After leaving the Thestrial city behind Hazard and I walked towards the direction of Baltimare. The whole walk I figured I'd ask the guy questions. Considering he's the de facto leader of his little multiple people in a shared immortality… thing.
"So…how do you feel being back out again?"
"It's nice." He replied.
"Mind if I ask…how are you doing with the…immortality stuff?"
"It's alright." They shrugged.
"Excited to meet anyone?"
"Celestia."
"Girlfriend?"
"Fiance."
"Cool, congrats." I commented. "So…mind if I ask who this mystery soul is? IQ said she didn't know which is…surprising."
"She knows." He said, making me do a double take at him. "They all know."
"That's…concerning." I said nervously. "What makes this mystery person such a secret? Cause you're making it sound like they can do…a lot of dangerous things."
"They can. And are." He stated.
"So…I should probably not talk about it or something?"
"We don't. They are… terrifying."
"And considering what I've seen so far from the three of you…that's scary." I said nervously.
"Hence why none of us talk about them."
"That's fair." I nodded. "So, onto more non concerning topics, how did you and the diarch of an entire country meet?"
"I was the first of us she met. I remember falling through the portals and crashing through her old castle ceiling."
"Well, that's one way to make an entrance." I chuckled. "So, who is Celestia? Cause so far I've only heard a bits about her being the Alicorn of the Sun and a princess of Equestria with her sister Luna and…nothing much else."
"Most only know her as that. Fact is, she's nothing like the regal, elegant figure many in her kingdom see her as. Truth is, while she is a nurturer, motherly and kind, she can and often is very much a trouble maker. She enjoyed high endurance, fast paced activities and adrenaline pumping action. More than anything else, she enjoys a fight where she can hold nothing back. She thrives in a battle against an opponent of equal strength."
"Oh goodie, can't wait for that to be the first thing I do when getting back to Canterlot…ugh, telling a food 'critic' their taste in food is dog shit is one thing, getting into a fight with royalty is another."
"I'd be impressed if you manage to keep up with her. Not many can."
"I don't pride myself as a Master of Arms for nothing." I said with a huff.
"Oh, you are one as well?"
"As well?" I asked. "Well…I suppose you and the other would be considered that…but I am yes." I nodded.
"Heh. While Instinct is definitely a Master at Arms, I alone hold the title of Builder." Hazard said, confusing me as he walked through the trees into a clearing.
"What do you mean by that?" I inquired. "Like…a blacksmith or something?"
"Or something." Hazard said. He walked to the center of the clearing, turning to face me and holding up a hand.
Dust began to rise from the ground, swirling and gathering just above his palm until it formed an orb. Once the orb was formed it began to shift, cracking and shaking as small eruptions like small lava flowers out from it's center and covered most of it like a sea of red.
The humidity in the air caused small clouds all over the surface that rained and soaked the orb, turning molten rock to stone again and forming seas that covered all of the small orb.
Soon, land, first islands, then mini continents began to form through the now undersea volcanoes. After a short time, patches of trees, starting from the coast and going inward until the whole Orb's continents were covered in green. The sea was blue, and squinting, I saw… whales. Birds.
It was a planet… no bigger than his palm…
“H-how?” I asked in awe. “That’s…that should be impossible…”
"One brother can use any and every weapon without having ever touched it before. The other can absorb and generate poison and energy on scales unmeasured. My sister can reshape the universe at the subatomic level and always knows everything in the fields of science and magic. I can make a planet and accelerated the time scale so life emerges, regardless of the conditions." Hazard said, a clear bubble appearing around the mini planet as he handed it to me. "Impossible is not something we encounter often, Simon."
“I…suppose.” I said, gently taking the planet. “Just…I’ve never heard of any Stick Figure being able to do…any of this.” I said carefully. “Strength, Energy Manipulation, and a high IQ sure…but to the extent you all can…”
Hazard shrugged. "Hence why after so long we just kept to a hermits life. The attention is just… unsettling over time."
“Considering you’re the strongest Stick Figures I’ve ever heard of…I can assume so yeah.”
"Maybe that's why we're all bound together. We're too strong."
“Probably to…also keep whatever the hell is in you bound.” I said carefully. “But who knows…cause this is all getting way too complicated, especially with Faust somehow causing the Stick world to get set on fire somehow…and stealing my food.”
"Well, hopefully we'll reach the end of this journey soon."
“I don’t think it’ll be soon for me, but if you need to head off and spend time with your Fiance that’s fine.” I said honestly. “I still have to do some cross country work to either close portals or just meet new people.’
"I can wait. Besides, you look like you could use some help and a friend."
