“Prey..”
...
'Here they come.. again.'
...
“Prey...”
...
'When will they understand? This is nothing. Compared to Dreverton this lead-clad cell is nothing. N-nothing. None.'
...
“Gossamer.”
The one simple word. A name. Some fortunate conglomerate of letters... It instilled Prey in his obvious trembling, making the involuntary quakes go away in an instant, stopping his scar cramps in their infancy. 'They couldn't-' The voice sounded rather female. 'She couldn't-... unless-'.
Prey immediately got up and turned around on the spot, rising from his pretend sleep position on the floor.
There. Dead in the center of his most recent unbreakable prison floated a.. thing. Some kind of a force, for the lack of a better description. For how do you describe a floating amalgamation of colorful dusty particles to someone not there to see it for themselves? You couldn't. One of those "See it to believe it" kinds of deals.
...
...
“You're not very talkative despite being so invested in what others have to say, are you?” The floating nebulae of mismatched spectrums said, making Prey go into full alarm in a span of a second.
'She- the voice is female, so I'm going to refer to it as she- knows I'm a mind leech. That proves it. Somehow she knows. But how did she-?'
“Not answering?”
...
“That is irksome.. but acceptable.”
'Acceptable she says. What is exactly acceptable about any of this situation, it is as surreal as they get. A runt lamb locked within a maximum security prison and talking to a ghost. It sounds like a good starter for a joke. Yet, this is a new norm for me, isn't it? Treat surreal as normal. One after another, they come, come, come and won't stop coming.'
“I may not know the inner workings of your mind, but I do know how you think.”
'...Do you.....DO YOU?' The willingly given news was the best that had happened to Prey today. And that said a lot about his rather miserable day. Yet, he had a chance for the final laugh. All he had to do was just play his cards right and he would emerge victorious in this most recent mind battle, for that's all it was. Yet another battle he had to partake in.
“You're not omnipotent or omnipresent then. Good. I do not believe in absolutes anyway.” 'Not godlike. I can push back against that. However.. if she.. it... does not read my mind, then how does it know my- Gossamer's name?'
Well, no way like direct. If Luna won't end me... then this thing will.
“How do you know that name?”
The cloud stayed silent for a bit only to perform what passed for a turn in its case.
“You weren't always like you are today, now were you?” It nailed that one right on the head. “And just like you, I have been around for a long time. If a tad bit longer. I observe.”
'Pompous and fake, no one alive talks like that. Prideful, if only a smidge. If it's as ancient as it claims.. it is no better than those blasted alicorn sisters, earth swallow them. I've got to tread carefully, there's no telling what it may do if provoked. A foe unknown is no better than a rabid animal. Might kill itself in its confusion, might take you along.
“Weird is this world, where there's still a lot of chaos,” The spirit said. More acknowledged really, not expecting a response. It will be sorely disappointed then.
“Chaos?” Prey asked out of genuine curiosity. “Are you-”
“You met him.” The mote declared in apparent realization, almost sounding happy. “I was generalizing, but now I see it. You met him, didn't you?” When no answer came, the tone changed yet again, ignoring the previous minute of conversation. “Let's get to the point of my visit. I know what you're planning.” The cloud revealed suddenly, throwing Prey out of his musings and into supreme worry. “I won't allow it.”
He didn't eve- It was all hypot- Oh. Ohhhh.
OH.
'I see.'
Though no one could accuse him that he didn't try to salvage it.
“What are you-”
“Those six. There are not to be hair missing from their manes.” Immediately, there was no question of whom it was talking about. There was no question. It had either some sort of precognition or just straight-up access to his thoughts. Prey couldn't decide what would actually be worse. “Or there will be consequences.”
'Ah. There's the threat.'
All in all, Prey was quite surprised at how calm he was about all of this. No matter if he got over it or was just spent for the time being, he should be trembling considering just how utterly terrified he actually was. Yet, there he was, just about to listen to another round of 'oh so righteous' monologue.
“Though I am weak for the time being.. I can still act and make your life, as much of it there is, a nightmare.”
Huh. A tempting offer. What do you know. Even Prey got a proverbial lucky bone once in a while.
“Good luck convincing me then, as I have no better alternatives.” Prey admitted his plan to kill The Element Bearers... somehow. So what if he did? Their life in trade for getting Gloom back and both his and Crimson's safety? Any day. Also.. “Besides. Not much you can do to me-”
He wore the sickeningly sweetest smile he could manage.
“-My life is kind of a nightmare already anyway.”
As expected, the cloud of dust and magic did not emote.
'Eh. Worth a try.'
Though it did seem... softer. Somehow. “I am not threatening. Merely warning. IF you continue the path you decided upon...”
That was good to know, what a relief. Just a warning... what a joke. A powerful being warning a pint sized runt lamb there will be consequences if it doesn't do what the being says. Just precious. .. they both knew what his answer would be from the very start.
“Warning, threat, same difference.” Prey sneered at the mere existence of the offending powdered power. “I see I was right about comparing you to the alicorns. You're just like them, you think you are above threats.” Prey continued aloud, all reason be damned for if he gets out of it alive, it will be a miracle. “You don't threat, you merely... warn.”
The cloud sat there silently, not dignifying this piece with an answer. Then.. the dust stirred violently in the air, its small particles stingingly hitting Prey's skin even through his thick wool, making use of his already irritated scars, facial or otherwise. It floated and crashed together only to make a clearer picture on the canvas of air and coalesce into a more tangible form.
Now, she was a mare. A Pony mare. 'Typical.' Prey noted deep in his mindscape. A simple ivory coat adored her visage, the pinkish mane only complimenting her pale composition. Though her newly acquired facial features did not make the tone of her speech any kinder.
“I am warning you, puppet.” The no more approachable avatar spoke, mimicking proper speech patterns, skin movements, eyebrows and all. “I have my ways.”
Now.. just now he had some almost tangible eyes to stare into. Only to look into them deeply and declare the same thing, not only with confidence but also disdain.
“Well... so do I.”
...
...
After a very brief silence, the avatar started to dissolve without a word, all without breaking their very strenuous eye contact. The motes of magical dust turned back into regular particles, her eyes the last to go away and dissolve into nothingness.
*ka-clunk*
What? That was the door.
Now? Of all times they decided to open the door and gave him a way out, now?
Unless..
No. It was just a coincidence.
'No matter. Whatever she was.. if she wants, she will act and if she wanted, she would already done something. I am so close... she's a worry for later... yes... later.'
...
'The show must go on.'
...
"Woah Prey. You look kinda' terrible." Taffy said, smile brittle.