//------------------------------// // Going Down The Mountain // Story: Mayhem On The Mountain // by Bluecatcinema //------------------------------// Aural was standing in what was left of Mantra's office. His ears lightly twitched as he stepped around some of the rubble, and lightly kicking a rock. Melancholy was on his face, as his aural vision showed them the sorry state of the office. However, his sadness was less about how the office looked, but rather who used to sit in it. “Manny…” Aural sighed, “Why did it have to turn out this way? Why didn’t you just quit while you were ahead? All of this could have been avoided…only if you… only if I…” Aural let out another sigh. “...Ugh, dammit, gotta stop talking to yourself, Aural. You’re not in the caves anymore.” Aural shook his head, blinking some wetness from his eyes, “No point in crying about it now.” Aural headed back outside where things were certainly bustling. All the thugs under Uber’s command were being rounded up and being escorted through the monastery, courtesy of the RDL agents who had arrived. Despite the head start they had following the skirmish in the drug den, the thugs were not able to get far, due to a variety of reasons, the main one being unable to navigate the many tunnels within the mountains. And thanks to the manpower that the RDL provided, finding them all took them merely a couple of hours. Along with the thugs, several RDL agents were carrying loads of packaged Jade Jape and other supplies. "You think you can take out our operation, just like that?" Crack spat defiantly. "I've dodged worse charges than this!" While Crack was resolute, Narco was far less bold. "I don’t wanna go to jail again!" He bawled. "The food stinks!" "Oh, shut up!" Crack spat. Not far behind them was Uber, who had to be carried out on a gurney, the major bruise on his abdomen rendering him unable to move. "Urrrgh..." He groaned in pain and disbelief. "How could this have happened?" He glanced over, and his eyes widened in horror as he saw Relic, who was observing the RDL agents doing their work. The Neo-Neighzi gave small frightened whimpers as he looked the other way. “Well, you certainly left a lasting impression on Ube.” Aural chuckled, joining Relic’s side. “Oh, Aural, there you are.” Relic turned to him, “I was wondering where you got off to.” “I was just taking a small stroll around the place.” Aural declared, “Felt like ages since I was able to actually take in everything.” He then turned to Relic, “How about you? How are things going with the G-ponies?” “Oh, they’re going.” Relic shrugged, “This bald stallion told me that they were able to detain all of Ube… well, Uber’s ponies, as well as confiscated all of the Jade Japes. And according to the medics, all of the monks that were drugged are now undergoing detox. From the sounds of things, they’re all going to be okay.” “Funny, you don’t sound like things are going to be okay.” Aural frowned, noting the sound in his voice. “Well, the bald stallion pretty much laid out what’s gonna have to happen.” Relic revealed, “We are going to have to fill up the Fountain of Eternal Wisdom, as well as seal off any and all caves leading to all the tainted water supply. On top of that, they say that in a week’s time, I’m going to have to go to a meeting with the Senate and tell them about what’s been going on here and how the fountain was never real to begin with…” He bowed his head in sadness. “Chances are, the monastery’s gonna lose their sacred grounds status.” “Well, it can’t be helped.” Aural grimaced with grudging acceptance, “The truth had to come out sooner or later. The fact that no one figured this out sooner is shocking to be honest.” “Only if that was the worst of it.” Relic sighed, “Many of the ponies who were drugged are really not happy with me or the Wise Lotus. Some are already talking about leaving the place… some are even threatening legal actions… and honestly I don’t blame them.” “Oh, geez.” Aural groaned, “Relic, you have to know that what Uber and Mantra did was not your fault. You weren’t the one who gave them tainted water and robbed them blind.” “But I also didn’t stop it from happening.” Relic grunted in self-deprecation, “I allowed Uber and his men to do as they please, because I wasn’t strong enough. Because I was afraid of Uber… and Mantra.” “Come on, don’t be like that.” Aural placed a hoof on his shoulder, “Don’t forget, the only reason Manny finally caved and brought the RDL in was because you cared about this place. And you even stuck it to that Neighzi asshole when it came down to it. You are just as responsible for saving this place as us, and if the other monks can’t see that, screw them.” A smile almost crept on Relic’s face… before fading instantly. “...Are you certain I cannot convince you to stay?” Relic asked, “With Mantra gone, the Wise Lotus is once again without a master, and like it or not, Chakra did name you his successor.” “Sorry, but no.” Aural shook his head, “I've done enough damage around here as is. Besides, I don’t think the others would want the guy who brought a bunch of terrorists to their doorstep to be their leader. I sure as hell wouldn’t." “Look, you made some… I admit, pretty glaring errors in judgment.” Relic cringed, “But in spite of them, you ultimately saved this monastery. I’ll even vouch for you if someone wants to start something.” “Heh, I appreciate the support, Relic.” Aural smiled warmly, “But truth be told, there’s nothing left for me here. Chakra’s been avenged, Uber’s gonna rot in jail, Mantra… is gone. But more importantly, you’re