Apparently, the threat of nine more Sombra's, fragments of his soul or not, are a very bad thing. Given what this one did to me I can't fault them. My rehab went by quickly, I was out in a week. Cadence had them look over my sphere and only found out two things, it is linked to my soul and therefore me. The fact it can tell me info and such like that means it's made from most likely what Equestrians call Star Shards. Rare crystals pulled from shooting stars turn falling stars. The crystal heart is made of such crystal type also.
Back in Ponyville I took it a bit easy as Everyone was working on this new organization. The Guardians of Equis. Twilight, her brother Shining, Luna and Blueblood were all in this library Twilight called home deciding protocols, rules, other things that went a bit over my head. I sighed, turning back to the task at hand… Pip is too good at checkers.
“So...how have you been feeling Pip?” I asked while moving a piece.
"Okay I guess. The empire after all that was pretty neat. Got to try crystal fruits for the first time. Not as crunchy as you'd think." They said, moving their piece. "King me."
Damn it… “You’re really good at this Pip.” I said simply.
"Used to play all the time back at the orphanage. Checkers, chess, dominos, cards. I've just been good at them."
“Good to know.” I said honestly. “But...again, I’m sorry for scaring you…” I sighed out bitterly while looking over the board to see what I could do.
"I… just remembered when my mom passed. My birth mom." Pip sighed. "Old wounds, or so I hear."
“I’m sorry for asking...but who was your mother?” I asked carefully, not wanting to dredge up bad things for the little guy.
"I don't remember her name. Just that she and I looked basically the same. Same mane colors, coat colors/pattern. We lived in Trottingham and that's about all I remember." Pip sighed.
“And your father just...left you and your mother?” I asked sadly. “What a dick.”
"I never met him. Mom never talked about him, but I think she loved him. She kept this ring that was his and took good care of it. She was buried with it."
“Still a jerk move to have never met his son, especially when that son is a wonderful and adorable colt like you.” I said in a big sisterly tone I haven’t used in...a long time.
"Anna, mind hearing some of this out?" Shining asked, calling from the room next door..
“Fine fine.” I said while putting the next piece over and taking two of his and getting up. “I’ll be right back Pip, also King me.”
Heading to the next room I saw the group of royals surrounded by books, scrolls and documents as Blueblood seemed to be writing notes from papers into a blank book.
"Okay so the majority of the rules and regulations have been made, and so far we figure the organization should be in two sections. Scholars and Hunters. Hunters do the fieldwork and Scholars do the research and such. Keeps it simple." Shining said.
“So I do the hunting, while people like Twilight here do all the Scholar stuff.” I said as an example. “It would be weird if it was the other way around given...well Twilight lives in a Library that’s in a hollowed out Tree…”
"Basically." Twilight said.
"We've already decided on ranks. Given the nature of events and threats the Hunters and Scholars are both overseen by an Overseer, who runs and organized the two groups and together will basically run the organization." Shining stated.
"I am going to be Overseer of the Scholars and Shining will be Overseer of the Hunters. His prior rank as Captain of the Canterlot Guard puts him on the best authority for that." Blueblood said, still writing notes into that book.
"Under overseer for the hunters will be a few ranks. The lowest being Paladins, basically rookies. Above that there's General, then Commander and lastly Captain. They are as high as you can get below Overseer. For the Scholars it's Scribes, Apprentice, then Archiver, and lastly Elder." Shining added.
“Alrighty then.” I nodded. “Sounds like a plan, so who else is going to be apart of this group?”
"Currently Celestia has contacted the Minotaurs, Deer, Moose, Hippo, Hippogriff, Buffalo and Zebras." Luna stated.
“Huh, that’s a lot of races.” I said honestly.
“That’s not even a quarter of the races on Equis that built cities or tribes. There are other races that live as feral as their ancestors have, but their minds are intelligent enough to learn languages and speak them.” Blueblood stated. “Birds, cows, some groups of goats, sheep, rabbits, bunnies, mice and rats. Even some insects have the intelligence of children or even an adult pony.”
“Huh...that’s interesting.” I said honestly, not having moved outside of Equestria since I got here.
“The only real exception to that are fish.” Twilight said thoughtfully. “They’re about as dumb as rocks.”
“Sounds about right.” I nodded. “So, where do I go first? Cause I need three more fiends to get my brother back.”
“Well, until we get any news we must prepare as best as possible, that means setting up a main headquarters.” Shining said. “Plus setting up local locations in towns, major cities, ect.”
“Well...the Library seems like a good enough place to start, just needs some renovations and the like.” I said honestly.
If looks could kill, Twilight would have murdered me. “No, we need a properly built H.Q, both local and for the international uses.” Shining said, patting Twilight on the back to calm her ‘Die Anna Die’ death glare. “I’ll talk to the mayor about any land we can use.”
“And I will speak with my sister about setting up the international headquarters building in the neutral territories.” Luna added.
“Alright, and given Twilight here is wanting to complain hard, I’ll tell you why I said to renovate the place to make it here. It’s in a pretty busy section of the town, it’s a goddamn tree so it has the ability to grow even bigger than what it already is, and it’s the most noticeable outside of Sugar Cube Corner which would lead to others coming in to see what’s up.” I explained. “Plus I said ‘renovate’, not ‘tear down and replace the entire thing’, I’m not a savage.”
Twilight huffed, grossing her arms. “It’s a historic landmark. Has been a library since the town's founding, and it will stay one.”
“Yeah… and your lab in the basement?” Shining asked with a raised brow.
“Given they moved all the town records to town hall, and it’s underground, a better option than renting someplace.” She said. “Besides, I do live here.”
“What about growing it like Anna said?” Luna asked.
“It was grown by Earth Ponies and not Unicorn Magic. Even if I could, it wouldn’t be healthy for the tree. Earth Pony magic keeps them healthy when making buildings like this, something Unicorn magic isn’t easily able to do and not too many earth ponies these days practice making trees into buildings. Even in Applejack’s family, not a one knows how to grow a seed into a prehollowed house.”
“You...do know that you can do this exact thing without Earth Pony magic...right?” I asked slowly.
“Do you know this type of tree takes over two hundred years to grow naturally?” Twilight countered.
“And so do a lot of other trees.” I said simply. “But my point is, you don’t need Earth Pony magic to make things bigger, hell you didn’t even need Earth Pony magic to keep it alive, Nature can handle itself unlike what I’ve seen constantly around here.” I said honestly. “So mind explaining to me how you can’t make it bigger with magic when just reading several books on magic shows it’s done more impressive things?”
“Because nature is magic in it’s own right.” Blueblood stated, still transferring notes to that book. “Earth Ponies, Minotaurs, Yaks, and many similar races all evolved coexisting within the reaches of primal natural magics. Hence they all share a special bond with it. Unicorns like myself stowed away, our ancestors communing with gods and stars to learn magic, how to manipulate and control the natural forces, but in a more forceful, controlling way. Think of it as a unicorn's use of magic like a gust of wind. Oh nature yes it can make them grow fast and large, but a growth that rapid means it pulls either not enough nutrients or too much and weakens it’s soils or grows so fast it begins to age and decay. Earth Ponies and their magic can allow the plant to grow faster, larger and healthier while also keeping the soils rich and fertile by acting as a second source for the plant to feed from and the soil to to take less of a strain.”
“Thank you.” I said. “Now that gives Applejack and Pinkie less of a fucking excuse for being piss scared of Nature doing shit by itself.” I frowned. “But that’s a rant for another time, but now that I know that…” I thought for a moment. “How far is magic with ‘pocket dimensions’?” I asked curiously.
“The magic is possible but difficult to self sustain.” Luna said. “The only functioning pocket dimension spell was applied to Starswirl the Bearded’s personal laboratory, but that building has been magically sealed by the wizard himself before he vanished and my sister and I can not break it. The only one who could would be a living relative. Sadly, he had no children, at least none we knew of.”
“And no, he had no siblings either.” Twilight added before I could ask.
“So...enchant it?” I brought up. “A lot of my magical idea’s are from Dungeons and Dragons here...but wouldn’t enchanting the pocket dimension spell onto say, a bag, be super easy? It won’t need anything but the very air around us to sustain itself right?”
“Yes but it still won’t be as big as you think.” Luna said. “Enchanting it onto a bag is easy, but even so the inside size will be about the size of a barn at the biggest; and the larger the space both inside and outside the item, like a building, the more magic it does need to draw in, and so it needs a proper source of power to draw from. There in lies the issue of keeping the enchantment powered.”
“The ambient magic of this world can’t sustain it? Seems a bit weird don’t you think?” I asked honestly. “But I barely know magic, I barely know what my powers do…” I sighed out.
“Ambient, no, it takes active magic to power higher grade spells and enchantments. You can energize gemstones with mana but that is’t a permanent solution.” Twilight sighed.
“Then perhaps we build a converter.” Blueblood offered from their notes to book writing. Huh, nearing the end. Neat.
“Oh? Does it take the ambient magic and turn it into active magic?” I asked curiously.
“It takes electricity and raw energy and converts it into mana.” Twilight corrected. “But on large scales they’ve never worked. At least not as hoped.”
“True, but if that’s the case there are other options.” Blueblood shrugged.
“Dare I ask?” Luna sighed.
“Well, there’s the ley lines, the elements of harmony, Discord, and of course, Tartarus.”
“Risky and dangerous, no way in the nine hells, and I doubt Discord would enjoy life as a battery… Tartarus though… There might be something there we can use.” Luna pondered.
“You guys have electricity...build generators, don’t fuck with super prison that might also be a literal Embodiment of the Universe.” I said slowly and worriedly. “Seriously...is getting a water wheel too much here? Or is jumping straight to what sounds like ancient beings or artifacts?”
“While it is a prison it is also a vault, and it’s warden owes me a favor.” Luna said with a smile.
“Hades owes you a favor?” Twilight asked, surprised as I am. “For what?!”
“I hooked him up with Artemis.” She stated simply.
“I would have thought Persephone given my worlds mythology on that group.”
“I’ll head there to cash it in. Hopefully what I want is still there.”
“I have… so many questions…” Twilight said, almost twitching.
“So...if the Greek pantheon is here, does that mean I can tell Twilight how my worlds stories of Zeus banging a whole lot of women?” I asked, getting a stupid grin on my face as I could just imagine what Twilight would think of all those stories.
“How do you think the Minotaurs and Centaurs came into the world?” Twilight countered. “A lot of celestial beings bred with mortal beings and some became divine beings, others became some of the races we co-exist with, and others roam the badlands or just stay isolated.” She shrugged.
“Ah yes, in this episode of ‘Zeus couldn’t keep it in his Pants’, we have several civilizations that didn’t immediately get murdered by him because of their hubris or because he kept breeding monsters that were killing people.” I chuckled.
“Actually only about four of his children grew up to murder their sibling races, the rest either left to find worlds of their own or were mortal and became the races and such.”
“And don’t tempt that divine man whore, you are new and if he sees you he will try and breed you. I speak from experience, just stay under his radar.” Luna warned me.
“Listen, if anything I’ve learned about Greek stuff, is that Apollo really needs to catch a break on dating, Hades is a lovable dork who apparently named his dog Spot in the Greek language, and that everyone’s surprised Hera hasn’t either put a collar on Zeus or castrated him at this point.” I said honestly.
“Speaking of, think we can get some of them to help?” Shining asked.
Luna pondered that for a time. “Possibly. I’ll see what happens and call some old family friends.”
“So on this wonderful train of thought, do all the other ‘’Mythologies'’ exist here? Like Egyptian with Horus and co, Norse with Odin and the like, and so on and so forth?” I asked. “Cause honestly, I need to have a talk with at least some of them, why did they ditch Earth when they could have made it so much cooler with magic and monsters?” I huffed, Rick Riordan having spoiled me on that stuff as well as my brother.
“Sadly uncle Horus is retired. Odin should still be around, have to ask Discord if his father is up for parole. Discord’s power is grand but Loki can do so much more.”
“Okay so...I suppose Loki’s imprisonment story doesn’t exist here right?” I asked.
“He is, hence why I said Parole.” Luna added. “Get’s freedom so long as he is helping mortals and not either killing or trying to rule them.”
“That’s...a lot different from my world, cause he wasn’t allowed to escape his bindings and torture until Ragnarok happened...also he was chained up for being a dick and having basically killed Baldur if my norse mythology isn’t lying to me.”
Luna shrugged. “Equestria has always had more contact with our divines and the divines of other lands and worlds than most in the cosmos. Actually that reminds me I need to return Mojlner to Thor… I borrowed it before the Nightmare Moon thing happened and forgot to give it back… actually where did that hammer go?”
“Just...raise your hand up...and summon it?” I suggested, remembering that no it’s not like Marvel’s Thor and you just have to be stupidly strong to wield it.
“Now that would be a good enchantment for the weapon. Would help when he loses it after a drunken adventure.”
“Speaking of them did Auntie Celestia send a letter to the Dwarves and Asgard?” Blueblood asked.
“Dwarves yes, Asgard, not likely. She and Odin don’t often see eye to eye.” Luna sighed.
“Was that a joke?” Shining asked.
“Asgard’s a place...not a person…” I stated as my head started to hurt as all the Myth’s on my world were actually true. “Okay so uh...we derailed this conversation about as hard as a train colliding with another train.”
“You brought it up.” Twilight reminded me.
“In any case.” Blueblood said, the notes done and the book had all of whatever he was writing in it completed. “It gives her an idea of the people in this world. The monsters to expect, and those who are either our allies or enemies. Add these Fiends and Machina, and something tells me our world is about to get much, much more dangerous.”
“Considering there’s nine more fragments of Sombra…” I started. “But yeah...I’m pretty sure it’s going to be a whole lot worse.”
"Well, you know what they say, with war comes innovation and expansion. The years to come will be quite promising for our development as a race." Blueblood added, closing that book.
“Cause that’s what we need…” I sighed out. “War in general is just wrong…”
"War in general is unavoidable." Blueblood replied simply.
“It should be avoidable though…” I grumbled.
"Be them Gods or mortals, all life has war in various forms." Luna sighed. Her horn lit up and in a flash she was gone. Shortly, Blueblood did the same.
"I'm off to the Mayor's office then. You look after Pipsqueak." Shining said to me. "And as your Overseer, that's an order." He said, though his tone and smile was casual.
“Yeah yeah, not like it was my job anyways.” I chuckled with a smile. “I’ll make sure Pip’s okay.” I said while walking back to see Pip.
Walking in I saw Pip… are they talking to their reflection?
“Uh...who are you talking to Pip?” I asked curiously.
"Hm?" He said, turning from his reflection in the window. "Oh...uh… remember how I sometimes see your brother?" He said rather awkwardly.
“Yes...are you talking to him?” I asked curiously.
Pip nodded. "It started… when you got hurt. He can't talk for long, but he tells me stuff like what you were like before and stuff from your world."
“Hopefully he didn’t tell you anything too embarrassing, or else I’m gonna have to do the same to him.” I said honestly.
