//------------------------------// // Chapter 11 - Call For Help // Story: Fred Walsh: Diverted // by Baguettedood //------------------------------// Chapter 11 – Call for Help "This is only my second wormhole adventure, and I think I'm already tired of attacks occurring in my vicinity. Last week – or over two hundred years ago, depending on how you look at it – Princess Celestia was almost killed by a cult, and now the demon they worshipped, which we killed, is back and at it again. It's getting tiring, and this time I can't even be reassured by the predestination paradox. "So then DemonTrixie almost killed Twilight. Also, does that have some kind of fascination with destruction along with people and ponies close to Celestia? This reeks of déjà vu. Potens Daemonium certainly has a few new skills – Messed up reincarnation, destructive spells.. oh, and the ability to talk, despite how horrible it does so. “Okay, From now on, I'm going to refer to Potens Daemonium and DemonTrixie as males for simplicity instead of tripping over pronouns.” Fred Walsh returned to the grave he had recently been blasted out of, crinkling his nose at the strong ozone smell from the recent teleport, and picked up a small blue gem on a ring. He twirled it on his finger. “I think we got a slight bit more than we bargained for,” he stated warily. “What did you just pick up?” Twilight asked him. “What other than a harmonic sapphire?” He turned around. “Well, a new harmonic gem for the record.” “All this running is wreaking havoc on my hooves, and it's getting rather late. Can we go back to Ponyville?” Rarity, back to normal, requested demandingly. “Don't forget the gems, Rarity,” Spike reminded. Fred, Spike, Twilight and Rarity followed their foot/hoofsteps back into the clearing they rushed out of earlier. The human picked up the cart and followed the others back to town with it in tow. The sun was beginning to set, so few were out at this time. Fred dropped the gem cart off at Carousel Boutique. Rarity opened the door and took it the rest of the way inside. “Thanks so much, all of you,” the dressmaker displayed her gratitude. “Too bad it went sour, but you're okay now and you have two of those gems. Stay safe.” “See you, Rarity.” Spike, the lovedragon, waved as she carried the cart inside and closed the door. He hopped on the scholar's back. “I never understood the name Potens Daemonium.” Fred made conversation as Twilight led him to her library. “It's just Latin for Powerful Demon. I almost can't imagine his childhood.” Almost being the key word has he daydreamed about the demon's growing up. 'No wonder he's so destructive...' Fred was broken out of his imagination as the shrinking party stopped at the tree-house's wooden front door. “Princess Celestia gave custody of you to me, so you can live here. I have to write a letter, I'll be right back. Spike, follow me.” The human realised Twilight had ceased her apprehension against him, which only began earlier that day. She and the dragon headed upstairs to report to the Princess, leaving the tall biped standing in the main room. Fred took the harmonic sapphire and topaz (by the collar) out from his pocket and placed them on a table in the middle of the room. He stared at the two items for a few minutes, still intrigued by the topaz. Eventually, he cleared his head enough to look away and do something else. While he waited for Twilight to return, the human took a walk around the room, admiring her book collection. He spotted something familiar. He went over to a shelf and pulled out the book he had his eye on. 'Oh hey,' The blue book, with two golden sections of binding, read 'Predictions and Prophecies' on the front cover. He opened the first page to the publishing and print information. First published in 800 This edition printed in 998. Copyright Prophet Tempus. Accompanied with the note was a colour image of a familiar pony in a brown cloak, wielding a staff with a small red gem on the top. 'Didn't notice that ruby before. It has to be harmonic. The last ruby connected a few other universes together. This one might be time. Displacement gems, possibly?' Fred flipped though the pages. He passed information on various prophecies, both correctly predicted and yet-to-happen. Dear Princess Celestia, After hearing about the unusual Harmonic Gemstones, Fred Walsh, Rarity, Spike and I all ventured to acquire some. We found two, but a demon attacked me and... came close to ending me. There is a long pause in between lines, along with hesitant splotches of ink. I need your help. Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle “Send it now,” the unicorn stated. The adrenaline that had kept her composure ran out. She left her room as a bright green flame illuminated everything, sending the letter across the country. Twilight descended the stairs back to the main room, quieter than before. She sat down at the central table. Fred looked up from the Scavenger Watch – he was updating his vlog - and walked over, sitting on the other side. “Twilight?” he cautiously asked. Silence for a few seconds. “I never knew the world was like this,” she sighed. “From what I've seen of your universe, it isn't normally.” 'Great, PTSD is settling in. I wonder why it hasn't hit me yet.' “I was almost buried alive today, how can things possibly go back to normal?” “With time. Don't let it affect you,” Fred consoled. He peered down at the gems he sat in front of. “These gems may just be more trouble than they're worth.” Twilight stood up to examine the harmonic crystals as well. “Is the topaz glowing brighter?” The human looked at it. Before, it emitted a soft glow, but at at that point it was emitting a noticeably more intense yellow. “So it is. Still don't know what it does either.” Fred stared some more at it. “Hmm...” Instead of taking the crystal by the attached collar, he reached for it directly to examine it closer. The moment his fingers contacted the topaz, a huge bust of some kind of golden energy erupted from it. Not even a second afterward, the energy faded and Fred was knocked out, leaving Twilight and Spike watching from their viewpoints, shocked at what had just transpired.