all safe now.” He glanced up to the sky, knowing he can’t see it, but he could feel the warmth of the sun, “It’s time that I move on with my life, and away from this mountain.” “...I understand.” Relic nodded solemnly, “...But if not you, who will lead the Lotus? Aside from you and Mantra, who else in this monastery is capable of leading us?” "Well, I'm talking to him right now." Aural smirked. “Wait, what?! Me?!” Relic gasped, shocked. "No, no... I can't! My grasp of aura is nowhere near your level! There’s no way I could possibly be a master!” “Oh-ho, I disagree.” Aural retorted, “From what I heard, before today, you hadn’t been able to conjure up a single aura sphere. Yet down at the fountain, the amount of aural energy you let off in one attack was nearly as strong, if not on par, with my and Mantra’s level. Like Lauren Faust, I had never even seen Master Chakra show that much power in his entire life!” "That... that was a fluke." Relic claimed. "The stress of the situation, all that adrenaline..." “I’m not so sure.” Aural smiled, “You know, Master Chakra once told me a theory the Lotus had: it is said that aura users of exceptional potential sometimes have their aura manifest in different colors. I mean, you saw how Mantra’s aura was red, right? Well, I’m looking at you with my aural senses right now… and you know what I see? Green. Not blue. Green.” “Really?” Relic frowned, “But if that’s true, how come your aura isn’t different? You’re way stronger than both of us.” “Eh, like I said, it’s a theory.” Aural shrugged, “Besides, I think blue suits me just fine. The point is, you are just as worthy of being a master as me. More, even.” "I… I don't know..." Relic said, still hesitant. “Look, I’m not gonna say it’s gonna be easy, cause it won’t.” Aural declared, “But right now, the Wise Lotus needs somepony they can count on, somepony they can trust… and honestly, somepony they know and care about. And you fit the bill, no doubt.” He turned away, “I have to go and have a chat with the RDL guys right now… but do think about what we talked about, alright?” With that, Aural departed, leaving Relic to contemplate what he said. Meanwhile Ballista was coordinating the clean-up efforts. "Come on, come on!" He ordered some agents around. "This mess isn't going to clean itself up! Clear away the rubble, and catalog any anomalies!" “Yes, sir!” The agents responded as they did as he commanded. Ballista glanced around, and immediately noticed something was missing. “Hey, you!” Ballista called to a passing agent, “Have you seen Elite? I hadn’t seen any signs of him since we first got here.” “Oh, the director mentioned something about the fountain and went to check it out.” The agent declared. “Did he now?” Ballista frowned, looking over at the stairs leading down to the fountain, “Well, I best go have a chat with him. Let the others know where I’ll be.” “Yes, sir.” The agent nodded as he rushed off. Ballista silently made his way down to the fountain. The collar of his jacket billowed in the winds as he walked down. With all the thugs and drugs rounded up, it was a fairly quiet descent. Soon, Ballista arrived at the fountain room, where he saw Elite. The old stallion was staring glumly at his reflection within the pool of water. Even from where he stood, he could tell what his old friend was thinking. “Hey, Elite.” Ballista declared. “Hmm?” Elite glanced back in mild surprise, “Hey. How goes the clean-up?” “It’s going fine.” Ballista nodded, “But what are you doing down here?” “Oh, nothing. I’m just thinking…” Elite sighed, looking back at the fountain. “...About how all this was a fool’s errand.” “Elite…” Ballista frowned. “For the past couple of days, I thought that this was actually it.” Elite mused morosely, “That after all these years of searching, that finally, I…” He paused, sighing, “We would finally have the chance to bring Father down once and for all. That Equestria could finally rest easy… but instead…” His sadness instantly turned to anger, as he slapped his reflection with his metal hoof, creating a splash, “Just another dead end.” "Come on, mate. This is just another setback." Ballista assured him. "We're going to find the Forefathers, one way or another." "I know but... the question is, however, how many more creatures are going to suffer before then?" Elite shook his head. "Another day we don't find a supply tunnel, is another day the Forefathers have to enact whatever atrocities they have queued up." He clenched his metal hoof. "Another day Father gets to sit on his throne, content with what he did..." “I get you’re frustrated, Elite.” Ballista frowned, “But you gotta look on the bright side. The fountain may have been fake, but we did end up finding someone to stop Silas. Not only that, we busted a Jade Jape ring, arrested a wanted Neo-Neighzi, and even uncovered a murder to boot! I don’t know about you, but I’d say that’s a pretty good day in my book.” "Well, that much is certainly true." Elite couldn't help but agree. "Where are the others?" "They're up in one of the dining rooms, resting." Ballista answered. "They also wanted to talk to you regarding the blind donkey..." Meanwhile, Fletcher and co. were in a dining room, the Red Rio perched on one of the tables. "Well, looks like you guys had quite the adventure." Black's voice emitted from the speaker. "This should make for quite the report." Sterling added. "That's putting it mildly." Fletcher noted. "Not so loud, please..." Caboose groaned. "The world is suddenly a lot less fuzzy. "Looks like somecreature's finally