//------------------------------// // Watch How Good I'll Fake It // Story: Equestria Digital // by DeltaChevron //------------------------------// I made sure I was out of sight before I digivolved into Antylamon. Why try to find my way when the train tracks ran non-stop to Ponyville? I heard the train whistle as it left the station. I stretched for a few minutes, this was going to be a long run and I didn’t want to injure myself. Two days non-stop for the train at who knew how fast, yeah I could probably beat it. I started off at a walk then gradually picked up my pace. Soon enough I was running, not at the slow steady pace of a few days earlier but a much harder and faster pace. I caught and out striped the train in less than a minute. Soon it was so far behind me that I could neither feel the ground shaking nor hear the engine’s roar. When I run I either day dream or think. I didn’t feel like day dreaming so I thought. I thought about the monster, because that’s exactly what it was, I had killed last night. I thought about it and wrapped my head around it from every possible angle. No matter how I thought about it I had made the right choice. I remembered something my brother said when we saw him on Family Day at the end of BCT. He said “The people who are alright when they get shipped out are usually alright when they come back. Maybe a little shook up, but not weird. If they’re weird when they get shipped out, then they’re usually weirder when they come back.” I like to think that I was weird as in ‘I like to do my own thing’ but not weird like some of the people he told me about from his platoon, but even knowing that I didn’t feel much better about what I had done. Around noon I stopped to eat and digivolved into Lopmon. What I had previously thought to be just bagged sandwiches turned out to be small meals; they even included a canned drink. Grey Main must have prophetic visions or something to see this coming. I ate quickly and listened to some songs before deciding to try something. I digivolved back and draped the headphones near my ears with some testing I was able to get my iPod to stay put in one of scarf’s creases as I ran. I wasn’t expecting the battery to last more than three hours; I was surprised when I stopped for a break after three and a half to find that it had lost barely any charge. Maybe it was because of my new physiology or something. After another hour of running I was able to see apple trees on the horizon and slowed down. I changed course heading toward Sweet Apple Acres where I knew there was a path/road to follow. After all, it would look sketchy if someone came to town walking next to the railroad tracks. Standing outside the gate to Sweet Apple Acres was no other than the Element of Honesty herself, Applejack. I needed to find a place to stay and since she had lived here all her life she would know of any cheap places. I had my headphones wrapped around my ears so they would stay put. I loved that I didn’t have to have the volume very high to drown most stuff out. As I drew closer AJ’s ears perked up and she turned to look at me. I turned down the volume so I would be able to hear her. “Good afternoon ma’am. My name is Inaba.” I stuck my paw out and she tentatively shook it. “I’m Applejack. Pardon me if I’m bein rude but you’re not from Equestria are you.” “Not at all, it’s a difficult question I’d rather not get into because it depends entirely on the semantics of how I interpret it.” “Is that a yes or no?” “It’s a sort of and I don’t want to talk about it. I’m in town on business and I’m looking for an inexpensive place to stay while I’m here.” She huffed “I guess I’m not gonna get a straight answer out of ya. I know a couple a places that might be what you’re lookin for. Follow me; I was goin into town anyway.” “Thank you.” We set off for town “I heard that you never lie, is that true?” “Darn tootin it is. That’s why I’m the Element of Honesty. If you want a truly honest answer I’m the mare to ask. So, what’s on your mind sugar cube?” This would probably be my one chance to actually get a real answer about my actions. “It’s…it’s complicated. Still want me to ask?” “Go for it, I’ll try an give ya the best answer I can.” I took a deep breath “If you had no-other choice but to kill in order to protect those you hold closest would you do it? We’re talking literally no other choice. If you don’t kill whatever it is that’s attacking your friends, it WILL kill them.” She sighed “Shoulda known it would be something like that. You’re right it’s a mighty tricky question.” “Take your time answering; I’d rather have a good answer than a quick one.” We walked in silence while she thought “If there really is no other way to save ‘em then, I suppose you’d have to kill the attacker. Personally I’d rather find a way to avoid it but if it couldn’t be done, I’d still feel bad about havin to kill something.” I let out my breath “You have no idea, how much better that answer makes me feel.” She raised an eyebrow “So it was a question from personal experience?” “Yes. My friend was attacked by a giant bird and I didn’t have more than a few seconds to think.” “And what did your friend say about what you did?” “She thanked me for saving her.” “Then it sounds like she forgives ya for it.” “But how do I forgive myself?” “Sorry but that’s one question I can’t answer. Only you can find the answer to THAT one.” I smiled weakly “You’re probably right. Thank you.” She led me to a Bed and Breakfast near the center of town. It was eight bits a night and included three meals a day at eight, noon, and five. I was early enough that I could get the five o’clock meal after I paid for two nights. After eating it was time to gather information. So I stashed my stuff under the bed in my room and went for a walk through town. First stop was the town square where ponies were milling around now that the work day was largely over. All I learned there were a few rumors about local figures, but