//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: Abyssal Surrogate (Bumbling Jackass) // Story: One More for the Reaper, Dig a Little Deeper // by Solus Eclipse //------------------------------//   I finally made it to the entrance for the damned mega school, cause thats what I'm calling it, and it was something to behold. Above the arched entrance made of a gleaming platinum, there is an engraved school crest featuring various symbols representing different magical creatures. Three Hands outstretch from the center of a star, the star is embroidered with the flags and iconography of what I can only assume to be untold millennia of culture. Surrounding the Star is what can only be described as a depiction of the globe, the sun behind to the left; the moon to the right. The white stone bricks tower into the sky on a scale that nearly matches Canterlot Castle.   The main entrance features ornate double doors made of rich, polished wood, with stained glass panels depicting scenes of what can be assumed to be a peaceful world, a world that converged and learned to exist in brotherhood. Looking at the doors filled me with nausea and a moment of terror, like looking down at the razor maw of a great white. I stood still in place a scant 20 feet from the doors letting other students pass me by, most seem to be giving me a decently wide berth which was unfortunate...  ’Seriously, why do I feel like I'm going to hurl? These random ass headaches are going to be the death of me.’ It was all I was thinking as I feel down gripping my head in discomfort with my hand. Other students that took their time waiting at the entrance to gossip and hang out with family or friends to see them off, but they couldn't help but notice somepony having some kind of a nervous episode standing in the center a few paces from the entrance doors. "Hey what's up with him?" "Wait are those bat wings?" "Why is he just hunched over there?" "Poor colt needs his alpha." "He looks like he's about to throw up something fierce..." Normally I have a good record of keeping attention off of myself. My last two and a half years of high school could attest to that, but it seems I'm breaking new ground ever since my forced relocation. "Fucking enhanced hearing." I mutter under my breath wiping the saliva with my jacket arm. Unfortunate was the word I used, as drawing attention was going to happen from freezing up where I did. Yeah, turns out just standing there in everyone's way is kind of an eyesore. I was feeling an absolute nightmare blunt rotation of emotions, it left me utterly oblivious to my surroundings as I my vision began to swim and spin. Someone clearly didn’t notice me tripped over my form, knocking the wind fully out of me. Sending someone sprawling onto the cobblestone with me.  “Watch it will you!” I looked over to see an ebony gryphon with emerald eyes and gray fur. “Seriously another one?” I did not know I said this aloud but come on it's barely been an hour and I have already had two fucking collisions with other ponies when all I want to do is just keep to myself and silently get through this shit. “The fuck is that supposed to mean?” The gryphon quickly stands with an athletic handspring but refuses to offer a hand to help me up. As he continues to stand over me for a second, he looks surprised but then starts to grin in a way I DID NOT like. But whatever shit was going through his mind was derailed as a campus-wide announcement was made for all to hear. How? Magic or some shit man; I got scared because Twilight as well as a Cadence, suddenly appeared on a big projection above the entrance out of fucking NOWHERE and with a happy smile started talking to all students entering the building. I yelped a startled “Oh fuck!” Cause a few near me to flinch and the Gryphon to look at me intensely. “Attention and good morning all current and newly admitted students and visitors, please make your way to the auditorium so we may commence the opening ceremony for this fall’s new year. School staff inside will lead you newer students, so you do not get lost.”  Cadence jumps in and adds, “But let's be honest there's going to be a few curious explorers, I'm betting some are hearing this lost looking for a bathroom!” Her giggle had contagious properties, and many students around me started to laugh too. "We are both so happy as both Chancellor of the school and Dean of Magic Enrichment to welcome you all!" The gryphon turns to me after the projection blinks out of existence suddenly and says, “You're not cut out for this place and it'll chew you up and spit you out.” He says puffing up his chest but, like what am I supposed to say to that? Who talks like that?  “Uhhhh.”   “...”  ’Brilliant jackass, now he's just staring again.’  “Whatever dude you seem to be a bit overwhelmed anyways so that warning was me going easy on you this time, next you better be good at something, give me a good show of sorts or I’m going to be disappointed. TRUST ME. You do not want to do that newbie. But honestly I feel that's going to happen anyway.” Raven cracks the knuckles of his talons "You look pretty pathetic down there….weakling." That freaky ass grin he was wearing comes back in force. “I don’t.... even know you?” This finally prompts me to get off the ground. ‘Dear god please don't have the first student I talk to be some sadistic fuck.’ He flicks my snout and says “WELL let me enlighten you. Name's Raven and I'll pulverize you if you make a fool out of me again. Got it?” His eyes narrow and he's glares at me. ’Ok he's definitely the jackass now.’  “Well then, anyways I’m Eclipse. Guess I gotta make my way to the auditorium.”  ’Short and sweet; let's just try to ignore this insane bird and get through this shit.’  Reaching the threshold of the grand entrance, I steeled myself for what lay ahead. But Raven was not done with me.   “So why did you enroll?” He asks with arms crossed, trying to feign interest. “Not many Batari enroll, let alone leave the castle undercroft from what ive heard, so what's with you?”  ‘Two things. First why the fuck do you want to know, you a fed? Second. What? Undercroft? Batari don’t enroll?’ I take a few glances around me and see that yes, I'm the only “Bat Pony” attending the school and by extension the only one in broad daylight. A few ponies and even two reformed changelings looked to be almost studying me from the sidelines watching whatever happen unfold.   ‘No one from the compound came with me, we're the others seriously all homeschooled? I’m way too oblivious for my own good. Granted I'm pretty sure I was the only guy my age, in the whole town before getting dragged up this damn mountain.....Again.’ …......  ’Fuck why am I here?’ It was a genuine question, of which I had a few similar like; What am I even doing? What was the fucking point of arriving here? Is there a way get back home? If there was would i take it? The last one outright terrified me. I did not know in my heart if I could or even wanted to face those I would return to. Or if they would even be there. Ive had a little more than half a year to sit on them and it still hurts. The inky black. The poison that goes to the bone. A force to numb the heart. A familiar feeling. The want for the absence. B̸̌̐͌͗̈̐̂͛́͜ủ̸̬͖̯̇̉̚͠t̷̡̗̰̜̰̭̯̗̆͆̃̔͑̿͑̐̉̌͜͜ ̷̨̢͕̠͇̖̬̠̩͓͗̅͛̈́̈́̚͠t̷̿͆̿͝͝ͅh̴̺̎̈́̈ë̷̯̤́̄̿͌͋͠ ̷̼̹͓̼̱̈́F̶̬̺͎̜͈̭̅̎̓ẹ̸̜̩̤͎̥̩̌̄̏͋̈́̚ȃ̴̦͓̠͗̓̾́̐̍ṙ̸͎̝͔̿̋̔̈́͌͆͘̚ ̸͈͙͙̗̘͈̄̑͋ͅR̷̡̩̓̽̇̓e̸̼͑̈̃̈̎̌̕͝m̵̨̺̮̩͙͖̘͔̋̕ă̶͓͚̦̅̇̔̒̆̿͐i̶̻̣̗̲̗̹̤͎̪̫͗̋̃̐́́͆́͗͝n̵̡̝̮̞̽̃̓̕s̴̼̖͇̪̣̮̭͉̃̅̎͜ (3rd Person Perspective) 7 months before Eclipse's arrival to Canterlot. Hollow Vane, 7 miles outside of the Quarantine Sector.   Hollow Vane, a quaint town nestled on the opposite side of Mount Canterhorn from Ponyville, was once the largest haven for the Equestrian Batari population. The mountain itself housed a sprawling labyrinth of tunnels and chambers, a cave system that could snugly accommodate half of the current Batari population in all of Equestria. Though a tight fit, it became a refuge for those who chose loyalty to the solar princess after the banishment of the lunar sister, oh which those who were loyal to lunar/nightmare at the time decided they would no longer reside in Equestria. Over the years, the Batari population dwindled dangerously, reaching a critical point where they were deemed an endangered species, fading into the realm of rumor and legend for centuries. The surprise of their sudden return swept through Equestria, their existence once believed to be a mere myth by the population. With the reform of the cleansed lunar sister, prepared to share the mantle of responsibility with her solar counterpart, the Batari emerged from hiding and returned to their homeland. The returning "Bat Ponies" or "Night Ponies" brought with them not only a new culture but also a resurrected religion—The Umbral Embrace—and an ancient and esoteric form of magic intrinsically tied to them, known as "Stellar Weaving." The Umbral Embrace taught that nightmares were not mere dreams but omens and messages from Umbra, their deity of worship. The Batari sought guidance through dreams, believing that confronting their deepest fears in the dream realm unlocked the full potential of their powers. Stellar Weaving, their magical art, allowed communion with stellar bodies for visions, the creation and dissipation of shadows with physical mass, manipulation and cleansing of dreams, and the crafting of esoteric curses. The Equestrian population was initially unsettled. The revelation that what had been dismissed as a foal's scary tale was real, practiced by beings wielding strange, eerie magic, seeking to be accepted as neighbors, did not sit well. Initial tensions gradually eased, and Hollow Vane even experienced a slight uptick in population. The current day Batari population is viewed as mostly estranged and nocturnal hermits that keep to their own enclaves. Only on special occasions will you see one in public, for the few that you do usually worked as guards for the lunar princess. Now, the narrative shifts to a moment of change as a sickly green light lingers on the northern forest horizon. Something transpired during the celestial clash of the two sisters, such a battle between godly beings so many years ago, yet in current times affecting the forest north of Hollow Vane; now known as the Quarantine Zone or "The Jade Forest." Stories circulated that those entering the forest were touched by a jade light—either never to return or emerging changed, their transformation so horrific that some wished for death, or worse, to have stayed dead. This curious yet perilous forest stood toe to toe, roots to roots, with The Everfree—a perilous realm known for its chaotic nature and an abundance of monstrous beasts rarely venturing beyond the tree lines. If one asked a citizen of Hollow Vane on this day, they would speak of being spooked by the unusually bright glow of the forest lights. Some were even roused from sleep, mistaking it for daytime. However, the townsfolk staunchly refused to acknowledge The Jade Forest unless absolutely necessary. Imagine their collective surprise when guards ponies, and their night princess; all ponies presently marching were in protective suits were seen moving into the forest in droves. The militarized force was clad in protective gear that would prevent any wild or dormant magics to discharge on the battalion as it moved towards the target of the operation as well as from whatever else lurked in jade wooded depths. The lunar princess held her fist up high to signal the battalion to stop. She then clears her throat before using the royal canterlot voice. "Here me now my loyal soldiers and subjects! Tonight we search for the Jade Heart and put an end to the madness this forest spawns once and for all! We will find its beating wretched heart, AND WE SHALL CLEAVE IT FROM ITS FETTID NEST!" With The soldiers thoroughly rallied and the Hollow Vane residents equally spooked at what she may be talking about; the lunar princess faces towards their objective and starts to cast a spell. The locals only see Princess Luna and all the ponies she commands present first becoming shrouded in a thick black haze, before the haze disappears with them along with it.