Chapter 6: Tale of the Present & Past
After an hour or so ride in the train, they arrive at the town of Hollow shades. Baldric jumps off the train and walks over to the station platform where his new friends were to get off.
“Hey guys!” Baldric waves to the mane 6 and runs over to them. “So Twilight what are we doing here again?”
“Simple my dear Baldric, to get some information, this town was a trading hub of that old city I told you about. Maybe someone in town still knows where we can find it.” Twilight looks around for a moment then speaks “we should visit one of the shops to pick up a few supplies and ask if they know anything.”
Everyone agrees with Twilights statement and so they head off in search of the nearest town shop. Looking around the gang notice’s that the town seems to be encircled by a forest. The train station and a dirt path seemed to be the only way out of town.
“This town…” Baldric says while looking around “it seems they only have 2 ways outta town here, the train and that dirt road on the west side. I don’t like it; this place seems a little creepy.”
“Oh I know what you mean darling, but I’m sure everypony here is just as nice as they are in Ponyville.”
They soon come to a building that has a sign above the door that Baldric recognized as a general merchant, thanks to Twilight's reading lessons.
“You six should try in here and see if they know anything about that old town.”
“Alright, but what about you Baldric, um, did you want anything?” Asks Fluttershy
“No thanks. I’ll be ok with the stuff you brought for me.”
The mane 6 head inside while Baldric sits outside the shop looking around. He notices that many of the homes look a little dejected and run down. Many of the ponies in town seemed to avoid eye contact with Baldric and would hurry past him or turn around and walk away when they saw him.
“Seems they don’t much like strangers here” Baldric says to himself.
“We’re back Baldricky!” shouts Pinkie Pie “and we got the location of the towny wowny we were looking for!”
“Yes the Elderly shop keeper was kind enough to tell us where we could find the town. It seems his shop had been doing business with them since before he was even born, well until trade stopped some 300 years ago… He’s still waiting for a reply his Great great great great great grandfather sent to the town…”
“300 years?” questions Baldric “doesn’t that seem a little… odd to you?”
“Well yeah, but at least we know where the town is now, he happily marked it on our map and asked if we could visit and see what happened. He said something about having to pass through a short tunnel before we reach the town.”
“Hmm, seems simple enough. Well I’m ready to leave when you guys are.”
“Let’s go guys! I got my winter coat packed!” Pinkie pie happily cheers
“Ah, yes, I brought my fashionable coat with me, as well as others as I’m sure some of you didn’t realize how cold it will be when we get there.” Rarity grabs 3 coats from her bag.
“One for Baldric because I know you didn’t have one to begin with darling and I brought one for Rainbow Dash. Because seeing as how she didn’t even bring her saddle bag with her, she was expecting a fast trip.” Rarity looks over to Rainbow Dash
“Well duh I’m the fastest Pegasus around, why would I bother to slow down? Besides it looked like you guys had everything covered, and it looks like I was right.”
“Um Baldric, I remembered how much you said you liked the bear and alligator foods, so um, I brought some for you to bring along for the trip…but if you don’t want it…I can understand it’s ok…”
“Thank you for remembering what I liked Fluttershy. I look forward to eating it.” Baldric throws Fluttershy a smile
“An don’t you worry none, I brought along plenty of apples for everyone. Assuming this trip doesn’t take longer than a week that is.”
Twilight shakes her head. “No, now that we have an exact location it shouldn’t take more than a few days to reach the old town. Now if everyone is ready we will set off for the Crystal Mountain town.”
“Let’s go!” everyone cheered
They set off on the only road out of town while following Twilight, as she has the map and seemed to be the only one that knew exactly where they were headed.
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After crossing a shallow river they travel along it banks, heading north, and reach a small lake at the base of the Crystal Mountains.
“This looks like a good place to set up camp” Declares Twilight “Just give me a minute here and I’ll set up a tent we can all use.”
Her horn begins to glow and after a big grunt, a tent large enough for everyone including Baldric appears near the water’s edge.
Baldric mouth drops open. “You can use your magic to create huge structures?”