"He said if you said that, to tell you he still has your phone… what's a phone?"
My phone… my music! My movies!!... My porn!!!
“It’s not of your concern at the moment Pip...just that my brother is being a butt here.” I huffed. “But...if you still see him, tell him I’m almost there to save him…”
"He knows." Pip said with a nodd. I watched them as their ear twitched back over to the window. "What's a body pillow?"
I am going to kill that little...
“Don’t listen to him Pip, my brother is being a butt here.” I pouted. “Now I don’t even want to save him if he’s going to be telling you all this stuff.” I crossed my arms.
Pip's ear twitched again. "He says love you too and that you two are gonna fish when he's out and free."
“Alright.” I nodded, tearing up lightly. “Love you to bro...and hey, we can consider Pip here family as well right?”
Pip twitched their ear, then looked at the window reflection. "He's gone… sorry, it only ever lasts a few minutes at most."
“Damn it…” I muttered bitterly. “But...at least I got to talk to my brother a bit.”
The neutral territories were odd. Basically they were a large section of land and/or ocean between any kingdoms and functioned a lot like international waters back home. All over the place there were buildings ranging from simple yet well defended shacks to towers stretching higher into the sky than I can even see. And that’s just what’s built on the ground, the cloud made cities and buildings are fucking massive that it’s half cloudy all the time and I can only imagine what is under our feet. Why I was here with Blueblood though was… orders… orders I don’t like.
“I hate this, and I hate you.” I frowned, not liking this at all that I need to spend all this time with Blueballs here.
“Not surprised and mutual.” He replied, going over various maps of the area. “But Fiends are prowling about here, as well as other undesirables. So given making this area home of our primary headquarters I’d need a guard who can well handle both monsters and criminals.”
“Fine fine.” I said “This better be worth it though…”
“Once we find an adequate land area to begin construction we can head back.” Blueblood said, looking over the maps again. “Preferably someplace with some water access and near the overhead leylines.”
“I still feel like you’re going overboard with this.” I said honestly.
“Better to over prepare for a threat than to become overwhelmed by the unknowns.”
“I suppose...but is a water wheel too hard here? You people also have coal and electricity...you also control the weather so that’s natural lightning…” I pointed out.
“The water isn’t for power reasons, it’s for potions. Potions brewed with water that runs through the natural leylines produces potions almost triple the quality of those brewed with normal water.”
“I was meaning using a water wheel for power reasons.” I started. “In my world, we power entire cities with Hydro Power Plants inside Dams, which are basically massive water wheels.” I said honestly. “Just...don’t see why we literally need to poke at the planet's veins for something that’s easily solvable.”
“The leylines are for powering gems with enchantments. The building itself will be powered by a Storm Generator. Nine actually.”
“Then what about that converter you showed us before?” I asked. “That’s what I’ve been more focusing on with all of this.”
“That would be for powering a helpful large scale pocket dimension so we can make the outside large and the inside even larger. I have an idea but sadly the materials and spellcraft are still in development.”
“Just like with technology here, it feels weird that Progress seems to be either super advanced for the common tech, or at a stand still.” I said honestly.
“In a world dominated by science and magic advancing both at once it is difficult to advance one without desiring to advance the other at equal pace. That is sady where our world has been grounded while yours reached the stars and developed technology to much higher degrees.”
“While that is true, but given how many fields we had it was hard to keep some from falling behind.” I said honestly.
“Hmm... “ Blueblood hummed as they looked at the map. “This should do it.” I looked at the area they were focused on. It was half a large hill or small mountain where a waterfall falls into a large pond. I looked at the map’s measurements for each square. Each square is two thousand miles by two thousand miles… and that area has seven across… that’s pretty big.
“Jesus fuck this is huge…” I muttered.
“It’s an international base, if it can’t hold the volumes worth of a small city then it won’t meet the international agency code.”
Pretty sure that’s more than a small city on earth…”Uh...I’m pretty sure one of these Squares would be like...the fourth largest city in the country I lived in…” I started.
“Really? Four of those squares is the size of Ponyville. Granted it’s largely farmland.” Blueblood said as we began the hike over there.
“Well how many squares does the town actually make up? Cause it’s a sizable town but it’s not two thousand square miles worth of space.” I frowned, knowing full well I can go through the entire town in less than a day as many others have.
“Well no but like I said it’s mostly farmland. In terms of these squares it would be a two by two space. Barely half of one square makes up the town central but the rest is all various farmland with the largest being the Apple Families Apple Tree Orchards.”
“Alrighty then, good to know.” I nodded. “So, how’s the building going to be?”
“I have some blueprints made up but nothing is finished. It should take about… a month to build and a week to furnish so we can locate there. Local bases though, the Ponyville one should be about done and the Canterlot and other ones in each city and town will be ready before weeks end.”
“Sounds like a plan.” I nodded. “So want me to clear out any baddies here?”
“That would be useful if any happen to be there. Given the terrain it’s highly possible.”
“Doesn’t matter the terrain or anything, all that it depends on is how bad the world wants you to have a random encounter.” I rolled my eyes.
“There’s a theory about how that works in forests of magic with dangers.” Some hours passed as we hiked along the small path. We arrived at the area and Blueblood lit up their horn. “There’s two major groups… and one lone wolf running about here.” He said.
“Alright, so which one to worry about more?” I asked curiously.
“The lone one. Save them for last, I want to study them a bit.”
“That doesn’t sound creepy at all.” I shrugged. “So who’s the two groups of interest here?” I inquired.
“First is up in the mountain area. They seem to be similar to that Evil Eye type fiend but far more magical. The other is in the thick forest further west of here. Near as I can tell they also are flying but seem insect based. The last… it’s familiar but I can’t pinpoint it.”
“Alright, and what do you mean by ‘familiar’?” I asked curiously, having a feeling I know what those fiends are.
“It’s magic feels like something natural to Equis but… Different. I can’t quite place it.”
“That’s weird.” I said honestly. “Well, I suppose I’ll be off to do some monster hunting.”
I shifted into an Evil Eye and headed towards the mountains first. If these ones are akin to this form than might as well greet them as such. I reached the mountain top by the waterfall and saw a dozen Buer flying about.
”Alright, Buer’s are extremely frail physically so it should be easy enough.” I thought to myself while flying over to the group carefully.
Upon seeing me a small group began to fly after me and attack, casting lighting and bites towards me.
I dodged the attacks swiftly, moving slightly as I opened my mouth and a gust of energy rushed towards the Buers.
The attack hit one, but it lived and I had to dodge a volley of other attacks. Thankful a second killed the first one… now to deal with the rest. Best use those new toys of mine. I hit the rocks, shifting back to human form as I pulled out the machina rifle and shot off the magic bullets.
“Even though these things are more magically defensive, bullets are still bullets.” I muttered.
This thing did kill them in one shot, thankfully. I took their pyreflies in and the new form flowed into my abilities. Smirking I was about to shift into the new form when I noticed something… only maybe half are following me. The rest look like they're… ignoring me?
“Huh?” I wondered while moving quickly to where the other half were. “Why are you ignoring me?”
The Buer looked at me, then began flapping away.
“Oi! Get back here!” I huffed.
It stopped, turned around and flew back up to me where it flapped still in the air in front of me… okay?
"Took you this long to learn it?" I blinked, jumping as behind the Fiend was the Doll Sombra… but… no, not like before. This is an illusion? "Illusion, insanity, hard to tell with you."
“Okay so...the hell?” I asked while pointing to the thing flying near me. “Why is it not attacking me and just standing here?”
"When my soul was split so we're my powers and knowledge. This is my power, Enslavement. Any being weaker than I is filled with an unwavering fear and obeys my every order. But, when you took me in, it changed, and works on the lesser, weaker of these creatures. Passively they seem to ignore you if they are beneath you, but once you give them an order they obey."
“Uh…” I started while pointing at the more aggressive Buer. “Attack.” I said, trying to test this out.
The passive Buer seemed to perk up, then tackled the aggressive one as other passive ones joined in attacking the aggressive fiends.
“Well that’s...neat.” I said honestly. “Wonder if it grows in power?” I wondered.
"As more of my shards are taken in by you, yes. To what degrees though I am unsure. I'm interested to find out."
“Cool.” I nodded while watching the fighting go on. “And if one side kills the other, I finish them off. Basic logic...wait, do I get experience from commanding the Fiends?” I wondered while checking my stat screen and seeing the experience stat...wait, what do you mean I have seventy levels!?! “Uh...I don’t remember getting that level...uh...how do I…” I muttered, only to see the Sphere Grid was my leveling system. “Yeah...sounds about right.”
Sombra chuckled. "I didn't measure my progress by following a spheres within my vision, I measured it by the body count."
“And you sir need a better hobby.” I said bluntly. “Now...do I even have the spheres for these?” I wondered while looking at my Sphere Grid to see if it was like the game or if it was brand new.
Fifty two… sweet. Huh, what's this? Following a branching path I saw a small line of ten spheres, one already alight but glowing dark and… sickly.
Sombra's Power: Rank 1
Nine more along. Makes sense.
“Well this is good to know..” I muttered while trying to get as much out of this as I could with what I had. “This is certainly different than the normal sphere grid that’s for sure.”
"You shouldn't compare reality to the fantasies you idolized.
“I’m in a world filled with magical talking ponies, Fiends, and I was just explained that my worlds Mythology’s are real. So yes, I will indeed compare fantasies to reality.” I deadpanned.
"In any case, surprised to see me here?"
“Yes, I am. Why the hell are you here?” I asked worriedly.
"You're using my power, why shouldn't I be here?"
“I suppose…” I said. “But I better not become more evil because I’m doing this.” I huffed.
"The powers of the Umbrum Don't corrupt the mind, all it is is tapping into the ethers leylines from the mortal plane. It's the caster who allows the power to drunk them."
“Right…” I nodded. “So anyways, let’s see how things are going with the fight.” I said while looking back to the Fiends I commanded to fight.
So far a good amount of the strong ones were gone already but there was a lot of the ones I controlled that were dead already. Made sense they were weaker.
“Alright, at least a bunch of them were cleaned out.” I said while cracking my knuckles. “Let’s keep going then.”
"May I offer an alternative?" I did not like that tone he was using...
“I’m going to regret this...but what alternative do you have in mind?” I asked carefully.
"The means of how you absorb fiends, and my soul shard, makes them as part of your own. You should be able to perform even the most basic of the spells I am capable of. If you can pull it off then combat against most of these creatures can be reduced significantly."
“I know I can do the four basic elemental spells from Final Fantasy...and I don’t know if I can use your magic yet.” I said while bringing out my staff and, using the HUD that Discord gave me a while ago, checked to see what spells I can do.
"My magic doesn't work the same as yours or Equestrian. Visualize a hole, overflowing with an endless void in your heart. Reach into the endless pit and take that darkness, and when it fights you, fight back. Punch, kick, bite then command it. The magic of the ether listens to no mage unless you can overcome it's desire to be wild. Prove you are the master, and once you have a pathway to endless possibilities opens to you."
“Well...if you say so…” I said nervously, taking a deep breath as I closed my eyes, trying to figure out what ‘hole’ Sombra was talking about.
I opened them. This feeling… it's like when I'm in Zanarkand. I turned around, Sombra standing behind me… and behind him, a deep endless darkness that seemed to roar and hiss with primal rage. "This is the pit into the ether, the source of my magic. Where fallen stars and dead Eldritch beings fester and feast on those they drag in.” They said, turning and I saw along the edges nine other figures just like him in the distance. "Even in death they respect me, now, can you make them respect you?"
“Well I’m sure gonna try.” I said while cracking my knuckles. “Anything goes here?” I asked curiously.
"Reach in, and when they grab you, Don't get dragged in."
“Alrighty then.” I nodded while moving over and trying to reach into the darkness.
I got my arm elbow deep when a rough, rock like tendril the size of my body grabbed it… and damn that thing is strong! I kept pulling back, this thing weighs the size of a building! "To make it okay, you must pull it out of the hole Anna." Sombra instructed, the rough skin of this thing starting to cut my arm.
“Yeah, easy enough.” I grunted while grabbing it with my other arm and trying to pull. “Nothing like pulling a building out of a dark place, that’s just fine.” I growled.
"Oh trust me that is much bigger than any building."
Huffing I kept pulling back, thankfully, inches began getting pulled out slowly.
“Good...to know…” I growled, pulling on whatever the hell this thing is out of the darkness with all my might.
After maybe two feet of this thing's appendage was out it yanked, and I barely stopped at the edge of the hole. Looking down I saw darkness but could hear so many impossible monsters.
“Oh no you don’t assmunch.” I growled while starting to pull back again, thinking this is more a game of tug of war than a fight.
I kept pulling back but it wasn't budging, the fucker having me lean over to keep my balance and not fall in. "My my, this one is quite the fighter. I do wonder which one nabbed you?" Sombra pondered as I managed to get one step back.
“Bite me.” I growled while trying to get some footing for this. “Bastard’s being a douchebag…” I grunted.
"Well it is Eldridge, they do exist to destroy reality so, what else do you expect?" Sombra said, walking over to the edge and looking over. "Oh my. You got one of those. That explains it. Gave me trouble the first time around. A spawn of… what do they call it in your world? Starts with a C…"
“Oh go fuck yourself.” I growled. “Are you saying Chtulu exists here to!? What, is everything from my world real here?”
"Well we call it Agrothl but yes and that is it's spawn, trust me to reach their mama you'll have to dive in pretty deep."
“Christ, why the hell did I agree to this?” I groaned as I kept trying to pull this thing up.
"You want power? Then best learn that it all comes at costs." Sombra said as I slid in more. "Raw strength Alone won't pull it above Anna. Pull with your soul."
“Easier...said than done.” I growled, trying to figure out how to ‘pull with my soul’ on the fly here.
It yanked again, nearly I avoided falling in as Pyreflies began flowing around me, emerging out of my body and wrapping around the tendril and helping me pull… okay. "Not bad." Sombra said with a shrug.
“Um...alright, so far so good.” I said while trying to get more of the Pyreflies to help me pull this thing.
More flowed out, forming into gushing rapids as the Pyreflies descended down into the darkness, wrapping around this spawn of Lovcraftian horror and lifted it up. The thing was thrashing madly, it looked basically like Cathulu but… smaller I think? It's still the size of… Hawaii. And it's island’s. "Good… I wonder…" Sombra thought, a smile on their lips. "Why would it be so scared?"
“What do you mean it’s afraid?” I asked worriedly, which I heard several other beasts down their screeching in fear at me for some reason. “Wait...why are these things afraid? I’m just me?” I said nervously as I pulled the thing out of the Abyss.
Sombra's smile never left them as they looked between the spawn of Cthulhu and me. "Try and eat it." He said finally.
“Why would I do that?” I asked, looking at the creature as it looked like a scared child more than anything.
"The magic you need comes from their blood. Blood of the Eldritch is tied to their souls, eat it's soul and you'd have more than enough to last for all my spells you'll be learning.".”