coming down from his high." Fury joked. "These next few hours are not going to be pleasant for you, my friend." Survival said sympathetically. "Can somepony please stop ringing that bell?" Caboose pleaded. "Last I checked, nopony was getting married..." Elite and Ballista entered the room. "Hello, squadron." Elite smiled. "Getting some well-earned rest, I see." "Got that right." Fury winced, as one of his injuries flared up. "Considering what that Silas clown can do, you should be glad you're all still in one piece." Ballista noted. "Not the word I'd use." Fury growled. "Now then, there is much we need to discuss." Elite declared. "Such as the matter of Aural.” “Yeah. Quite a character, that one.” Ballista mused, “And very powerful too. That giant aura sphere was something else.” “I’m just glad that it didn’t blow us all the flap up.” Fury growled. “Kinda convenient that aura can’t actually-oof…” Caboose cringed, his head still pounding, “...destroy living things. Could you imagine how scary this world would be?” “I much rather not.” Fletcher admitted. “Amen to that.” Black agreed through the speakers. “As powerful as he may be, am I right in assuming that some of you have concerns about allowing Aural onto the team?” Elite frowned. “‘Having concerns’ is being awfully generous, ain’t it?” Fury scowled. “Come on, Fury, that’s not nice.” Caboose rubbed his head, “Aural helped us out!” “That much is true, Caboose. But we can’t just ignore the fact that he’s the reason that we were summoned here.” Fletcher frowned. “Fletch’s right. I mean, even if he wasn’t serious about the death threats, who the buck holds a druggie captive all year and makes him write those horrible things out?” Sterling grimaced, “I only knew a few creatures in the Forefathers who would dare go that far.” “But he already told us why he couldn’t just go to us.” Caboose protested, “I mean, sure, it’s all convoluted, but if he hadn’t threatened the turkey, there’s no way we would have gotten up this mountain.” “Yeah, but if it wasn’t for Aural, the Forefathers probably wouldn’t have invaded this place.” Black interjected, “I can understand the motive behind the fake death threats, especially considering the lengths Mantra and Uber went to keep you all quiet. But to taunt the Forefathers? Even if he had no idea about Silas, he had to know about at least some of the other stuff they done: Infestation, Titanfall, Bad Dreams. He essentially threw kerosene all over the place and lit a match for no reason, other than to ‘scare’ Mantra and Uber.” “No, he didn’t. He just sent a letter to them.” Caboose corrected. Fury, instinctively (and out of sheer annoyance), slapped him upside the head, “Ow!” “Not gonna lie, that part still doesn’t sit well with me.” Ballista admitted. “Come on, give him a break.” Caboose protested, rubbing the slap mark on his head, “It’s not like we all hadn’t done something stupid. I mean, Ballista did Project: Argo…” “Ugh…” Ballista grimaced. “Black did Crystal Sun.” Black let out a small grunt of disapproval through the speakers. “Sterling did a whole bunch of bad things as a Forefather.” “Well, he’s not wrong…” Sterling muttered. “And I used one of Fury’s spears as a butt-scratcher.” Caboose added. “You what?” Fury deadpanned. “The point is, Aural made an oopsie.” Caboose declared, “But he knows he did an oopsie, and made up for it big time by kicking everyone’s asses! I mean, have you seen the last two chapters?!” “Once again, you do make a valid point, Caboose.” Fletcher nodded, “...Be that as it may though, Aural has shown a high degree of recklessness that endangered not only us, but the innocent monks on this mountain. I just don’t know if I can trust somepony like that.” “Yeah, and he’s a Faust damn asshole!” Fury roared. “No offense, but pot? Meet kettle.” Black deadpanned. Fury glared at the Red Rio, “But I'm with Fletcher. If Aural was this careless with his fellow monks, I can’t begin to imagine how he’d handle situations with creatures he doesn’t know.” “Guys, lay off him!” Caboose whined, “He ain’t so bad!” “Caboose, he dunked your head in Jade Ivy water and got you high as a kite.” Fury pointed out, “Not to mention he tricked you in exposing us at the drug den! None of that bothers you?!” "The only thing that bothers me is how the writers forgot Survival here was a Unicorn.” Caboose pointed to Survival, “Like seriously, how did they forget that? I bet it was that editor. He designed him after all.” The group stared at Caboose… then Fury slapped Caboose upside the head once more. “Ow!” Caboose pouted. “Quit it!” “You know, you have been awfully quiet, Survival.” Elite turned to Survival, “Do you have anything you wish to add regarding Aural?” “Oh, I guess I was just thinking.” Survival mused, “To be honest, I agree with the others. Aural has shown himself to be incredibly reckless, very abrasive, and a tad bit over-confident. I’ve only known him for less than a day, so I can’t say for sure if he’s always like this, or this is a product of being isolated in a mountain for Faust knows how long.” “Aww…” Caboose drooped. “...But at the same time, I think I have to side with Caboose.” Survival revealed. “...Oh?” Caboose instantly lit up. “Seriously?” Fury gaped, “You’re kidding, right?” “I am not, Fury.” Survival shook his head, “There’s no denying that Aural should have done things differently, but at the same time, I can’t imagine what I would have done in his hooves. I mean, this place was his home, and like Relic, he couldn’t do anything while Uber and his thugs used this place as their place of