//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: When Hearts Connect // Story: To Save Equestria // by KalaAWild //------------------------------// Chapter 2: When Hearts Connect "Now hold it right there, sugar cube," Applejack stopped Silvershot from speaking another word of randomness. "What are you talking about?" "My town, my home where I came from," Silvershot began. “It was burnt down to the ground and I couldn't stop it." "You could have stopped that fire you were talking about." "Wait, are you two talking about a burning village?" Twilight interrupted their conversation with her question. He nodded. Twilight took out a newspaper article from a folder in her study desk and read it out loud. "Venturia Reign, once a peaceful and wonderful town much like the beloved Ponyville, is now burnt to smithereens. This morning while I was making my runs across Equestria, the entire town was destroyed right before my eyes. Its people disappeared along with the mysterious flames that decimated the town. Detectives and forensic doctors confirmed that the royal prince of Venturia Reign has vanished and his body is nowhere to be seen. Everypony fears, even Princess Celestia, that the destruction of Venturia Reign was a terrorist attack against all of Equestria. I, as Chief Editor of the Equestrian Tribute, believe that we are in serious trouble. Signed, Chief Editor of the Equestrian Tribute." "That article has to be wrong. There is no way that I would leave my town unprotected to a terrorist attack!" he exclaimed. "I would have put up a fight before I let that happen!" He suddenly felt a feeling of conviction within himself. "You keep saying Venturia Reign is your town, repeatedly... I have a theory about your past, but I don't think you'll believe it." Before Twilight could continue, the unpredictable happened. A pegasus unprofessionally flew through the window of the library and crashed into a bookshelf. The books fell off the shelves and she was covered in an avalanche of books. She dug herself out of the bookshelf and said hello to everypony in a cheerful manner. It was almost like she did not experience a flying crash. The pegasus had a rainbow colored mane and tail with a blue coat and amethyst eyes. Anypony could tell from not only how fast she flew but from her eyes, that she was athlete. After brushing off some books off her body, she walked over to Twilight, Silvershot, and Applejack. "I thought we told you not to crash into things, Rainbow Dash," Applejack said to the pegasus with a stern, accented voice. "I couldn't help myself on that one," Rainbow Dash admitted to Applejack. "I was practicing this sick move for the Flyer's Competition next month and I really have to get this trick done." "Maybe you should practice somewhere else so things don't break!" "Why don't you move things out of the way so I won't crash into them? Come back to me when you've done it." Applejack and Rainbow Dash butted heads together out of rage. They pushed each other back and forth with all their might, trying to outdo each other. Silvershot did not like how the two were fighting and separated them. "Chill out, you two. There is no need for arguments." Silvershot tried to nullify the tension between the two ponies. "Who’s this wise guy?" Rainbow Dash asked rudely. "I'm Silvershot, and I'm guessing from your bad attitude you're Rainbow Dash." "Got a problem with that?" Silvershot got very intimidated from Rainbow Dash's hot hotheadedness. "I’ve got a problem with your attitude, not your name." Silvershot and Rainbow Dash butted heads, but this time Twilight separated them. Twilight kept them separated by keeping her hooves on each of them. Rainbow Dash tried flailing her legs to get to Silvershot and Silvershot just kept a steady, crimson colored eye on her. "Look, if you two have something against each other, now is not the time." Twilight Sparkle said to both Silvershot and Rainbow Dash. "We have a potential problem here that could get Equestria destroyed!" Rainbow Dash and Silvershot relaxed and stopped defying Twilight's request. "What's the problem?" Rainbow Dash asked, this time with less of an attitude. Silvershot properly introduced himself to her. He also tells her how he met Applejack and Twilight and about his amnesia. Twilight then showed an old newspaper article to her and said that it was his hometown. She took a minute to think about everything that just got transferred into her mind. "What do you suggest we do? Go to Venturia Reign and see if anypony recognizes him?" Rainbow Dash offered. "No, the picture in the article of Venturia Reign shows the town clearly burnt and no pony seen," Twilight responded. "Hey wait; can I see that article?" Silvershot called out to Twilight. She gave the newspaper article to him. He put the newspaper article on the floor and inspected the pictures in it. He saw many of the same cottages that he saw in his dream. They were dark black, like coal. There was a picture of a forensic doctor taking flesh samples from a darkened corpse. He turned the page and saw what he was searching for. He was looking for anything out of the ordinary in the newspaper. In one picture of the newspaper, there was a golden necklace with a silver, quartz star jewel in its center. Silvershot looked at his cutie mark and the necklace in the picture. The two were exactly the same. "Twilight, look at this necklace in the picture of the newspaper," he brought her attention. He flipped the picture for her to see. "What about it?" she replied. She had no clue what Silvershot was getting at. "If Venturia Reign was completely unrecognizable, how come this golden necklace wasn't smudged by the fire?" "Maybe detectives cleaned the dirt off." Rainbow Dash