Well today's chapter will be shortened, because I got lazy and forgot to type. The rest will come within a few days.
Mobius pt. 3: Hey, I just wanted some help decorating my house!
Takes place during The Ticket Master (season 1, episode 3) and the day before it.
“Truth is mighty and will prevail. There is nothing wrong with this, except that it ain't so.”
Mark Twain
(and a special treat)
“A friend is one who knows you and loves you just the same.”
Elbert Hubbard
I wandered back to the farm with Applejack at about midnight. Pinkie had kept her promise; a party was held every other day (and night) for the past week and a half, during which I had become great friends with the girls. We had had some great times already, meeting at everyone’s houses and going around the fields outside Ponyville. I had helped Twilight shelve books one day, and I had promised to show her a library bigger than any she would ever see (hint, hint, mine). I had helped Rarity with some sort of fashion something or other, and I promised to get her some fabrics you couldn’t get anywhere else.
I had helped Applejack around the farm slightly, and I couldn’t really think of anything to do for her. Maybe get some fertilizer? She seemed to be content with whatever the heck she had so I’m still thinking on that. I had helped Fluttershy calm some animals down, then promised to show her exotic animals. I watched and supported Rainbow Dash as she practiced some moves for some other pegasi called ‘The Wonderbolts,’ and I really just promised to support her at all times (within reason). Hey, loyalty for loyalty, I suppose.
And last but certainly not least, Pinkie Pie. I had promised to go to all of her parties and help with them whenever she needed it, and in turn promised to throw her the biggest party ever!... Eventually.
I’d also been keeping an eye on Twist (Gods damn it, I just realized she's a real pony. This'll take a while to fix), making sure things didn’t get out of hand. Oh Gods and Goddesses of the Moon if Hunter got to her…
So anyway the last week was quite eventful, filled with friends and promises. I needed to fulfill those promises. The only way I could get all the stuff I had promised was if I had my Alcoves of Time and space with me. I needed a house for that.
I hurried up to Applejack and said, “Hey, Applejack. I’m thinking about leaving your house and getting mine done. I think I’ve overdone my stay at your place.” It was true. That whole past week and a half was spent at the farm, except for that one small camping trip we had. A one-nighter, but we found some pretty interesting constellations -only seen in Equestria.
“Hm? O-o-oh, okay, Mobius.” She said with a yawn. I grinned. She was probably only half-listening. I would leave a note at her house in the morning.
^*^*^*^*^*^*
The next day was sunny and clear, thanks to Rainbow Dash I presumed. I stepped out of the bed and flopped onto my paws, or feet, or whatever. I went quickly to the kitchen, for I had woken up late. In the past few days I had gotten used to waking up so early that it had almost become a habit. Almost.
Panicking, I charged into the kitchen to find Applebloom. She turned with a smile, “Hey, Mobius! Didja sleep well?”
Through my confuzzled head I replied with a slur, “S-s-s-say what? Where’s Applejack?”
Applebloom giggled, “You sound sleepy again! Here, sis left a note for you.” She handed me a note that had… well, the scribbles you usually see but everyone could somehow translate.
“Thanks, Bloomster.” I said, ruffling her hair. Applebloom had become like a younger sister to me, and she had spent hours with me in the orchard. I read the note as follows:
Hey, Mobius. I got Twilight to help me with the apples today. Don’t worry about your chores, you can have the whole day off if you want. Applebloom has something later so don’t bother with her.
Applejack
I grinned. A day off would be the perfect time to get a house done. Well, if you can do it all by magic. Like me. Ah, yes, it’s good to be me.
Anyway, I turned the note over and wrote with a spare pen, surprisingly like a human. There are apparently a lot of things that I would never had thought I could do as a cat. I could even buck trees like the Apples... with my entire body. I had resorted to magic, which was just as exhausting, but not as painful. Not too surprising.
Hey, Applejack, I thought that I would go ahead and stop using your house as my own. I’ll be off building my own house if you need me.
Mobius
I looked over it to make sure it was what I wanted to say, and then placed it on the table. I checked the time; 7:50 it said. That's about as long as I'll need. I thought. Turning and dashing out the front door, I called over my shoulder, “I’ll see ya folks later!”
Winona barked once at me before I dashed out of the farm. She and I had never been on good terms.
^*^*^*^*^*^*
I looked around. It seemed that this was a good place to get my house built and done with. It was just a little outside Ponyville, about one hundred and fifty feet away from the Everfree forest. Looking to the left (which I’ll assume was West) I could see Fluttershy’s house, or cottage thing, in the distance.
