//------------------------------// // Dang it // Story: The Keeper of the keys // by Moonghost //------------------------------// “Dang it, well, sorry about that Twilight..” Dodge said as she sent back home, however she did not return to the same destination. “Oh, Great now I’m lost in everfree!!!” Dodge screamed out of anger as she fell out of the portal. “Well let’s see if I got any new tokens.. “ Dodge said as she started shuffling through her dimensional storage. “No, no, no, definitely not, Maybe, yes there you are, Hey you, come here and help me!” The token Dodge was speaking to was an ember gem, but no originery gem. Inside was a swirling black dragon silhouette that glows with a mysterious power. Upon speaking to it, the dragon inside suddenly changed shape; staring up at Dodge with a judging glare. Before Dodge could react, a black portal appeared within the fabrics of reality, slowly beginning to open up until it was big enough. From out of the vortex first came a dragon’s head, yet strangely with pony-like features, mostly its ears and mane. When the rest of the body emerged, it revealed a human rider on its back.  The dragon’s rider looked down upon Dodge. “...A cat Displaced?” The rider asked in confusion.   “Yeah, dramatic much? And no, I’m not a cat person. I don't know why people think that, I mean yes, I have catlike eyes, but why?” Dodge replied. “I’m used to seeing more human-like Displaced, sorry.” Elwood said as he rubbed the back of his head. “...Certainly is a strange creature.” A voice spoke inside of Dodge’s head, causing Elwood to look down at his dragon in disapproval.  “Did I tell you not everyone is used to that, Kaiserin?” Elwood asked with a frown, which only earned him an amused snorted by Kaiserin.  “It’s quite alright, and they didn’t realize I was in my quadrupedal form at the moment. Sorry I am usually humanoid but this happens sometimes. Also I don’t really mind people going inside my head. The real problem is figuring out how to get out of it.” Dodge said, trying not to laugh, “Speaking of which, I need you to help me find Chrysalis.” “They?” Elwood asked as he blinked in confusion. “Oh, you see, this locket I’m wearing it has a bunch of demons inside of it, not to mention other things.” Dodge said. “That would explain why I’m hearing multiple minds.” Kaiserin said with a curious hum. “Right. You said something about Chrysalis? What or who is that?” Elwood asked as he slipped out of the saddle and hopped down from Kaiserin’s back. “A Changeling queen and a friend of mine, at least a long time ago, she took something of mine, and I need it back, now can you help me?”  Dodge asked. “You might want to further into detail about her, perhaps her appearance? It would help me be more exact with my magic, otherwise we might end up finding some other Chrysalis or another changeling queen.” Elwood explained to Dodge.  “She’s a changeling, her appearance is never the same thing twice, What I do have here is a vial of her blood, Will that help?” Dodge said. “Yea, that can help since blood is unique to each person, more so if the blood has magic in it.” Elwood explained as he held his hand out expecting the vial of blood.  “Here you go, I would be careful with it as it has a bit of chaos magic stuck in it. Oh, the last time me and Chrysalis were together, we were doing an experiment with chaos magic with a friend Discord, I hope that won’t be a problem.” Dodge said as he handed it over. “That might interfere with it a little bit.” Elwood said as he placed the vial on the ground. “I’ll just clear up the confusion by mentioning it’s a queen.” Elwood said as he held his hand over the bottled blood. “Sé ka ono Dröttning Maru Blödh, vor Dodge.” Elwood spoke as both his hand and the vial glowed with an almost flame-like glow. The vial begins to spin rapidly as if playing a game of ‘spin the bottle’. After it’s erratic spinning, it eventually rests pointing to the north. Picking it up and balancing it on his palm, he turns to look at Dodge. “She’s somewhere in that direction. It should be your friend, assuming she doesn’t have some sort of anti tracking spell on her. It will take us about two or three hours if the weather is good.” Elwood explained. “Well, let’s get going then or are you going to make me walk?” asked Dodge. Elwood got back into the saddle on Kaiserin’s back. “Only if you’re afraid of heights.” Elwood said as he held out his hand toward Dodge.  “Not at all, although stay the heck away from my locket, unless you want to suffer a very very slow and painful death, better than that we’re fine.” Dodge said. “Duly noted..” Elwood said with a frown as he helped Dodge into the suddenly. Kaiserin let out a threatening growl as the mention of Elwood suffering a death if he ever did anything with the locket. “Oh yeah, and after we find chrysalis and get back what she took from me, I need you to take me back to ponyville afterwards, then how do you feel about breaking into tartarus?” Dodge asked. “Tartarus?” Elwood asked as he turned to look at Dodge like she had grown a second head. “If it’s anything like the one back home, I don’t think it’d be wise to break into it in risk of letting something out.” Elwood said with a look of disbelief. “Oh please you really think tartarus is that scary of a prison?” Dodge bellows in amusement, “ that’s just so cute.” “Sunburst told me it holds the most dangerous creatures either due they were too unstable to be reasoned with, unkillable, or too powerful to take down.” Elwood explained as Kaiserin started to flap her angelic scaled wings to allow herself to slowly ascend into the air; causing leafs and light branches to scatter around on the ground. “If anything it’s too dangerous the policy the royal sisters could’ve used is either turned to stone or locked in Tartarus. Tartarus usually for the lesser one dangers, I should know I am the one who built it.” Dodge said. “Or that said danger couldn’t be turned to stone.” Elwood said as Kaiserin got higher into the air; showing a good view of Equestria. With a powerful beat of her wings, Kaiserin bolted toward the north. Kaiserin would often turn or readjust whenever the vial would move in a different direction. “Look, I just want you to help me break into Tartarus, so I can beat Tirek to within an inch of his life. So, are