//------------------------------// // Divine Intervention // Story: Mortem Obire // by The Ancestor //------------------------------// Soft snoring reverberated through the office of Maretime Bay's one and only Sheriff, the stallion laying gently on the table, a pile of paperwork serving as his pillow. Despite being out of town for three days or so, the stallion was practically bombarded by countless pages of unprocessed complaints from the townsponies, his "trusty" second in command being very vocal about the lack of harmony between Maretime Bay's denizens. Turns thousands years of isolation and fearmongering lead to less-then open mindsets. Somehow, Hitch wasn't surprised. Still, after a half-hour long lecture about the importance of sharing things, workload included, the stallion managed to split the duty of appeasing the gods of bureaucracy between himself and a certain red-mained stallion, freshy reintroduced to the force, a hefty trial period and a very real prospect of jail time keeping him in check and more or less cooperative. Emphasis on less. The sudden sound of ceramics hitting wood brought Hitch out of his deserved break, the smell of black coffee further clearing his mind of any remaining cobwebs. The Sheriff blinked away the bleariness out of his eyes, grasping the mug and taking a tentative sip. Hitch managed to keep his composure as the bitter brew disappeared down his gullet, turning to look at his saviour. A pensive red stallion greeted him, his leg tapping impatiently on the wooden floor, his eyes darting to the wall-mounted clock. Hitch followed his friend's gaze, sighing inwardly as he did. "Almost midnight. Ugh, can't believe I've fallen asleep." Hitch shook his head, turning to look at the other stallion. "Thanks Sprout, this'll come in handy." He said with a smile, raising an eyebrow as he noticed a closed umbrella in one of Sprout's hooves. "You going somewhere?" Sprout snorted, rolling his eyes. "Well, duh. My shift ended half an hour ago." With that said, the stallion turned and headed for the exit, earning a head shake in responce. "Of course, Goodness forbid you work overtime." Hitch grumbled, turning to the mountain of paperwork. Sprout froze just shy of the door, turning sharply to look at the Sheriff. "No paid overtime means I'm getting out of here as soon as possible. Time is money, you know." The red stallion said curtly, before heading out of the relatively warm office and into the halls of the police station, his hoofsteps becoming fainter with each passing moment. Hitch shook his head, lethargically reaching for the next paper to fill. "Everypony deserves a chance to turn over a new leaf, I suppose..." He grumbled, his eyes scanning over the latest in a long line of petitions to employ Canterlogic's pegasus and unicorn retention devices, purchaced via the department's budget, of course. Hitch groaned inwardly, declining the petition for what felt like the tenth time this month. "Mrs. Cloverleaf is lucky Maretime Bay turns a blind eye to nepotism." He resisted the temptation of crumpling the paper and throwing it into the garbage bin, instead outting the petition into the finished pile. "One more incident like this, and I'm giving Sprout another strike. No way the mailmares still deliver these." Taking an invigorating if bitter sip of his coffee, his hoof reaching for the next paper in the positively enormous pile, its size doing little to inspire confidence in the stallion. He glanced at the paper, raising an eyebrow as a single message revealed itself, black ink staining the prestine white surface of the leaf. It's cold outside, could you let me in? KNOCK KNOCK Hitch flinched instinctively at the loud sound, cursing under his breath as he turned towards the door to his office, the sound coming from somewhere beyond it. Hitch sat still for a few moments, wondering if what he heard was real. The stallion wasn't hard of hearing, of course, but it was quite late, couple that with his sleep-deprived state of mind... KNOCK KNOCK "I definently heard that." Hitch councluded, getting up from his table and moving towards the door of his office. Just as he opened the passage and walked through, the noise repeated, loud enough to be heard, yet distant enough to be followed and investigated. KNOCK KNOCK "It's coming from the first floor..." Hitch murmured under his breath, moving past a hall window, water pouring down its surface. The stallion's face scrunched up in worry as he heard the storm raging outside, mercilessly barraging the glass barrier. "Whoever's out there is getting soaked to the bone." His pace quickened at the words, the stallion practically jumping down the stairs and towards the MBPD's double doors. The stallion stopped just shy of the entrance, pushing the doors open, ice cold picpricks hitting his face as the elements rushed in. "Is anypony there?" Hitch yelled into the storm, looking around the dimly lit streets, a thick wall of rain rendering the sparce lightposts nigh useless. "You can come in, no need to stand in the rain." Moments passed as he endured the weather, squinting past the water running