//------------------------------// // Chapter Seven // Story: The Gates of Equestria // by SapphireRose87 //------------------------------// Sapphire decided to take a load off with all of the stress going at the moment, it wasn't really so much taking a load off as trying to create more medicines that the Medic Ponies would be able to use during the war that she thought for sure would be coming up in the future. She already had some of her red roses picked along with the sapphire gems that grew with them and she headed over to the West Gate.  Sapphire found out that the gems that she grew worked best when they were out in the sunlight and in the warmest climate possible. Although it was always warm in the Crystal Empire where she lived, she decided to go to the West Gate. She was also at the West Gate to check up on Fancy Mark and see how his mental state was fairing. She was worried about that because the Guardians were now put on high alert because of Phantasia and she worried the stress might be too much for Fancy Mark to handle. But she had to remind herself that she picked Fancy Mark because of the power that she sensed inside of him.  It wasn't until Sapphire found out about Fancy Mark's background with the Dr. Jekyll, Mr. Hyde complex going on with him that she had her reservations about it. But after consulting with the pony who was taking care of him, she felt much better that she was sending him to a therapist. But even still she figured she'd pay him a visit anyway.  Sapphire was walking down a hallway carrying her gems in a bag in her magic when she saw Fancy Mark staring into a mirror intensely. She paused and hid around the corner when she heard him talking to the mirror. Okay, what's this about? I'd better stay out of sight for this. Sapphire thought.  She watched Fancy Mark with curiosity as his conversation with the mirror started to unfold. "Shut-up!" Fancy yelled at the mirror. "Shut-up! I don't want to hear it anymore!" A cold-blooded laugh came from the mirror, "You remember that day, don't you? You know, the day you killed them?" "NO! No, I didn't kill them, I didn't kill them, IT'S NOT MY FAULT!" "Oh, but you were the only witness…" The thing in the mirror gave a little pout, which then morphed into a sneer, and he began to pull up old memories to the forefront of his mind. "Standing there above your parents, bloody knife in hoof; who else could it have been!?" The thing in the mirror laughed, and Fancy Mark winced as his ears screamed with static. "I.. DIDN' T… DO IT!!" Fancy Mark began to cry, slowly breaking down. "I didn't do it… I didn't do it…!" "Nice try, Fancy Mark, but trying to scare me into doing your will won't ever work. I'll rip you apart piece by piece until I get what I want, even if it means hurting you!" The mirror laughed for a short while, and Fancy Mark sat there rocking on the floor, numbly repeating with tears, "I didn't do it… I didn't do it… I didn't do it…." Once the conversation ended, Sapphire was definitely disturbed by it. Okay, yeah I'm going to have to talk to his therapist about this. Although I have no idea if he's told his therapist anything about him talking to a mirror. * * * I almost got it! Almost there- Firewing thought as he flew high into the clouds. But what he was attempting to do for the one-hundredth time didn't work yet again. He was thrown out of the sky as soon as he even got close to breaking the sound barrier and landed flat on his back with the wind knocked out of him. Damn it! Again? I almost had it that time! "What in tarnation are you doin' Firewing?" Applejack said. Firewing looked up to see Applejack standing over him with a stern look on her face. He got to his hooves, blushed, and looked away. "Oh, uh hey Applejack, I was practicing my secret weapon, you know because of being on high alert now." "And what secret weapon might that be?" Applejack asked. "Um… It's called a secret weapon for a reason." Firewing replied. "I just hope I can have it ready to go soon." "Okay then." Applejack nodded.  "So what are you doing here?" Firewing asked. "Aren't you normally back at the farm or going to check on Melody?" "Well yes," said Applejack, "but I figured since all of the Guardians are on high alert, that I'd stop by and see how things were goin' and from the looks of it, things are just fine so I'll be-" "Don't you want to stick around for a bit?" Firewing asked quickly.  Applejack sighed, "Listen Firewing I know you like me and all but I've been pretty busy lately and don't have time for stuff like that, you know a relationship. I really need to see if Melody's doing okay." "Yeah you know Melody can take care of herself right?" Firewing reasoned. Applejack groaned, "Why does everypony keep tellin' me that? No, she can't take care of herself, she's-" "Blind?" Firewing asked. "I think she can get around just fine. Believe it or not, Melody does very well during training and she's been on her own for a while now. From what I've seen she's still alive so forgive me if I'm speaking out of term but she's fine, really she is." "I can't help it! She's my baby!" Applejack cried. "I adopted her at ten years old! I remember the day I saw her. She was just sitting by herself in a corner playin' with her beads lookin' all cute like and I knew I was meant to be her parent. It was as if she knew the same thing because she came right up to me. It was puzzling to me because before she even said hi to me she whistled a couple of tunes and then she smiled that adorable smile. That's when she said in a shy voice, 'hi there, I'm Melody, you look like a nice pony'. Her sweet little voice melted my heart. It was right then and there that I started the application process to adopt  her and before I knew it, I was her mother." Firewing listened to Applejack's story about how she adopted Melody with tears in his eyes. Applejack looked at Firewing and smiled, "Are you cryin' Firewing?" Firewing shook his head, "Uh, no I wasn't crying, I uh…" He looked up at the sky and pointed a hoof upward, "The sun was in my eyes that's all." Applejack raised an eyebrow, "Uh-huh I can tell when someponie's lyin' to me but okay sure." "You know something Applejack?" Firewing said. "There comes a time when you have to let your child grow up. Not to mention if she gets a boyfriend, that'll make her look bad if you're hovering over her all the time." Applejack laughed, "Yeah I know about Aether and he's head over heels for Melody but he won't admit it. If I didn't know any better, I'd say Melody's head over heels for him. Those two would make a good pair. I wonder how cute their children would be if they-" She paused. "Oh look at me! I bet I sound like an old fart talkin' like this." Firewing looked away true, Applejack was old but to him, she might as well be a beautiful young mare. He figured that there was no reasoning with Applejack when it came down to Melody. Applejack was so overprotective of Melody that she might as well have Melody on a leash to tie Melody to her hip. But knowing Melody, she would find some way to break free of Applejack's grip sooner or later.  