suggests. "Detectives don't rub off prints in a crime scene, it would ruin evidence," Twilight said to her. "Exactly my point. That necklace has to be magical or something, and it could be mine. The jewel in the center of necklace looks like my cutie mark." Silvershot added with his conclusion of the matter. "The necklace looks like your cutie mark? Now I even have more theories unanswered...," Twilight muttered as quietly as possible. Twilight walked away from the group and began to purposely ignore them. She contemplated her thoughts by putting away the books Rainbow Dash crashed into. Everypony called out to her but she deliberately ignored them. Silvershot wondered what she could be hiding. He helped put the books away and trapped her against the wall. "What are you thinking in that brain of yours?" Silvershot interrogated. "Twilight, you know keeping secrets is bad," Applejack said from behind Silvershot's back. "Twi, you’ve got to help Silvershot remember. If you know anything, now is the chance to talk," Rainbow Dash said. "I think Silvershot is the missing royal from Venturia Reign and that the necklace in that newspaper is another Element of Harmony." Twilight blurted out. Silvershot tried to accept her theories, but they were very farfetched. "You have a horn that just, appeared. I can't do that, only alicorns can do that. The only reason you don't remember it is because you have a much worse case of Retrograde Amnesia that made you forget everything up until you escaped into the forest." He backed away from the wall he had trapped Twilight against. He was lost as mentally as he was physically in the Everfree forest. Twilight continued her long theory about his identity. He listened to every word carefully and tried to understand carefully. "Let me further explain. His memory loss began three months ago, about the same time Venturia Reign was set ablaze. I was sure there was a connection there. Then, he has a horn that comes out at will. If he has a horn, then he has wings because like I said only alicorns can do that. The golden necklace could be an Element of Harmony because the quartz jewel looks like Silvershot's cutie mark. All the Elements of Harmony use their owner's cutie mark for a physical form. I even read about a myth where there was a mysterious seventh element." She pulled books from every bookshelf around the library to prove her thesis to Silvershot. The first book, ‘Folklore and Spells’, mentioned the existence of a seventh element undiscovered by Princess Celestia. He saw Twilight's cutie mark and saw that it matched with the Element of Harmony that she owned. A second book, ‘Amnesiac's Guide to Remembering’, showed him that his traveling in the Everfree forest was chronologically linked with the Venturia Reign Fire. A third book, ‘A Royals Biography’, explained that ponies of royal blood have a unique unicorn horn and Pegasus wings that could disappear at the pony’s will. He looked at his horn and thought of its magical properties. Then he looked at his sides where his supposed Pegasus wings were supposed to be. Silvershot became silent and still when he suddenly remembered something without the use of magic. He could see himself as a small foal. His baby-self rolled around on an august carpet, enjoying the day with fun. He was in a home very similar to Applejack's home, but there was a lot of silverware to be seen. Another foal with a unicorn horn crawled into the picture, and the two played ball with each other. Watching the memory like an old home video made him cry. A hoof slammed down on the hard wood floor beside the carpet. Silvershot's little foal-self crawled to the pony who had made a noticeable entrance. The pony was a large Pegasus who was incredibly strong and young looking for his old age. He lifted Silvershot with his wing and put him on his back. A mother unicorn picked up the other and carried the foal in her mouth. "I apologize for cutting their play date short," the Pegasus said to the mother. "I have matters to attend to and it is of utmost importance that you politely leave." "Silver Lancet." The mother's words were a little muffled from carrying her filly. "Make sure your son, Silvershot, gets to go to school like a normal pony. He shouldn't be home schooled because he is a prince. We will see you around." The mother raised a hoof in goodbye and left with her foal. Silver Lancet looked at his son and patted him on the back with his hoof. He burped, and then fell asleep comfortably on Silver Lancet's back. The future Silvershot laughed and smiled. A knock on the door grabbed Silver Lancet's attention. He opened the door, and on the front porch of his home was the Chief Editor of the Equestrian Tribute. He gave entry to the Chief Editor. The Chief Editor had a nice, black camera strapped around his neck and a pad and paper in his fedora hat. "What can I do you for?" Silver Lancet asked the Editor. "I just need your thoughts about top secret terrorist attacks on Equestria," the Chief Editor said to him as he walked in the house. Silver Lancet's pupils shrank when the Chief Editor mentioned the terrorist attacks. He slammed the door as hard as he could and locked it tight. He closed all the blinds and lit a candle on the kitchen table. The Editor and Silver Lancet commenced their secret and unknown meeting in the dark. Silvershot continued to watch the memory as if he was an audience to a play. "How do you know about the attacks? The terrorist attacks were only seen by me, Celestia, and Luna." Silver Lancet smashed his hoof on the ground. "I just know. Equestria demands to know of another threat!" Chief Editor replied back. "There is nothing to say. This meeting is over and you never came here. Have a nice day Chief