//------------------------------// // The Main Course // Story: On the Isle of Man-Eating Ponies // by Destiny Chaser //------------------------------// Flash blinked slowly, trying very hard to resist the greedy demands the latest scene of absurdity before him was making on whatever dwindling remains of his sanity this crazy day had left him with. It could go buck itself. "Ferra?" "Yes, master?" The orange pony who had been practically glued to his hip for the last hour beamed with her palpable cheer, Flash groaned internally, biting back a curse, "Please Ferra, don't call me that." "Whatever you say, master!" Ferra replied with an impish grin. Flash felt his eye twitch, but decided to press on, "Tell me, what am I looking at?" Ferra giggled, "Why that's your dinner, silly!" "Dinner...right…" There was no other word to describe it but insane. Before him, underneath the towering canopy of ancient trees that marked the heart of the village, was what could only be described as an apotheosis of a feast lay before him. In the center of the grand table, large enough for 50 ponies to sit around, arranged among countless other savory dishes prepared with supreme skill and care, sat an utterly enormous roasted boar the size of a small carriage, glistening with a mango reduction glaze that caught the flickering firelight, releasing a mouthwatering aroma into the night so tantalizing that Flash thought that it might tempt even the herbivores among them into trying a bite. Alongside the otherworldly centerpiece, were platters adorned with exotic fruits, meticulously carved and bursting with vibrant colors, lining the table. Juicy slices of succulent melons, exotic mangoes, and ripe papayas mingled with native fruits that Flash could not begin to identify were laid out for the guests who might be less inclined to partake of the main course. A main course made possible, if the fresh set of lines carved into Ferra's hooves were anything to go by, by the disturbingly joyful murder pony at his side, positively brimming with glee. Flash swallowed, his throat feeling dry at the realization that this monstrous beast, probably large enough to require an entire squad of trained soldiers to slay, was taken down singlehoofedly by the mare he had fought earlier, making him wonder if his victory over her had been some lucky fluke. "Ferra, did you hunt that monster all by yours-OW!" Ferra had unexpectedly bashed his hip with a brutal headbutt, an exuberant, "YES!" accompanying her rather painful display of affection. Flash hissed, rubbing his bruised thigh, "Celestia's beard! What the hay was that for Ferra-" His next words died in his throat as did the glare on his face the moment he looked down to see the little pony smiling up at him with a look of utterly disarming innocence. Her yellow eyes sparkled with laughter, her tail wiggling like that of a puppy happy to see the one they loved. Is this mare for real? Flash pondered to himself, You put your hide at risk just to get me dinner?! She must really believe in this whole 'lifedebt' thing! Which means... He grit his teeth, forcing himself to smile so as not to scream as the realization hit him like a buck to the face, I'm responsible for her now... He knew he would have to find a way out of this later, for both their sakes. But for now, he simply sighed in resignation, reaching out to appreciatingly scratch one of her soft ears, "It's, wonderful Ferra, thank you so much for this." The happy pony emitted a pleased purr from her throat, a sound that Flash didn't know that pony's were capable of, while rotating her head into his touch, clearly enjoying her first ever ear scritch. Stepping up to his side, Sanguina, adorned in a regal cloak woven with intricate patterns, smiled approvingly down at them. "Well then, shall we begin?" Bloodsport suppressed an irritated snarl as he prowled the village's perimeter, his wine-addled mind making decision making all the more difficult. He couldn't believe that Obsidian had gone behind his back, spilling their carefully crafted plan to nearly half a dozen other ponies in the tribe. "Just how many others did you tell Obsidian?!" Bloodsport hissed through clenched teeth, glaring daggers at the four other ponies milling about behind his dark-coated partner. Obsidian rolled his eyes, "Oh get over yourself Bloodsport, did you really think we would be able to take down that creature on our own? He defeated Ferra in single combat for Sanguina's sake! We need the backup if this is going to work. Just meet at the rendezvous point after sundown like we agreed and let me handle the rest." Bloodsport snorted in frustration, hating the idea of splitting the human with anypony else. Though he hated to admit it, Obsidian did have a point. That creature did defeat Ferra, how can I take down such a monster on my own?! The thought was a chilling one to consider, and he didn't like the odds of trying to jump the human himself. Even if he managed to gain the element of surprise, there was no guarantee that he would be able to overpower the strange visitor on his own. Think! Think! He accosted himself, regretting that he had