//------------------------------// // Trotting to Trottingham // Story: The Elements of Love // by UnweptSchlipps //------------------------------// The march back to Canterlot was, all in all, as uneventful as the journey away from it. Aside from Scootaloo getting them lost (Lucky complained, “Whose idea was it to let a filly give directions anyway?”), the six somehow managed to find their way back to Equestria’s capital. To their surprise, they weren’t greeted with a warm welcome from their princess commandant Cadance. In fact, it was quite the opposite. The moment the six walked through the gates, they were swarmed by Royal Guards who proceeded to tear off their packs and roughly prod them towards the castle. Once they had arrived (or more accurately, been thrown) into the throne room, their packs were given back to them (once again, thrown). Once the six had indignantly picked themselves up off of the floor, they found Cadance sitting in the throne patiently. “I’m sorry for the…hastiness of the guards,” Cadance said apologetically. “When there are three princesses residing in a single castle, security tends to be extremely tight.” Motioning towards their bags with a nod, the alicorn added, “I trust you come back with good news.” “We do, Your Majesty,” Cheerilee said joyously. She plucked her pack from Soarin’s eye, grabbing the book inside with her teeth. She placed the tome before the alicorn’s hooves, giving a slight courteous bow. Next, little Scootaloo hopped over to Cadance, giving her the photo journal with a jubilant smile. Finally, the princess turned to Braeburn and Redheart expectantly. But all the two had to show for their work was two pairs of empty hooves and some singed fur. Out of habit, Braeburn took off his hat respectfully and began, “Ah’m sorry Princess Cadance. We weren’t able to come back with anythin’.” “Actually,” Redheart interrupted. “I do remember something. The Arch-Mage said they unearthed a spell book of dark magic near Trottingham, seemed to be thousands of years old. But it was stolen weeks ago, and we didn’t get the chance to ask who the thief was. But they said he murdered two ponies.” Upon hearing this, the pink alicorn’s expression hardened, her brow furrowed in dire urgency. She began to magically flip through the journal Scootaloo had given her, uttering, “Well this certainly is unwelcome news. That is a lot of power to put in the hooves of some mysterious...and murderous thief. And I’d be willing to bet that this is connected to the shadow sucking up my kingdom.” Cadance held the book up for the others to see. It held photos of the spell book in question, some strange artifacts and carvings, as well as random scribblings and ruminations made by the journal’s owner. “That book was unearthed in Trottingham, and these photos you recovered validate that point,” she recited. She flipped over to a blurry photo of a shadowy figure, whose face was practically obscured by the hazy picture. “They also tell of a pony known only as ‘Shade’, who seems to be the expert who identified this dark magic tome.” The princess snapped the book shut, and surveyed the fine group of ponies before her. Although her features were hardened, her eyes told a story of anxiety and fear. “I suppose that’s the best lead we’ve got. I’m so sorry to ask you to do this so soon after your last mission, but with every second the shadow continues to grow. You six are to travel to Trottingham and find this ‘Shade’, get him to tell you everything he knows. If he’s the number one expert in dark magic, it wouldn’t surprise me if he knows something about the shadow.” Lucky, who had until now been taking it in apathetically, raised his eyebrows upon Cadance’s order. He repeated nervously, “Trottingham?” Cadance replied patiently, “Yes…that is what I said. Is something the matter?” “What? No, I’m…positively dandy. It’s just…do we have to go? I mean, can’t you send some guards or something?” Lucky replied. “If I had the resources I would, but that’s not the only reason. I need you six to come together as one team, and the only way to do that with the amount of time we have is to throw you into the heat of battle. Figuratively of course.” “Well…do I have to come?” This time, Cadance waved her hoof dismissively, telling him, “Well of course you do! You’re a crucial part of the Elements of Love! Where they go, you go. And vice-versa!” Lucky wanted to make up another excuse, but a stern glare from both Brae and Cheerilee sent him grumbling his complaints. The