down his face, searching for anypony in the dark. "Screw this." Hitch murmured to himself, closing the door and wiping the wet off his face. "If anypony wants to come in, they're free to do so. I'm not waiting here all night." He hurried back to his desk, the monumental amount of paperwork refusing to complete itself in his absense. Hitch cast a dirty look at the note as he sank into his chair, crumpling it and throwing into the nearest bin. "I swear, if Sprout is behind this..." The table shook a little as his phone buzzed, the screen lighting up with a familiar face as Hitch reached for it and accepted the call. "Hello? Sunny, is that you?" His voice was friendly, a note of surprise carrying over the phone. "The one and only!" Came the mare's cheery reply, its energy prompting the stallion to raise an eyebrow. "Not to sound like a flankhole, but why are you up right now?" He questioned, putting the call on loud and looking through another paper. "I'm a grown mare now Hitch, I can stay up as late as I want!" She mock-pouted, prompting the stallion to roll his eyes. "Why aren't you in bed right now?" "And who told you that?" He teased, leaving his signature on another document. "What if I was just getting ready to sleep, and was rudely interrupted by your call?" A thoughtful hmm was the mare's responce for a prescious few moments, before she continued. "You're a tad too talkative for a pony who was just woken up." She retorted, earning a smile from the stallion. "Well, you got me there Sunny. You called just to chat, or..." To Hitch's surprise, the mare went silent for a few seconds, before clearing her throat and continuing. "I, uhm, actually wanted to ask if you could come over to my place tomorrow? I've been thinking about something ever since our trip to the castle, and I want to talk about it with somepony." Her voice was oddly uncertain, the tone leaving Hitch unable to say no even if he wanted to. "I'm on shift until eight tomorrow, but I can come over after if it's fine with you." He proposed, sipping his coffee. "That's great! I don't mind you staying the night!" She said excitedly, her mood infectious enough to carry over the phone. "If I didn't know you better, I would've though that's the only reason you want me over." He teased, sending the mare into a fit of embarrased giggles. "I assume you're busy right now, so I won't bother you any further." Sunny said after a few seconds, her giggles finally dying down. "I'll see you tomorrow!" "Yeah..." Hitch replied, ending the call and looking towards the pile of unfinished paperwork with a sigh. "If I manage to survive this, somehow..." By the time Hitch left MBPD the sun has already set on the coastal town, shrouding the streets in darkness. Streetlamps standing on every corner did their best to disspell the encroaching shroud, lighting the path for any residents still wandering the town. A chill autumn wind tickled the back of Hitches neck, prompting him to shiver as he looked up to the skies, lead clouds looming over the earth pony town. "Great," the Sheriff said under his breath, quickening his pace towards his intended target. "looks like the weather isn't going to improve any time soon." He rounded the corner of another building, setting his eyes on a familiar steep road leading uphill. A tired smile graced his features. "At least I have a place to stay." A cold sea breeze billowed past the open window of the lighthouse, blowing past the faded curtains and dusty bookshelves as it roamed the building. Not a single noise dared to break the unanimous silence of the house, the complete stillness remaining a constant. The wind moved past the master bedroom, the single bed there looking just as it was a week ago. After all, the one who inhabited the lighthouse saw no point in making the bed. Traveling down the staircase, passing a portrait of a once powerful purple mare, it drifted towards the living room, a single lightbulb illuminating the room. There, in front of the only entrance into the lighthouse, stood a vaguely-quadrupedal shape, solid black in its hue. Even that description hardly did the form justice, its coloration seemingly bending the light around it inwards, consuming it. It stood there ever since it's return, having no reason to do otherwise. The Sheperd had completed its goal, Sunny's friends have been exposed to its kind, the rest being just a matter of time. Thus was the reason for its confusion, if a creature like it could even be confused, the only thing keeping the Shepherd tethered to the lighthouse. Why did He want the stallion here? Did He not believe his children capable? Was He having second thoughts? Was their previous plan not good enough? The Shepherd did not doubt Him, of course, holding no capacity to do so in the first place. It merely failed to spot the necessity of complicating this any further. Perhaps that's why they failed, so long ago. Perhaps that's why He has chosen to oversee this personally. Perhaps this time, He will succeed. In the end it mattered not, however. The Shepherd remained forever loyal. His will remained absolute. The Sisters remained