Out of nowhere, they heard Pinkie Pie's high-pitched voice, "What ya doing?" Firewing jumped a foot in the air when he saw Pinkie Pie. "What are you doing here Pinkie?" Applejack asked. "Aren't you supposed to be at the West Gate with Fancy Mark?" "Oh I was," said Pinkie, "but Sapphire's over there too so I figured it would be okay if I stepped out for a bit. You know I like all of the seasons of the different Gates, even the East Gate where it's always cold there! I've been to the area where the East Gate might be in but just for a visit. You know because I would never go to the actual Gate. Actually, I can't find the other Gates. I find the Guardians who guard those Gates, but not the actual Gate. That's probably for security reasons which is fine." "Okay, why is Sapphire at the West Gate? Do you know what for Pinkie?" Firewing asked. Pinkie shook her head, "Nope! Not a clue, but that's Sapphire's business and even if I did know, I wouldn't tell you, you wanna know why I wouldn't tell?" "Why?" Firewing said. "Because betraying a friend's trust is the fastest way to lose a friend! FORRRREVER!" Pinkie cheered. Applejack laughed. "Oh Pinkie, you and your antics! Aren't you worried about the Guardians being on high alert?" "Nope!" Pinkie answered. "Not one little bit! Besides, why stress about things when you can't see the future? Even if I could see the future I wouldn't tell anypony even if I could. Okay, I'm done visiting now, I'm headed back to the West Gate!" "But you were only here for a few seconds," said Firewing, "wow that was short-lived." Pinkie nodded, "Yup! I came and I saw, now bye!" "O...Kay then, well uh see ya later!" Firewing said. Firewing and Applejack chuckled as they watched Pinkie hop away. * * * Fancy Mark laid on his bed after crossing paths with Fancy Dark in a mirror again. He would lay down on the bed and get up and pace back and forth again. He couldn't help but think of the day that he killed his parents by accident and that's when Fancy Dark came about. To tell the truth, he was happy that his parents were dead but at the same time, he wondered if deep down inside he wasn't really happy that his parents died. He wondered this because of the fact that Fancy Dark came about shortly after he killed them.  The reason why Fancy's parents were killed was because of an ancient ritual known only to his family. It was considered as a right of passage in a way. If a child in his family was successful in summoning her and she made a pact with them, then they had full rights to battle things out with other children to gain a seat on the throne. But the kingdom where Fancy was from was gone now, and it was all because of him. He destroyed everything in the blink of an eye and all because he summoned her. He also didn't know why he was the only one that was spared in the destruction of his home. Now that the Guardians are on high alert because of Phantasia, she's been appearing to him more often and she didn't even need a mirror to do so.  As Fancy sat on his bed after pacing back and forth he heard her voice and that bone-chilling laugh behind him. To tell the truth, Fancy wasn't really afraid of her anymore that stupid Blood Goddess got on his nerves just as much as Fancy Dark did. Fancy turned around and snarled when he saw her, "What are you doing here?" The Blood Goddess chuckled, "What? I can't come to visit my friend every once and a while?" "Yeah that's fine and all but you are getting on my nerves and I'm done dealing with you and Fancy Dark!" Fancy snapped. Blood Goddess tilted her and then she smiled, "Fancy Dark? Now he seems like a swell guy, when can I meet him?" Fancy rolled his eyes, "Like I'm going to tell you that information!" Blood Goddess put up her hands as if to say that she surrendered or something like that. "Okay, okay calm down Fancy, you know you're my favorite pony, right? I tasted their blood because of you." Blood Goddess licked her lips as if she were remembering the feeling of drinking Fancy's parents’ blood. "Honestly, I wish I could rewind time and taste their blood again. But that's not why I'm here this time." Fancy narrowed his eyes at the Blood Goddess, "Why are you here?"  "I just came because I noticed your magic is connected to something very powerful and it's very intense right now. I also sense that there could be war coming up in the future. I wonder, why is that? If that is the case, you know I can help you right?" Blood Goddess said. "I can drink their blood for you and destroy them all if you want?" "No!" Fancy roared. "No, I don't need your help for anything! I've never needed your help. I just did the stupid ceremony as a right of passage." Blood Goddess shrugged, "Sure whatever you say, Fancy. Oh well, I'll go find some blood to drink elsewhere." Blood Goddess licked her lips and gave Fancy a cold sinister stare. Fancy knew this was another tactic she used to try and strike fear in his heart. But it didn't scare Fancy, it just annoyed him.  "Until we meet again Fancy, and I hope to meet your friend Fancy Dark one day…" Blood Goddess said.  Fancy rolled his eyes as heard her laughter fade away as she slowly disappeared. After the Blood Goddess left, Fancy couldn't shake the feeling that he would never be able to get rid of her or Fancy Dark and might just be his undoing in the future.