“Well I can use my magic for a lot of stuff, my special talent is magic itself, so my magical power can be directed into whatever I choose, however, because I don’t have a focus it takes me some time to perform spells because I haven’t specialized into anything.”
“Well it sounds to me like your talent is a very unique one that would fit many situations.”
“Yes that’s true, but I also have to prepare spells before hand and I can’t just make things up, I have to study them and learn how to cast new spells. Unicorns like Rarity who have that specialty can easily use it to create things like that reinforced outfit you’re wearing right now.”
“Ah I see, that makes sense, even though you have greater power and versatility, the drawback is it takes more time and you can’t master any area of expertise.”
“Oh Twilight you must give yourself more credit than that!” exclaims Rarity “I mean yes I can create fabulous works of fashion using my magic, but at times I wish I had the versatility of your magic.”
“Thanks Rarity.” Twilight gives her a hug
“ Well I guess I’ll go look for some wood to get a fire going, you six ponies set up the camp how you want, I’ll be back later.”
“Alright Baldric don’t you wander off too far now, don’t want you getting lost.” says Twilight
“Yeah and by the time you get back we're going to have another Party!” cheers Pinkie Pie.
“Ha-ha, alright Ill hurry back.” Baldric runs off toward a group of nearby trees.
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“Hmm these trees gotta have some dead branches laying around here someplace…” Baldric looks around and spots a fallen tree that had splintered into several pieces.
“Perfect! Hopefully it’s dry enough to burn” Baldric picks up several of the large logs and begins to head back but he hears a chuckling sound.
“Who’s there?” Baldric looks around but he doesn’t see anyone or anything.
“The town you seek has been cursed!” shouts a voice from above
“Cursed? What do you mean?!” Baldric begins to get a little agitated at not knowing where the voice was coming from.
“I suggest you turn back if you value your lives, the inhabitants' minds are all twisted from the dark magic they attempted so long ago.” With the last phrase a hooded figure walking upon four legs jumps down from one of the trees.
“Another Pony? I should have guessed, but what’s with the threat?”
“It’s not a threat, it’s a warning, Go if you wish, but you should watch yourselves.” The hooded pony then jumps back into the trees and disappears again
“This world has alota crazy things…” Baldric shakes his head.
“Whatever it is, I won’t lose my new friends.” Baldric grits his teeth “Never again…”
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Baldric reaches the camp and drops the wood he gathered in front of the tent Twilight had created. From outside the tent he could clearly hear the music and cheers of his new unlikely friends as they partied inside.
“Hehe, it seems like they have no idea of how dangerous it could be…” Baldric shrugs “oh well, I’m sure they know what they’re doing.” He walks into the tent and is greeted warmly.
“Hey Baldricky” shouts the pink pony “We were waiting for you! Now the real party can START!”
The music becomes louder and Pinkie Pie rolls a big cake from nowhere with a bunch of candles on it.
“What in tarnation girl? Why did ya bring a birthday cake? Let alone where did you keep it all it this time?”
“Oh don’t be silly Applejack, there’s always room for cake in my bags!” Pinkie Pie giggles and shouts over to Baldric
“Blow out the Candles! I didn’t know how old you were or when your birthday was so I decided for you!”
“Birthday? What’s that?”
All the ponies gasp is unison and the music stops. A look of horror appears on to pinkie pies face
“You Don’t know What a Birthday is?! I do remember you telling me you never had a party before, But really?! Never a Birthday Party?! How do you know how old you are!? Or even getting Presents?! How could you not know what a birthday party is?! I can’t even imagine what it’s like to never have a party. Just how bad was your world Baldric?!” Pinkie pie gets a look on her face of sorrow along with the other ponies.
Baldric sighs “alright I’ll tell you about my world, besides you’re already out here helping me without even knowing anything about me.”
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"In my home I’m a Nordic warrior. I was a captain of my own little platoon. We fought against fearsome monsters and beasts to save our homes and families. I lost my father and 2 older brothers to the wars before I even understood what death was.