more to drink than he should have in the attempt to calm his frayed nerves. He thought back to the fight between the human and Ferra again, trying to remember something, some sort of weakness that he might be able to exploit; and then it hit him. Ferra, he realized, She became so unbelievably powerful after getting its blood, and so did Hunter! Recalling the way their pack leader had practically left an afterimage in his wake after sampling the human's blood offering. Bloodsport's smiled as the image of the canteen filled with the precious fluid drifted across the forefront of his hazy mind, and the realization that the Queen had left it unattended. He shuddered at the thought of what would happen if he were caught, but quickly overcame any misgivings with the assurances that he would just sneak a sip, just enough to give him the boost he needed to ensure victory. And then I'll show Obsidian, I'll show him that I never needed him or his brilliant plans! Ignoring the hiccup that rattled his body, Bloodsport shook his head, taking a quick look to make sure nopony else was around before slowly, silently, making his way towards the Queen's longhouse. The vibrant sounds of drums and rhythmic singing in the native ponies' curious tongue filled the air as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm glow over the tribe's village. Colorful banners swayed gently in the breeze, decorating the huts and creating a festive atmosphere. Though a bit stilted at first, it did not take long for the Diomedians to warm up to their guests, especially when the wine began to flow. Eventually laughter and conversation echoed through the village as both Equestrians and natives shared stories and experiences, breaking barriers of language and culture until the air was filled with a contagious sense of joy and ease. Flash was seated to Sanguina's right as the guest of honor while Ferra sat attentively next to him, attending to his every need no matter how politely he tried to decline it. As the evening wore on, the Queen wasted no time in peppering the human with a flurry of questions, everything from his peculiar nature and the present state of Equestria, to how he came to such a position in Celestia's Royal Guard. He was happy enough to answer her questions, and it didn't hurt that she was a marvelous conversationalist with a wit and genuine charm of personality that made her the life of the party. "Haha! So your mate is a changeling, no wonder I could smell her magic about you!" Sanguina said with an amused grin. Flash felt a touch of heat warm his cheeks at the mention of his wife, "No, no, she's a human like me, she simply has the magic of a changeling, sort of like how I have the magic of a pegasus." "So that makes her at least part changeling, yes? Just as you are part pegasus?" Sanguina responded, her eyes glimmering with mischief and delight. "Has she bore you any young yet?" Flash felt his cheeks turn uncomfortably hot, he cleared his throat, "Ahem, we are expecting, yes. Twins, actually." Sanguina grinned at the admission, "Ah ha! And not even a year into your marriage! You have a most fruitful union young Flash, may you be abundantly blessed and sire a long lineage of offspring!" She exclaimed while raising a polished stone goblet of wine in a toast, to which the ponies at table exuberantly joined in. Flash tried not to blush further with the embarrassment of once more being made the center of attention. At the same time however, he felt a growing unease about the information that Sharps had relayed to him earlier in the evening, how the particularly observant colt had overheard a few of the tribesponies discussing an ambush of the human later that night. Flash had thanked Sharps for his vigilance and asked him to discretely inform the rest of their team, but had declined to tell Sanguina yet, lest the information turned out to be nothing more than the idle chat between two immature colts and the Queen take offense to the suggestion that her ponies would try to harm him after she had extended her protection to him. She probably wouldn't appreciate that very much, Flash thought with a sigh. A stirring in his lap brought him out of his inner debate as he glanced down at the small, gray bundle of warm fluff that was the small foal asleep in his lap. Flash smiled, and used his free hand to gently pet the little pony slumbering there. At some point in the evening, Rose Dust had dropped the sleepy little foal she had been carrying into his lap as she walked by, smirking sweetly as she went. The little one wasted no time in immediately latching on to Flash's left thumb, causing him to wince as he felt sharp little teeth just barely break the skin, drawing a few drops of blood; it quickly fell asleep, sucking on his thumb like a pacifier all the while. Hmph, enjoy the snack little guy. Just don't get a nightmare and bite my finger off and we can stay friends, alright? Flash mused with a smirk, idly wondering if Luna monitored the dreams of these ponies as well, he'd ask her about it later. Politely excusing himself to have an after dinner stroll, Flash rose from his seat, taking