I thought about what it should look like. Maybe a Guild? No, I’d need a team for that. How about a fort? No, that just seems childish. Ummm… a church? No, that would be a little odd. But well protected if you think about it. Anyway, I ended up deciding on the design I usually use, practical yet defensible.
I immediately set to work, using my powers to open a bit of the barriers between the worlds. You see, I have to be able to go to other worlds sometimes, because I usually stay in my home worlds during my off time, and if I'm suddenly called off to Skyrim or whatnot, I need to get there quick. So anyway, I split the barriers and opened a space leading to my safe area, which was my own little pocket of a dimension that I stored all my souvenirs and valuables. It's a lot bigger than you would think.
I reached in with my magic until found my tool set. I pulled them out and stared at them. Lifelessly they floated there, waiting for my orders.
“Alright, you bums, let's get to work here! You know what to do, the usual!” The tools immediately (and literally) jumped into action. They began to craft the floor and I noticed that it was going slow, “Get moving, I said! Those boards aren't going to move on their own, are they? Jackhammer two, you’re getting behind! Hey, no resting! I want this done in a day, people!”
I was glad that no one was around to hear me screaming at a bunch of inanimate objects. My reputation would be ruined. But hey, you have to have your fun as a dictator sometimes, non? Okay, scratch that, I just don't have anyone to yell at so I do it to my tools sometimes. Hey, they may not be alive, but they're enchanted with souls. I could... sense them grumbling as they moved faster, and I grinned as my house came into being.
“Alright, now, you can slow down!” I shouted at the tools at what I guessed was 12:30 in the afternoon. They immediately slowed to a pace actually possible for a human. I turned and smiled to myself. I can't wait to see the others' reactions.
“Um, Mobius? Are you... okay?” a familiar voice said from behind me. I turned to see none other than Ditzy, a puzzled expression on her already derped face.
“Oh, uh, um, nothing! I'm just... building, uh, my house.” I glanced over her shoulder at the tools. They had stopped working. If they had faces, they would all look like troll faces, I bet. Except for that one hammer on the left. Something had been wrong with him since the beginning. He would have something along the lines of forever alone.
“But.. why are you yelling at the tools. I mean, I don't see any harm in using magic, but why yell at them? They can't reply.” Ditzy said, slight concern on her face.
I practically shouted, “I'm not crazy, for your information, just... ummm...” what, I wasn't going to say something like mentally challenged. “just.. uh... bored... yeah, that's it! Bored!”
“Well, uh, okay then.” Ditzy said, still uncertain. “I'll... see you later, Mobius.”
I sighed. Well, that went well. I wondered vaguely who'll have heard by the end of the day. I turned back to the tools, shouting, “Get moving or I'll have you working on outhouses for a year!” They all again jumped into action, except for poor F.A. Hammer, who was floating in circles, then went off to incessantly bang against a tree.
^*^*^*^*^*^*
I looked at my now finished house, proud of what it looked like. We -well, the tools- had finished in record time. It was only five thirty in the afternoon. I looked in appreciation at the work my tools had done, and I called, “Alright! You did good. You can all rest now.” The tools filed in through the “dimensional door,” as I called it, and went to their places in the safe room.
I looked again at my amazing house. Size-wise, let's think about it like this: Think about two of Flutter's cottages smashed into one huge house. There ya go.
Anyway, the first floor was all marble on the outside. The second floor was a plainer stone, but it had all sorts of carvings in it, like Norse runes. The first floor was slightly smaller than the second, to give the impression of a covered porch. It all looked quite homy from the outside. So now let's see the inside.
I quickly-and quite gratefully- switched into human form as I charged through the front door, which was a thick, half-wood, half stone door set in two pieces like a lot of the doors in Ponyville. Why I wanted to be in human form I can't say for sure. As it was, my human form happened to only open the top half, which meant that I promptly tripped over the bottom and flew face first onto a red shag carpet.
Looking up, I saw a quite plain house. Gray walls, one gray couch, an empty fireplace, and doors leading to other ways throughout the house. This happened to be the living room, if you hadn't guessed.
Groaning and rubbing my face, I stood and walked to the left doorway, which was usually where the kitchen came from. I turned a corner and came face to face with... the bathroom. “Haha.” I grumbled under my breath. Those tools did this on purpose. I rounded another corner in my seemingly large maze of hallways. You see, when I travel through Space and Time, I manipulate it. So my house always bends space for the people in it, as long as they're not me. But, if these halls were bending space for me, that meant there was an uneven amount of power being put into this house. I realized that by putting energy into the tools to make them work faster had in turn put more energy into the house, thus causing it to not be under my control.
