//------------------------------// // A Different Start // Story: An Alternate Arc // by Hye //------------------------------// As the light from the spear dimmed, he let out a weak and sad chuckle while sliding to the ground, the wounds from his quick fight with Twilight reopening and taking their toll. Ember caught him as she stared in curiosity, helping him to the wagon and doing what she could to stop the bleeding. “So, it’s good manners to inform your savior your name, although seeing as we have and are saving each other… Ember.” “Arc. What the hell were those things?” “Demons.” A while passes silently as the wagon continues onward. “So… I got here because a neurotic, purple unicorn who never learned the term, ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’ judged the aftermath of me helping a mother give birth as me eating her. You?” She abruptly stopped and stared at him in disbelief for a bit, him nodding in response. She restarted the wagon while glancing at him every so often. “… Start from the beginning.” He told her of him getting dragged into Equestria, his attempts at gaining the locals’ trust, renting a room from a mysterious mare with money that Twilight gave him, helping said mare with personal problems, including giving birth, then fighting Twilight when she first tried casting him into Tartarus. At the end, she stayed silent for a bit while he played with his knife, small streaks of pony and demon blood on it. “Well, at least there’s two of us.” “… Got thrown in here under false charges as well? Tell me, if you don’t mind.” She does so, from her father throwing her out to become a great warrior, to getting falsely charged in Baltimare. A little while later, as they were getting closer to her hideout’s walls, they were told of Mythic Honor’s snatching. “Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s get him.” “Uh, excuse me?! Don’t you know what you’re getting into?” “Dangers, thrills, and a chance to help and forget what one insane idiot of a unicorn did to me. Let’s go!” With a sigh, she guides the cart towards the eastern hills, where they rescue the kooky and harmless unicorn, bringing him back to the hideout after a brief standoff occurred when Ember tried punching Arc. “Look, I’m sorry, alright?! I just though-?!” He growls out his response while gesturing to himself. “Well, take a good look at the result of the last time someone, ‘just thought’! And may I remind you that you went through almost the same thing!?” The atmosphere was slightly heavy, with nopony wanting to get between them. The silence stretched for a bit before Ember sighed and stretched out her right claw in apology at the same time Arc did his hand. Freezing, they met in the middle and shook. Afterward, they got his wounds cleaned and bandaged. “Okay, now that that’s done, I’m tired. Where do I sleep?” “Well, you’ve already shown yourself to be a formidable warrior, even if some things aren’t as they seem at first.” His deadpan look and clenched fist almost made her want to take it back. Almost. “I suppose you can have the hut next to mi-.” “Great, where is it? But first-.” He sniffs himself, with Ember nodding in agreement and showing him where the shower is. He stares in disbelief at its openness, looking up and shaking his head while groaning. Ember couldn’t help but tease him. “What’s the big deal? Afraid of showing me your micro shooter?” He froze, then slowly turned and faced her with furious embarrassment. Speaking through his teeth at the now slightly nervous and blushing Ember, he whispered. “I’m so sorry for not wanting to show my nakedness to a dragoness I had just met, thank you VERY MUCH!!” “… I’ll give you some privacy, then.” After cleaning himself, the knife, and the clothes, she came over and gave him a semi-fitting smock from behind the corner. Wearing it, he then was guided to a rundown hut next to hers, where he proceeded to organize it and lay down for a nap. “I’ll need to wake you up in time for your chores, tiny. Say, in half an hour?” His reply was drenched in sarcasm. “Sure. As long as you wake me up with loud banging that sounds like you’re about to knock the door off and kill me with a heart attack.” “… It won’t be like that. I-… I pr-promise you’ll wake up with r-re-reasonably loud knocking.” Giving each other a nod, she left while he stared at the broken ceiling, his furious thoughts focused on one unicorn mare. Twilight, at the moment, was feeling like she was just sent to Tartarus, herself. After