the sleeping foal which was small enough to hold along his left forearm with him. He kept the little thing hidden behind the fold of his cloak, seeing no reason to disturb its slumber, nevermind that it still had not released his thumb. Ferra perked up as he moved and left her seat as well, intent on following him. "Ferra, you don't have to follow me everywhere." He said with an exasperated smile. "Why not?" She asked, tilting her head to one side genuinely confused. Rather than try to explain to her his discomfort in always having a shadow and seeing that he might actually hurt her feelings if he asked her to stay, he relented, "Ah, nevermind. Come on, why don't you show me around your home?" Maybe I can tell you about Sharp's little observation from before and see if it's a good idea to tell your mother. She grinned and eagerly complied, walking just ahead of him and to his left. The pair of them made their way around the smaller tables that surrounded the main one they had been seated at. Flash spotted Sugar Rush at one of them, in the middle of one of his boisterous stories about his homeland to the delight of the engrossed ponies around him. Several other of the villagers eyed him as he walked by, and he nodded respectfully at them which seemed to put them at ease as they flashed toothy grins back at him. The night had grown cool, and the sound of crickets and other night critters created a chorus of background noise that wasn't altogether unpleasant. Flash glanced at the orange pony at his side, noticing that her yellow eyes glowed faintly in the reflected light of her night vision. Huh, just like thestrals, neat. "So Ferra," Flash began after they had made their way away from the larger gathering and began to walk between the many huts that made up the perimeter of the village, "How do you feel about, you know, having to leave your homeland to come follow a guy like me around?" She flashed him a happy grin, "I think it's great! I've always wanted to see the world outside of my home." She gleefully exclaimed. "Yeah, but, wouldn't you rather stay with your fellow ponies? I know what your mother said and all after our fight, but," Ferra stopped walking and looked up at him, her smile fading slightly for the first time, "But what?" She asked with a flick of her ear. Her eyes had suddenly taken on the edge of a hard look in them, one that seemed to look right through him, scrutinizing his intentions. Flash paused as well, calling to mind what he had observed earlier during their fight, that her cheerful, slightly crazy disposition in reality masked a very cunning intellect, one that took notice of every tell and detail. It was a rather disturbing combination. She would be a right terror at poker, Flash thought for a moment before choosing his next words carefully. "Well, it seems kind of unfair, don't you think? Having to leave everything you've known? Dedicating your entire life to somepony you've just met? I truly appreciate the gesture, but-" A low, warning growl deep within her throat interrupted him, causing Flash to realize he had inadvertently offended her; he tensed slightly, making sure to tuck his grip on the foal resting under his cloak just in case he had to move suddenly. In the blink of an eye, she was suddenly standing on her hind legs, her hooves resting on his shoulders so that she could look him right in the eye, glaring with controlled outrage. Flash for his part just managed to keep a calm composure, even though he was once again flabbergasted at just how quickly this pony could move when she wanted to. She's just like her mother... She simply starred at him. For more than a minute, Ferra's challenging gaze peered deep into Flash's two-toned eyes, searching for any sign of weakness or hint of disrespect; her lip was slightly curled in a partial snarl, allowing the moonlight to reflect off of some of the sharp tips of her gleaming white fangs. Flash held her gaze, calmly letting her search his intentions while at the same time, not daring to back down from her challenge. After what felt like an eternity, he saw some of the tension leave her face as she exhaled hotly through her nostrils, her snarl disappearing. "Don't make light of my life, master." She said softly, though her words carried the force of a continental shift. Flash didn't answer, so she continued. "Life, is the most precious thing to us. You spared mine, though you had no obligation to. On top of that, you saved me from a bloodfrenzy. Such a precious gift, requires its due in return. If I didn't do anything less than watch after yours, I would be disgraced, as would my fellow ponies." Ferra said, pausing a moment to let what she said sink in before concluding "So don't make light of my duty, of my choice, ever again." Flash couldn't help but be in awe of her slightly, Wow, here I am, thinking I'm doing her some sort of favor by releasing her from what could be a lifetime of indentured servitude and she almost threatens to bite my face off for even suggesting it. That's some crazy kind of loyalty... Flash nodded slowly once, a small, almost delirious smile tugging at one side of