regal princess continued, “You are to travel as soon as possible. Feel free to take any supplies from the castle kitchen. I will not be there to guide you this time, so be on your guard. In the meantime, my aunts and I will translate this book. Anything else to say?” “Ah’m just sorry we let those mages see us,” Brae said. “It got pretty crazy in there.” “Crazy…like ‘almost captured by merciless mages’ crazy. We had to jump off a building, you believe that?” Lucky muttered with his hooves crossed, still obviously disgruntled. “Hey, I caught you didn’t I?” Soarin remarked. To this, Cadance gave a bright smile that could liven up even the darkest of rooms. She said light-heartedly, “On the contrary, Braeburn, I couldn’t be happier. This wasn’t just a mission to find the information, but a test to prove whether or not you could handle being a team. And, despite the problems, I think you passed with flying colors.” Going through the elements one by one, the pink alicorn remarked, “You all showed why you are deserving of the Elements of Love, using your unique talents to escape. Braeburn, you used the truth to get into the Arcaneum. Redheart, you showcased understanding when helping Soarin with his injury. Scootaloo, you persevered to escape from that interrogation room. Soarin, you were willing to risk your life so your friends could get away safely. And Lucky, you took a leap of faith, even though you didn’t know what was at the bottom of that fall.” “This was the first time your skills have been put to the test, and it most certainly won’t be the last. You are all skilled in your own way, and you have proven your mettle and your might. So go, my Bearers of Love, and use your talents to put a stop to this evil!” Spurred on by Cadance’s riveting speech, the six ponies scrambled out of the throne room with their next objective tucked into their brains. As her bearers went off, Cadance gave a short chuckle and sat herself on the throne, searching through the Tenebris Magicae. However, while the others marched out the throne room, one pony lagged behind. The mare was Cheerilee, who had something gnawing at the back of her mind. She went up the Cadance timidly, and said, “Princess, back when you said we all used our elements to escape…I don’t think that’s entirely accurate.” “And why would you think that?” the princess questioned, keeping her regal air about her. “Well, you said how the others used their elements…except me. How did I fit in all of this?” To Cheerilee’s surprise, Cadance broke away from her princess-like behavior, shutting the book with a coy grin. Her eyes were wily and sly, and her voice was all-knowing and low. "Besides the whole translating thing?" the love conjurer said. “Believe me, you showed passion…just probably not in the way you had expected.” “What do you mean?” “Oh-ho-ho…I mean…the way you looked into Lucky’s eyes on that balcony. And again when he saved you from falling…” “Excuse me?” The princess leaned against the throne nonchalantly, with one brow raised. “Cheerilee, I’m the Princess of Love. I know these things when I see them.” “Are you…are you saying that I…him…” Cheerilee’s voice trailed off in shock. “All I’m saying is that passion can manifest in more ways than one. It could be through your work, your talents or…well…you know.” Cheerilee could only give a nervous chuckle, scratching her leg awkwardly. She could practically feel her cheeks glowing, which she tried to hide from the grinning royal. “No offense princess, but I think you’re blowing it out of proportion,” the schoolteacher said. Then she scuffled her way out the room, muttering, “Me…him…that pompous stallion…no…” Behind her, Cadance shook her head slowly at the teacher’s plight, unable to stifle the gentle grin she would always give when she saw this kind of thing. Ah yes...it’s complicated, she thought smugly as she grasped the ancient book for translation. xxx Lucky stood idly in the courtyard, leaning on the fountain just as he had done the previous day. This time, however, it was the others who conversing quietly, while Lucky stayed silent. The gambler’s mane was more frazzled than before, and he stared blankly at the ground. The word Trottingham kept echoing in his mind, filling him with anxiety, fear, nervousness, and basically making him feel completely terrible. He was so lost in thought that he didn’t even notice Scootaloo poking his flank with a stick. “Scootaloo, you should probably stop doing that,” Redheart said sternly. “Whatever,” Scootaloo