dirty business. And Mantra… he murdered the pony he considered his father. I can only imagine nearly all of his actions since that fateful day were fueled purely by two things. One being revenge, which is natural considering the circumstances. Faust knows I felt the same when I lost my friend.” “Fievel…” Sterling murmured. Fletcher and the others frowned, sharing his sentiment. “The other motivation however, was love.” Survival continued. “I mean, why else would he have stuck around for as long as he did? To dedicate all this time to sending one hundred letters, possibly even more if Relic hadn’t stepped up, just so we could come here. Taking steps to make sure we discovered that drug den and see what was actually going on around here. Yes, calling the Forefathers here was a mistake, but even then, he took responsibility when he saw what they did. He set out to save the place he once called home, and he did just that… and honestly, can we truly judge him for that? Would we not do the same?” “Wow… that was beautiful.” Caboose smiled. “I cannot deny that you do make a strong case, Survival.” Fletcher nodded. “Well, when you put it like that…” Black mused. “I guess I wouldn’t be much different if I was in his hooves.” Sterling admitted. “Well, I for one still say ‘screw him’.” Fury scowled… before grumbling, “But I know better than to try to win a losing argument…” “An excellent assessment, Survival.” Elite smiled, as he glanced back, “What do you have to say about this, Mr. Sight?” The others followed Elite's line of sight, and saw Aural standing in the doorway. “Aural?” Survival gasped, “How long were you standing there?” “Long enough to hear everything.” Aural declared, before smiling at Survival. “Thanks for the vouch, doc, but your pals are right.” He turned to them, the smile fading. “I bucked up. I bucked up royally. My original intention really was for the Forefathers to come so that you guys would have an actual reason to stick around. But I also wanted to spite Mantra and Uber, especially Mantra… the thought of what he did to Chakra and the anger that came with it was one of the few things that kept me going all this time…” Aural let out a heavy sigh, his ears drooping. “But I realize now that because of that, I probably did more damage to this place than either of them could have done.” Aural declared, guilt clear in his voice, “Seeing the destruction that they caused, especially that Silas bucker, and the thought that Relic and the others could have died because of me… it makes me sick to my stomach…” He then lifted his head, as he took off his glasses. In spite of his blindness, his pale eyes glimmered with determination. “That’s why I want in.” Aural declared, “If the Forefathers were able to do this much damage in a span of a morning, I can’t begin to imagine what they’re doing to the rest of the world. If you guys will have me, I will help you bring those motherbuckers down! Whattaya say?” “I don’t know. Are you certain you can work as part of a unit?” Fletcher asked, concerned, “This line of work is dangerous and brushes with death are almost a certainty. We need to know for certain that we can trust you.” “I get that.” Aural sighed, “I know I’m gonna have to do a bit of legwork to earn your trust, but I’ll do what I have to.” He held up a hoof, and placed another on his chest, “Starting by swearing that I won’t send another death threat without running it by you guys first.” “...And?” Fletcher frowned, gesturing his head to Caboose. Aural caught on quickly. “...And I won’t dunk Caboose’s head in contaminated water and get him high.” Aural added. “...Unless little Timmy here does something to deserve it.” Fury snarled, as Fletcher and the others glared and frowned at him in disapproval. “Fine. Even if he does something to deserve it.” Aural rolled his eyes, “Good enough for you?” “I suppose.” Fletcher declared, turning to Elite, “What say you, sir?” “Well, I say you will surely make an interesting addition to the team.” Elite nodded, “But I must ask, are you sure you want to leave this place?” “Meh, I got nothing better to do with my life.” Aural shrugged, “At the very least, I’ll be using my aura for something halfway decent.” “Well, if it’s anything like how you used it to defeat Silas, I say you’re on the right track.” Survival smiled. “Just don’t make us regret this.” Black said firmly through the Red Rio. "Then it's settled." Ballista smiled. "The others are just about done cleaning up around here. I say it’s high time we head home.” “Oh, Faust, don’t tell me we have to take the stairs again.” Fury groaned, as he glared at Caboose, “I’m not gonna carry Caboose again. Twice was enough!” “Spoilsport.” Caboose pouted. “Relax, Fury. We brought Pegasus-pulled carriages here.” Elite soothed him, “We’ll be flying home.” “Hmph, wuss.” Aural scoffed, “If you ask me, you could do with a little more walking.” “Don’t push it, ass.” Fury glared, “I still owe you a thrashing for back in the caves.” “Oh, please, if Survival hadn’t stepped in, I would have floored you.” Aural sneered. “Do you really want to test that theory?” Fury puffed up his chest, staring Aural down. “Maybe I do.” Aural met his gaze. “Come on, you two, save it for when we actually get back to HQ.” Ballista glared, stepping between them. “Ugh, I can already tell this is gonna be a long flight.” Fletcher sighed. “I don’t know. Something tells me they’re gonna be the best of friends!” Caboose smiled. Survival lifted a hoof to interject, but decided against it. Soon after, the group made their way to the carriages. Along