Another day has ended in the life of Flare Brimstone, adventurer extraordinaire! Recently, the antsy bat pony has been taking a break from all the adventuring, taking the time to run in her shop: "Unusual Antiques and Artifacts."
Tonight was going to be different. Flare went to go out on a "stroll." She locked the doors and flipped the "open" sign to "closed." She exited Ponyville, looking suspicious.
The bat pony snickered, saying, "It seems that I am alone. Time to use my trusty ol' watch."
Flare Brimstone equipped an odd-looking watch, attaching it to her right hoof, a unique device given to her by a Denizen of Old during a mission in the Dragon Lands. She tapped the timepiece and a dark green portal manifested in front of her. She smirked and entered the portal as it closed behind her. She disappeared without a trace.
A dark green flash grew bright, once again forming a portal. Flare Brimstone stepped out of the portal and it once again closed behind her. She looks around and it seems to be another period in time, far beyond Equestria.
There were dark, black buildings with long, cracked roads and tall, withering trees that surrounded the area. Flare Brimstone stood up top a dimly lit hill surveying the area. It was in ruins, rotten and broken, pelted by light rain.
Flare squinted and examined the buildings. "Wait. The carvings on those buildings... I've seen them before. No way! I'm in the Battonian Age!"
The buildings were carved with ancient symbols on the sides of the Bat Ponies called Battonian Architecture. In the world of Equestria and beyond, there are very few bat ponies that exist.
Among Flare Brimstone there was: her mother and father, her five sisters, three brothers, and the town of Hollow Shades.
Flare Brimstone was ecstatic. "Wow, this is a lucky find! The ruins of a near-ancient race; my race. There's bound to be relics left behind in these ruins."
Flare Brimstone eagerly galloped down the hill towards the abandoned ruins of the Bat Pony race. She was careful going down the hill, as there were old snags, rotten roots, and stone boulders that impede her advancement. Once Flare Brimstone avoided the obstacles in her way, she reached the bottom of the hill that led into the old ruins.
As excited as she was, Flare Brimstone was also very cautious and kept a vigilant eye on her surroundings. The entrance of the ruins was a large, oval-shaped hole. It crumbled slowly; unsteady and weak, however, it still stood as if it was built to last Judgement Day.
Flare Brimstone dug inside her pouch and took out a flashlight and clipped it to her side, turning it on, and made her way inside.
"These ruins are so ancient; the writings on the walls are faded with pictures amongst them. I can't even tell what these are... interesting," she uttered.
The sound of a hiss echoed through the ruins. Flare Brimstone turned where the sound was and laid her eyes on a grotesque monster. It was a slithering, slimy, snake-like creature. A creature unknown in Flare Brimstone's time, possibly extinct. The creature stood still, glaring at Flare Brimstone.
Flare stowed away her fears and smiled at the face of death. This is what she lives for, the danger.
"Of course, a snake. For the love of Celestia, there is always a snake!"
Whilst groaning at her situation, Flare Brimstone saw a large crack big enough for her to slip through, but she had to get past the monstrous snake creature first.
"If I make a mad gallop towards that opening, I'm home free, but I am not leaving until I get a relic."
Flare Brimstone readied herself to move around the huge monster before her. She was silent, focusing on the snake. The moment she stepped forward, the beast flings itself towards her, mouth open, bearing serrated sharp teeth, and dripping with saliva, ready to tear Flare Brimstone apart.
She galloped as fast as she could and she narrowly dodged the monster's strikes as quickly as her body allowed, slipping under the creature. The monster struck a wall, causing the ruins to shake. Flare Brimstone then attempts to rush towards the large crack.
The monster regained its senses, seeing Flare Brimstone making a mad dash to escape. It hissed and screeched vehemently as it springs toward the bat pony. Its mouth opened as wide as it could, its beady eyes trained on its prey.
Almost to Flare Brimstone, she yelled loudly, quickly shining her flashlight in the eyes of the monster. It screeched in irritation as it misses Flare Brimstone and hit the cracked wall. Flare laughed triumphantly, but she was struck by the snake's large tail, propelling her into a wall with a monstrous crash.
Trying to regain her senses, the monster's tail grabbed hold of Flare Brimstone, raking her body against the wall.
"Gah!" Flare shouted in pain. "You... feathering snake! You want a fight, I'll give you one! Come on!"
Flare Brimstone smashed her hooves on the snake's tail, causing it to screech out in pain, dropping the bat pony on the ground. Without a second to waste, Flare leaped towards the snake's head, clutched it with all her might, and slammed it on the surface in a deafening boom that shook the ruins, creating a fissure on the earth.
"How'd you like that, huh?!" Flare berated the snake. "Here's another helping!"
Flare Brimstone charged the snake's head into a wall, pummeling the giant creature. The bat pony reeled her hoof back and sent it diving face-first into the snake's face, shattering the wall behind it. It was a grand and terrifying display of strength the bat pony possessed.
The mare wiped the sweat off her forehead. "Ha! Take that, ya overgrown lizard!" she shouted victoriously.
Trotting over to the newly created hole, Flare was about to jump through it until the snake swept the mare off her hooves with its tail. Flare yelled and struggled to release herself from the snake's tight grip, but to no avail.
Now the creature, beat and bruised, began to hiss at Flare as she wiggled her hooves trying to hit it.
"Bat pony in ruins? They all gone. You too late!" the monstrosity shrieked in a deep tone.
Flare Brimstone's mouth was agape in shock. The snake, which tried its hardest to snuff out her life, was talking with a straightforward, yet twisted speech.
"You... you're talking!" she exclaimed. "How?"