you going to help me?” Dodge questioned. “Sounds like you’ve got a lot of hatred for the guy. What did he do to piss you off?” Elwood asked curiously. “you know the basics betrayed me, betrayed discord to a good friend of mine, oh and, tried to steal the freaking magic that keeps me alive, I think that’s reason enough to hate him, don’t you think?” Dodge said seething with rage. Elwood went silent for a moment as he thought about this. “...Yes, I know, Kaiserin, but do you really want to tell her that?” Elwood said out of the blue even though Kaiserin didn’t say anything. There were no further replies, although from their changes in facial expression, it was there was some sort of debute between the two unheard by Dodge. “Do you know it rude to have a discussion, even a mental one about someone in there right next to you.” Dodge said with the tact of rushing a bull in a china shop. “It’s mostly about morales, don’t mind Kaiserin. She believes revenge is petty even though she’d kill if any dragon was in danger.” Elwood explained. There’s a difference between protecting and revenge, Elwood.” Kaiserin replied with annoyance in his voice. “Oh, how would you like to be slowly being ripped apart as your magic is slowly being pulled out of you, oh so he stole something of mine and I need it back.” Dodge said. Kaiserin chuckled in amusement. “This Tirek would be a fool to try.” Kaiserin said with a feral equivalent of a grin.  “...What she’s saying is that she can attack Tirek’s mind if he tried to take her magic.” Elwood explained as he turned his head half-way to Dodge. “ Well, at that time I didn’t have that particular ability just yet, his head turning into mush is the least of his worries. What isn’t, is that I will find a way to get it with or without your help. Those you wouldn’t want me to be around you when I’m mad, just a warning, and you really wouldn’t want me to be your enemy.” Dodge said. “Nor would you want me as your enemy either, trust me.” Elwood said with a warning. Soon, in the distance, the trio could see a snowy mountain slowly come into view, it won’t be long till they arrive.  “Well, it looks like I will be arriving soon, finally be able to get out of this feline body, and back into my usual one. Oh, that does remind me, I am only going to allow you to touch my locket once and this is the time I need you to get out the key in the shape of the head, I'm going to be needing it to get back what was taken.” Dodge said. Elwood turned his head to look at Dodge. “You can’t use your locket in your current form?” Elwood asked as Kaiserin drew closer to the ground. “Okay, I can but it would just be inconvenient considering... well, I don’t have hands.” Dodge said holding her paws to make the point clear. “Fair enough.” Elwood said as Kaiserin landed on the snow-covered ground.  “It’s been a while since I last saw snow.” Kaiserin said as her gleaming red eyes scanned the area. “This is certainly a unique place for chrysalis to be living considering most changelings at least if she was telling me the correct things at the time are cold blooded.” Dodge said. Elwood continued to balance the vial on his palm; gently getting out of Kaiserin’s saddle. The vial started to glow brighter as Elwood continued to use it as a guide to find the changeling queen. “We’re either getting near, or she might be under or above us.” Elwood said as he glanced around. Slowly, he expanded his mind; listening for any mental voices that were not Dodges. “Oh, I should’ve probably mentioned that changelings are subterranean-raised. They like building things underground and they’re really good at it too. So, they’re probably underneath.” Dodge explained. “Kind of figured that out.” Elwood said as he heard mental thoughts underground. Elwood looks around trying to see if there’s a way underground. “We may need to pop in unannounced if I don’t find a way in.” Elwood explained. “If you wouldn’t mind grabbing the key ring out of my locket for a second, grab the one with the skull on it and just put it into the ground, a keyhole should appear wherever the heck you decide to put it and then turn the key and walk through, I’ll follow shortly.” Dodge said. “Ok, that’ll work too instead of teleporting in.” Elwood said with a gentle chuckle as he reached toward her locket, only to hesitate. “Didn’t you say there were demons inside of this? Wouldn’t they attack my arm?” Elwood asked with concern in his voice. “Oh don’t worry. Without a host they’re as harmless as flies as long as you have arm protection, you wouldn’t want to become one of their hosts.” Dodge said. At the mention of arm protection, Elwood decides to not take any changes as he focuses on his energy, causing orange flames to twirl around his arm until it is coated in a strange glass-like shimmer. Elwood reaches his arm into her locket, watching as it phases right through. Elwood moves his arm around reaching for a key, or something. Elwood can feel something attacking his arm, but dealing no damage to it thanks to the ward he applied to it. Eventually, he manages to grab onto something, allowing him to quickly pull his arm out to reveal the key Dodge asked for. “Thank you, now I think I can take it from here.” Dodge says as she takes the key in her paw and faces the tip of the key down. Keyhole appears directly underneath the key’s tip, she puts it in and turns the key. A portal big enough for a dragon to fit through opens up around the key. Suddenly, Dodges, Elwood’s and Kaiserin’s spirit suddenly falls through the portal; leaving the trio’s body in suspended animation.  “...W-what just happened?” Elwood asked in confusion as he looked at his transparent hands. “Don’t worry, the first time as a ghost is always the hardest.” Dodge said as she tried not to snicker. “How unusually unique.” Kaiserin said with an amused purr.  R-right….” Elwood said as he looked around the cavern they were in. The Cavern was enormous; the walls were filled with all sorts of gems. You could hear the chitter of changeling drone skittering along just outside the cavern’s entrance, but the most prominent feature of the cavern was a large obsidian throne. “We're definitely in the right place, chrysalis always had The flare for grandeur. Elwood could you teleport our bodies here so we can get back in Them now, please.” Dodge said.