the way, Aural turned to face the Red Rio, which was flying beside the group. "Quick question for the other side of this camera bird: would the guys Survival's bunch called 'Black' and 'Sterling' happen to be there?" He asked. Back at headquarters, Black and Sterling exhanged a look. "And what if they are?" Sterling asked. "Yeah, what's it to you?" Black added. "Well, since the others seem to hold you in such high regard, I'm looking forward to meeting you in the flesh." Aura smiled. "I'm more than a little curious about what kind of ponies you are." "Well, you'll learn soon enough." Sterling declared. "We look forward to seeing you face-to-face too." Aural suddenly feel into deep thought. "...Now that I think about it, I heard of a ‘Black’ and a ‘Sterling’ when I visited the Crystal Empire a while back,." He mused. "Though obviously, the odds of you being the same ponies as those yutzes are practically astronomical." "Yeah..." Black let out a fake laugh. "Way too big of a coincidence!" "Of course." Sterling said awkwardly. "That said, it'll be nice to hear your voices in real life, instead of over a speaker." Aural grinned. "Until then, gentleponies..." As Aural moved to catch up to the others, Black and Sterling shared a look that screamed "That was a close one". Relic came forward to meet the group. “Well, I suppose this is goodbye.” Relic declared. “We now owe you twice for saving our home, as well as our way of life…” He bowed his head. “I am sorry that we could not help you with the fountain.” “It is quite alright, Mr. Mystic.” Elite gave a sad smile, “Even if the fountain was fake, I am glad that we were able to stop Uber and his drug ring and avenge your fallen master.” He turned to Aural, “Besides, it’s not like we’re leaving empty-hooved.” “You take good care of yourself, Relic.” Aural stepped forth, patting him on the shoulder, “I know things might get rough in the near future, but just remember: the aura is with you.” “I will.” Relic smiled, “I am sad to see you leave, Aural, but do know that you will always be welcome here. Should you ever want to relive memories, that is.” “Of course. I look forward to it.” Aural smiled back. The group were just about to board the carriage when- “Hey, you!” A very furious voice bellowed “What the-” Relic, Aural, and the RDL group jolted up in shock. Approaching the pegasus-drawn carriage was Walking Phoenix. Now fully detoxed, his spaced-out expression was replaced with that of pure rage. “Uh-oh. Looks like someone else has finally sobered up.” Fletcher grimaced. “Yeah. And it looks like he really is as angry as they say.” Survival murmured. “You! Baldie!” Walking Phoenix snarled, pointing at Relic, “I have a bone to pick with you!” “Oh, Mr. Phoenix.” Relic said meekly. “What seems to be the problem?” “I’ll tell ya the problem: one moment, I was drinking some water your pals gave me, the next, some medic is telling me that I have been high on Jade Ivy-laced water for several months, being robbed by drug dealers!” Walking Phoenix roared, “What kind of dump you runnin’ around here?!” “I understand you are upset, Mr. Phoenix.” Relic sighed, “It was never the Wise Lotus’ intent to-” “Save it, Geldhi!” Walking Phoenix spat, “I swear to Faust, the moment I get back to civilization, I’m gonna sue you and this whole monastery for everything you got!” “Hey, calm your flanks, asshole!” Aural stomped towards him, “It ain’t his fault you were stupid enough to drink tainted water!” “Shut your damn mouth, blind ass!” Walking scowled, “Unless you want me to do to you what I did to the last guy who insulted me!” “Oh, them be fightin’ words!” Aural made to step forward… when Ballista suddenly stopped him. “Easy there, tiger.” Ballista chided, “There’s no need for more violence today. Besides…” He turned to Walking with a disapproving frown, “Walking here really shouldn’t be too quick to threaten legal actions.” “Oh, and why’s that?” Walking jeered. “Well, Walking, we know for a fact that there’s still a warrant out for what you did to that ‘last guy’.” Ballista smirked. “Wait, what?!” Walking’s sneer faded into panic, “B-but that was years ago!” “You put a talk show host in the hospice for months. Something like that doesn’t just go away.” Ballista said matter-of-factly, “Since we are still here, courtesy of the Wise Lotus, we could very well still arrest you here and now, if you’re so insistent on bothering Mr. Mystic here.” "Wh-I..." Walking spluttered, the wind taken out of his sails. "...You know what? Screw this!” He made to leave, “I’m gonna grab what’s left of my stuff and blow this joint! Maybe head to Saddle Arabia!” “I’m afraid that won’t do either, Mr. Phoenix.” Elite joined Aural and Ballista, “Since we now know you have been hiding out here, we are obligated to notify the proper authorities of your whereabouts. I’m sure the moment you step off this mountain, they’ll be waiting for you, ready to cuff you.” “H-hold on.” Walking protested, dread sinking in, “Are you saying that I’m stuck here?!” “I think that’s exactly what they’re saying.” Aural grinned darkly, “And I’m sure if you try to kick up a fuss or anything, Relic and the others will throw your ass out. So if you wanna avoid being someone’s prison wife, you best play nice… or else.” “I… I… ugh! Damn you all!” Walking yelled, as he stormed off. “Well, that’s another thing I owe you guys for.” Relic smiled awkwardly, “Thanks for that.” “Don’t mention it.” Ballista smiled, “Hopefully, he will think twice before kicking up a fuss… but if he does, feel free to call us.” “Thank you, but will it