replied, giving the unicorn an odd stare. She hopped over to Soarin, who began to tell her a partially true story about a Wonderbolts race. Then Cheerilee appeared out of nowhere, looking very occupied with something. Soarin saw this, and asked, “Oh there you are Cheerilee. Where’d you go?” Happy that it wasn’t Braeburn asking the question, the teacher lied, “Ahh…to the mare’s room.” “Well, we got you some stuff from the kitchen,” the flier said, tossing her a bag of treats. “I didn’t know what you’d like, so I just got you a bunch of pies.” The teacher inspected the bag’s contents, only to find that every single one had a huge bite taken out of them. “Soarin…why are all these pies half eaten?” The pegasus only answered with a cool smile and snicker. Then he whistled towards the quiet unicorn, saying, “Hey Lucky, you never told us what you did for a living.” “That’s because it’s none of your business,” the unicorn spat on impulse, looking away from the blue pegasus. Braeburn certainly was none too happy with Lucky’s attitude. Before Soarin got a chance to reply, the cowpony swaggered over to the unicorn, and with a sarcastic smile, he said, “Whoa, somepony’s a lil’ cranky. What’s wrong partner, somepony spit in yer bagel?” Meeting the yellow stallion’s hardy gaze with one of his own, Lucky said, annoyed, “Listen friend, I’m not too excited about being dragged along in all this…especially since I’m being dragged to Trottingham.” “What’s in Trottingham?” Scootaloo piped. “Like I said, none of your business.” “Well Ah beg to differ, Lucky. How are we supposed to trust you if yer keepin secrets from us?” Braeburn inquired. The unicorn turned around, staring sadly into the fountain’s rippling water. He watched his own distorted reflection whirl in turmoil, much like his own muddled thoughts. Finally, he said quietly, “Sometimes those secrets are more of a…personal matter. Let’s just say I’m a very rich stallion, okay? And Trottingham was…where it all started.” He whirled around, looked Brae straight in the eye, and added, “And that, mate, is the truth.” Braeburn decided he was satisfied with the answer, nodding his head. And he had also decided that there was no more time for rest. Suddenly, he slapped the unicorn’s back playfully, proclaiming, “Well then, since you know where Trottingham is, why don’t you lead on?” Seeing as though his choices were practically non-existent, Lucky rolled his eyes and uttered, “Haven’t got much of a choice, mate. But it doesn’t mean I’m going to like it.” Scoots cried out, “Yeah, time for an adventure! My friends are gonna be so jealous!” as the six began their journey to Trottingham, with Lucky leading the pack. xxx An hour later, the group had traversed far from Equestria’s capital, walking along one of the many dirt roads that sprawled throughout the land. To one side, there was a small stream running parallel to the trail. The opposite side was bordered by tall maple trees, still furnished by orange and yellow leaves despite the fact that winter had begun once again. Lucky had been silently leading his companions, who had no choice but to trust the unicorn’s instincts. So far, the gambler hadn’t steered them wrong yet, as they hadn’t faced any problems since their departure. Lucky bit heartily into a poppy seed bagel, while the ponies behind him nibbled on whatever snacks they had decided to bring along. “I wish I had my scooter,” a tired Scootaloo said, her hooves dragging across the dirt. “It’d be so much easier than walking.” “You ride, Scoots?” a flying Soarin asked, who, unsurprisingly, showed no sign of fatigue. “Heck yeah! They don’t call me ‘Scooter-loo’ for nothing!” the filly replied, bounding up and down, imagining the wind through her mane as she whizzed through the forest on her set of wheels. “Really? Who calls you that?” Cheerilee asked. “Umm…myself?” Suddenly, Lucky came to a stop in the middle of the road. The unexpected halt caused Braeburn to crash into the unicorn, and Redheart into Braeburn, and so on until five ponies lay on the ground, dazed. Soarin hovered over his fallen comrades, gave a quick chuckle, and said, “And I thought I was the one with the hard landings.” Lucky quickly picked himself off the dirt, scrunching his snout at his now dusty vest. And he tediously brushed the dirt off his signature outfit, Braeburn asked, “Why’d we stop?” “Because,” Lucky said while rolling his sleeves back up. “We need to go that way.” The stallion pointed down a path the others hadn’t noticed before, almost covered