“Yes on…both accounts.” I said nervously. “Because damn it would I be super lonely and confused this entire time…”
I put the little planet in my storage pocket and we continued through the forest. Eventually I could smell and hear the familiar sounds and smell of big city activity and excess garbage.
Oddly, it reminded me of home.
We walked into the city, looking around at all the busy ponies walking or flying around. Neat.
“So…I remember this place being called ‘Baltimare’...but I didn’t expect it to literally just be Baltimore.” I brought up.
"It's definitely a large city. No signs of commotion though."
“Thankfully.” I sighed, but my stomach growled. “Well…most I had was some fruit from the Thestral Village…so time to ruin my stomach with some good ol fashion city food.”
"You do know the odds of meat based products here are slim at best right?"
“As long as I’m not eating flowers or hay I don’t care.” I shrugged. “Plus, it’s Baltimore, what place wouldn’t have at least one place that sells something not common?” I asked, knowing there has to be some race that eats at minimum fish in this place.
"Maybe. At the very least I bet we can find fish."
“Which would be good.” I nodded in agreement. “And…I just remembered that there is that wind crystal pegasus in my pocket world…”
"Really? She a friend?"
“Well…kinda.” I said carefully. “Took my fight with her easily but…well, she has potential and is friendly enough.”
“Maybe make her a student?"
“Well…maybe?” I hummed. “I never took on students and…well I can teach her some humility considering she tried sassing me during our fight.”
"Never took on a student before? I'm surprised."
“I’ve mostly been…by myself just doing my own thing…having enough of an attention span to master whatever element and weapon combination I can think of but…never really putting in the effort to meet or fight other’s until I got to this world.” I said honestly.
"Never huh? Then how can you claim to be a Master at Arms having never tested your metal against another?"
“Okay, I mean more in the ‘after I mastered it’ situation.” I corrected. “Cause I did find masters, I did do what was necessary for me to train properly and become a proper master, I’m not dumb…but after that I suppose I wanted to be like my Idol’s and…just never got too it I guess.” I explained carefully. “Faust said this was my chance to ‘go on a journey like my heroes did’...”
"Think this is a bit more intense than what they did."
“Maybe, the only time I’ve heard about Stick Figures in this world was from some Parasprite Queen that I killed…and then Chrysalis saying that one of us…not only turned an entire country into a barren desert but…also slaughtered three different races of Changeling.”
"Sounds about right." Hazard nodded. "Seems these days the majority of the most naturally powerful born are also pretty psychotic."
“Well…maybe…” I said nervously. “But it can’t all be bad, cause if it was then this entire world wouldn’t be here.”
"In case you forgot, it almost wasn't."
I frowned. “It…it couldn’t have been that bad…right? I mean, that war in the north was bad but…the people of this world couldn’t have been that helpless right?”
"Hm. If you Truly believe that, then you know less than I first thought."
“I didn’t even know this place existed until…barely a month?” I said carefully. “Seriously, time has been weird given I was literally thrown half way across this continent three times over…”
"And your own home's history?"
“Only thing that I’ve learned that back home has from here is the Blacksmithing Guild…other than that, it was mostly random chance encounter by Door’s Guy and that’s about it.” I shrugged.
"I see. So that means you know nothing of your home worlds history then. Doesn't surprise me. Either there wasn't anyone left to tell the story or they didn't wanna talk about it."
“Well…from what I’ve been told by IQ, Sombra and a few others it has been a thousand years give or take if it works both ways.” I said. “No idea if that’s true but…eh.”
"Well. Let's put it like this. Before the war, Equestria's total world population was eleven billion, that's including all the several hundred intelligence races. After. A few million and twenty races survived."
I blinked, the absolute horror of how many races…how many lives were snuffed out because of this. “O-oh…”
"Now, back home used to be in the same boat. Before powers and abilities the world population was just shy of ten billion. After, it would drop and rise depending on what monster was in power and who was able to actually fight them."
“But…all the Guilds and Hyun’s Dojo keep it…at least, was able to keep it all in check without any issues…until Faust decided to become evil and start burning thing’s to the ground.”
"I mean before the Guilds."
“O-oh…” I said nervously. “This is some world building I…never thought I’d hear…”
"Well, you forget I was around back then. Before the Guilds, before the powers."
“I…suppose that’s fair.” I sighed. “Just…a lot of thing’s are getting thrown at me and I’m still trying to process…mother fucker, I don’t have money…” I groaned, remembering that what little money I got was spent on other important things.
"Is that important?"
"Considering I don't have any currency to buy food…" I sighed.
"I see. Hm… wonder if it still works." Hazard said, reaching into his back pocket and pulling out a small pouch. He reached in several bits came out. "It does."