honestly be necessary?” Relic frowned, “I mean, I’m pretty sure after that meeting with the Senate, we’ll be losing our ‘sacred grounds’ status and the authorities will be free to come and take him in…” He grimaced, “Among other things.” “Oh, I wouldn’t worry too much about that.” Elite chimed in, “Knowing them, the princesses will be sitting in on that meeting, and I know for a fact that one of them is a real bookworm. And considering all the books and artifacts you have here, I think you guys are going to be alright.” “You really think so?” Relic raised a brow. “I know so.” Elite nodded, “Well, we best be off. And if you ever need help again, we’re only a carrier pigeon away.” “Of course.” Relic bowed his head. The team entered their carriage, which started its journey down the mountain. Relic using his aural senses to watch as the mountain fades in the distance. "Goodbye, new friends." Relic whispered. With that, the RDL members departed, not only one more strong for their efforts, but their understanding of the world expanded just a little further. Shortly after, all the monks (those who remained, at least) had gathered in the courtyard, with Relic standing in front of them. “Hey, everyone.” Relic began, “Thanks for gathering here. I understand with what happened, things are kinda crazy right now.” “That’s an understatement.” The aerie monk murmured. “Yeah. I mean, Ube was a Neo-Neighzi, Mantra killed Master Chakra, and our home was a front for Jade Japes.” Fresh Starter summarized, “I knew those other monks were bad news, but Faust…” “What matters most is that we are all still here… well, most of us at least..” Relic declared, as he turned to the formerly drugged monks (those that remained), Walking Phoenix among them, “I want to thank those who remained with the monastery in spite of what has happened. I promise that from here on out, we will make it up to you all somehow.” “Hmph, not like I have much choice.” Walking Phoenix muttered, crossing his hooves petulantly. “I think I ate a bug yesterday.” A Pegasus mare (the one Fury had talked to and had indeed swallowed a bug) blanched. “Now then… I know things are going to be changing around here.” Relic continued, “With the fountain gone and our sacred grounds status in question, I can assume tough times are ahead for us…” He then smiled. “But we will endure, as the Wise Lotus had many times before. I may not be Mantra, or Aural, or even Chakra for that matter, but Aural has entrusted me as master of this place and dammit, I will make certain that the Wise Lotus’ name is redeemed.” “And how exactly are you going to do that?” One monk questioned. “Well, for starters, I am effectively immediately lifting the ban on the teaching of aura.” Relic explained. Many of the monks gasped and murmured, “Aura has been a major part of our culture, and for too long, Mantra took that away for his own selfish reasons. The Wise Lotus needs to be able to protect their home, and we can only rely on others for so long.” “Oh, and what if we don’t want to?” Walking Phoenix growled. “Seriously?” The aerie monk glared at him. “It would be okay.” Relic continued, undaunted, “I'm not going to force anypony who doesn’t want to. The art of aura is not for everyone. Hell, I’m still not sure if I’m cut out for it.” Relic held up his hooves. With a bit of concentration, a green aura sphere manifested between them, “However, I am willing to learn alongside all of you. It’s not going to be easy, but I’m saying this, not just as your master, but as your fellow monk… and your friend, we are all in this together.” The monks shared pensive looks with each other. Fresh Starter stepped forth. "I'm with you." He announced. "Me too." The aerie monk added. "And me!" The greenhouse monk stepped forward. More and more monks voiced their solidarity, to Relic's joy. Walking Phoenix, realising he was in the minority, sighed. "Okay, fine." He said reluctantly. "I guess I'm in too, or whatever." "Thank you all." Relic smiled, touched by their loyalty. "I promise you all that you will not regret this." Meanwhile, elsewhere… The sound of a piano played within the halls of the Coils within Infinity. Father, Loveless, and Ricochet have gathered, seated in their respective seats, as Silas stood before him. While Silas’ miasma had returned, it did not cover up the many bandages that covered him. “Well, Silas.” Father said quietly, “Care to explain what happened the other day?” “What do you think happened?!” Silas snapped, clearly irritated. “That damn donkey got lucky! How the hell was I supposed to know that ‘aura’ was a thing and that it could hurt me?!” “Well, clearly, it can, and because of it, we are now down an airship, several of my sons are in traction, and you made a complete fool of yourself.” Father listed off, not amused. “Hey, I was trying to obtain that stupid fountain for you!” Silas retorted, “Unless you didn’t want a fountain that can give you eternal wisdom?!” “Take it easy, man!” Ricochet chided, “That’s Father you’re talking to!” “It’s quite alright, Ricochet.” Father assured him, as he turned to face Silas, “Make no mistake, the Forefathers would have had uses for this fountain… if the fountain actually had any magical properties to it.” “...What?” Silas deadpanned, “What are you talking about?” “Well, Silas.” Loveless began, with a smug smirk, “The Forefathers had been observing the Wise Lotus’ monastery for quite some time. According to the reports recon gave us, the fountain never had the power to give eternal wisdom. The water was laced with hallucinogens given off