but she was again cut off by her “No, it is not different from our current problem, Twilight you are overreacting!” to everyone's surprise, Stormlight didn't do anything to stop her friend, but her expression tells that she was restraining herself. Twilight stared at Ire for several seconds with a dull look before she finally spoke up “Y-You're right, ” Ire smiled, happy to hear that the princess actually listened to her “But my friends are punished instead” the pegasus' expression darkened, even her right eye twitched. She couldn't just handle Twilight being too much 'Twilight'. She approached her and suddenly pushed her back with a glare which could marvel any villains they have ever encountered. This act caught everyone off guard, she was glad that none of the other Main six are here to watch or she'll never hear the end of it. “Iree!” Stormlight gasped. No one unsurprisingly stop her from approaching her friend since what her friend done was an act of violence and a sign of insolence, the last they would expect to stop her is Spike, since it was Twilight whom got hurt. “Iree, what have you done, didn't you know you just did something very impolite to a princess!?” “I don't like showing respects to anypomy is just only known in my marehood” Ire's voice was solemn when she was talking to Stormlight, her expression even softened but this was only contemporary since her irritated expression quickly came back “I can't even call her a princess since she really doesn't act like one, she acts like an actress starring in a theatre for foals!” “You should say some kind words and make her realize her mistakes, not pushing them... or worse!” Ire gasped through her gritted teeth. She was hesitant but complied and looked at Twilight with one of her eyes twitching. “V-Very sorry, Princess Sparkle, but this really for Stormlight, I really have no regrets” Ire stood up and went to the others while Stormlight approached Twilight. Twilight, in the other hoof, half expected this to happen since she have knew this mare for years, the mare could get angry so easily even if facing a small problem. But this is not just some average issue they are now facing: right now, Windy has turned to a form by some unknown creature, said creature is hiding in town, probably to find more ponies to transform to some grotesque creature or worse. “Are you okay, Princess?” Stormlight helped her up. There wasn't any injuries since Ire just simply pushed her, but all what is inside Stormlight's mind is that her friend disrespected someone in royalty. It would came to Twilight the thought of Stormlight as a royal guard, guarding her former teacher in the throne room at Canterlot Castle. “I'm alright, Stormlight” hearing this, Ire hmph'ed in response. “I'm sorry for Ire's attitude, she was just so worried about me” “Its okay, it's my fault for thinking too much” Twilight said. Spike came to her with a worried expression. “We should take Ire outside” he insisted “She could probably do something worse than pushing you” “Yeah, hear out Barney” Ire spat out, Spike stuck his tongue out at her in response. “Ire, Spiku, enough!” Stormlight snapped at the two, causing them to stop before an argument could sparkle, she turn to Twilight “Stay calm, princesses”