“That’s...weird…” I said slowly, the Pyreflies seemingly acting on their own as they started to go into the Eldritch being and...cause it to start shriveling up like a grape in a dehumidifier. “I’m...not telling them to do that…” I said worriedly, seeing it thrash around in pain as it started to die, Pyreflies flying out of its body and back into me as I felt the power of this thing rush into me as well.
The rush felt like I was in a hurricane, the power was like the sun itself flowed down my throat, and it's Eldritch soul tasted like bile built over the course of eons, the wrongness and horror of this thing's very nature made my stomach lurch and my mind reel in disgust. It ended and I tried to hack up what wasn't in my stomach. I would have preferred taking Sombra's shard again. "Incredible." Sombra said, his tone sounding pleased.
“Go fuck yourself.” I coughed. “Fuck that was horrible, and if you get a new roommate it’s not my fault...also it’s not my fault if I can shapeshift into the thing…” I gagged. “God this was a mistake…”
"We'll see." They said, pulling me up.
I blinked and we were back in the Mountain lake. I felt… well, okay. That taste was gone and over all I felt really good and what the hell is poking my ass? I turned, seeing a Buer Fiend biting my rear… seriously?!
I brought up my staff and smacked it really hard, killing it in one hit. “My ass is not a chew toy damn it.” I growled, my face beat red in embarrassment.
I growled as the last seven stronger surviving Buer fiends circled me. Sombra's… illusion, stood next to me. "Tradite Devoratrix Animas Excitat. That's the spell you'll want to use."
“Whatever the hell that means…” I said while raising my staff. “Tradite Devoratrix Animas Excitat!” I chanted, hoping it would do something.
The fiends before being stopped, their bodies… they began to break down into the white orbs of Pyreflies and flowed towards me and down my mouth. Thankfully that did not taste horrid. Actually had no flavor at all. "Soul Consumption. Given how killing these monsters you passively consume their essence, this spell is the same but active." Sombra said.
“Um...I don’t know if I should be doing more of this…” I said worriedly.
"Why not?"
“It kind of...feel’s wrong? Also I might be seen as a criminal for using magic that you used.” I started.
"Against beasts like these? I doubt that, after all… if you want to talk about morals, ask Luna just how the Empire was banished for a thousand years. Ask Celestia the spell that banished Luna for a thousand years. Illegal spells, it's just a label on magic too potent for the common mage to cast without understanding the consequences."
“Either way.” I said honestly. “So onto the next group of monsters.”
"Good luck." Sombra said, their illusion form vanishing from my sight. Good riddance.
“Bastards gonna give me such a headache…” I groaned while rubbing my temples. “Well...onto the next thing…” I muttered while turning into an Evil Eye and flying off towards the next group.
The woods area was full of fruit trees. Some of these I've only ever heard about or seen online… And some that look native to Equis cause it sure as hell doesn't look like any tree or fruit from earth. I heard a high pitched buzzing and spotted them. There were Bug Bites all over, and a nest made from whole trees and large boulders… Can fiends even breed like that? I doubt it.
”An entire nest? Jesus…” I thought to myself while shifting back into my human form. “Well...let’s try some commanding…” I muttered while raising my staff. “Attack!”
A few froze up suddenly, and began tackling others but not many at all. I huffed, taking out my staff and casting fire magic.
“Well, when in doubt, set fire to the damned things.” I said honestly.
Blasting the nest and bugs around that seemed to do the trick. I shifted into the new forms and woah… these wings are crazy. Feels like paper on my back.
"URRRAAAAAHHHHHH!" A noise like a monsters roar echoed from northwest of here.
”Well...that’s not concerning at all.” I thought to myself worriedly as I flew off quickly towards the roaring.
As I flew over near the small river the waterfall flowed into, I spotted a Chimera… eating a Chimera? No, that one eating the other is different… that's a fiend. Wait, so Equestria has Chimeras naturally too? Christ, why am I surprised? I just ate a baby Cathulu. I spotted Blueblood on a treetop, taking photos from a camera and writing some notes
”Thank god I learned some Nul Spells from my Sphere Grid…” I thought to myself while landing on the ground and turning back into my human form. “Nul-water.” I muttered, a water orb surrounding me as I took a deep breath and turned into my Dark Crystal Dingo form ”If Blueblood want’s some notes, I’ll give him notes.” I thought as I pounced on it’s snake tail and bit down on it while it was distracted with its food.
The snake tail bit me. While it did break it's teeth and didn’t hurt me it's surprisingly strong Maw managed to lift and toss me up, the air, the goat head looking up and opening wide… a goat should not have teeth that sharp! Before I could shift there was gunfire, the goat head receiving a rather large hole where it's left eye used to be as the other heads all roared in joined agony. Shifting to an evil eye I flew up and out of reach. Okay, not passive and agro as all hell.
Another gunshot, and it's snake body tail was blown clean off. Shit, Blueball's got aim.
I fired off a bolt of energy towards the Chimera while it was distracted by it’s own pain, hitting it’s Falcon head in it’s lower jaw and hearing it crack. ”This isn’t like a normal Chimera from the game...it had a bull and an eagle heads, not goat and falcon.” I thought to myself nervously.
Blueblood shot off a magic bullet carrying some kind of ice magic as on impact the whole left side frosted over, then the frost became a shell of ice two inches thick.
”I almost feel sorry for this thi-whoa!” I mentally yelped while dodging a massive fire ball thrown at me. ”Alright, never mind. Fuck you.” I mentally frowned while firing off another energy bolt at the monster.
The impact of my attack broke the ice and a chunk of it's half frozen body off. Then I saw something different. It began bleeding, but along with the blood Pyreflies floated out. That's new...
I started to cast that spell Sombra taught me as I used it’s secondary shockwave attack against the new Fiend.
I managed to absorb in some of the Pyreflies, but not all. Interestingly enough the ones I did absorb once I did parts of its body began to decay somewhat. The thing was on it's last legs and with one final blast of lightning It went down, it's body glowing as Pyreflies flowed into my and I got my last form needed. I'm coming bro.
I landed back in human form and noticed the Chimeras bones were all that was left. Odd… pretty sure the whole body usually turns to Pyreflies.
"That's...not correct." I said nervously. "What Chimera was that?" I muttered while checking my forms.
"That's what I was wondering." Blueblood said as he walked up. He knelt down, looking the beast over. Well, it's bones. He then pulled a paper and pencil from his pocket, wrote something down, then, in a puff of magic, the letter was gone. "I'm going to have these examined."
"Well there's already a problem given that it had a Falcon and Goat head, they normal have a Bull and Eagle head." I said worriedly.
"Equestrian native ones have goat and tiger heads. The snake aspect was the only similarity. While versions do exist with other beasts heads they are rare." Blueblood said, looking over the broken goat skull he shot.
"Fiends aren't native to Equestria though, it had Pyreflies and everything...albeit the nest of Bug Bites was also weird…" I started.
"A nest?"
"Yes...they were in trees and rocks...its concerning." I said nervously.
"Hmm. Looks like the base itself might need to get delayed. Worst case scenario, they're changing… or breeding. Or both."
"Both most likely…" I said worriedly while checking my new Chimera form. "Also I need to find a save sphere...so I can save my brother."
"Not sure if one is around here. Guess it's back to Ponyville for you."
"Damn it…" I sighed out. "Wish I knew how to make those things...at least for me it would teleport me to another save sphere."
"Hmm. Useful."
Arriving back in Ponyville the save sphere was doing… something. No idea what but I guess I just have to wait for it to… finish whatever it's doing. In the mean time, Twilight, her friends and I are training with Twilight's brother Shining Armor.
"Alright, so let's try out my new form." I said while turning into my new Chimera form.
Fuck… fuck… fuck. Six pairs of eyes is extremely disorienting. God this feels so alien. All the heads and… oh… crap that's dizzying.
"Okay...uh…" I started, being the goat head.
"Dizzy…" 'I' said as well from the panther head.
"This is weird…" 'I' groaned from the falcon head.
"Why am I the tail?" 'I' complained, so says the snake tail.
After a few minutes It began to settle in and felt a bit more normal. I wasn't dizzy but moving was another taste entirely. Two heads, four pairs of eyes both facing the same way yet at different angles and my snake head looking behind me made moving forward confusing.
"God almighty…" I muttered. "Does anyone know if I'm moving forward?"
"Yes but you're leaning to the right a bit." Twilight informed.
"Thank you." My falcon head said while I tried correcting myself.
Walking was a bit more manageable over time but this form is gonna take a lot of practice to get used to. Especially the four heads thing. It feels like I’m both divided between all four and switching between each head.
“Can you cast spells in that form?” Shining asked.
"I can." Snake me said.
"I can make fire." My panther head said while raising a hand and fire appearing on it.
"I can't." My goat head said.
"I breath a stream of water." My falcon head started as it shot out an Aqua Breath at one of the targets, knocking it over from the force.
“Neat.” Shining said.
“Interesting this type has four heads over the normal three.” Twilight said. “And you said this fiend left behind bones?”
“Yes.” The snake nodded.
“But I’m different than the normal chimera.” The Panther said.
“I’m supposed to be a bull.” The goat said.
“And I’m supposed to be an Eagle.” The falcon said.
“So something’s not right here.” I said with all four heads.
“That’s creepy.” Rainbow said.
“Eyup.” Applejack agreed.
“So anyways.” My goat head started. “The plus side with this form is that I can actually talk.”
“On the negative...this form is a massive headache to try and function given I have four sets of eyes and I’m trying to fight myself on doing the same thing.” My falcon head sighed out.
“I can imagine.” Rarity said.
“In any case, best shift back to normal for now, I’m teaching swordsmanship now, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, you two up front.” Shining said, the two mares in question walking up next to me as I shifted back to normal.
“Okay...that’s gonna need some getting used to.” I shook my head, feeling weird going from four pairs to only one. “Alright...so sword training right?”
“Yes. It’s best to make sure you can utilize any weapon around you. The most basic is the sword.” Shining said, handing AJ, RD, and myself wooden training swords.
“Alright, sounds simple enough.” I nodded while taking the wooden sword and doing some practice swings to get used to the weight.
RD and AJ did the same as the two partnered up and I partnered with Shining. He made a stance and I copied it. “Ever worked with swords before?”
“Not much, but I did do some play fighting with my brother a few times with toy swords.” I shrugged.
Shining shrugged. "Close enough. The basics of your basic broadsword are swings and thrusts. Swings for heavy hitting momentum and force, and thrusts for accurate strikes to vital areas."
“Sounds simple enough.” I said honestly, getting into a ready stance.
"When making a swing attack, you need to Arch it just so it carries your body weight when the impact hits, armored opponents often have some weak spots in their armor you can aim for to disable them or if your weapon is better than their armor you can try and break through it, but that's only really viable when using heavy weapons like a Warhammer, poleaxe and halberd."
"Sounds about right." I nodded. "This should be easy enough." I said while swinging my wooden sword down in the arch Shining talked about.
It all felt pretty fluid, Shining and I exchanging practice blows as we put more force into each swing to test one another.
"Let's hope I don't-ow!" I yelped and I Shining knocked my sword out of my hand as I had another 'blank' moment. "Damn it…" I grumbled, picking up my sword again.
"That's not good."
"It's...a weird thing about me." I said. "Some others in my dream world already figured it out...somehow I can be good at things but then just...zone out…" I said nervously. "Like I...wake up from a dream or something…" I shook my head.
"Hmm. Does this happen in your fiend forms?"
"Um...yes. That's how I got injured when I fought Sombra." I said honestly.
"Huh. Maybe a familiar could help you there."
"Familiar? Like a magical pet or something?" I asked curiously.
"Yeah. Maybe they can help you out so when one of these freeze episodes hits, they can at least defend you."
"True...so how do I get or make one?" I asked curiously.
"Twilight would know, she used to have one when she was younger but she disbanded their contract seven years ago."
"Well I'm gonna go see Twilight after this then." I said honestly.
"Yeah. So, how much can you lift by the way?"
"No idea." I said honestly. "I've done some basic lifting helping my parents with groceries and stuff."
"Well let's test that. The Ponyville HQ has a small gym so we can test your physical limits there."
"Let's hope I'm not physically unfit. I can at least keep up with some of the track team back home." I huffed.
Equestrian physical fitness is unfair. Stupid horse people. “I’ll make you an exercise schedule to help boost your strength, endurance, speed and stamina.” Shining said, my limp noodle body flat on the floor in a puddle of sweat.
“Cause that’s fair, comparing my human physiology to that of a goddamn horse.” I groaned in sore pain.
“To be fair with our similar body structures it seems our physiology is dramatically different, but at a glance you’d think they were more similar.”
“You’re still a horse, and there’s a reason why, back in my world, we have engines rated in ‘HorsePower’.” I groaned.
Shining chuckled. “Weird.”
“It was because horses were the main pulling power outside of some other animals as far as I know.” I said while trying to get up. “Can...someone get me something to drink?”
Shining used their magic, levitating over to me a bottled water as I gulped it down fast. “Makes sense, we’ve always pulled out our weight and then sum back before the steam engine and electricity.”
“And...I think I heard ponies pull full trains as well…” I said, taking a moment to breath before going back and drinking my water slower so I can get hydrated.
“Only along flatlands and only when coal is in short supply. Some do it for sport and others do it cause the work pays well, all in all it’s up to the ponies if they wanna pull it or not.”
“Sounds about right.” I nodded. “Christ this is gonna be a nightmare…”
“We’ll start after you’ve rested up for about an hour.” Shining said as he pulled me up and sat me down onto a nearby chair. “We’ll start with curl ups.”
“Hate you…” I grumbled.
"Heard that a lot back when I trained the guards in Canterlot. Said it a lot too back as a trainee. Funny how it always comes full circle."
"Hate you so much…" I groaned. "Now...can I find Twilight so I can get that familiar?"?"
"Can you even stand?"
I tried to get up. “No idea...let’s try…”
Legs… nope. Arms… nope. Spine… feels fifty years older than the rest of me… neck… fuck…
"Take the hour break." Shining said, holding back a laugh at my inability to move. "Once you can at least stand and walk you'll be fine."
“Piss off…” I groaned. “Just...move me towards the Save Sphere, that’ll patch me up…hopefully…” I said.
With a sigh Shining lifted me up and carried me over his arm like luggage. "You're lighter than you look."
“Says the horse person that bench pressed two tonnes.” I rolled my eyes.
"Four. Though Applejack, if what Twilight says is true, she has done fifteen." My groan could be heard up in Canterlot.
“I hate all of you…” I complained.
Sadly because the save sphere is doing… a thing, regarding my brother most likely, I just fell asleep on the bed. Arriving in Zanarkand I mostly just stayed lazy, too tired to do anything in this 'dream' world.
“Fuck working out.” I groaned, too busy playing FFX right now.
"Lazy girl." Jecht laughed.
"How's that hip there Gramps?" Tidus joked.
"I am not that old!"
“One pony, a royal guard captain, can bench press four tonnes, and an apple farmer can bench press fourteen.” I frowned. “And the captain wants me to be ‘up to speed’ with them!”