All the things you’ve shown me in your world, I’m sure it’s all common place here, all the friendly people, the peace, when I was talking to Rarity, she didn’t even know what war was. Such a peaceful land you seem to have here. The clothes I received were the most beautiful thing I have ever worn. Most of my clothes back home would look like rags compared to Rarities workmanship.
We didn’t have the time or the luxury to celebrate or party. The only times of peace we had were between battles. Many people were too tired to even think of celebrating, or they had to use the time to find food for their families.
Of course we have a type of currency. I signed up to be a Mercenary so I could send money home. I became a leader and a symbol of hope on the battlefield for my fellow men.
It wasn’t always easy; when I first started I made a friend, my first best friend. His name was Dillon Shields and he always had my back. We were inseparable in the battlefield. We did everything together on and off the battlefield. He told me about his family and the girl back home he was saving money for, he had so many things planned out.
One day on the field of battle we were fighting against a manicore for the first time. I was scared, I had never seen anything like it before. The body of a Lion with bat wings and a scorpion’s tail. The manicore had just finished killing some of our fellow men at arms, so Dillon and I took it upon ourselves to try and stop it. Dillon was on my left with his shield and axe, he was trying to distract it. I was going to run in an attempt to run my sword through its head. I…I wasn’t fast enough; the manciore dodged my swing and hit me aside with his massive claw. It then brought its tail up and lashed its tail at me while I was on the ground.
I, I… I thought I was going to die at that moment, But somehow Dillon jumped between me and the manicores tail. He blocked the manicores attack, but the spine went through his shield and into his arm."
“Stand up!” shouted Dillon “I can’t beat this thing alone! I need your strength!”
"With his words echoing through my mind I gritted my teeth and jumped up, I grabbed the manicores tail that was stuck in Dillon’s shield and tore the stinger off. The manicore howeled in anger and pain.
It smacked me with its paw again knocking me down and then lunged at Dillon who just stood there. It grabbed him in its massive jaws and that’s when Dillon cried out. Not in pain, but with more encouraging words."
“Do it Now! While I have it Distracted!” he smiled at me as blood trickled out of his mouth
"I grabbed a nearby sword and plunged its blade under the manicores jaw up into its brain. The manicores last dying instinct was to clamp its jaw even tighter. I saw Dillon cough up a large amount of blood, he was my best friend. He was dying in front of me and I couldn’t do a thing to save him. At that moment my eyes became watery"
“Hey the winner doesn’t cry Baldric, we got the mani…” Dillon coughs up some blood “core.”
"I looked at him through tear stained eyes and the only thought running through my head was, If only I had been stronger, faster, he wouldn’t of had to die… I felt so weak it was unbearable. He died in that manicores mouth with a smile on his face.
Some time passed and I did become stronger and faster. My speed rivaled those on horseback and my strength was unmatched by any monster. So I never had time to learn how to read, party, wear fancy clothes, and I decided not to lose any more friends on the battlefield.
I became a captain because of my combat experience and skill. I was always on the front lines protecting my men, because try as hard as I could, I still became friends with them. The thought of losing any of them… I don’t think I could handle something like that."
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“You lost your best friend?!” They shouted in unison with tears in their eyes.
"Yeah I did, and because I lost him I became who I am today. But enough about me, tell me about you guys and then let's continue the party that Pinkie had planned for me."
For the rest of the night the ponies told stories of their past and how they got their cutie marks and what they mean. Fluttershy being little filly Pegisus that couldn't fly, but later learned how to from butterflies and learning she can communicate with animals. Rainbow Dash and her sonic rainboom during a race. Applejack when she moved away from home to learn about herself, then becoming homesick and seeing a rainbow leading back to home. Rarity who's horn leads her to a rock filled with gems that split after a colorful explosion. Pinkie pie told how after she saw a rainbow and its colors inspired her to make ponies happy, because smiling is one of the best things. And Twilight becomes a student of princess Celestia and learning how to harness all of her raw magical talent.
These ponies are connected on a level deeper than friendship. They act like one big family, and it seems they added me to it. Bladric smiles as he looks over to his new best friends and joins them for the night