Editor." Chief Editor stared at Silver Lancet and left the home without another word. Silvershot came back to the real world when the door closed. He felt sleepy and tired as if he were a baby again. Word for word, motion by motion, action to action, he explained to everypony the memory he just experienced. "We have to see the Chief Editor. He knows my father and I want to see if he knows where he is. My dad has to know something about the fire and me," he demands. "The Chief lives in Manehattan," Applejack says. "I was interviewed by him when I went there as a filly. I know his address, but we have to go now. I can feel a storm a-brewin’, and I don't like it one bit." Even though Silvershot had just met Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle, he had to say his goodbyes already. Twilight and Rainbow Dash were not going to say goodbye quietly. Rainbow Dash says she was going to Cloudsdale, the home of the Pegasi, to find any more information about Silver Lancet. She flew out the same window she came in. Twilight began to write a letter to Princess Celestia about how Silvershot, the Prince of Venturia Reign, had returned. She got out her quill and ink and wrote on a piece of fine parchment. Silvershot and Applejack galloped out of the library when she had said her goodbyes, too. Applejack led the way to the train station, but Silvershot wasn't behind her when she looked back. She turned back to go look for him. He had gotten into an accident without her knowing or hearing of it. He had crashed into a mare; she was a green Pegasus. A very green pony. She had a short cut green mane and tail, with a brighter lime green coat. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to crash into you like that," the Pegasus apologized to Silvershot. He rubbed his head from a possible concussion. The two got back up from the ground. They looked each other in the eyes and the Pegasus' eyes widen. "Silvershot! It's you!" The mare that he crashed into that he didn't know hugged him. She held him even tighter and cried a little. He didn't know anypony besides the ones he had seen that day, so who was the pony? He did not want to be rude to her, so he tried to let her down slowly. "Um, do I know you?" Silvershot curiously asked. The Pegasus dropped Silvershot faster than a rock falling in water. More crystal clear tears ran down her face. Suddenly, she bursts into tears. Silvershot got scared, but he tried to calm the pony down by wiping her tears. "How could you forget me!?" the pegasus squealed. "Hold it there missy," Applejack intervened. "Silvershot here has amnesia, and he can't remember anything." "It's true," Silvershot added. The pegasus sniffled her tears and snot away. "Let me ask again, um, but more nicely I guess. Who are you?" "I'm Fortress, Fortress Evergreen. I am your girlfriend," the Pegasus replied. Applejack and Silvershot's mouths dropped when she said ‘girlfriend’. He sputtered to say even a part of the word but he never imaged the possibility. He drew circles in the dirt and strained his mind to remember something. He came up with nothing. "We met at a party two years ago, we started dating six months after that and we have been together since. I haven't seen you since the fire. I ran away to Ponyville, hoping to find you here," Fortress explained to Silvershot "I can't remember you. I just need some time. Do you hate me for not remembering?" Silvershot asked Fortress. "No, of course not, baby." Fortress puts her nose against his cheek and tried to be as close to him as possible. He was okay with it. If it helped him remember anything and make her happy, he was up for it. "I will wait, just for you." Applejack tapped his shoulder to tell him that they were in a hurry. Fortress came with them to the train station but Applejack didn’t go onto the train with her and Silvershot. She gave Silvershot a couple of bits for food, and maybe another for the train ride somewhere else. Applejack also handed him the address to the Chief Editor's apartment on a slip of paper. "I forgot I have to go back and buck some apples today or else my farm will be short on money for a whole month. I know you desperately want as much help as you can, but my kin and Ponyville are more important right now. Send a telegram to me when you meet the Chief Editor," she explained to Silvershot as he got on the train. "Thanks for your help. I hope I get to see you in the future," he said. The sun set on the horizon. The sun bounced off his eyes and they glimpsed a beautiful spectrum of light. Applejack smiled and hugged him, saying goodbye one last time in his ear. Applejack stepped away from the train and waved him goodbye. He yelled ‘bye’ as the train moved away from the station. The tug of the train made a tear jump from Silvershot's face. Applejack was one of the only ponies he'd seen in a hundred days, and he was happy to have met her. She gave him a place to rest and eat, she introduced him to Twilight who helped him get a part of his memories back, and she finally gave him the guide to another step in his journey. He promised never to forget Applejack's help. She sacrificed so much for a stranger. The train left Applejack, his new friends, and Ponyville behind. "I will return. Just you wait Ponyville,” Silvershot whispered silently as the train ran faster down the metal tracks. He entered the passenger car and sat next to Fortress. Fortress yawned and leaned her head on his shoulder. He didn't push her away; he actually made his shoulder more comfortable by relaxing his muscles. He stared outside the train window and wiped one last tear from his face. "Fortress," Silvershot said to the Pegasus on his shoulder. Fortress responded with a hum. "Am I really the Prince of