"I could bench that easy." Jecht said, giving a flex.
"In your dreams." Tidus said, rolling their eyes. "The only thing I've ever seen you bench was mom and she only weighed a hundred and twenty pounds."
“Only thing he benched harder was his blitzball career.” I joked.
Jecht huffed. "Kids today- Oh God damn it! Now you're making me sound old!"
"You are old." Tidus stated.
“I mean, he’s probably only in his mid thirties.” I shrugged. “We never got definitive ages though in the game.”
"I'm only forty two." Jecht huffed.
"Old." Tidus said with a laugh. "Ouch!" He yelped after Jecht slugged Tidus on the head.
“Don’t hurt each other too much you two.” I said honestly. “So anything new in here?”
"Yeah, we got a new roommate." Tidus huffed. "Well, more a pet but still."
At that moment, a tiny Cthulu squid flew across us in the air as if they were swimming. It looked at us, hissed at me, then "flew" off into the bathroom. "I call him Skippy." Jecht said.
“I...don’t know why it’s scared of me though.” I said nervously. “When I pulled it out, it saw me and freaked the hell out like it’s seen me before or...what I was doing.”
"It more hissed at you. Maybe it just doesn't like you?" Tidus thought aloud.
"It likes me. And fish sticks." Jecht stated.
“I mean, I did...eat it to gain it’s powers.” I said nervously.
"Yeah that would do it." Tidus said with a sigh. "Not even phased by this shit anymore."
“But again, it seemed to panic when I started, not because I was beating it but...like it saw something else.”
"Whatever the case, we got a pet now." Jecht summarized bluntly.
“Which is a nice thing.” I said honestly. “So I should be saving my brother soon.”
"Sweet. What's he like?" Tidus asked.
“Well...he’s a sweet little thing.” I said gently. “Happy, energetic...pretty much like Pipsqueak to be honest.” I said honestly. “If you two haven’t seen what I’ve experienced in the movie theatre if that’s possible, or if Luna didn’t already talk about him a lot.”
"Often." Tidus and Jecht said in unison.
"I'd tell her cut the cord but she didn't birth him so… not exactly sure what to tell her." Jecht said.
"Not surprised given you were the most uncaring dad ever." Tidus huffed.
“From what Jecht said his father was worse.” I said honestly. “But there’s something weird between Blueblood and Pip...bastard couldn’t give two shits about literally anyone, but Pip is a special case…”
"Maybe he just has a soft spot for kids?" Tidus offered.
“No, I’ve seen him around literally everyone else, he does not give a shit.” I said. “He even agreed, and he’s being pretty evasive on answering my question...and then there’s that letter he keeps reading…” I wondered, not really sure what the connection is here.
"Is it old paper?" Jecht asked.
“Considering there’s magic in the world it might be kept fresh but...it looked old enough, certainly looks at it enough from what I’ve learned.” I said honestly, damn near seeing him looking at it before doing something or having a moment without much happening.
"Must be from family. Mom, dad maybe?" Jecht offered.
“Don’t know his parents, and he only said he cared about Celestia, Cadence, and now Pipsqueak.” I said honestly. “So it couldn’t be his parents…”
"Then maybe it's a letter from one of them? Celestia and Cadence I mean." Tidus thought aloud. "Like, orders from Celestia or some childhood sketch from Cadence?"
“He wouldn’t be so protective of it, cause if it was ordered from Celestia he would have probably showed me it already, and a childhood sketch...possibly, but I doubt it…” I said.
"Is it all that important? If everything about him pisses you off why bother investigating him?" Jecht asked.
“Because me knowing something he actively doesn’t want me to know will be a victory that will piss him off, a lot.” I said with a cheeky grin.
"You assume." Tidus sighed.
“He seems like the type.” I said simply.
"Even so, he is your boss. If I'm not mistaken, you sure you want to see what hell he can order you through?"
“My boss is Luna and Shining, Blueblood has nothing to do with what I’m doing.” I said honestly.
"Just saying." Tidus shrugged.
"Even so he is a Prince, liked or not he has royal authority so you don't know what he can do within the law." Jecht said.
“Either way.” I said. “I just...hope when I wake up my brother’s there.”
"Whatever that sphere is doing I'm sure it will all work out." Tidus said.
"Ten Gil says it leads you to a place with a powerful fiend you have to fight and kill to get him back." Jecht said.
“No bet, I’m pretty sure that’s going to happen when I wake up.” I said honestly. “Why wouldn’t there be a boss fight to save my brother?”
"If so will it be one we know or one that's new?" Tidus asked. "If it's new then cool but also yikes."
“It’s already concerning because Bite Bugs were making Nests in trees and boulders, and that Chimera you two probably saw...it was mixed between fiend and an actual creature from Equis.” I said honestly.
"Damn. Welp… guess the situation is worse than we figured."
“And it’s only going to get worse...either because of other hidden stuff I don’t know about, or one of the bastards that got chucked to Equis was Seymoure.” I shuddered.
"Better not be." Tidus huffed.
"I hated that little brat. Always gave me the creeps." Jecht added.
“Oh he’s like in his mid twenties when Tidus kills him like…” I went through my head how many times you needed to fight that bastard. “Four times...while he continuously wanted to save people from Sin...by becoming Sin and murdering everyone so they wouldn’t be killed by Sin.”
"... Does being a half breed screw with your brain?"
“I don’t know what you mean by ‘half breed’, but that is literally Seymour’s entire plan that he tells people when you’re half way up Mt. Gagazet.” I said honestly, only shaking my head and chuckling. “It’s such a hypocritical and retarded plan that it’s just hilarious.”
"Was disturbing to hear it though when you had to fight him multiple times." Tidus said.
“Yeah, and I really hope I don’t have to deal with that asshole.” I sighed out.
"Don't jinx it."
“Fingers crossed.” I said honestly.
"What do you mean he's gone?!" I woke up hearing Luna scream those words downstairs.
“Wha?” I groaned, looking around. “Where am I? What happened?” I asked while trying to get up, only to slip from where I was. “Shit!” I yelped only to hit the floor. “I’m okay…” I groaned.
"Anna!" Twilight yelled as she ran over to me. "Pipsqueak is missing!"!”
“Oh come on!” I shouted while getting up quickly. “Blame Shining for making me pass out, we need to talk later Twilight, and have there been any big rifts opening up out of nowhere?” I asked as I started to think of where Pip could have gone. “Was there any signs of where Pip wanted to go or something? What did I miss?”
"This was in his room, recently drawn too." Blueblood said as he entered, a colored sketch of an old castle in the woods drawn up. "It resembles the old Equestrian Capital Castle in the Everfree Forest quite well."
“Okay, so we know where to go.” I nodded. “But...we need to work fast, god only knows if something is going to appear where Pip is.”
"You go on ahead with Princess Luna, the rest of us will get there as fast as we can." Twilight said.
“Got it.” I nodded while opening the window and flying out as a Bite Bug, this thing being a lot faster than the Evil Eye as I rushed to the old castle.
I arrived in Minutes, Luna keeping up on those impressive wings as we arrived at the old castle ruins. Pip was there, sitting on the old half broken dusty throne. "Pip!" Luna yelled, running up only to hit an unseen barrier.
“Of fucking course.” I groaned while shifting into my new chimera form, thankfully getting more used to it as I looked around with the sight of a falcon from four different heads. “Alright, where’s the boss?” I growled. We watched as Pyreflies flowed from Pip, and formed in front of him into… Tommy!
“Tommy!” All four of my heads cheered as I reverted back to my human form and ran after Tommy, hoping he was okay.
He looked a little sluggish, Pip seeming to mimic this sensation as suddenly chains of magic wrapped the two boys.
"Pip!" Luna yelled.
"Tommy!" I yelled
The chains dragged the two off down a secret path behind the throne as black pulsating Pyreflies flowed around from all the castle walls and began forming into a shape. They were two armored knights, but that armor looked… strange. One was pure sky-blue and black and the other a gold and orange, the blue and black one bore a crescent moon and the other the image of the sun, both armor sets looked built for….
"My old armor." Luna gasped. "And Tia's. I haven't seen those in three thousand years."
“Well whatever the reason they're here, I’m going to rip them apart for taking my brothers!” I roared, shifting into my Chimera form and charging at them.
The Celestia armor stepped up, meeting my charge and wrapping their arms around my torso, stopping me dead where we impacted then tossed me into the nearby wall. Fuck…
“Anna! You… Shit.” Luna said, seeing her dodging her armor swing at her with was a very artistic and deadly looking lance made of a silver looking metal that seemed to vibrate on it’s own. I jumped out my small hole in time to avoid the massive one handed axe Celestia’s armor nearly slammed on me.
“Cause this is what we need right now.” I growled while my falcon head shot a bolt of water at the Celestia armor.
Celestia’s armor slashed upwards, the blade of their axe glowing a molten red as on contact the water turned to steam and filled the room. I felt something bump into me but thankfully it was just Luna. “This isn’t good, those armors were built by our father. And those weapons… they draw power directly from the moon and sun so long as we are bound to them as well.” Luna said, the metallic steps of the armor sounding around us but the steam still making seeing difficult.
“Fine.” I growled as my fur started to spark with magical power. “Flare!” I shouted as I leaned over as my snake tail channeled the spell, a roiling mass of powerful mana appearing below the solar armor before erupting like a volcano.
The armor was blasted high up, Luna raising a hand. “I sure hope this works.” Luna said, several seconds of nothing til the sky flashed with lightning and thunder echoed all around. Something crashed from the already falling apart ceiling. In her grip Luna caught a heavy looking hammer crackling in lightning. “Okay good it did. I’ll give this back to Thor later.” She said, swinging it around like a yoyo from the handles end strap and slapping it upside her own armor’s head.
“You are so lucky that it came back.” I said while rushing over and headbutting the armor with my Goat head straight into a wall.
With even footing Luna took on her own armor while I dealt with Celestia’s. As it was about to slam it’s giant war axe onto me again there was suddenly a purple shield around me, and looking to my side I saw Shining run up and smal that crystal war hammer into Celestia’s armor, sending it back some feet. “Living armor? Aren’t fiends animals or something?” He asked as the shield around me dropped.
“They can also be plants, stones forming symbols for elements, flans, and other things.” I said honestly. “Not all of them are animals...but how this shit is happening I have no clue, cause they are powered by Pyreflies…”
“Those things you absorb when you kill them? That’s concerning.” Shining said, Celestia and Luna’s armor standing before us as Applejack and Rainbow Dash arrived. Four against two, they are so done for.
“These assholes are holding my brothers hostage, and I’m going to bring them back.” I roared as I used Aqua Breath against both suits of armor.
Another slash and the Celestia armor created a veil of steam. I ignored it, charging forwards as suddenly pain erupted in my leg. Looking down that lance was in my… oh come on the same foot! Luna’s armor twisted as I roared, jumping back when I slashed at it but not without cutting my hand/paw wide open with a lucky slash to the air. Shining got a shield up over me as Celestia’s armor was about to slam it’s axe down, only for Luna to throw Mjolner into its torso. It landed on the ground, the hammer’s magic pinning it down as it tried to stand.
“Oh no you don’t!” I shouted as my panther side raised it’s fist up into the air, the fist bursting into flame as I rammed it down into its hollow helmet hard enough to crack the ground.
I then tried to pick up it’s own axe and YIPE! My attempt to lift the axe was met with an immovable object… oh now that’s just unfair. Pissed I kept stomping on the armor’s head, finally cracking. I was about to give one more hard stomp but I got a lance in the ass, thankfully Shining’s shield’s can shrink when they go around something, and Luna’s armor was trapped in there.
“How fucking dare you.” I growled angrily.
I smashed my good foot on Celestia’s armor, the helm cracked and shattered. Pyreflies followed into me and I felt massive relief as I saw before my eyes the injuries heal up as I absorbed them. Nothing was left of Celestia’s armor now, and turning Luna was slamming Mijlner across her own armor’s helm.
Crack. Crack. Break.
Once the helm broke, Shining dropped the shield, the Pyreflies flowing into me as well. With both of them absorbed I felt… different. Not like I had a new Fiend form but more like… a new power? Maybe?
“Well…” I turned back into my human form and tried to bring out that armor.
It was when I shifted back I noticed my new… hand tattoos… the sun on my left hand, and the moon on my right, both right there on the backs of my hands. I tapped the moon one, and suddenly I was in the armor, holding that lance and felt… woah. “Woah.” Applejack said.
“Well...this is cool.” I said while looking over myself. “Hmm...I wonder if I can use my forms with this?” I wondered.
“I’m wondering if you can fly with that armor on?” Rainbow Dash said.
“I’m wondering if you can use my magic with that armor on.” Luna added.
Confused, I looked up… I have a horn. I looked to my sides… I have wings… Holy fuck I have a horn and wings!?
“This suit of armor is awesome.” I said happily, trying to fly with my armors wings.
I lifted up about three feet… then crash sideways into the wall… flying is harder than it looks. At least with wings. Fuck as a fiend I can fly effortlessly, this is… different. “Ouch…” Shining winced as he picked me up.
“Alright, so I thought flying as a Fiend would give me a better feeling for flying…” I groaned. “But I can work on this later, where’s Pip and Tommy?”
“They were pulled down the secret fun slide behind the throne.” Luna said, rushing over to said throne and kicking it aside, showing there was a small hole that indeed did look like a long slide down. “It leads to a bunker, with luck the two are still there and waiting for us and didn’t wander off out the secret passage.”
“Let’s hope for the best.” I said while heading down the slide, wanting to see my little brothers again.
The slide was longer than I expected, but when I popped out I hit a large pile of pillows. And someone. “Ouch! I missed you to Anna but… I was gonna joke about your weight but why do you have wings and a horn and armor right out of Skyrim?” Tommy asked from under my back where I was unintentionally pinning him.
“I am so sorry.” I said while disbanding my armor and getting off of him, only to pick him up and hug the shit out of him. “But I missed you so much…” I said, tears filling my eyes as I finally got to hold my little brother after all this time.
“Missed you too… can I breath now?”
“No.” I said while at least letting up on the hug enough for him to breath. “I haven’t hugged you in months...let me have this...also where’s PIp? I need to hug him as well.”
“Over here.” Pip said, the young colt was standing next to an old bookshelf still full of books that looked surprisingly well.
I carried Tommy over and picked up the young colt and I hugged him as well. “You scared the crap out of me Pip…”
“I don’t even remember what happened.” He admitted. “One moment I was reading in my room… the next I was waking up with a splitting headache in the old castle here. Got dragged down that slide and,”
“After his and my headaches died down we talked, both of us were happy I was out of that place. It sucked, I was asleep for the majority of the time and the time I wasn’t asleep I was talking to pip there or watching him given it looked like he was the only one who could see me when I was awake.” Tommy huffed.
“Pip!” Luna yelled, grabbing Pip out of my hug and into one of her own.
“Mom! Air!” Pip cried.