by the Jade Ivies that grew naturally within the waters on that mountain. You were there on a fool’s errand.” “The fountain isn’t real?!” Silas repeated, mouth agape. “Yes. Of course, you would have known that, if you had actually reported to us the moment you got that letter the others were telling me about.” Loveless glared, “Instead, you disregarded our chain of command and cost us an airship and several working hooves.” “Well, I-” Silas sputtered, “What the hell I was supposed to do? That Mantra bucker was calling us out! He insulted us! Was I supposed to let that go?!” “Dude. I may not be the sharpest bolt in the quiver, but who would send a letter to the Forefathers, let alone insult us?” Ricochet grimaced, “I’m pretty sure that letter was a trap.” “Considering the RDL was there to oppose you, I’m actually inclined to agree with him.” Loveless nodded. “And you fell for it, like the perfect dupe.” Father declared, “And we the Forefathers now suffers for your incompetence.” “Wait a minute, what’s the big deal?!” Silas snarled, offended, “If the fountain was fake, all I did was tear up some dumb monastery. Who gives a crap?!” “I do, actually.” Father rebutted, agitation in his voice, “While the fountain wasn’t real, their ancient artifacts and tomes of archaic knowledge were. That alone was why we have been observing them. It was our hope that we could infiltrate and secure them for our own gains… but now, thanks to your reckless actions, we won't be able to get in, not without drawing more undesired attention to us." “Hey, if it wasn’t for that stupid donkey, I-” Silas tried to argue. “No. If it wasn’t for your arrogance and incompetence, none of this would had happened.” Father said firmly, “That and your refusal to accept responsibility for your own blunders is why you will never have a place in the Coils.” “What?! All because of that stupid monastery?!” Silas roared, “What about everything else?! I've been working my ass off for the past several months just to get in your good graces! Why would you disregard all that over one setback?! Unless…” Silas paused, as realization struck him. “Unless… you were never going to make an Ouroboros, were you?” Silas gasped. Father did not answer, as Ricochet and Loveless shared uncertain looks over Silas’ change in demeanor. “...Oh… I get it now.” Silas declared. His voice was quivering, “This… all of this… it was an empty promise. You have me, a being of great power, running around doing menial tasks for you, promising me a reward you had no intentions of giving. All this time… I was just another pawn… just like I was all that time ago for Sterling!” Father remained silent. “Well? Answer me!” Silas demanded. “I think this meeting is over.” Father declared, ignoring Silas, “Return to your quarters, Silas. We will discuss disciplinary actions later.” “No! I’m not leaving until you tell me why you would do this to me, you Faust damn psycho!” Silas roared. “You owe me!” “I owe you nothing.” Father rebutted simply, “Now leave.” “Oh, to Tartarus with this!” Silas screamed. Suddenly, Silas reached out with his tendrils and grabbed Loveless and Ricochet. Father nearly flinched, taken aback. “Hey-o, what the buck?!” Ricochet yelped, struggling to break free. "Lemme go!" "Silas, put us down!" Loveless demanded. There was no fear in his voice, only outrage. Suddenly, the doors to the Coils opened up, as Secret Dysley walked in. “Hey, sorry, I’m late. The airship had to make a pit stop-” Secret began, frustrated. He immediately stopped, seeing Silas having two of his fellow Ouroboros in his grasp. Silas stared back at him, manic hatred in his eyes. “-And it looks like you guys have something going on right now.” Secret backed out of the room, white with horror, “I’ll come back later…” As soon as the doors shut, Silas turned back to Father. “Okay, ‘Pops’, how about we renegotiate the terms of my work contract?” Silas sneered. “Either you rethink your stance, or I will off your precious Ouroboros!” "Say what?!" Ricochet yelped. "You really think you can threaten your way to being an Ouroboros?" Loveless scoffed. “I do, because that’s what I’m doing!” Silas smirked. “Only question is, who do I kill first?” He turned to Ricochet. “Ricochet here seems to be a favorite of yours, Father. I mean, why else would you keep a drunk in a position of power for so long?” “Gee, I dunno. My good looks?” Ricochet stammered nervously. “However…” Silas continued, turning to Loveless, “I do know for a fact that you are very close to that traitorous buck, Sterling Cross, and everypony knows just how much I hate him. When I see him again and finish what I started at the docks, I would love to see his anguish when I tell him how I killed his ‘daddy figure’.” "Wait... Sterling, he's alive?" Loveless gaped. "Told you!" Ricochet jeered. "Shut it!" Silas snarled. "I'm waiting for your answer, Father. Either give me what I've long since earned, or say goodbye to these two!" Father stared at him for a moment… and then shook his head. "Silas, Silas, Silas..." Father said calmly, clearly not at all intimidated. "I would strongly suggest that you think about what it is you’re doing." "The time for thinking is done!" Silas spat. He then scoffed. "Just look at you. Sitting in this big, dark room, doing nothing but bark orders. Letting your worker bees do all the work. You're not really the all powerful being you claim to be, are you? You're just some punk who acts all mysterious just to sound cooler than you actually are." "You fool!" Loveless roared at Silas. "He's a madpony!" Ricochet