his mouth as he accepted his fate, "I understand Ferra, and I'm sorry. I'll never question it again," He paused before adding, "And thank you for looking after me." He said, letting genuine gratitude and appreciation for her warm his words. Like a switch had been flipped, her bright smile and bubbly disposition instantly returned, immediately draining all the tension from the moment; it felt a bit unnatural. "Great! Though if you're ever about to be captured, is it true that you really want me to eat you, just like Mister Lumen said? ‘Cause I think that’s a great idea!" She said with an excited, hopeful wiggle of her black tail. Flash felt his eye twitch again as he made a mental note to throttle a certain unicorn later, but before he could manage a reply, he felt a familiar tingle on his forehead, one caused by the charm Sunset Shimmer had placed on him as a young boy, and that he knew from long experience indicated malicious intent and immanent danger. He saw Ferra, who still had her forelimbs resting on his shoulders, squint in confusion as she noticed what he knew would be the glowing outline of a shimmering, two-toned red and yellow sun, Sunset's cutie mark, appear on his forehead. "Hey, what's that-" Time seemed to slow down as Flash placed his hand on Ferra's chest, shoving her to one side while immediately ducking under the attack he had only just sensed barreling through the magnetic field of their surroundings. At the same time, he tightened his grip, taking special care to keep the slumbering foal still cradled in his left arm secure; the snap of teeth whipping by his ear a telling sign of just how dangerously close he had come to a hosting a state funeral. Time resumed with the loud crash and splintering of wood caused by his assailant overshooting his mark and slamming through the wall of an empty hut. Ferra immediately rolled to her hooves without missing a beat, springing in front of Flash in a defensive posture, an angry snarl curling her lips. Out of the wreckage burst a white stallion with a blood-red mane and tail, and Flash instantly recognized on the small equine the same crazed look of blood-frenzy that had afflicted Ferra. The pony's lips were curled in a gruesome grimace while his eyes sported a wild, unfocused tenor. "Ferra, fall back!" Flash instantly commanded. He winced again as he felt the tiny foal still in his grasp tense in its slumber at the sound of his raised voice; tiny sharp teeth sinking further into his thumb. "Master?!" She countered in confusion, flicking an ear back at him while not daring to take her eyes off of the threat. "Trust me!" He assured her. As one, the two of them sprang back rapidly as the wild stallion leapt at them with a savage roar, hitting the ground the two of them had just occupied with such force that it threw up a cloud of dirt. Moving like a pair of blurs, Flash and Ferra covered the short distance separating them from the well-lit village center, sliding to a halt and turning to face their attacker within sight of the other ponies. Gotta make sure we got plenty of witnesses for this next part, Flash thought while casting a glace at Ferra who readied her stance, snarling a challenge at the charging stallion. Quickly reaching into the small of his back with his free hand, Flash drew the spear Shadowbane from it's scabbard and in a single, fluid motion, whipped it out from beneath his swirling dark cloak; with a single thought, the enchanted spear immediately responded to his will, extending from its condensed form to it's full length in an instant. Flash couldn't help but feel an excited grin begin to pull at his lips at the exhilarating sensation of power he always experienced when drawing the peerless weapon; his magic harmonizing with that of the alicorn who forged it. Shadowbane practically hummed with crackling energy, making if feel as if the weapon was alive, eager to join in the fight at hand, thrilled at the chance to finally shine again. And shine it did. Sending a surge of lightning down his arm, Flash held the spear aloft over his head, right as the crazed pony leapt straight at them again, jaws agape, only to tumble to the ground with a cry of pain as the dusky spear head ferociously ignited with all the collective intensity of Celesita's day focused into a single point. So great was the light unleashed by that incandescent glow of unmatched fury that it caused the entire surrounding region to be illuminated; consumed in rays so bright that the portion of the night sky directly above the village temporarily traded the inky blackness of night for the bright blue of a high noonday sun. Flash meanwhile, didn't take his wary gaze off of the pony now writhing on the ground before him, desperately pressing its hooves against its tortured eyes, all while ignoring the gasps of Ferra and the other ponies gathered behind him as they starred in awe with unharmed eyes at the dazzling display of light being cast by the enchanted spear. It pained Flash to see the poor colt suffer, but he had to be certain that he had managed to blast the crazed pony back to its senses. After another moment, sensing that