I laughed. “Well...I’m just so glad you’re both okay...especially you Tommy...it’s been…a lot…” I said, still hugging my brother as much as I could as I started to cry in joy.
“I know Anna.” Tommy said, finally returning the hug. “I know.”
Back at Twilight’s place things were getting a bit packed, so Tommy and I shared a room. “Anna…” Tommy started. “Back in… that place… When I wasn’t watching Pip or the world around me I saw… other stuff.” He started.
“What other stuff?” I asked. “It better not be you peeping on anyone.”
“I saw mom and dad.” He said. “They were… different. Dad was… I don’t know, like, in a cage, and mom was tied to one of those… tower things, from that game you’re obsessed with, that one that Yuna character prays to to get Aeons. She was just… crying. I tried to reach them but that place was weird. No matter how much I walked or ran I never went anywhere.”
“I don’t know where Dad is and...mom is stuck in a Fayth…” I sighed out. “She’s underneath Canterlot Castle, in it’s Crystal Mines surrounded by some very powerful Fiends…”
“Dad’s must be in some kind of prison… know of any?”
“Tartarus?” I said nervously. “But that shouldn’t be right, my quest for saving dad said ‘Stop the Shadow Plaguing the North’, and Sombra has nine other pieces roaming around…”
“North is that Empire place, right?”
“Yep.” I nodded. “But I already dealt with the piece of Sombra that was up there so...no idea what I need to do next.”
“Maybe there’s something even more north of that place? Like a lost city of abandoned ruins or a portal to… someplace.” Tommy said with a sigh. “Oh, also I have this.” He said, tossing a small backpack. “And…” He handed me my phone and charger.
“Thank you.” I said while taking my phone away from him. “And the backpack?” I asked curiously while making sure my Phone was okay, even though it would have no internet I still wanted to make sure it wasn’t messed with.
He unzipped the backpack, turned it upside down, and I watched as about ten swords fell out, twenty of each FFX potion and item type, some various armors, and other stuff. “I have no idea.” He said, looking at it all as surprised as I was. “When I woke up in that place I had this and all this crap in there."
“Jesus christ…” I muttered at all the things. “So many things...how and why?”
"In total like a little over two hundred items of all kinds, and again no idea, I woke up there with it. And the ability to do this." He added, taking a quick run at the wall… then ran up it, tapped the ceiling, jumped from the corner then backflipped mid air onto his feet. "Again… no fucking idea."
“Look at you mister acrobat.” I chuckled. “I can do this.” I said while turning into my Chimera form. “I can turn into Fiends from the game.”
"... Huh…" Was all he said.
I turned back into my human form, and then hugged my brother again. "I'm still...so happy your back bro."
"Same." He said, hugging back. "So… what is there to do around a world of ponies and monsters?"
“A few things actually.” I said. “Like enjoying nature, traveling around, and being confused on how this world is in the middle ages but also has DJ level technology.”
"So… anything fun within town?"
“There’s an Arcade if memory serves.” I said honestly.
"Cool."
"Not so fast there." Luna said as she entered. "Anna, how old is young Tommy again?"
“He’s thirteen.” I said honestly. “Five years younger than me.”
"Then he needs school still."
"Oh come on!" Tommy whined. "School? Really?"
"You are a child, and I am royalty, plus you and Pip were bonded for a long time, I'm sure attending school with him will help you adjust and learn about the world you are in quicker than it took Anna." Luna said
“And I still barely know anything about this world because I've been busy being Pip’s bodyguard and fighting things.” I said honestly. “Also...figuring out a lot of other things that don’t pertain to this world...like how all those mythological gods are real and they abandoned earth like douchebags.” I huffed. “I don’t care, I wanted my world to be filled with magic and cool things darn it.”
"In any case, you'll start school in a few days Tommy, and good night." Luna said as she took her leave and Tommy sighed.
“Well...I’m sure you’ll at least meet some new friends.” I said sheepishly.
"Meh." He huffed, collapsing on my bed. "School in any world sucks."
“True.” I said while sitting down near the bed. “But at least you’ll be doing something good, I’m going to be having to run around all the time hunting Fiends.”
"Lucky~" He whined. "You get to have magical girl adventures while I'm stuck in school."
“Except these magical girl adventures are very dangerous and nearly…” I stopped myself before going too far. “Listen, I’ll try to ask Shining and some others if you can join me in my work...cause I don’t want to be too far from you bro.”
"Thanks. So, can you do magic?"
“Yes I can.” I said honestly. “Mostly spells from Final Fantasy but spells nonetheless.” I said with a proud smile.
"Outside of being a fiend also or only as a fiend?"
“Both.” I said while grabbing my staff as a small ball of fire appeared above it.
"Cool. Hope I can learn some. So, how are we gonna split the bed, it's not that big."
I gently moved my brother over so I could fit and got on the bed, cuddling up next to him. “This good?”
"Can you not press those watermelons you call boobs against me? It's very awkward."
“Don’t be grumpy with me.” I huffed. “But...I’ll probably need another bed though…’
"Bunk bed?"
“That would be amazing.” I chuckled.
Tommy yawned and I covered us with the blanket. "Night sis."
“Night little bro.” I said while gently kissing his forehead, just so happy to know my brothers here, safe and well.
With Tommy finally in school I was about to hit work again, til Luna and Shining both gave me paychecks. Luna for being Pip's personal guard and Shining for the work with the guardians… yeah I'm not short on cash at all… one bank account later and I now had a debit card and over nine grand in my account. Time for some shopping, as nice as sharing a bed with Tommy has been nice, he does move a lot in his sleep and we did wake up to some… awkward situations. So, off to find a bunk bed.
“Alright so...where the hell do I even start?” I frowned.
I looked around til I stopped by a small furniture store next to Quills and Sofas. Still the most odd store here. I found a surprisingly nice bunk bed ment for teenagers, so this was perfect for Tommy and I. After buying that and having it shipped to Twilight's place, I set up the thing pretty easily and looked it over.
The frame was solid oak, the space between the top and bottom bunk was about four and a half feet and the space between the top bunk and the ceiling was pretty much the same. With that done I set up the sheets on them and headed back out to train with Shining Armor, I was getting trained with the new recruits from Ponyville. Apparently there were a few aside from Applejack and Rainbow Dash that wanted to help us out in town.
“Alright, so who are the new recruits?” I wondered. “Cause I still need some shopping to do…”
"Over there." Shining said as I entered, pointing a finger to the door labeled Prep Room. "Get ready for the training with them, and get to know them."
“Sure.” I shrugged while heading to the prep room, wondering who might be the new recruits.
Entering the Prep Room I spotted four others here. One, to my surprise, was a griffon. The others were ponies.
The griffon was brown with white wings and Feathers along their head and neck that also kind of looked like hair. Her body type was actually pretty close to mine figure wise. The first pony I spotted was a large earth pony mare, an eggshell white coat with big red eyes and equally big and red curly hair. She looked really scary. The second pony was a stallion I've seen around town, caramel coat with a brown mane. The last pony was also a mare, much smaller than the first, but her figure was also bigger than mine… damn stupid sexy horse people. She had a cream colored coat with the same brown mane as the stallion, but so far she looked very out of place. Part of me thought it odd the only new recruits so far were earth ponies but I shrugged, this town was founded and is inhabited mostly by earth ponies so it did make some sense. Well, aside from the Griffon.
“Alright, welcome to orientations.” I said. “My name is Anna...who are you four?” I asked curiously.
“Gilda.” The griffon stated first.
“Peppermint.” The large earth pony mare said.
“Caramel.” The stallion said.
“Cream Heart.” The second mare said.
“It’s nice to meet you four.” I nodded. “So, what brings you to our humble organization today?”
“Kicking ass.” Gilda said.
“Work.” Peppermint said.
“Work.” Carmel also said.
“Work.” Cream Heart also said.
“Jeez you people need a hobby…” I muttered. “Alright, so what do you four know about our organization?”
“You travel the world and kill monsters.” Gilda stated bluntly. The others nodded or shrugged.
“I mean...yeah.” I shrugged. “So what can you four bring to the table?”
“I’m fast, and natural talons means I’m never unarmed.” Gilda said.
“I’m basically a living tank.” Peppermint said. Given her size yeah.
“Two years of navy experience.” Caramel said.
“Ten years of archery.” Cream Heart said.
“Cool…” I nodded. “Now...what are you all fighting for? I just want to know what you’re all here for besides ‘work’ or ‘thrill seeking’.”
“Keep my daughter safe.” Peppermint said.
“Keep my son safe.” Cream Heart said.
“Mostly for me I just… miss working for the government.” Caramel said.
“Personal.” Gilda said.
“Alrighty then.” I nodded. “Good start...always know what you're fighting for...cause from personal experience it’s what keeps you going during terrible times.”
“Are we getting this show on the road or not?” Gilda asked. “We’ve been here since six am.”
“Well I would have liked to know that, but I didn’t know you were here for that long.” I said. “But I want to see how capable you four are, so let’s go to the training area to see how good you four are.”
"I believe that's my job." Shining said as he entered. "Remember Anna, your training is the same as theirs."
“My training is more combat, not trying to do the impossible and be as physically fit as you people.” I frowned. “I can barely lift two hundred, you people can lift over four thousand without even trying.”
"Given your abilities I won't be surprised if you actually can and more." Shining deadpanned at me. "Alright! To the gym! I've got some basic physical exams set up!". He then ordered like the captain he was before becoming a prince and everyone headed off towards the gym.
“Oi vey…” I groaned. “Question, given that my powers are shapeshifting, when are you going to find me a trainer for that?”
"... I don't think we can. Shapeshifting is a Changeling ability but… we don't get along with the Changelings very well, not since they brainwashed me, nearly killed Cadence, nearly took over Canterlot and locked Celestia and Luna in cocoons."
“So I’m gonna have to look for one myself, got it.” I sighed out.
"Assuming they won't attack you on sight."
“They can’t all be bad right?” I asked. “But what are changelings?”
"Think beetles like bugs that can shapeshift via fire and feed on emotions."
“So...they were only following their queens orders?” I asked curiously. “And feed on emotions?”
"Probably, but we don't know a lot about them, they're a race that evolved to hide amongst other races to feed off their emotions, so not exactly easy to track down. And yes, they feed on emotions. Primarily, Love."
“That’s...strange.” I said slowly. “What do they look like?”
"Kinda like a pony, some have horns, wings, some have both, blue eyes, their wings are like fly wings, holes in their arms and legs, and their queen, Chrysalis, is about Celestia's height, green snake like eyes, large fangs, some green… hair I guess, and this green band around her waist that I think is part of her body."
“I mean, they sound more cursed than anything if the whole ‘holes in their body’ is anything to go by.” I shrugged. “Also if it’s a queen, then hive mind sounds about right…”
"Don't know and honestly I could care less about them."
“Gonna have to care when I have to find one of them to train me.” I said honestly. “But that’s neither here nor there right now.”
"Thank goodness. Now, gym." Shining said, pointing a thumb In the gym's direction.
“Fine.” I rolled my eyes while heading to the gym. “God this is going to be annoying…” I grumbled.
I headed to the gym. First up was a speed test. Two for Gilda as those with wings are tested both speed times on legs and wings. My time was seven minutes for ten laps. Cream Heart was six, Caramel was also six, Peppermint somehow did four minutes. For her size, she is fast. Lastly Gilda got ten laps in two minutes. "Okay, Peppermint, Gilda, good job, the rest of you will be taking speed boosting exercise." Shining said as he wrote our times down. "Take five then onto the endurance run."
“Hate you…” I muttered as I took a drink of water.
"You are not an athlete are you?" Gilda asked, walking up to me.
“Do I look like it?” I grumbled. “I’m not and never have. While I’m at least in decent shape...I’m not going to be as fit as you all given I’m different.”
"Maybe not." Gilda shrugged. "Play to your race advantages. Whatever those are."
“And that would be our brains and opposable thumbs.” I said honestly. “Both of which doesn’t mean much here...and even though I can shapeshift I can’t really do that when I’m supposed to make sure I stay in shape.”
"Well if brains are your talent along with those thumbs then think on how to work with it. If not, then hey, this training should get you stronger and faster in no time."
“Or kill me…” I groaned. “Seriously, Shining wants me to be able to keep up with you people, and that’s going to be functionally impossible unless I figure out how to add my Fiend’s strengths to my normal form...but can’t really do that when the queen of that race screwed the pooch.”
"Yeah. Remember hearing about that. Kinda feel bad I wasn't there, heard the ass kicking was too notch."
“And I need to find one of those bastards and force them to train me.” I sighed out. “That’s not going to be annoying at all.” I grumbled while drinking more water.
"Only place I think you can find one might be this town in the Badlands I've heard about. Junk City they call it. Supposedly it's a place where the freaks and the beasts live out in the open and nobody cares unless you stare."
“Sounds about right.” I nodded. “And...where’s the Badlands?”
"Head south til you reach a dessert that goes on forever. Junk City will be at the end of that next to the sea south east. Wonder if this job will send us there? Always wanted to visit."
“We could probably go damn near anywhere.” I said honestly. “All depends on where bad things are happening first.”
"Sounds like fun."
The endurance run was basically run til you can't anymore. I stopped after ten minutes. Peppermint after two hours, same as Gilda, Caramel after thirty and Cream Heart after fifteen. After a half hour break next was tests of strength. At this point I'm wondering if Peppermint is even a pony cause according to Shining, deadlifting two hundred tons is well past equine limits.
“Okay Pepper...what the fuck.” I panted heavily. “You’re deadlifting two hundred tons...how and why?”
"It's just my natural strength." She said simply with a smile. "Always been strong and when I got bigger so did my strength."
“That’s still weird though…” I said worriedly.
"Not entirely." Caramel said. "Some earth ponies are born with more innate magic than others. Around the time your cutie mark appears your innate magic begins to really mature and develop. For unicorns it's longer, thicker horns, Pegasus get larger wings with insane speed and for earth ponies it's typically size and strength."
"Yeah, my uncle was like that." Cream Heart added. "After he got his cutie mark grew nine feet tall and could punch boulders to gravel."
I blinked. “So...why am I on the hunting team instead of the scholar team if I’m this horribly outclassed?”
"Most likely your abilities and the fact that not many ponies are born like me." Peppermint said. "Take my daughter, when I was her age, I was already the size of a ten year old, and she's no bigger than a toddler despite she's five. It's just how the dice roll."
“Well...that’s something.” I said honestly. “Also because the only way for me to get stronger, and by extension save my family, is to kill Fiends...which I’m gonna have to give you a crash course through…”
"The combat evaluation will be last, and you'll be excused from that Anna." Shining said. "Once I have all this physical data on you all I'll make a proper training and combat course for you all."
“I’m still gonna have to talk about it...even if I’m going to just be sitting in a chair wondering why my bones turned into jelly.” I grumbled.
The rest of the tests thankfully weren't murder. And on the combat test I happily rested. When it was over I felt a shower was needed. Thankfully there are showers here.