forever chained. All was as it should be. Three firm knocks came from behind the door, followed by the familiar voice of one of Sunny's friends. "Sunny, It's me, Hitch! Open the door, I think it's going to rain soon!" The dark mass around its maw bubbled and parted, revealing equally light-consuming insides. "I'm coming!" Sunny's voice came from down the hall, as the quadrupedal shap shifted, fur sprouting from the insides of its maw, spreading accross the form in a mold-like fashion. Strands of hair broke through the surface of its scalp, bleeding down its neck and shoulders, slowly gaining its appropriate color. Two white dots squeezed into thin lines, the slits oozing the bituminous substance that made up The Shepeherds body as it coagulated into a white background. Its freshly made bones popped as it squeezed itself to the right size, reaching a fur-colored appendage towards the door. "There you go, sorry, didn't mean to keep you waiting!" Sunny's smile radiated positivity as she opened the door, greeting Hitch with unrestrained glee. "It really wasn't -" The stallions reply was cut short as he was yanked ino the building, dragged towards the living room's couch. Hitch impacted the sofa with a soft thud, barely having the time to assess the situation when the mare turned lightning bolt whizzed past him towards the kitchen, flicking a lightswitch on her way out. "Brb, I'll get the tea!" Sunny said as she disappeared into the kitchen, leaving the stallion alone with his thoughts. If nothing else, Sunny definently looked excited to see him, and that had to count for something, right? Hitch shook his head, hes eyes drifting over the cozy living room. "She's been awfully busy..." Hitch murmured under his breath, a thin layer of dust covering the coffee table having caught his attention. The thought of work once again popped up in his mind, the Sheriff shifting nervously in his seat at the idea of leaving Sprout in charge... Again. "I just hope he'd learned his lesson." Hitch said to himself, still not one hundred percent sure with his choice. Sure, Sprout's been taken down a notch, and Hitch wasn't going to be away for long... "Who'd learned their lesson?" It took a lot of effort on Hitch's part to not strike at the source of the noise, his eyes focusing on the puzzled for of Sunny next to him, a teaset staying firmly on the coffee table. "Bwah!" Hitch couldn't help but yelped at the sudden appearance of his friend, holding a hoof over his chest. "Goodness grascious Sunny, quit sneaking up on me like that!" He pouted, taking a deep, calming breath. "At this rate, I'll have a heart attack before thirty..." "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you like that." The mare apologised, offering him a sheepish smile and a steaming cup of boiled dry leaves. "Care for some tea?" "I wouldn't mind." Hitch replied, grabbing the cup and taking a tentative sip, a wave of warmth washing over him. The stallion closed his eyes and allowed himself to bask in the warmth that seeped into his very bones, enjoying the moment. Finally the moment passed, the stallion taking a deep breath before opening his eyes and asking. "You wanted to talk about something?" "Yes, yes I have." Sunny closed her eyes for a moment, as if trying to gather her thoughts. The mare took a deep breath, her eyes brimming with conviction as she concentrated her gaze of the stallion. "I've been researching Equestrian mythos ever since we returned, the journal's contents leaving me quite worried about ponykinds future. If that journal was true, could it be that some of these horrible creatures survived? Ponies endured, after all, even if we were separated once more. During my searches I've looked through a number of ancient tomes, and have indeed found many a monster that long ago had inhibited our lands. Not all of these monster manuals were written exclusively by ponies, of course. Some belong to griffon authors, yaks, minotaurs, one was even written by a dragon! All of these authors, save for equibe ones, had one thing in common. Do you know what that thing is?" Sunny paused for a moment, resuming once the stallion shook his head. "Prayers, words of faith directed towards a higher being, be it Four Winds, or the First Flame, asking for directions, salvation, protection. It was a staple among all races, a belief in some sort of higher power. All, except ponies." Sunny paused, taking a deep breath. "This curious oddity demanded further investigation, leading to a jarring discovery. Apparently, the old pony rulers were not just unicorns, earth ponies or pegasi, but living, breathing creatures - alicorns. Some considered them nigh omnipotent, all-powerful, ever-present. Some considered them living gods." The mare grew silent for a moment, a sullen expression geacing her features. "The obvious question then, is why? Why these seemingly all-powerful creatures, these gods have allowed this to happen? It took a few sleepless nights, but I might have found the reason behind their failure." A chill ran down Hitch's spine as he notoced the morose look on Sunny's face. "What if they were no