screeched. "A madpony!" “Say whatever you want of me, Silas.” Father declared, as he rose from his chair, “But put Loveless and Ricochet down. Your quarrel is with me.” “I have quarrels with several ponies.” Silas shot back. “You’re just on the top of my list right now. In fact…” He pointed his horn at Silas, “I betcha right now, I can cut you down in one fell swoop!” “Wait, what?!” Loveless gasped, “Silas, you’re not honestly thinking…” “Dude, let’s take it easy!” Ricochet pleaded, “Can we all just talk this out over a couple of beers?!” “...I wouldn’t try that, if I were you, Silas.” Father said matter-of-factly. "But you're not me, are you?" Silas jeered. "And soon, you're not gonna be anything!" Silas’ horn immediately charged up and fired off a beam of dark magic, striking Father right in the chest. “Father, no!” Ricochet and Loveless gaped. “ARRRGH!” Silas roared, eyes alight with rage, his beam going strong. “After I’m done with you, I’m gonna flash-fry these two motherbuckers, this whole damn organization, and every Faust damn pony you know!” After a few more terrifying moments, Silas’ onslaught ceased. The shadowy stallion panted, satisfied that his attack had done the job, as his two captives looked on in horror, fearing the worst for their leader… However, the smoke cleared, and to everyone’s surprise, Father still stood where he was. Aside from a sizable scorch mark on the chest of his robe, still sizzling, Father was otherwise unharmed. “Holy crap!” Ricochet declared. “What the… no!” Silas gaped, dumbfounded. “There’s no way!” The mysterious leader brushed off the burnt part of his robes, seemingly disappointed by the damage to his outfit… before turning to Silas. “My turn.” Father uttered. Without another word, an electrified orb manifested from his hoof. Swiftly, he aimed it at Silas, and a powerful pulse fired from it. Silas didn’t have any time to dodge, and the attack hit him dead center. The orb instantly exploded in a burst of static and energy. "Gahhh!" Silas screamed, as he was flung against a wall. The moment he hit the wall, his miasma evaporated in an instant. With the miasma gone, Loveless and Ricochet dropped to the ground. “Whoa…” Ricochet checked himself, “I’m alive!” “What the hell…” Loveless lifted his head, both awed and horrified. "No!" Silas screamed. He tried to throw up more miasma to defend himself, but his supply had been drained by Father's one attack. "No, no, no! This can't be happening!" “I told you to not try it, Silas.” Father approached the cowering Silas. “Now then… I think I’ve indulged your childish tantrums long enough. Perhaps a few months in solitary will do you some good." Before Silas could protest, Father waved his hoof, and he was instantly warped away in a burst of electricity. With a sigh, Father returned to his seat. There was a glow, as Ricochet and Loveless were levitated back to their seats, much to their surprise. “I am quite sorry about that.” Father apologized, “Are the two of you alright?” “We are now. Thanks for the assist, boss.” Ricochet nodded. He then frowned at the scorch mark on his chest, “What about you, though? That’s a pretty gnarly burn there.” “Do not worry, Ricochet. The worst he did was ruin this cloak.” Father shook his head, “I have plenty of spares though.” “Father… did you really have no intention of making Silas an Ouroboros?” Loveless asked. "My intentions had no weight in the matter." Father said truthfully. "If you are wondering if I had set up for Silas to fail, I assure you, I did not. If anything, Silas set himself up. It was only a matter of time before Silas’ ego became his undoing. I knew this to be. But Silas had a chance to prove me wrong… then he failed. Simple as that." “…I-I see.” Loveless murmured. “But enough of him.” Father shook his head, “Baritone.” The pony who was playing the pipe organ in the corner (though stopping to hide when Silas lashed out) peeked his head out. “Y-yes, Father?” “Do fetch Mr. Dysley and tell him to come back here. We’ll be waiting.” Father declared. “Right away, sir.” Baritone nodded, quickly running out. “Now then. While we wait on Secret to get back, how about we discuss status updates?” Father began, “Ricochet, how is Project:... er, Party Over Here? I have heard you found another dragon prospect?” “Ya heard right.” Ricochet sighed, “His name’s Sludge, but I don’t think he’s right. He's out of shape, he's lazy, and he's totally obnoxious. And rumor has it, he actually tried to trick a kid into thinking he’s his old man. And my Faust, is he THICCCCC-” As Ricochet rambled to Father, who was enthralled by his energy-filled speech, Loveless sat in his chair in silence. He silently looked on, hoping his face wasn't betraying how intimidated he was by Father's show of power. ’My Faust, Silas was a powerful adversary in his own right, and Father incapacitated him in one shot.’ Loveless thought, mind racing, turning to Father. ’And what of what he did to him? Father wasn’t even phased. If Silas couldn’t make a dent…’ Loveless struggled to hold in the anxiety he was feeling, his thoughts going to the one he considered his son. ’...I was afraid of this.’ Loveless bemoaned. ’Father’s powers truly are something to behold… and Sterling and the RDL intend to go up against these powers. If the likes of Silas were no match for him, what hope do they have?’ Loveless clutched the arm of his chair. ’Sterling… I know you want to ‘save’ me.’ Loveless declared internally to no one in particular, ’But please, for your own sake, and your new friends’... ’...Stay away.’ The End... For Now.