The snake crept its head close to Flare's face. Its dark brown eye wasn't deceiving, but glossy. "Always talked, always have; forever."
"What are you?"
"Nesotoc; the serpent, one that lurks in the darkness. Free, I roam. Home be the ruins. Ruins of bats, of your kin!"
"Are there any more of you?"
Nesotoc hissed, its tongue incessantly flicking out of its mouth. "No others left. One, the last; an endling. I am alone."
"My name is Flare Brimstone, an adventurer," she said, introducing herself. "You say endling? Then you are the last of your species. What happened to them?"
Nesotoc lifted its head towards the ceiling. "Great flood; others swept beneath the billow; the surge stole them away, they drowned."
"How did you escape your fate?"
Nesotoc shifted its piercing gaze towards Flare's eyes. "Hidden away, hoisted by dangling chains became my savior. Beheld the others pained screeching. Then nothing. Others have gone forever."
It was a rough idea, but Flare Brimstone understood. Nesotoc had survived an event that decimated its species. Now the only one left, Nesotoc persists in a world where it's always dark and rainy. It took refuge in the ruins of the bats, and eventually, it confronted Flare Brimstone.
Flare was empathic, knowing that only she and a handful of her race scarcely exist in her time. She touched and caressed Nesotoc's obsidian snoot. A connection was created.
"I can feel it," she whispered. "I can feel your sadness and pain. It's enormous; it's almost too much to take, to feel what you emanate."
The snake pulled its head back, dropping Flare Brimstone to the ground with a heavy thud, but she shrugged it off. Nesotoc retreated into a dark corner; the only thing visible was its eyes shimmering slightly in the darkness.
"Nesotoc, I want to apologize for hurting you, I was defending myself," Flare said, trotting cautiously to the skulking snake. "I'm only here to find some treasure; some kind of relic that I can take home, that belonged to my race."
"Then take and leave," it mumbled. "Bat pony claim the item from your race and never return."
"You don't have to be alone. Don't you want to be with any creature?"
Flare Brimstone stood in front of the giant shadowed snake hidden in the dark. She fell forward and landed on its snoot. This time, however, Nesotoc didn't reject Flare's advances. The bat pony heard it breathe slowly, yet it sounded raspy. It wasn't normal. Nesotoc was shivering.
"You're very cold. Nesotoc, are you sick?" Flare asked. Nesotoc kept silent. "You are, aren't you? I can hel-"
"Desist," it uttered. "Claim your relic and leave me be."
Flare Brimstone shook her head. "I can't do that. Tell me what's wrong."
Nesotoc refused to comply, but Flare Brimstone glared at its eyes. They were genuine and filled with worry. Nesotoc witnessed Flare hugging its snoot.
"I don't know what I could do," she muttered under her breath. "I want to help you."
Nesotoc watched as Flare whimpered for its safety. It felt her body snuggle his snout. It was warm and comforting, a feeling Nesotoc hadn't felt in a very long time. She cares about it, and Nesotoc knew it.
Suddenly, Flare heard steam coming from the giant snake. She felt Nesotoc get smaller and smaller, and she gazed at a fragile snake, similar to a garter snake, slithering slowly from the darkness. It was Nesotoc.
Flare was bewildered. "Bu-but how?!"
"To take form into something weaker is a sign of safety," it uttered, its voice still deep. "No more heat to manage big form. Offer assistance and keep me warm."
Flare Brimstone hurriedly snatched Nesotoc from the ground and buried him beneath her cozy coat. It slithered and made itself comfortable under Flare's neck.
"How are you, Nesotoc?" Flare asked, booping the snake's cute snoot.
"Better," it said, cuddling Flare Brimstone. "I am alone no longer."
"We're friends."
"Friends?"
"That's right. If you come with me, you won't have to be alone anymore."
Nesotoc pondered and reached its conclusion. "Yes."
Flare Brimstone giggled, booping Nesotoc who uttered a faint chortle.
"Let's go find that treasure. I have a sneaky suspicion about the hole in that wall over there from our brief fight," the bat pony said, dashing over to the hole and looking out the other side.
Flare Brimstone beheld an area opposite of what she had seen: the area was bright as the water was lucid and pure, brimming with light. In the middle was an abandoned stone with the carvings of the Bat Ponies. Flare Brimstone trotted towards the relic, going in shallow water, and beheld the ancient stone of her race.
"This a relic of the Bat Ponies. These carvings are so unfamiliar to me; I can't read them. Nonetheless, this is a marvelous prize."
"Then claim it. Then we depart. But to where?"
Flare chuckled. "Nesotoc, I come from the future. When we get back, you are welcome to live with me in Ponyville."
"Will I see you often?"
"Of course. I own a shop. When I'm out working or doing other things... perhaps you could look over it? Like a protector."
Nesotoc grew silent, its tongue feverishly flicking outward. "I will do it," it answered, receiving a lovable boop and hug from its bat pony pal. "Guardian of your wares; to scare and battle thieves... that is a deal I will take."
Flare Brimstone stored the stone within her pouch and used her watch to open up a portal to take her and Nesotoc back to her time. When she left with the relic, the water in the cavern turned black and tar-like. The once bright cavern is now devoid of its shine as darkness encroached the area.
The dark green portal appeared again as Flare Brimstone trotted out with her new slithery friend. She headed back to Ponyville. Flare Brimstone reached her shop and opened it, going inside to set the relic in the backroom to determine the price it should be sold.
Nesotoc was guided to the front counter as he slipped off Flare's neck. She went behind the counter and yawned, setting her forelegs on the counter. With the shop open once again, Flare Brimstone awaited the customers, chuckling to herself with excitement, now with a new companion in tow.
Until the next adventure of Flare Brimstone.