“Oh the sweet beauty of showers, take me away from the pain.” I sighed out blissfully as I enjoyed a nice warm shower after a hard day’s work.
Everyone else save for Shining went home, he was in his office likely making up the training thing. Ugh.
With a sigh I finished up and grabbed my towel and headed out. Once I moved the curtains I spotted Gilda. Huh, didn't know she stayed to… umm, oh… okay, two things, one, that looks a lot like the Bad Dragon ones from back home… and two… Gilda's a dude!
I couldn't help but scream. In reaction Gilda turned, saw me, then screamed too.
So yeah… the end of my shower ended with… that. Gilda and I were just sitting awkwardly next to one another, fully clothed now, still in the locker rooms.
“So...uh…” I coughed. “That...happened…” I started. ”Gods why did it have to be that big…” I thought to myself worriedly.
"You tell anyone…"
“Why did you get tits?” I asked. “We’re alone right now...and I saw so might as well.”
Gilda sighed. "I've always been… I've always looked more female than male. When I was young every griffon figured I'd grow out of it… then puberty hit and, well, look." They patted their… rather large hips and thighs. "Face got smoother, hips and an ass that was every female griffon in school's envi, voice never got deep, host a bit gravely. Only thing I didn't have was the tits… got them after I moved to Griffonstone. Everyone back home used to call me Femboy, sissy… ect. Rather than keep getting called shit I figured, might as well look more girl than guy. Least then I was called nice things…"
“Considering magic is...well magic...are they…real?” I asked carefully.
Gilda rolled their eyes, but smiled. "Yeah. They are. Get fat like the real deal too if I gain weight. The novelty wore off fast though, and at some point I stopped paying much attention to them."
“Well they're not called ‘fun bags’ for nothing, especially for a guy.” I said while gently raising my own girls up.
Gilda rolled their eyes. "Yeah well not much fun when the only ones who wanna grab them are guys who wanna shove it in a hole I don't have. Not even into guys."
“I mean, I always thought…” I blushed lightly. “If you were flexible enough you could...stick your own between them?” I said nervously.
"... Well, I'd be lying if I said I didn't try but I didn't get these for sex I got them so I can fit in. Can't fit in with guys so might as well finish looking it and fit in with girls. That didn't even work, the only friend I ever had was Dash and we haven't talked in a while."
“I mean...who wouldn’t want to be friends with you?” I asked curiously. “Even if it’s not for a relationship, just hanging out with this,” I motioned to all of Gilda. “Would be wonderful.”
"Heh. If it were that easy. I'm too girly for the guys, too guyish for the girls. I'm basically between and can't fit in on either side. Dash and I at least we're friends competitively, but she picked her actual all girl friends over me."
“Why would she do that?” I asked, not really knowing the story here.
"I dunno. I mean, I guess I was being a jerk but, it had been years since I saw her and really… needed to talk, but that stupid pink… ugh. I couldn't get a word in with that pink pony jumping, literally, in every ten seconds."
”Now being a dick is one way to lose a friend.” I said honestly. “But maybe you could have told Pinkie that you needed to talk to her privately would have clued her in. Pinkie may be...whatever the hell that pink horse is, but getting in between people’s important business isn’t something she’d like, least of all knowing she was the cause of you and Dash not being friends anymore.”
"I Know it wasn't cool of me doing that… she just… kept getting real close to me and… I can't stand people getting close…"
“I’m pretty sure you can barely stand a good enough looking young adult, and two Milfs half the time.” I said honestly.
"Not… not like that…" Gilda said, her- HIS tone sounding… oh...
“Okay…” I started nervously. “Um...so…” I coughed, trying to figure out what to say in this awkward situation.
"Look… you seem, nice and cool but… I can't talk about… that or… just not yet. You seem cool, maybe someday but… I don't know you that well. I was supposed to talk to Dash about this…" As Gilda spoke, his breath was becoming a bit more rapid. As quickly as it became rapid, it slowed some. "Fuck, I hate looking vulnerable."”
I wanted to ask why they were breathing heavily...but something told me...no, I knew why they were breathing rapidly. “Are you...having a panic attack? Wh-” I stopped myself, my eyes widening as I thought back to the things he said. “Oh my god…I’m so sorry…”
"Heh… that obvious?" Gilda asked, now holding themselves. "I act tough and joined this so… I could forget it. Put this fear, this anger where… where it won't kill me."
I honestly couldn’t help myself as I hugged Gilda. “No one should ever go through that…” I said, not ever having experienced his pain but always having feared it.
Gilda jumped, shoving me off hard and I slammed into the lockers. "Sorry! Sorry…." Gilda breathed rapidly again. "I can't… don't…" They ran out the locker room door, and I heard wing flaps and they were gone.
“Way to go me…” I muttered, walking out of the room. “If I ever find those bullies...I’m going to make them pay.”
The next day Gilda apologized for the shove but I stopped them. One of the few things I remember from a short Psychology class I took was never touch or hug a rape victim when they are having an episode. Still, Gilda hated feeling so weak, and frankly, I can't blame him. Something like that… you don't get over. At least they are still talking to me.
“I should be sorry for hugging you...I didn’t mean to make you feel worse I just...I couldn’t help myself…” I sighed out. “You looked like you needed someone...but that’s the last thing you would need…”
"It's what I came to talk to Dash about… but… Pinkie Pie just… kept getting so close and… that whole party thing just…" He sighed. "Dash has always been my only friend, she's one of the few people who know I'm a guy, and always treated me like one. Heh, she used to tease and flirt with me all the time and it both embarrassed me and made me happy. Course then everyone began thinking she was a filly fooler when she isn't so I made her stop. I've been down that road enough to know you don't want the whole world thinking your something you're not… makes my whole deal about looking like a girl sound hypocritical but, it was this or hard core steroids and I was not taking drugs."
“Yeah, sounds about right.” I said honestly. “I...I’m still sorry though...but mind if I ask, given that Pinkie was being Pinkie...why didn’t you say anything sooner? I know telling it to people you don’t want to know isn’t really a good thing but...just getting it out there to your friend and their friends would have at least done something. Especially when one of her friends is pretty close to the princesses.”
"And just tell her 'mind if I talk to my childhood friend about my recent rape back home so I can ball my eyes out to someone I trust?'" Gilda asked. "Besides, there's nothing they can do about it. There's only one rule in the griffon kingdoms. Survive. Whole point of me moving to Griffonstone at all was because technically it's an Equestrian owned griffon city, so at least that place has some actual laws."
”I mean, you could have started with ‘mind if I talk to my childhood friend about something very important alone?’, or something like that.” I said honestly. “Or at least tell Rainbow that you needed to talk to her about something important, Rainbow would have gotten Pinkie off your back for a bit, but I suppose hindsight is twenty twenty as well as just getting a word in edgewise with Pinkie can be a hassle sometimes.”
"Yeah… something isn't right about that mare. Anyway, this whole… stuff aside what do you think the boss is gonna have us do today as part of this training?"
“I still have to talk to you four about Fiends and all that crap.” I said. “I’m pretty sure Twilight or Blueblood is gonna give me a bunch of slides about Fiend’s that are in more remote areas for me to explain.”
"Ugh, school." Gilda huffed.
“Except in this school you’ll actually be learning something important.” I said honestly.
Gilda thought about that, then shrugged. "I guess. Still, have you run into any you didn't expect?"
“That would be the Equis variants…” I sighed out. “Like the one Sombra was creating somehow and...the Chimera.” I sighed out. “It may have the same name between the two but...given that when it died not only did it die like a Fiend, but it also died like an actual living being on this planet…”
"Freaky. So you kill them and what? Take their souls or something?"
“I...guess?” I said nervously. “It’s honestly less ‘taking’ and more the Pyreflies going into me like I’m some conduit for it or something.”
"Huh. Does that happen around normal people dying too or just friends?" That… is a morbidly good question.
“So far it’s Fiends, and I’m fine knowing that it only works on them and I don’t want to know if it works on normal people.” I said worriedly.
"Just hope some mission we get won't have you find out." Gilda said, giving a bit of an awkward pat to my back.
“Listen, I’m pretty sure I’d figure it out after Blueblood finally said the wrong thing at the wrong time.” I said honestly.
"Won't that be more bad for you since he'll become like, part of you ?"permanently?”
“He would be locked up in a zoo in his own special pen.” I said honestly.
"...huh."
I then remembered that little Cthulhu I absorbed and Jecht keeps as a pet… wait why wasn't that thing in a cage?
I pondered that til we arrived at the office. There the devil himself was waiting for me. "Anna, there's some new recruits I'd like you to meet." Blueblood said as Gilda waved me off as they headed for the locker room
“Hooray for more new recruits.” I sighed out. “Who are the new recruits?”
"Agents Sweetie Drops, Set Charge, Sharp Cut and Mole."
“Um...I asked ‘new recruits’ not ‘here’s the secret service’.” I deadpanned.
“They were part of an old monster elimination team ten years ago. After an incident they were disbanded. Figured they could use the employment and the organization can use their skills. While they are new recruits they are also well experienced in dealing with monsters. Your task for today is to show them your current fiend forms and help them learn their weaknesses.”
“Okay, but I’m pretty sure they would probably already be asking me about the other fiends they got pictures of somehow.” I rolled my eyes while heading to the meeting room with the new ‘recruits’.
The room had the four ‘newbies’. One mare who… looks kinda familiar, and three stallions.
“Howdy, also uh...have we met before?” I asked the familiar looking mare.
The mare looked at me. Her mane was a pink and blue swirl, her coat this cream color. She was wearing this stealth jumpsuit and goggled. She turned away, writing something on her hand, then looked back at me. “No.” She said bluntly.
“No no, I think I’ve seen you with...a mint colored unicorn.” I said with some thought, having seen her next to that lyre unicorn a lot. “But that’s not why you're here. So I’m Anna as you four probably already know, but who are you four and what were your previous jobs?”
“Sweetie Drops, Recon, stealth, sniper, hacker, assassin.” She said, that last one coming with a finger trace along her neck with goggles covered eye contact at me.
“Mole.” Stood one of the three stallions. He was short, an earth pony and looked maybe in his sixties? Either the color of dirt or dirt covered with a mud brown mane. “Excavation and heavy machines.”
“Set Charge.” Stool the second of the three stallions. He was a pegasus, dressed in what looked like a modified Wonderbolts uniform. His hair was a fiery yellow and white, mane a bright yellow. “Demolitions expert and high power weapons.”
“Sharp Cut.” The last stallion said. He looked… hollow. Eyes that might be blind and missing his mane, his coat was sickly grey and eyes, skin… body in general looking sunken in. “Medic and Necromancer.”
“Alright...so I was going to say why some of you look the ways you do but your jobs kind of gave good enough explanations…” I said nervously. “Okay so...you're all experienced enough...why are you joining this humble organization?” I asked, feeling very unnerved about Sharp Cut and why he keeps staring at me like I just committed something terrible.
"My skills are needed." Sweetie Drops said.
"Odds are cults are involved, and they always hide out in old ruins. I'll make sure they don't topple down on us while we're in them." Mole said.
"This is the only job where I can use both my Necromancy and practice medicine." Sharp Cut said.
"I just wanna blow shit up." Set Charge said with a shrug.
“Okay so to answer some possible questions…” I sighed out. “Okay so yes, there are most likely Cults, Death Cults who believe that the ‘Unsent’ as it were are the most wisest and possible ‘shepherds of the circle of death’.” I sighed out. “So, now to answer one of mine since we’re all professional here...what happened? It feels like there should be a fifth person here.” I said carefully.
"Was twenty, actually." Set Charge started casually. "They all died. Eaten, killed, blown up, not my fault, mutated, mutilated, incinerated… did I miss anything?"
"Drowned, stabbed, shot and suicide." Sweetie Drops added.
"I miss Splinter Wood." Mole sighed. "Eh, what can you do?"
“I mean...not be so casual about it for starters?” I asked nervously.
"Kid, in case you haven't noticed, to do the shit we do, we have to be a certain level of… crazy." Set Charge said. "Medically speaking nobody here, save maybe you, has all their marbles in their place right. I'm certified insane."
"Sociopath." Sweetie Drops said.
"Psychopath." Sharp Cut said.
"Emotionally unstable." Mole added.
“Alright...so now why are you staring at me like that Sharp?” I asked. “The moment I walked in, you’ve been staring at me...how I noticed the moment I walked in I don’t fully know, but it’s creepy.”
"Just observation." Sharp Cut said.
"He does that, you get used to it." Mole said.
“That doesn’t explain the weird interest in his stare…” I said nervously.
"No experiments Sharp." Drops said. "That's what lead Splinter Wood to suicide."
"Not my fault he couldn't handle all those memories his soul held." Sharp grumbled.
“You’re all professional, and you’ve all been through this shit before.” I started. “But let me just get one thing straight. The moment any of you, and I mean any of you try any bullshit to those you’re working with or trying to protect, I will make you regret it.” I growled, Sharp seeing something very...concerning outlining myself that I didn’t know about. “You’re here to help the people, not dick around with the quirks you all have.”
"Big talk from someone of lower ranking." Drops said, sighing. "I take it the Prince didn't tell you, so here's the blunt of it. Mole, Charge and I were recruited and given the ranks of Captain, and Shard has a rank of Elder. In short, we are your bosses. But to ease your concerns, we'll keep an eye on Cut."
“Cause that makes sense.” I frowned. “I have the most knowledge and technically the most experience with dealing with the current problem, everyone else is higher rank than me for some reason.”
"We earned our ranks and put years of hard work and effort into the Equestrian government. It won't exactly be fair to make fresh meat like you on par with us, powers or not." Sharp said.
“Even though I was Pip’s personal guard for months on end, trusted by Princess Luna to do such a thing, and then helping stop a piece of Sombra from an attempted takeover of the Crystal Empire again apparently?” I asked, finding that pretty weird how my two most notable cases are being downplayed like this.
"Any rookie can be appointed a personal guard if placed there by a higher up and as for the empire, a baby dragon beat Sombra the first time and all he got was the fame of the empire. As have you most likely. If you want a promotion take it up with Armor." Drops said.
I rubbed my temples. “I’m just confused why, as I’ve proved before, being seen less like someone who can actually help with what I know and more ‘eh, she’s there, just let her do grunt work for the moment’.” I said honestly. “And yet I’m the one who’s doing the ‘welcome to the club, we have cookies and Fiend murder’.” I rolled my eyes. “Gotta start somewhere I suppose…” I sighed out.
"In any case you are to work with each of us at some point for one on one training. Mostly sharing information and testing combat capabilities." Charge said. "The basics."
“And by ‘the basics’, you mean something out of my league to start right?” I asked honestly.
All of them shrugged.
“Good to know…” I sighed out. “Alright, so any other questions you have for me?”
They didn't so I headed out, sighing as that was more exhausting than it should have been. I spent the rest of today training with Gilda and them, finishing with a shower that I thankfully didn't see anyone upon exiting. I did catch up with Gilda though. I want them to trust me, I want them to feel comfortable around me. What happened to them isn't right and They need a friend. The thing with Dash I can try and help them clear up on a later date.