Venturia Reign?" "Yes, you are; but I don't love you because of that, if that's what you're thinking," Fortress answered. He had expected a different answer, but he took what he got. "I love you because you are kind, gentle, and no matter what happens to you, you always find a way to save a life." "Have I saved your life before?" "Yes, you did." "How, and what happened?" "A year ago, there was a carriage accident that we were in. The ponies pulling the carriages and the other carriage driver were fine, but we were caught in a destroyed carriage heap at the bottom of a bridge. A carriage piece cut your right eye and another piece of the carriage hit my side and caused massive bleeding. I almost died. Blinded in your best eye, you crawled to me and held my hoof until paramedics came. You used your magic to pull the carriage piece out of me and covered my wounds. As the paramedics came, they told you I was going to die for I lost a lot of blood. You knew a spell that could save me but it required a great sacrifice. The spell transferred the wound and all its pain to you. You nearly died in my place for me." "What happened next?" Silvershot could see the train passing by Neighagra Falls. He touched his right eye and noticed a scar across it. He had never noticed that he couldn't see with it before. "I prayed to Celestia for you to come back to me alive, and you did. The doctors told me you had only a one per cent chance of living since you lost so much blood. You stayed in the hospital for a week. Your body heals miraculously fast because you are an alicorn. You went to Tartarus and back for me." Her voice became fainter at the last sentence, and Silvershot's eyes became heavy. Fortress and Silvershot fell asleep on the train. He dreamt of the story Fortress told him. The memory comes to him with the dream, and he remembered everything about that night. He remembered being unable to see through his right eye, but crawling with all his might to Fortress's side. He remembered the pain of the spell he used to save her life. He woke up when the train stopped at Manehattan. He touched his right eye with his hoof one more time. Throughout the entire time he was traveling in the Everfree forest, the entire time he was in Ponyville, he did not even notice he could not see through it. He gently woke Fortress up when the Conductor said it was safe to get off the train. It was time to find the Chief Editor to find more information about Silvershot's father, the burning of Venturia Reign, and the alleged terrorist group of Equestria. ...At the doorstep of the Chief Editor's Apartment... "Chief Editor! Are you there?" Silvershot yelled while knocking at the door. "I'm Silver Lancet's son. You saw me as a small foal years ago. Can you hear me?" Fortress put her wing on the doorknob and twisted the handle. The door was open the entire time. He was hesitant to enter the apartment uninvited, but Fortress took a step inside. She looked into the apartment and told him that no pony was home. He got inside the apartment and closed the door behind him. The apartment was a wreck. There was paper with random markings on the ground, the window was broken, and the lights would not even come on. Only two lamps illuminated the room during the night. Fortress went to one of the lamps and lit it with a match. She approached the study desk, and looked around for anything useful. The desk had papers with multiple statements and reports about the terrorist groups that had been terrorizing Equestria. Some papers had dates dating before her or Silvershot were born. She moved papers aside on the desk in a neat order. She moved even more paper aside and found the Chief Editor’s journal. A red marker was placed on the page where the Chief Editor wrote his last entry. She read the entry out loud for Silvershot to hear. These were his words: My latest entry I fear maybe my last. The information contained in this journal is vital for Celestia and Luna to learn about. Whoever reads this, I pray to you that you aren’t the terrorists, the same terrorists who have been torturing Equestria for over fifty long winters. For those of you who are not them, you should know their names. They are called the Vanguard Knights. Silvershot saw where the second lamp in the apartment was. The light of the lamp lit the way to the Chief Editor’s bed, but there was something wrong with it. There was something under the covers and it wasn't moving. These power hungry soldiers were once a mercenary group that could be paid to fight any fight. Even Celestia hired the Vanguard Knights once to fight the Griffin Army one time in history. Their ruthlessness over the centuries turned into pure anger against the world. They never wanted to be led by rulers, they wanted to lead themselves. Silvershot got closer and saw blood stains on the edge of the bed. He lifted a part of the sheet and saw a pool of blood. Their latest attack on Equestria involved the burning of Venturia Reign. I had to start my own investigations on the burning. I found many places where a flammable liquid called gasoline was being pumped out of the ground and was used to light the fires. I even found the ponies that lit the fires as well. They were all affiliated with the Vanguard Knights but my investigation wasn’t finished. I had to find the pony who orchestrated these attacks. I am afraid that the leader of the Vanguard Knights was closer to me than I thought. My discovery of the leader may have marked my grave. Silvershot took the covers off and nearly wet himself. He covered his mouth when he saw what lay beneath the covers of the bed. The leader of the Vanguard Knights is… “Fortress, you need to see this,” Silvershot interrupted her. “The Chief Editor is dead.”