having given her explanation to a weeping Derpy in the hospital, she had an unreadable expression. Before anyone could say anything, she spoke. “Will somepony please hold Dinky?” With Fluttershy gently holding her, Derpy got up as best she could. Twilight helping her up, she stood firmly while keeping her balance through Twilight’s magic. That quickly changed when she slammed her hoof into her, Derpy silent as she furiously punched her and Twilight desperately apologizing. With a struggle, they were pulled apart, a bloodied Twilight limping away as Spike helped keep her up. Derpy got back Dinky after cleaning herself and ignored every communication attempt. They got the message and left, Twilight quickly hiding the pain and damage to her face until she was back home. Looking in her bedroom mirror, she saw that the most severe damage would be a split lip. Shakily sighing, she cast a light healing spell on her face that excluded her lips, fell into bed with Spike, him not taking ‘no’ for an answer, and sobbed herself to sleep. Meanwhile, the rest of her friends were researching about every way in and out of that place to get Arc out, planning to inform her when she woke up. Speaking of sleep, one sleeping beauty was gently awakened by Ember shaking the bed. “What the-!?” “You weren’t waking up, micro.” “… Fair enough. Feel free to awake me using my bed however you like and that sounded better in my head.” The slight giddiness she displayed while nodding made him groan as he got up and followed her. “Is it safe to say that you’re about to make my mornings a bit more interesting?” Her sly smile didn’t make him feel better in the slightest, that feeling continuing throughout his chores and armor outfitting. It came to a head during his second shower as Ember invaded his privacy with her own. “Any reason why I shouldn’t literally kick you out of here, Miss Snoopy Nose?” “Well, first of all, Mr. Grower, I’m a dragoness, and thus much tougher than most of the things out there. Second of all, I’m a pillar around here, so cross me and good luck with the outside, assuming you’re even alive.” The only reply he gave was a nod. After a bit, he inwardly sighed and faced her, hand outstretched. “Hi. I’m Micro Shooter Grower and I need guidance on surviving Tartarus. Willing to teach me more?” Staring at him, she rolled her eyes and shook his hand. “Hello, Mr. Girth and Width. I’m Way Out of Your League, yet I’m willing to teach you. Keep it up and who knows?” She gently slapped his behind with her tail, him audibly sighing in response yet not moving. The days passed fast through training, bug processing, bed shaking and flipping, and the randomness of Mystic Honor. Meanwhile, in Equestria, the days were passing equally as fast through research and preparation for the hike from Tartarus, with plans for melting the snow through some potions. Derpy was doing research of her own, only looking through both royal and non-royal books if Twilight was out of sight. Spike helped, if only to get her to at least start talking to his sister. “Spike, if you have nothing to add other than confirmation that Twilight is the last pony I want near me for the rest of my life, then please stop.” Sadly nodding and apologizing, he retreated to the next aisle over and hugged his misty-eyed sister, who had overheard everything and hugged him back. When the morning of the trip appeared, Twilight was shocked that, when she came downstairs packed, Derpy was with the others, all packed to the brim. When she tried to speak, Derpy held up a hoof and muttered. “This is for Arc, and Arc alone. As soon as we get him out, I don’t want to see you ever again. If it’s unavoidable, I’ll pretend you don’t exist. Understand?” She nodded, cast the spell, and the group was flung into the darkness. Speaking of darkness, Ember was currently seething with rage towards Mystic Honor and his contact. The fact that the whole room had some kind of dust everywhere thanks to an accident hasn’t done her emotions, or Arc’s, any favors. “… Thanks for-, achoo! -backing me up with Mystic, Arc. This is… If it wasn’t so- achoo! -important, I wouldn’t be here.” The duo was in an inn in the demon city of Vengeance, having missed the contact and needing to wait till tomorrow. At the moment, they were in separate beds pushed together, the chain in Arc’s hand. “So, about that conversation earlier…” “Yes?” “What would you do if you had left someone along with your dad in the Dragon Lands?” She