“Hey Gilda.” I said to the griffon. “How are you doing today?”
"Good. Nothing like pushing yourself on a workout." They said with a stretch. "So, how was your meeting? You looked kinda off all day after that happened?"
“Four former government agents waltzed on in, immediately being higher ranked than everyone, including me when I’m the more knowledgeable and more experienced of the group, the necromancer of the bunch kept staring at me weirdly...and it’s almost like the things I’ve done so far is just shrugged off as nothing special and making me continue to wonder ‘why am I here when people think others are more qualified than the person who actually knows better’.” I frowned.
"To be fair, if these fiends are different from how you originally knew them, it could be more your point of reference? Either way it keeps you free from all the boring paperwork crap so hey, don't be so glum about it." Gilda said, taking a sudden jump in front of me. "By the way, is your race an omnivore? I saw your teeth when we uh, heh, yeah, and was just wondering."
“Yep.” I nodded. “We can eat most plants and animals to get the necessary nutrients to live.”
“Cool, so mind if we catch a meal? I know a good lake where the fish are big.”
Huh… actually… yeah come to think of it there’s not much meat since I’ve been here. Damn, has it been that long?
“I’ve barely had any meat, only what Luna could gather from small shipments.” I said honestly. “But it’s practically nothing...thank god Pinkie somehow magically made cupcakes that can be healthy for me.” I said honestly. “So onward to fishing?”
“Fishing Griffon style.” Gilda added as I followed them to this lake.
It wasn’t that far into the Everfree, and once there Gilda flew up high into the sky, then dived down. After a minute, they flew back out and had two large fish impaled on their claws. With a lifetime of practice they landed in front of me. “And the rest is already at my place.”
“That was fantastic.” I said while clapping my hands. “Say, how deep would you say that lake is?” I asked curiously.
“Thirty feet easy. Why?”
“Hmm…” I hummed while jumping into the pool and turned into a Geosgeano form, wondering if I was able to go underwater in this form or if I was too big.
I fit. Barely… and did flood the area around the lake.
”Right, bad idea.” I thought to myself while shifting into my Water Flan form quickly as I started using water magic to get the water back into the lake.
Gilda gave a bit of a laugh, but was using a long pointed stick to spear the fish still on land. “This is gonna keep my freezer full for a while.”
I came onto land with at least four fish inside my water flan body as I put them down onto solid ground out of me before turning back. “Okay, so thirty feet is a lot smaller than I thought.” I said nervously.
“Hey, was still neat. Maybe save that for an ocean or larger lake though.”
“Yeah, that would be for the best.” I said sheepishly. “But let’s get back to your place and start getting some food. I’m starving.”
We headed back to Gilda’s place, a small apartment in the downtown area of Ponyville. Her place had two rooms, Living Room/kitchen and Bedroom with a connected closet and bathroom. Gilda scaled and gutted the fish while I was cutting the veggies. “Fish is the only real meat you can get in Equestria, but in Griffonstone at least we could get steak, rabbit and pork. Gods I miss bacon.”
“I would kill for some bacon right now.” I sighed out.
“That’s Equestria’s issue. They don’t like to kill. I mean, yeah pigs can talk and such but even back where they are raised for, well, food it depends. In griffonstone they live till they die naturally. In the main territories, once they are fat enough they get killed.” Now I’m just… huh, they’re intelligent in this world, so… oh fuck this hurts to think about moraly.
“You all make me think this is weird morally considering their sapient and can talk like normal people...it would be a lot easier if they were just feral…” I sighed out.
"Aside from fish and bugs not many on this planet aren't sapient. Even then I once met a swarm of bees that learned to grow this nasty smelling mist around their hive to keep the bears from their hive. Still, it has it's perks. At least eggs aren't off any menus, at least regarding chickens and ducks."
“Alrighty then.” I nodded. “Now...time to start cooking some fish.”
What was made was something like soy sauce chicken but with fish cut into steaks. It was amazing. Meat came right off the bones with no issue at all. "Damn, feels good to share a meal again. Especially with someone who won't have either a mental break or moral debate over eating something not a plant." Gilda sighed from their side of the small dinning table.
“This is amazing.” I said happily, continuing to eat all the fish. “I haven’t had any meat in a long time, especially this good.”
"Fresh is always better than canned or frozen." Gilda replied with a chuckle. "Next time I eat at your place."”
“I live with Twilight, Spike, and now my little brother.” I said honestly.
"A dragon and another human huh? Then they'll enjoy the meal. Sparkle might need to go out to eat that night." Gilda said with a chuckle. "So, gotta get going soon or wanna hang for a bit?"
“I don’t have anything special to do today, so let’s hang.” I said honestly.
"Sweet. That gives us two options, getting drunk or taking a train to Canterlot where the real fun is."
“What’s Canterlot got that getting shit faced here won’t solve?” I asked curiously.
"Underground clubs, illegal gambling, higher grade booze, and info."
“Now Info is interesting.” I said honestly. “But you’d think doing illegal shit would be...well at least discouraged honestly.”
"Hence why we go to investigate. Trust me, Canterlot may be the capital of Equestria but I know for a fact most of those nobles have their hands dirty with something and these illegal hideouts are the best place to learn who is supplying who with what. One I know for a fact was dealing in drugs back in the Griffon territories."”
“Sounds like a grand time.” I said honestly. “Maybe this time I’ll actually learn something important about shit going on here…”
"And kick some ass." Gilda added.
“That to.” I said honestly. “If anyone dares try to mess with us.”
"Now, first things first, if we are gonna get into these places, we gotta look the part."
The hell am I wearing, the hell am I wearing, the hell am I wearing?! "Relax, you look good." Gilda said.
To look the part of this place we had to dress a certain way. So, Gilda and I are dressed in matching strapless dresses. Only held up by our knockers and hugs our bodies curves well. It still hides Gilda's manhood though. Gilda's color was red while mine was Violet.
I was also rather dolled up, matching Violet lipstick and eye shadow. I'd be lying if I said I didn't look nice but… oh gosh the looks I am getting. And Gilda… fuck he's beautiful in that. Really was born with a woman's body. But a man's genitals. A very gifted man's genitals. I shook my head. Not now Anna...
We were at the illegal gambling hideout. It was set up in a secret section of downtown Canterlot under a nice cream shop of all places and by God there was a lot of shady shit here.
“I’m going to strangle everyone that gives me a dirty look…” I muttered to myself. “So why are we here and why do I have to look like this?” I whispered to Gilda worreidly.
"A hot brod can get in anywhere with anyone if they look and act slutty enough. We just need to find that noble dick Top Hat and flirt our way to making him spill something." Gilda said, looking around then gesturing with her head towards one of the tables playing Blackjack. There was a rather well kept unicorn in a black tux, green eyes and coat with a jet black mane and, funny enough, no top hat, was gambling. "That's Top Hat. Legally his family owns the oldest hat shops in Canterlot and he recently bought up several grape vine orchards. Money says one or more of them is where he makes or stores his drugs."
“I feel lied to.” I frowned. “You said his name was Top Hat, where’s his top hat?”
Gilda just gave me a look. "That's… not the point. Point is he has a lot of connections, I know of one to the Griffon Territories but I'm betting he has some with other groups of interest."
“Cool.” I nodded. “So uh...I’ve...never flirted...like at all.”
Gilda thought for a moment. "Can you play airhead?"
“If it means I don’t have to say much then maybe.” I said nervously.
"That will have to do." Gilda said as we walked up over to Top Hat, Gilda taking his left side as I sat on his right.
"Ladies." Top Hat said, his voice oddly plesent sounding. "To what do I owe this little visit?"
"Can't two gal's still up to a stud in hopes for a few drinks and fun~" Gilda said, their voice a whole different tone, where he is normally rough he was now smooth and even more feminine than normal. Gilda then traced a talon along the stallion's arm. "After all, the thrill of cards only lasts so long."
I simply, stupidly, gave a smile, giggled, and twirled a hair in my first index finger stupidly. I am playing an air head but that was more my reaction to Gilda's flirting.
Top Hat looked between us, and gave his own smile. "Perhaps. If you two ladies seek entertainment I can provide, what pray tell will I be getting out of it?"
"Awh, our drunk and horny bodies not enough for you cutie?"
That got a blush out of Top Hat… me too. "Physical enjoyments aside, I am a man of business. Perhaps… some modeling will do. Yes, the hat business has been a tad slow."
"Just the two of us in hats Mr?" Gilda asked, giving a lustful smile and wink at Top Hat.
"T-Top Hat…" He stuttered.
”Jesus christ GIlda…” I thought to myself, wondering why they had to be so damn sexy.
"Well, my friend and I can definitely do that~ Some give and take, you take some photos and give us some fun and fame~"
"I-i'd be more than happy to set up the shoots tomorrow."
"Perfect. I'm sure my friend and I won't mind if we can stay the night to ensure you get everything you want from us~"
"I'll go get the carriage driver!" He said, getting up. "Wait here please. Ladies." He said, giving a bow and had the happiest grin ever as he left.
With Top Hat gone the only other person at this table, the dealer, left to attend another table that was gathering players. "Too easy." Gilda said with a sigh and a smile.
“Uh…” I started slowly, at a loss for words here.
Gilda chuckled. "Remember when I said Dash used to flirt with me to, ya know, make me feel better. Well I would flirt back and, well, we both got super good at it.".”
“I...can tell…” I started. “Why must you be so sexy?” I whined and pouted.
Now Gilda blushed, chuckled then sighed. "Well, like I said, was born with the body for it. Once I got the tits to complete the look I left home for Griffonstone I made sure to sell it, but also made sure to show them they can't mess with me… least til those assholes showed up." Gilda sighed.
“Sorry for bringing up something bad…” I sighed out. “So...what’s next?”
"Once he gets back we keep up the flirty sluts act and once we're at his place, knock him out and look for evidence. Has to be some kind of hidden records. Rich guys like him don't leave everything incriminating in one place so there has to be something."
“Sounds about right.” I nodded. “But uh...this wasn’t entirely the ‘info’ I was originally talking about here…” I said sheepishly.
"What were you expecting?"
“Something about the current problem instead of rich jack offs doing illegal shit?” I asked nervously.
"You mean the fiends?"
“That, or apparently the terrorist group that’s going to obviously become a problem in the near future...or any cults involved.” I said honestly.
"Sorry to disappoint."
“I mean, this is also just fun to be honest.” I said simply. “I suppose I’m more...used to the point or something?” I asked sheepishly.
"Well I doubt anyone here is part of terrorist cults. But… I might know someone who deals with them, back in the Griffon territories."
“Might as well get a second opinion from your source after I meet the actual minotaur terrorist in a prison Blueblood talked about.” I said simply.
"He's not a source… just someone I… know…"
“That’s good enough for now...you look uncomfortable talking about it.” I said, not wanting to push Gilda here.
"His name's Gunther… and that's all I wanna say for now." Gilda sighed, taking a cup of something off a passing waitresses platter and downing it in one go.
I carefully put a hand on his shoulder. “It’s going to be alright Gilda...trust me.”
"No, it won't." They sighed. "But doesn't mean I'll sit around doing nothing."
Top Hat arrived shortly after and we rode in his carriage to, would you guess it, one of his newly purchased grape vine orchards. "Fifty acres of the finest grapes within Equestria's lands and every season they are plucked, cleaned and pressed, mixed and fermented for a minimum of ten years to produce a high quality wine." He boasted.
"Sounds intoxicating~" Gilda said, back in flirt to persuade mode. "Are there any samples?"
"Oh yes, the prior owner left behind a few batches and they are quite pleasing."
"And for the… late night entertainment?"
"A personal bed chamber for yours truly, in case I need to stay for a night or two."
"Excellent."
”God help me…” I mentally groaned, gently leaning on Gilda to act like I’m super buddies with him and would totally have a steamy three way.
… I mean I would but not with this creep.
Once inside Gilda asked to be excused to 'freshen up' and thankfully came back quickly. "Now then," Gilda said, taking Top Hat by his head, and to my, and certainly his, surprise, shoved him nose first between his knockers. "Shall we start?"
Top Hat was starting to say something…Then slowed… then went limp. Gilda then tossed the limp stallion onto the couch nearby. Then, reached between their breasts and pulled out a wet looking rag. "Chlorine. The best way to trick a pervert into getting knocked out for four to six hours."
“Nice.” I nodded. “Now let’s go search the place before he wakes up...also where do you want to dump his unconscious body?”
"Eh, to sell it something happened let's strip him then dump him in the bed, drain/take some of the wine so it looks like we got super wasted and he can assume we left or something."
“Sounds like a plan.” I nodded. “Onwards to looting the place.”
Once the perv was stripped, tossed on the bed with a few empty bottles and just to make sure he believed something happened, Gilda left their bra on the bed. With that done we searched around, not finding much. We did, thankfully, find a shipment list with one labeled as heading for Griffonstone. We found the crates and inside were wine bottles… filled with something that was not wine at all. "I think this is Hydra Blood?" Gilda said, taking another sniff of the fowl liquid.
“Why would someone be peddling Hydra Blood?” I asked. “It’s just blood right? Why is it illegal?”
"Hydra Blood alone is more a poison than anything, but mixed into certain potions can be used in some magics and mind altering drugs." Gilda said, closing the bottle up. "Guess Top Hat is just shipping one of someone's ingredients."
“Well...that’s not good.” I said honestly. “That’s not good at all...want to call someone in about this?”
"Call?" Right… no phones here… shit.
“Message someone about this?” I asked. “There has to be some form of long distance communication isn’t there?”
"Only if you have one of a pair of linked journals in your bra." Gilda said. "Let's just take a bottle and the shipping paperwork and crate label and go. Shining Armor should be able to handle the rest."
“Alright, sounds like a plan.” I nodded. “Also good idea...I should really get one of those.”
With the papers and bottles in tow Gilda and I flew off back to Ponyville. We made it back to Gilda's around two in the morning and we were getting drunk on canned booze to celebrate. "To our first rogue mission!" Gilda cheered.
“Here here!” I cheered happily. “Nothing like getting shit faced after a job well done.”
"So, heh, so how drunk have you ever gotten before? Like, have any crazy drunk stories?"
“I’ve never been drunk before…” I said honestly. “Had to...take care of my brother more often than not...which I always enjoyed, he’s a sweet boy...I’m still so happy he’s back.” I said, completely forgetting that I’m like nineteen and never had a bear before.
"He old enough to drink?"
“He’s thirteen.” I said. “On my world you need to be twenty one to drink…”
"Hah! I got my first taste of bubblies when I was four. No rules in the griffon territories, so nobody cares." Gilda said, taking another swig.
“That’s not good.” I said nervously. “Also...I was told cheap booze, or just booze in general tastes like piss water, but this isn’t too bad.” I said, as it honestly had more of an apple juice flavor next to the alcohol.
"Ponies and those special talents. Even their cheap stuff can taste so good."