the danger had now passed, Flash slowly tapered off the energy he fed to Shadowbane, causing the light to gradually wink out of existence, returning the spear to it's ordinary appearance. The gathered ponies murmured in wonder as all eyes turned on the human and the pony still moaning in pain at his feet. "What is the meaning of this?!" Hunter, aka Frowny McMunchface, the blue pony Flash remembered first meeting on the beach, shouted while rushing forward with a pair of spear-wielding warriors; he looked as cheerful as ever. At the same time, a teleport burst behind Flash, depositing Lumen Dawn and Sugar Rush at the ready, the latter somehow managing to appear intimidating even though he was sporting a large, feathered headdress for some reason; Rose Dust and Slipstream joined soon after, dropping down from the night sky as silently as shadows to land on either side of their human leader. The two sides eyed each other cautiously, but not hostilely. "Flash Skies!" Sanguina exclaimed, her ponies parting, allowing her to stride up to the human's side; she looked from his spear and down to her subdued pony, a serious look on her face. "What was that? What was that light? And why did it harm my pony?!" She demanded, though not unkindly. "Because the light from Shadowbane will only harm those of ill-intent." Flash calmly replied, remembering what Celestia had told him when she first gifted him the weapon. "This pony launched an unprovoked attack against myself and Ferra, I was merely defending us." "N-no! He's lying!" Bloodsport weakly protested, his eyes still unable to focus. "Liar!" Ferra hissed. "Silence!" Sanguina commanded, cutting off the growing chorus of whispers. Flash remained perfectly still as the queen looked him up and down, as if searching for something. She pulled back his cloak and her face momentarily softened with a glassy-eyed look of sympathy when she spotted the sleeping foal still tucked in the human's grip. She smiled gratefully at Flash before turning her hardened gaze on Bloodsport; a deep growl rumbled in her throat. "I see no wound on the human, and yet I can smell his blood on your breath. Care to explain this discrepancy?!" While his sense of smell was not as sharp as the Diomedians, it was still far sharper than any normal human's; and now that she had mentioned it, Flash could indeed detect the scent of blood coming from the pony known as Bloodsport. Oh buck it all, the canteen! He realized. Bloodsport didn't answer, but merely trembled where he lay on the ground before his queen. Sanguina's eyes narrowed viciously, her palpable ire casting an icy chill over the gathered crowd. "I see," she ominously intoned, taking an imperious stomp forward. "And what do you have to say for your treachery?" Bloodsport cast a frightened glance at Flash, eyes pleading for mercy, "It, it wasn't just my idea! It was Obsidian, he, he tricked me! He said that the human was a threat, that we should take action for our ponies, he was setting up an ambush!" Sanguina lowered her head to the cowering pony, her voice barely above a whisper which did nothing to dampen the terror induced by her soft words, "Oh? And where, praytell, is Obsidian now?" "MMMMPHHH!!!" Obsidian was having a bad day. Everything had been going so well, his plan stood ready to be executed without flaw. It seemed that nothing could go wrong, everything was ready, nothing could stop them! Of course, until something did. Even though he had seen it, he still couldn't believe it. It was suddenly there. In the midst of them. All around them. Even above them! Making himself and four seasoned hunters who had each taken down beasts appear as incompetent and helpless as blind foals stumbling in the dark. The sight of everything being undone in an instance by an anomaly that should not be with such speed and precision was an affront to his very understanding of the world. He wanted to vent his outrage, to curse the scrawny mainlander who had somehow managed to take his perfectly prepared ambush apart with such humiliating ease; but as it was, with the vine now tied around his muzzle, the most eloquent thing he could manage at the moment was more, "MMMMPHHH!" Obsidian glared, but the tan unicorn did not even look at him, infuriatingly remaining as silent and expressionless as a stone, as if he had done nothing more interesting than sweep a floor, and instead took one last survey of his hoofiwork. Two ponies tied up in a slightly twitching, groaning sack, with another pony strung up by his hooves in the trees, completely unconscious and hanging like meat. A fourth garroted to the trunk of a tree, struggling on the very tips of his hind hoofs so as to not be strangled; and Obsidian himself hogtied and muzzled like hunted game. The black pony felt himself embarrassingly flinch as the unicorn's cold, indifferent blue eyes fell on him. With a satisfied snort, Sharp Shot affixed his helmet back on his head, turned hoof, and walked back towards the village, extinguishing the blue light at the tip of his horn as he went, leaving the soundly defeated Diomedians alone in the dark. Obsidian was having a very bad day.