nothing that was relevant to my search. From there I went through the market where most ponies had already closed shop for the day and were leaving. Their conversations ranged from prices to bets on when and what the next monster attack would be. I put ten bits down on a rampaging pegasus. If I was right, which I already knew I was, I would get a sizeable payout. I hit the major public areas in under thirty minutes and then headed for the somepony I knew I was a gossip. Carousel Boutique was closed, so she must be at Golden Oaks Library. I could hear them before I even reached the door, six voices, seven. I recognized all of them as the mane six and Spike discussing what sounded like me. Mostly unimportant but they seemed happy that I didn’t seem likely to go on a murdering rampage like some of the other chess pieces. I knocked on the door and waited for it to open. When it did I was greeted by none other than Twilight Sparkle, Element of Magic, herself. I don’t know who was more shocked her at seeing me after just talking about me, or me at seeing Noctural’s Skeleton Key on the table in the center of the room. “May I please come in?” “Um, actually we’re kind of” Twilight began “Thank you.” I pushed past her and walked up to the table “This Key, I’ve been looking for it.” “You have?” “Yes, it was stolen from a temple dedicated to a deity known as the Night Mistress. I need to find a way to return it.” I felt a hoof snag my ear and drag me “Sorry Twilight need to barrow the basement for a few minutes ‘kay? Thanks!” Pinkie Pie babbled She rushed us downstairs and quickly closed the door “Who sent you? Is Luna trying to horde articles? Are you working for some foreign power?” she was literally shining a spotlight on me “Talk!” This was a vastly different Pinkie Pie “In order? The Mancers, I don’t know, no, and woof.” She blinked “Oh, I didn’t expect you to answer so easily. The Mancers huh? I’d been told that they were just a local bureau in Trottingham now.” “By who?” “Princess Celestia of course, I report directly to her.” I sighed “Then it’s likely she won’t get the letter concerning the nuke. Can you put me in touch with her?” She scratched her chin “Mayyyyyyyybbbbbbbe. Depends what you want that Key for.” “All I want to do is return it. The kind of power it has…it’s not something that was ever meant to leave its place in the temple.” “What is its power anyway?” “What do keys do?” “Unlock things duh.” “So what do you think a Key that belongs to a deity whose sphere is night, darkness, and luck, especially thieves’ luck, would do?” “Well, unlock anything I guess, why?” “Specify anything.” “What?” she thought for a second then her eyes went wide “Dear sweet Celestia you don’t mean?” “Yes, anything. Any lock, any device, truly anything, even none tangible or metaphysical things like a person’s maximum potential or the ability to die for those who normally can’t. I think you understand what that means.” “Yeah, okay when we go back up there we’ll get Spike to send a letter to the Princess for you and then you can take that Key and try to find a way to get it back to its proper place. But before you leave and after the Princess does I have to throw a ‘Hope You Had A Good Time in Ponyville’ party for you.” “I’m not much of a party person. But by all means HAVE the party, just, just don’t expect me to stay the whole time, or be very social. Okay?” “Okie dokie lokie.” We went back upstairs and I finally got to have nice long look at the Skeleton Key. The top was a sphere divided into several sections each adorned with a nautilus shell like blue green design with the openings facing down the handle with a stream of like colored dots. The handle was made of what looked like oil rubbed bronze. Beneath the handle was a ring with four prongs sticking downward from it that were attached to struts. At the end of the shaft was the key’s oddly shaped teeth. It didn’t weigh anything, ignoring everyponies protests I retied my bow around it. “What do you mean she’s taking it!?” Rainbow Dash shouted “We talked it over and she convinced me that she’s the best person to hold onto it.” “That’s all well and good dear,” Rarity said “but how do we know she’s trustworthy?” “All I want really want to do with this Key is return it to its proper place. Cross my heart and hope to fly stick a cupcake in my eye.” They stared at me “What?” “Well, that answers two questions.” Twilight said “Good, now I need to send a letter to one of the Princesses. It doesn’t matter which they’ll both probably end up reading it.” I was given quill, ink and paper to right my letter on and was closely watched as I penned it. Dear Princesses, My name is Inaba. It has recently come to my attention that you believe the more secretive aspects of The Mancers is no longer in existence. It is. While doing inventory I came across a thermonuclear weapon and I would like your help sending somewhere far away, like deep into the cold vacuum of space. For the time being we are taking the necessary precautions to protect against radiation leakage by encasing it in lead. I hope to receive a swift reply. Sincerely, Inaba PS-Yes I am in Ponyville currently and when I leave the Key is going with me. I folded it into quarters and addressed “Spike would you please send this to the Princess immediately?” “Um…” “It’s okay Spike, you can send it.” With a burst of flame it was gone. Now I was at the mercy of questioning. Luckily for me some of the questions had already been answered. Either by my actions or by the conversation I had had with Applejack. After thirty minutes Rarity was taking measurements so she could make me a dress which I insisted that I pay for and it could be no more elegant than a sundress. We had just finished working out a price when a reply came. Dear Inaba, Stay put one of us will arrive later to speak to you. Celestia Luna That…wasn’t the kind of response I was expecting. Sorry it took so long. Writers block and BL2 just came out.