by low-hanging bushes and branches. But though the foliage, one could plainly make out a pale, dark forest further down the dirt. An eerie, haunted wooded grove known to many as the Everfree forest. And for some reason, they swore they could hear thunder, even though there was not a cloud in sight. Most of the group stared at the gloomy forest and back to Lucky as though he had gone completely insane. The unicorn, however, was completely oblivious, and he began to trek down the measly path. Before he could get any farther, he felt a small hoof tug on his tail. He veered his neck around to see little Scootaloo grasping his tail, with the others staying behind. “What’s wrong, mates? Never gone into a forest before? “Don't you know? That place is totally haunted! Nopony ever goes in the Everfree!” Scootaloo said, followed by the roar of thunder. The unicorn began, “Don’t sweat it. The Everfree…” However, Lucky was suddenly interrupted by the sound of thunder emanating from nowhere in particular. “The Everfree…” Another roar. “Ahem…That place, is completely safe. There’s a shortcut through here; I know what I’m doing,” Lucky replied assuredly, dismissing the others with a shake of his head. “Well? You coming or not?” Seeing as though there was no other possible way, the rest grudgingly followed Lucky down the dark path, but not without giving sharp scowls. The moment the group crossed into the Everfree, everything immediately became darker. Even though it was not even noon yet, the place was as dark as night. Scootaloo shrank timidly, but Lucky assured, “Don’t worry, that happens all the time. We can still see, right?” “Doesn’t make this place any less creepy,” the orange pegasus replied, taking refuge near Soarin’s legs. From above, the faint hooting of an owl resonated, and below, the chirping of multiple crickets rang out. The trees were so dense; it was a miracle the six could even pass through. Their branches were long, crooked and bare, reaching towards the path like claws searching for a meal. Thick roots littered the path, causing the ponies to stumble. And for some reason, the trees seemed to be laughing at them, mocking them. Suddenly, Cheerilee stopped. “What was that?” she whispered, perking her ears. “What was what? I don’t hear anything,” Nurse Redheart said, trying to pick up what the teacher was hearing. “You sure you aren’t overreacting, teach?” Soarin whispered. “There it is again!” Cheerilee said anxiously. She looked at her companions and asked, “Can’t you hear it? It’s like a…like a…moaning.” Suddenly as if on cue, black shapes began to seep out of the darkness, appearing as though they were part of the shadows themselves. They seemed to have no features whatsoever, just a pitch-black body in a sea of darkness. The only visible features were pairs of red eyes, which contained no emotion or feeling, only the carnal instinct of a true predator. The group felt as vulnerable as prey, taken completely off guard by the creepy beasts. Then without warning, the monsters swiftly began to charge towards the six, giving off an eerie guttural groan. One tried to make a move for Redheart, but Braeburn’s hoof connected with the beast before it could come close. “What in tarnation?!” the cowpony screamed as he protected the group with a flurry of bucks. Soarin gave Scootaloo to the care of the nurse, and began to help Braeburn hold them off. The Wonderbolt swooped around, dodging the lunging beasts while handing out a few hits himself. Cheerilee even tried to help, shoving the shadows away so Braeburn or Soarin could dispatch them. At this point, Lucky joined in, trying to destroy the shadows with a bout of arcane fire. But for some reason, the stallion’s magic seemed to do nothing. In fact, it made the beasts grow bigger and faster. “What the heck are these things?” Lucky exclaimed, realizing that his spell weren’t doing a thing. “This forest is haunted!” Scootaloo shouted fearfully. After knocking another shadow away, Braeburn cried, “Ah thought you said this shortcut was safe!” “I’ve been through here numerous times, but I’ve never seen these things before in my life!” the unicorn answered, frustrated. “Cheerilee, you know anything?” “No!” the teacher yelled, using her bag of pies as a weapon. “I know what they are,” Soarin stated, tackling straight though a shadow, causing it to evaporate into nothingness. Then with a stern voice, the pegasus uttered, “They’re bad news, bro.” EDIT: Update right before server change...hope this is a good idea...