“And…what do you have there?” I inquired. “Some money printing bag?”
"It's connected to a vault Celestia and I shared for funds. I was curious if it still worked, looks like it does."
“That works.” I nodded. “Alright…time to get some food.”
At that moment I cursed as I heard screaming.
“Oh god damn it…” I groaned, rushing over to see who the hell is causing problems now. “Can’t I go one god damn day without something interrupting me before I eat?”
"Try this." Hazard said, handing me a bottle of glowing orange liquid as they ran next to me.
I nodded, uncorking the bottle and drinking the glowing orange liquid and hoping it’ll help me before my sudden fight.
It tasted like orange juice and drinking it felt like drinking a protein shake with its texture.
"Okay, that feels better." I said with a smile, feeling like I drank the equivalent of a senzu bean as I vanished from some common folks eyes and sped off towards the problem.
I soon arrived at a large dock where the water from the sea was rising up in unnatural ways.
"Excuse me!" I called out, readying two electric enchanted returning Chakrams. "Whomst the fuck?"
Walking up from one of the flooded docks was a lapis lazuli blue stick person, long flat blue hair. "And who are you?" She asked me.
"My name's Simon, who are you and why are you flooding the docks?"
"My name is Aqua and these seas are so pure, so clean, but cities with ports like these are starting to throw their filth and trash into the seas."
"Ma'am, this is Pony Baltimore." I said like a fast food cashier. "The fact it's as clean and pure as you say it is is astounding."
"And to ensure that, this city will be flooded to keep it that way." She said, water rising up and rushing down the docks and onto the roads.
I put away one of my lightning Chakram as I pulled out a Water Staff. “How about no!” I shouted, slamming my staff down as the water stopped and started to recede. “Yeah, I’m not letting you kill thousands of people just because you're an environmentalist, lady.”
"You think your staff can stand against my power?"
“Fully? Maybe. But that’s not what I need.” I said, forming a dry circle around me and throwing my Lightning Chakram straight to where she was, which was knee deep in salt water. “Thunder Crash!” I shouted, electricity arcing from my weapon and rushing straight towards the water lady.
The impact struck… and she chuckled. "Water conducts electricity, what made you think it would hurt me?" She asked, making a water whip that the electricity flowed through.
Oh Fuck!
“Oh you can go fuck yourself with ignoring basic ass science.” I growled, disbanding my Chakram and pulling out a Ground Claymore. “Alright, dealing with Salt Water here…boils and freezes a lot slower…” I thought to myself quickly, trying to think on the fly how to deal with this bitch as I blocked the sudden whip crack, thankful that the earth diffused the electricity.
I know I can freeze or boil her but all the salt…
I need to remove the salt. Which weapon do I have that does that?
I dodged and blocked the giant whips, trying to think before…wait. “Oh I know.” I said, stabbing the water with my Earth Claymore. “Great Attractor!” I said, and even though I heard the lady laughing thinking I was completely insane, it slowly died down as she saw the blade get…a whole fuck ton bigger as it collected all the salt in the water. “There we go,” I smiled, pulling out a Fire Scimitar. “Eruption!” I snapped, raising the scimitar up as fire erupted under the water as it started to boil at an insane rate.
She screamed as the water around and possibly within her boiled to steam too fast for her to react, and when all the steam outside was gone she was on the ground.
"That was fast." Hazard said, walking back up from… wherever he went.
“Yeah…that seemed…too easy…” I said carefully, feeling like that was just a clone and not the actual stick girl. “All the other fight’s were a pain in the ass…so what the hell.”
"Perhaps you've just grown stronger."
“I mean, maybe?” I questioned. “I know I’m a lot more versatile than most…hmm…” I hummed, gently walking over to the prone stick figure lady and checked her pulse, hoping I didn’t kill her cause if I did defeat her she should have teleported back to our world if that happened.
There was no pulse…
I started to panic, flipping her over and trying to get her heart started. “Oh god damn it, something’s not right here!” I said, trying to do well practiced CPR on her to try and get her back alive. “She was supposed to go back! What the fuck!?” I thought to myself frantically, trying to think of how the hell this didn’t work like normal.
"Well you did boil her alive." Hazard said, kneeling down next to me. "CPR can't revive her from that."
“Can you save her?” I asked frantically. “This wasn’t supposed to happen! Something very wrong is happening, everytime I defeat someone, either through them unable to fight or a lethal blow, they go back to my world…what the hell…”
"I can't help… but… the other guy can…" Hazard muttered.