turned around and looked at the ceiling while clearing her nose. After a bit, she sighed and looked at him. “Try to prove their trust in me isn’t unfounded, like with him. You mentioned someone called, ‘Frankie’, Sir. What’s his deal?” “He… Sees the best in everyone. Has a group called, ‘The Shards’. Reasoning is that everyone there is from a broken home or orphanage, that’s a place where children with no family stays, and that together, they can create a beautiful masterpiece from the brokenness. Me? I completely agree and try to do the same, of course. Do what you can for the improvement of society. But there’s an additional aspect to it. There has to be someone overlooking the placement of the pieces.” “You?” “If need be. It can’t be just anyone, you know. They have to be strong, courageous, knowledgeable, wise, considerate, and be willing to take both the congratulations and the blame.” “… Sounds like my dad, only he says a- achoo! -good leader finds another to place the blame on. Can’t show weakness.” “There’s a saying I’ve heard. ‘Take constant responsibility for your actions. Sooner or later, shoulders will run out, and you’ll be left to hold it all.’ I, for one, will not be stupid… Unlike some people in my life… Anyway, it’s late. Let’s get some shut-eye. I’ll be wrapping the chain around my hand to not let the timer reset, so don’t move around too much.” “Thanks. Night, Arc.” With an audible grin in his voice that, for once, didn’t make her want to punch it off, he replied. “Night, Ember.” The next day, the pony group had slept on the spot where Ember and Arc met, following the path as Derpy could feel the spear’s familiar magic. As they got closer to the Vile Tribe’s hideout, they ran into the last group of people that they expected. “Arc? ARC!” Derpy galloped ahead with tears in her eyes, a robed Arc kneeling and fiercely hugging her. As the rest of the group caught up, they stared in shock and nervousness at the three other beings with him. Two of them were a mother demon and her child, but the oldest one looked like Ember, only red. It extended to her eyes, even. With introductions that pointedly rushed over Twilight, they continued to the hideout, the lookout spotting them with a shocked gasp and running to warn Mythic Honor and the rest of the tribe. “You’ve gone too-!” With a raspy voice, Ember cut him off. “OH, SHUT UP AND GET HIM UP THERE TO CLEAR THIS UP SO WE CAN COME INSIDE!” “B-But-!” “NOW!!” Delivering the stallion to the rampart, Ember and Arc quickly explained the circumstances behind the newcomers and the demons. With pointed glares and subtle threats toward Twilight, they opened the gates and let them in. At a private lunch, Twilight was barely saved from a snapped neck by a near-monotone, yet desperate plead from Derpy. Looking at the shaking unicorn with a cut lip in his grip, the silent pleads of her friends and a long look at Derpy’s hoof on his wrist, he abruptly dropped her. “Tomorrow, we leave. Keep that inconsiderate filly out of my sight.” “Do you want me to do something to her, Sir?” Ember’s furious and slightly bloodthirsty look terrified the ponies, the only thing preventing them from fleeing being the chain Arc held. “Tempting, but no. I need to hold this thing until after dinner, and I seriously don’t want to have to reset the countdown again. Come to the bedroom- yours or-? Yours. -and we’ll get some rest. Before that, though, we need to deal with whatever's happening to you." The awkwardness only intensified with the seductive tone she used. “Yes, Sir.” As they left with Arc shaking his head, Twilight looked almost disappointed, a fact her shocked friends picked up. “Ya-Ya-Ya can’t be seri-?!” “YOU HEARD THEM! IF IT WASN’T FOR HER AND THE REST OF THEM, HE WOULD’VE BEEN DEAD! It would be only rig-.” Slap! “I may hate you to the extent that I never want to see you again after this, but it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t give up on yourself. You have friends who love you, a military brother who adores you, and another well-read and knowledgeable brother who I would have been grateful to have at any point of my life.’ Her next words were empathized by forceful pokes in the chest. ‘Don’t. Give. Up. Your. Life.’ Standing up, she left towards the forge. ‘Don’t follow me, I’m going to get some armor.” With Esther and Rebme the only natives there, they decided to make some small talk. That was quickly interrupted by the following alarm. “THE DEMONS ARE COMING!”