gods?" Sunny continued, noticing the questioning look on the stallion's face. "What if they were but false idols, usurpers of the rightful throne that had lead ponykind astray?" Hitch shifted uncomfortably at the zeal in her voice. "What else could explain their utter failure to protect their subjects? What if they were meant to fail?" An uncomfortable silence settled onto the room as Hitch mulled over what to say, while Sunny was seemingly lost in her own thoughts. "This... is a lot to take in." Hitch began, chewing the inside of his cheek. "Even if what you're saying is true, what can we do about it? Shouldwe do something about it? What done is done, their time has passed." He went silent for a second, placing a leg on her shoulder. "Not to downplay your worries, but is this really a big deal?" "What if they come back?!" Sunny retorted heatedly, worry written accross her face. "What are we going to do then?" She sighed, tears welling up in her eyes. "I'm scared, Hitch." Tye stallion wrapped his legs around her protectively, the mare burying her muzzle into his chest as she began to weep. Hitch couldn't help but shiver as he realised just how cold Sunny was. He carefully reached for the nearby blanket, covering the both of them with it. Soon enough the mare was snoring peacefully into his chest, and before he knew it, Hitch joined her peaceful slumber. A chill breeze ruffled his hair, the smell of fresh air entering his nostrils as Hitch opened his eyes. Directly ahead of him laid a vast, dark blue sky, peppered with countless white dots, some small, some big, all of them distant. The centerpiece of this mosaic hung proudly in the night sky, illuminating everything around the stallion in pale white light. Short blades of grass tickled the back of his neck, forcing the stallion to shoot upright. A ceaseless green meadow spread before him, rolling hills adorned with beautiful white flowers. Hitch got up, dusting himself off, wondering where to go and what to do, when something caught his attention. Just over the horizon, peeking from one of the flower-rich hills, a bright orange glow seemed to eminate, growing in intensity with each passing moment. Hitch was forced to squint as the source of this glow made itself apparent, a sight the Sheriff had never seen before. It wasn't the sun, yet its radiance rivaled the fabled celestial body. It shone with such an array of hauntingly beatiful colors, that made even the most breathtaking aurora borealis look like an amateur light show in comparison. It overshadowed all the lights in the sky, making it akin to a solid block of obsidian. Hitch stood in trepidation as the light grew closer, dimming itself so that the stallion could look at its source. The alicorn presented himself as a being of purity, solid white with nary a hint of a darker pallet, spurts of golden blending in perfectly with its marble fur. He was perfection personified, yet the longer Hitch looked at the alicorn, the more he questioned its appearance. He was white as marble. Exactly like marble. His immaculate wings didn't move as the alicorn came closer. His fur had a solid texture to it, and Hitch could've sworn it actually gleamed. The Alicorn's eyes opened, a neutral expression on his face. "Do not be afraid, my dear Sheriff." Hitch felt a shiver run down his spine as a pair of blue eyes gave him a once-over. "My name is Morning Star, and I have come bearing great news." Hitch was about to ask what exactly this Morning Star meant, the Alicorn spoke once again. "Your friend is destined to be ponykind's savior, preaching the good word of your creator," A smile graced its stony lips. "me." "Why?" Hitch asked as soon as he could, the figure raising an eyebrow at the question. "Why should she do that?" He squinted at Morning Star. "What's there to 'save' us from?" "Have you not read the ancient texts?" The Alicorn said with a patient smile that didn't bode well with Hitch. " Have you not heard the fall of Equestria?" He tilted his head to the side, looking intently at the stallion, with what Hitch could've sworn was a self-assured expression. "If you're our creator, then why didn't you help us back then?" Hitch accused the figure, standing his ground and taking satisfaction when Morning Star's expression morphed into one of incredulity for the briefest of moments. "Tis' not so simple, my little Sheriff." The Alicorn said with an almost mournful expression on his face. "Ponykind has lost its way, decieved by two impostors, betrayers of their kin." His tone was cold enough to make Hitch shiver. "Their actions and inactions had caused ponykind's downfall." His tone once again became paternal, his eyes staring right through Hitch's soul. "Now its up to you to pick up the pieces." Much to Hitch's surprise, the world around him shook, a wave of nausea hitting the stallion. "Tis' a shame you're waking up already." Morning Star said in an accusatory tone. "Fret not, your friend had recieved her message." A smile graced his features. "We will meet again." These were the last words Hitch heard before the world turned into a blur of sounds, smells and colors.