“Can create a goddamn planet with nothing but dirt but can’t…” I shook my head. “I know you’ll hate me, and I know Celestia will hate me more…but this isn’t supposed to happen, and…I don’t know what to do…”
"Our last… member, can help her. Help you, but he won't do so without persuasion." Hazard said. "I warn you, once he is out, bringing any of us out again won't be an easy task."
“I understand…” I started to tear up. “Just…please…I’m so sorry for asking this Hazard…”
Hazard nodded, picking up one of my weapons and delivering a swift shank into their own neck.
The bright light and chains appeared again, but this time something was different. The chains spun around faster, faster, the light dulled and shifted to a pale red hue until the chains seemed to unravel.
The light faded away and I actually stood up and took several steps back in terror. The being before me was wrapped in chains, the chains linked to thick hooks pierced through it's limbs, two gigantic wings stained in blood, pierced with hooked and oozing an ichor-like substance for blood. Their body seemed to be made out of stars and space, and it's head bore two horns, a cracked black halo above them.
It's eyes opened, crimson red and predatory. "Ahhh. It has been so, so long since I've been free to roam." They sighed, lifting an arm to their neck and rolling their head, the chains clanking as it did until a pop came out.
“Uh…hi there …” I said nervously. “Can…I get some help?”
"And you, Simon." They said, moving with unnatural fluidity for the injuries upon them. "I owe you for this freedom. And so I'll do as you ask. For now."
“Can you please bring Aqua back to life?” I asked. “I beat her in a fight but…she didn’t go back to our world, she…I…I killed her…” I said sadly, shaking a bit as I did this horrid thing.
"Such a simple request. If you insist." They said, placing a clawed finger to her chest.
Immediately, she took a breath, coughing and getting her breathing under control.
In a flash, she was gone.
"And now she is back to where she belongs."
“Thank you…” I sighed. “Thank you so much…this…this shouldn’t have happened to begin with so I don’t know what’s going on…”
"You've gotten stronger Simon, nothing to be ashamed of. With greater power comes the quicker downfall of your enemies, and yes some will die, but that's to be expected."
“Not to be expected when I’m supposed to beat them and send them back damn it.” I frowned. “That’s not right…we’ve moved past the need for killing each other…”
"Oh, that's adorable." They chuckled. "No matter the era, intelligent life will always find a reason to kill one another."
“And they also always find a reason to not kill one another.” I frowned. “Killing isn’t right…it’s never been right…”
Again, they chuckled. "Oh my boy Simon you've clearly never been in a true life or death fight. How depressing."
“I did!” I said carefully. “Twice since coming here, once against a Duster, a cowboy with Sand Powers, and the Parasprite Queen.” I answered bluntly. “And Duster was sent back to our world when I ‘killed’ him, or at least dealt a lethal blow where he went back as if this never happened.”
"And of this Parasprite Queen?"
“Well…that was her fault for trying to throw a mountain at me.” I said nervously.
"So there is blood on your hands. Fun." They smirked, their smile seemed to… phase, if that made sense. "Come on then Simon. Let's go toughen you up, get some blood stains on your skin and real experience under your belt."
“I’m going to need you to cease and desist mother fucker.” I said bluntly. “Cause we don’t do that here, and I will bitch smack you to make sure you know that.” I said, knowing that technically I did kill that queen, but it was more…like a sapient plague from what they said and I wasn’t going to allow that to happen.
"Oh that's cute, you think you can hurt me." They chuckled. "But I'm afraid you aren't in control here now Simon. Let's go!"
They snapped their fingers, a pool or blood opening under me and he grabbed my arm and dragged us both in.
“Princess wait!” Twilight shouted, the violet unicorn and all her friend’s running after both Princesses and Discord through hallways Twilight never knew existed.
“Why do you think the Dimensional Boundaries are breaking this fast?” Celestia asked Luna and Discord as the three made their way to a room none of them wanted to reopen.
"I don't know. Whatever it is, if he is out and about again then those walls could shatter whenever he's bored." Discord hissed.
“I know it was to save a Life…Simon is still so young to take a life, even if the Parasprite Queen was…an outlier.” Luna said in a mild panic, fearing what that rat bastard could do while they were heading to their personal Armory.
“Can someone please explain what the Hay is going on!?” Rainbow Dash asked incredulously. “Who was that? Why didn’t Aqua get sent back like the others? And where in Equestria are we going?”
"That, Rainbow Dash, was a being whose power over the realms of death match Hazard's powers over the creation of life. He doesn't have a real name as far as we know but we all called him Blood."
“Wh-what’s going to happen to Simon?” Fluttershy asked worriedly.