“Yeah.” I said honestly. “Uh...what’s the legal age here?”
"I think… fifteen? Somewhere around that."
“Cool.” I nodded while drinking more of my booze. “Hooray for getting shitfaced.”
"Agreed!"
… how in every form of the nine hells?
"Well, seems you and Gilda sure made quite the night for yourselves." Blueblood said, the four of us at the meeting room table. Gilda and I on one end, Blueblood in the middle section… and Top Hat at the other end. "At least it's beneficial."
"And just why is he here and not in prison?!" Gilda asked in a mix between confusion and rage.
"He made a full confession this morning. In exchange for amnesty of all crimes he has agreed to give us all information and massive fundings." Blueblood said simply.
"So in exchange for getting a slap on the wrist, he's free to keep doing what he was doing before?"
"I would never!" Top Hat said, standing up in a dramatic pose. "Not after the cruel twist of karma and fate I have suffered last night! Oh my memories of that night are but a black spot in my memories."
"We'd believe you more if you were less 'drama club' about it." I said simply. "So onto a good question of why you were shipping Hydra blood?"
Top Hat gave a nod, taking his seat again. "To put it simply, they were part of an order for someone in Griffonstone, goes by the alias Cracked Talon. He deals in hard to aquire supplies for illegal potions. Never met the griffon, just his representative."
"And who's his representative?" I asked curiously.?"
"Goes by Storm Frost. Yellow eyes, white feathers, dark grey fur."
"Right then…" I started. "Do you know anything about weird death cults going around talking about a 'circle' or 'spiral' or death?"
"It would be shorter to make a list of cults who don't talk about one or all three of those." Top Hat shrugged. "Anything more specific?"
"Do any of them have the Yevon symbol the Minotaurs are using?" I asked carefully. "Or any other weird symbol that seems out of place?"?"
"Yevon… hmm… that's the god the Minotaurs star worships… I did hear that name elsewhere… yes, back when I was meeting with Storm Frost last, one of his guards was in an argument with another and that name was said but I don't know much else."
“Good to know…” I sighed out. “So Blueblood said your going to help us, how are you going to help us besides money?”
"Publicity!" Top Hat declared with flamboyance. "As an organization dedicated to defending the people of the world it's important to have a proper relationship with the people! And my associates and I, the legal ones, can make that happen easily!"
“And when your illegal buddies figure out your gonna rat them out?” I asked honestly.
"The underground is a world of backstabbers and double crossers. Happens all the time." Top Hat shrugged.
I sighed out. “Alright, so anything else you want to tell us”
"Yes. I believe you two still owe me a photo shoot."
"Oh hell no." Gilda stated.
"It's part of our agreement, and after checking his memories of the events last night you both did agree." Blueblood stated. "In the end it's likely the fastest and best means to get you all in the public's eye as the soldiers you are."
“No.” I frowned. “We didn’t agree to shit, and we are most definitely not doing a photoshoot for some rich prick who’s basically only getting a slap on the wrist and allowed to do whatever the fuck he wants afterwards.” I glared at Top Hat.
"Despite that Shining Armor and Princess Luna agreed to it as well?" Blueblood asked with a raised brow.
“Ah, yes, I sure do love being forced into doing shit we never promised by people that aren’t us.” I started. “I’ll be right back, I have to go talk to Luna and Shining about this shit.” I growled while getting up and ready to leave to talk Luna and Shining about this.
"They agreed to it because you went on an unauthorized, uninformed and unsupervised mission with no agency authority, no back up, no recon, no assistance and no viable evidence other than a hunch and a prayer." Blueblood said cooly as I stopped at the door. "Your actions if failed would reflect poorly on the crown of Equestria and the Agency that is still building itself up. Yes you did a successful mission but it had no authority or proper legal channels behind it. You're lucky Top Hat wants to work with us over suing us. Your actions have consequences Anna, are the photos really that high a price to pay for your mistakes?"
"But it was my idea!" Gilda cut in. "Anna only went cause I convinced her. She shouldn't get shit for my stupidity!"
"The source doesn't matter, the actions do. You both did this so you both get punished. Normally the punishment for such actions is termination but Anna is a viable resource and your connections to old crime gangs in the Griffon Territories Gilda is why you both aren't fired."
“Mind if I interject here?” I asked. “I will concede that we didn’t have any ‘authorization’, but where did it say we needed authorization to deal with the painfully obvious black market and illegal shit?” I asked. “Also, mind if I ask how a criminal that had, oh I don’t know, a dozen cases of highly poisonous, and highly illegal, blood can sue us when he himself has more felonies on his head than I have headaches every time you talk Blueballs?”
"For starters we are the government. And without an active approved mission the bottles and documents you delivered would be classified not as evidence, they are now considered stolen property." He then looked at Gilda. "Sexual harassment…" Gilda blushed. "And drugging them."
“Anonymous tip to the first one.” I said. “And no, you can’t say it’s ‘stolen property’ when it’s highly illegal, that is not only counter productive but that let’s dipshits like him walk free.” I pointed to Top Hat. “Secondly, sexual harassment? That’s a massive lie for starters considering he was openly approving of that.” I countered. “And drugging them? That’s...basically the only thing he could be upset about” I said honestly. “So mind if I ask how the criminal underground hasn’t just taken over if your government’s justice system sucks as much as mine back on my world?” I asked honestly. “Oh wait no, you call them nobility.” I pinched the bridge of my nose, not believing that I need to have a legal argument with a prince here.
"I can't argue there." Blueblood said, surprising me. "But… the guilty party for the state of the kingdom sadly falls to Auntie Celestia. Her thousand years of rule was done through peace talks and lightening the court's actions on the guilty. Luna was always the one with the courage to do what needed to be done. Celestia's heart was just too soft to even pass a deserving punishment on the most vial of scum. So, until the rules can change, and they most certainly will, this is our current arrangement."
“So...just gonna...let him off scot free still?” I asked. “Even if he made a deal...there’s literally nothing you're going to do to make sure he doesn’t do it again?” I asked slowly, trying to get back to the main topic at hand.
"Aside from defying the deal on his part will result in a minimum sixty years prison in our own personal prison built just for the organization?"
“Thank you.” I sighed out, some of the tension flowing away with that. “We’re still not doing the photo shoot, we never actually promised that, and you can understand why the two of us are...really adamant on not doing it, especially for him.” I glared at Top Hat.
Blueblood raised a brow. "I am aware, however the ideas Top Hat here had were unbecoming of agents of this organization. So, I arranged for something more… appropriate."
Action shots baby! I was in Chimera form, 'slashing' at Gilda who blocked with a Shield.
Click!
"Fabulous!" Screamed the photographer, Photo Finish as she clicked away at every movement of this 'fight.'
”Okay, this is a lot better than what I originally feared.” I thought to myself, thankful that Blueblood got rid of both mine and GIlda’s fears about what ‘photoshoot’ Top Hat wanted.
Gilda, Shining, Peppermint, Caramel and Cream Heart all got action shots in all fighting me in fiend form. The photos I was in had me mostly in uniform along with the others or kneeling before Luna, stuff like that. When it was over I sighed and was taking a breather by the snack table.
“Okay, this is a lot better than what I originally feared.” I said while eating some pretty good apple slices.
“It will make good poster material.” Blueblood shrugged as he took a few grapes. “Once you’re done here we head off to the Deer kingdom to interrogate that Uor terrorist and hopefully learn something.”
“That would be great.” I nodded. “But first…” I started to look around real quick, and surprisingly I found a save sphere. “I’m gonna need to save first.” I said while moving over to the Save Sphere and starting to save all my progress. “Thank god I can save my progress…” I sighed out thankfully.
“And that does what exactly?”
“Uh...do you know what ‘save points’ are?” I asked curiously. “If not then it’s kind of...like bookmarking a page in a book to restart where you left off.” I started. “So...if I die, I can just...plop back here...hopefully…”
“You are unsure if it will work?”
“I know how it works in the world that this came from but...I haven’t actually tested it in real life and I would really like not dying right now.” I said nervously. “Or ever for that matter…”
“One can only hope for that outcome.”
“So anyways, how long until this is done and we can head off to the Deer Kingdom?” I inquired, checking to see what I needed to do to save my dad real quick.
“Just a few more hours.” Blueblood sighed. “These things take longer than they really should.”
“Didn’t she take enough photos?” I asked nervously.
“You clearly don’t know Photo Finish. She is infamous for taking hours worth of photos and later she only ever uses the ones she declares as the best.”
“I know she’s supposedly ‘the best’ but...did you really need to get her?” I asked worriedly, hoping this won’t take too long like Blueblood believes.
“If I don’t she’d be in my office demanding why I didn’t call her for the photo shoot for a day or two. Made that mistake once and for my own sanity, she’s always hired.”
“Goodie...one of those types…” I groaned. “Well...alrighty then...you might need to tell her that other people are allowed to do photo shoots sooner or later…”
“You’re welcome to try.” He motioned to the photography mare, her camera flashing so much so fast it looks like she’s just got a flashlight on that camera.
“Uh...should that camera be flashing that much?” I asked worriedly.
“That’s normal for her.” Blueblood sighed.
“I need my shapeshifter!” Photo Finished yelled. “Where is my shape shifter!?” Suddenly I was lifted up by her two… Goons… “Bring her here! Now!”
“Oi!” I snapped, trying to get out of the goons hold “Let go of me, we already took enough, and I’m not here at her beck and call.”
Ugh, I’m beginning to think Top Hat’s idea for a photoshoot would have been easier… “We’ll be arriving in a few hours. You’d best take a nap before we arrive.” Blueblood said from his side of the carriage.
“That was...annoying to say the least…” I grumbled. “So...what’s the deer kingdom like?” I asked, thinking I’ll need some conversation before I can get some rest.
“The deer have a form of magic similar to earth pony magic, they can speak with nature to help it’s growth and healing and in return it grows in ways that let the deer have homes and food.”
“So druids, got it.” I nodded. “Are they friendly to outsiders or what?”
“They can be skittish. Try not to make loud noises, they panic easier than the common pony.”
“Sounds about right.” I nodded. “And what, if you have a flashlight pointed at them they stand completely still?”
“That’s a hate crime and punishable by ten years prison time.”
That honestly startled a laugh from me. “Okay, I didn’t expect it to be a hate crime.” I tried to stifle my laughter considering it’s in poor taste, but just how the ‘deer in the headlights’ trope is a hate crime is just a little funny.
“It is rather hilarious. But laws are laws.”
"I know, and I don't mean to be rude but wow." I chuckled.
“Every nation has their laws and racist insults.”
“True.” I nodded. “Alright...so anything else I should know about them so I don’t screw up?”
“Nothing much. Mind the horns.”
“Cool.” I nodded. “So who’s the Uor in custody if I may ask?”
“Hugo Malthro. Before getting involved with the Uor cults, he was the grave digger. Suddenly one day he vanished, reappearing days later marked with the Uor Kracova cult marking tattooed across his body, soaked in the blood of a small minotaur village he slaughtered single handedly.”
“Oh...that is massively terrible.” I said in surprise at how much bloodshed this one minotaur did.
“Yes. The fact he was capable of this is still unknown. And the dramatic change of his personality has yet to be discovered as to why.”
“That’s still really weird…” I said worriedly. “I hope we can figure this out soon.”
“Well that’s why you’re here.” Blueblood said. “He hasn’t spoken a word since his capture, maybe your shifting abilities can spark something in him given the Kracova cult have been capturing fiends.”
My eyes widened. “Can we speed this carriage up?” I asked worriedly. “You just had to say that Blue…” I groaned, already having a bad feeling about this. “So remember those death cults I talked about before?”
“The ones you never shut up about, yes.” He said with a nod.
“When you mentioned capturing Fiends...I had this bad thought that we’re about to meet an ‘Unsent’...” I sighed out. “I wouldn’t know how considering how to become an Unsent is to have Pyreflies as your soul...god I hope I’m wrong…” I groaned.
“They aren’t the same thing?”
“What? Souls and Pyreflies?” I asked.
“Yes. From what I understood they were basically the same thing?”
“Well...maybe?” I asked nervously. “Honestly I don’t know anymore considering I saw something that shouldn’t have been possible with that Chimera…”
Arriving at the Deer Kingdom… It looked amazing. But I wasn’t able to enjoy the beauty as we arrived at the prison. It was dug deep into the ground surrounded by heavy stone and thick tree roots acting as bars. We arrived at Hugo’s cell. On top of found sets of tree bars, the branches held him bound to the wall by his arms, legs, torso and neck tightly. “Are you certain about this Prince Blueblood?” The deer guard asked.
“Yes. Let us in.”
“Stars have mercy.” The deer said, waving a hand as the tree bars moved aside for us to enter.
“Alright…” I stepped into the cell. “So, Hugo was it?” I asked the Minotaur.
Hugo sighed. “Jeym mejehk lnaydinac. Ku yfyo.”(Vial living creatures. Go away) He said.
“Oh are you fucking…” I took a deep breath. “Ruf tu oui ghuf Ym Prat?”(How do you know Al Bhed) I spoke in Al Bhed, which was a little rough since I haven’t practiced in a while. “And can you speak english for any good amount of time?”
Hugo looked at me, surprised, then smiled. "You speak my tongue, are you one of my sisters?"
“No, I’m just well traveled.” I said to Hugo. “So mind if I ask what your deal is? You don’t just become a bloodthirsty psychopath overnight.”
"Oh, but I did." He said with a shrug. "That night felt so long ago."
“Alright, so why the hell did you do it?” I asked.
"I was asked to, by my father."
"Both your parents have been dead for years." Blueblood stated.
"In my rebirth, I gained a new father. The one who awoke me from the eternal slumber." Hugo said, still smiling.
I transformed into my Chimera form and used my snake tail to bite his neck. “God damn it...this is not what I wanted today…” My panther head groaned.
Hugo smiled widder. "You are just like father, just like he said!" Hugo said while laughing.
"Another shifter?" Blueblood asked.
"Yes! Yes just like him." Hugo laughed madly, happily as one arm of his ripped free of its roots bindings. Rather than free himself fully, he grabbed his horn, pulled, and broke it right off in a loud echoing snap. "I have a gift for you from him." He then rammed his own horn deep into his eye. Blood and fluids flowed as my snake tail retreated and I shifted back. "Feast. Mother."
Pyreflies flowed from Hugo, and towards me. I panicked, trying to shove them away but the second they touched me they flowed into me. Soon they were gone, all within me as Hugo's body decayed rapidly before my and Blueblood's eyes. "Well, it seems your worries were warranted. There are undead among us…" He looked over at me. "And only you can keep them dead."
I was currently panicking at what the hell just happened. “What the fuck just happened? Why did he call me ‘mother’, fucking why…”
"It seems, once the Guardians get on our feet, we have quite the schedule to keep to. Guards! This corpse is coming with me, I plan to have it analyzed down to the cells. Come Anna, let's go."
“Yeah...let’s uh...let’s leave…” I said worriedly. “Just...gonna have to try and forget all of this…”
To be continued...