“Terrible, Horrible things if we don’t make it in time.” Celestia said. “There have only been a select few that have taken down Blood in a fight, fewer still that have done it in a one on one match…and it was only by a miracle that the three of us were able to put him down the first time.” The solar diarch said, skidding to a halt as the group finally made it to a giant, ornate and heavily armored door, etched with the symbol of ancient Ponish Runes and Stick Figure magic symbols. “Over a thousand years…”
"I really hoped we'd never need these again." Luna sighed. "The hard part will be getting to Blood's dimension."
“Wh-what is this?” Twilight asked in awe.
“Something even I wish we’d never have Twilight…” Discord answered, his voice somber as he, Celestia, and Luna put a claw/hoof on the door in specific spots and channeled some of their magic into it. Ancient gear’s and magic resonating, awakening from it’s supposed eternal slumber in time of crisis as it opened up to reveal an Armory the likes of which hasn’t been seen in generations.
The weapons inside were irradiating power the likes of which made the element bearers fur coats stand on edge. The armor, two sets fit for the sisters frames and one fit for Discords unique frame, all floating in the air ready to be worn.
“This…is our Armory…” Celestia said, nostalgia filling her somber tone as she trotted over to her armor.
“This…this is…beyond what I could ever imagine enchanting and forging could ever go…” Twilight said in awe.
“And hopefully it never will.” Celestia stated simply.
“Blood is…really that dangerous huh?” Pinkie asked, fear filling her voice as she was thinking how bad this truly was as her Pinkie Sense only told her to run and hide and hope thing’s blow over.
"Whatever Blood is, he is no mere Stick Figure. His power…. Is unlike any being we've ever crossed before." Luna said.
"What can he do?" Applejack asked.
"Complete and total control over death itself. If he wants, he can keep his opponents from dying no matter how badly their bodies are destroyed. Ripped limb from limb. Bones and bodies crushed into gore, and still, by his will they live, forced to endure pain the likes no being, god or mortal, should ever endure, and he can pull souls from the Ether, not just reviving them but he can also enslave them, forcing the dead to fight and fueling them with rage and unholy cosmic power." Luna said.
"Let's just say, last time he was out, Equis used to have more continents." Discord added.
“Wait, is…is that why there are so many ruin’s in the oceans?” Twilight asked worriedly. “But…but what about those Old Gods down there?”
“Well, Thuly got some real nice ocean front property that day…” Celestia sighed. “The others…well, they did at least make sure the veil between life and death weren’t stressed too much after that…”
"So, he's basically death in physical form?" Rarity asked.
“Pretty much.” Celestia said, as the three ageless being’s started to don their ancient, but still beyond advanced armor.
“We can only hope that Simon can hold off Blood’s antics for long enough…” Luna said.
“Oh I’m sure he’s fine.” Discord said.
“SHITSHITSHITSHITSHITSHIT!” I panicked as I ran away from a massive hoard of the enraged undead as the rat bastard was cackling like a loon.
“Just~ fine.” Discord said nervously.
"Can you three even get there? To this personal dimension of his?" Fluttershy asked.
"Not easily. But odds are, our attempts to enter will catch his attention and he'll drag us in anyway. I imagine he'd happily enjoy a rematch." Discord sighed.
“We’ll win.” Celestia said, grabbing her Warhammer, Helios’s Wrath, in her magic as the hammer head’s insides started to glow with power. “We have to.”
"We best take the extra weapons for Simon." Luna said.
"What should we do while you're gone?" Twilight asked.
“Grab the Elements and keep watch in the Throne Room, if Blood does anything, the Elements are strong enough to keep a hold on the barrier’s for a time.” Celestia explained. “You are our last line of Defense if things go wrong…”
"You three will be alright… right?" Fluttershy asked.
"I promise, Fluttershy." Discord said, he and the two Alicorns packing their weapons and leaving.
Once the three were far enough away, Luna spoke up. "You lied to her."
"We last fought Blood thousands of years ago, face it, we aren't young, me especially, odds are… one or all three of us might die."
"I know… you didn't want to make her cry."
“None of us are dying.” Celestia answered bluntly, her mane and tail slowly losing their rainbow and becoming that of pure fire. “We have too much to lose if we die…we’ve all lost too much, and I’m not losing you two…”
"With Blood, knowing what he can do, we'll be lucky if he let's us die. Remember he spent fifteen years…" Luna shivered, nearly losing her balance as unholy memories resurfaced.
"We barely won last time Tia." Discord said, helping Luna stand back up. "Like Luna said… we'll be lucky if he let's us die."
Celestia sighed. “I know…” The solar diarch shook her head. “One death…it always starts with One True Death for thing’s to spiral out of control.”
To be continued...