So, how would you solve a problem like this? Well, you just use your awesome Seer powers to reverse the flow! Simple as that.
And after a confusing and short lecture the story shall move on!
I placed my hand on the (still gray)wall and said, “Berkana.” Birch twig in ancient Norse. But I usually called it branch, because that's basically what it did. Created a branch that broke the current of energy and sent it back to me. The rough-looking 'B' appeared on the wall, glowing faintly a light purple and then disappearing. I felt a river of energy suddenly pour into me, and then I thought of the living room.
The next corner revealed it. I turned, looking for the right path that lead to the kitchen. Oh… it's probably the one with the sign that says “kitchen” next to it. Ah, well, that's me. Professional idiot.
I checked myself in a convenient mirror on the wall. Everything looked to be in place. My gray t-shirt, black cargo pants, and gray and black plaid jacket-shirt. You know, those things meant to be shirts but their more like jackets? Ah, well anyway, they seem depressing, don't they? Meh, I like 'em because they look cool to me. I could just hear Rainbow Dash's voice, “about 20% cooler.” Ah, yes, how many times had she said that in the past ten days.
I checked my face (hey, I have zits too, you know). My blue eyes seemed starkly pale in human form, and the silver one practically glowed. My sandy/dirty blond hair was its usual scruffy look. I reached into my pocket, hoping that what I wanted was there. Ah, yes! I pulled out a ring that was too big for about anyone's finger (maybe a thumb would fit it) that had the symbols of the zodiacs carved along its silver outside.
This ring had been with me since my travels had started. It had gotten me through many a bad situation, and not having it seemed like part of myself was missing. There was a knob to turn a gold rim on the inside around. You would stop the gold when the arrow carved into it rested on the position of a zodiac. That zodiac symbol would boost your abilities in that field.
Such as the main three associated with Lunars: Leo, Aries, and Sagittarius (oh, the irony). Leo boosts fighting power and fire/light abilities. Aries boosts endurance and earth abilities, and Sagittarius boosts aiming and wind. The others don't interest me that much, but they can be useful.
After you selected your zodiac, you would put on the ring, and it would adjust to your hand, but only if you were the original owner of that ring or had inherited it.
I placed the ring back in my pocket and smiled. This was already feeling like home.
I took another look at myself in the mirror. Compared to the ponies, I was about 6 feet tall and they seemed about 4. Shrugging to myself, I went on to the kitchen. It was the same as the rest of the house, except it had tile instead of carpet. I walked to the fridge and opened it up. Hmph, of course. Nothing but one frozen pizza and a few Dr. Pepper cans. Ah, well, better than nothing. I stuck the pizza in the oven and walked out of the room after setting it up.
Making my way back to the living room, I now turned to the staircase leading to my bedroom. I got to the top of the stairs and turned into a MOHOGANY door, a normal one at that. Well, normal for humans.
I stepped into my room, which was, like most rooms on the second floor, literally glowing with a light purple color. That was because the runes on the outside infused Lunar power into the rocks. Looking to the end of the large room, I found my bed. As I walked towards it, I passed pictures of my past lives in other worlds. I stopped to stare at a few.
Ah yes, Code Geass. I actually got the world to believe that Lelouch was a good guy and fixed a lot of relationships. Oh, and there's Edward and Alphonse Elric. A sad story for those two. Oh, and there's Ichigo and his gang. I loved running around with a zanpakuto. Then I stepped up to my two personal favorites: Lunar Knights and Boktai.
Oh, I remembered the times I'd had with the twins Django and Sabata. Those two got into plenty of trouble saving the world from vampires. So much fun, killing them. The vampires, I mean. And of course Lucian and Aaron. Coming in hundreds of years later when vampires ruled, and using different powers from before, but still slightly the same. The story gets really deep later on. If you've never heard of these people or subjects, look them up now.
Back to the story. I finally finished reminiscing and turned to a cabinet next to my bed. Opening it carefully, I peered inside and sighed in relief. My weapons made it here too. My Seer's Word, a sword that gets a new form for each encounter. Right now it could be a broadsword; scythe, lance, and, sword from (Lunar Knights); a zanpakuto; a buster sword (ah, my adventures with Cloud); clawed diamond knuckles (think of brass knuckles that are more like fingerless gloves that have three-quarter foot claws made from diamond coming from the knuckles. Got those from my adventures in the world of Warriors. Quite interesting); then a cross shaped sword (imagine a three foot long blade that has a shorter piece of a sword crossing it two feet up it, and the whole thing is made of silver. Got that from Castlevania, from working with Soma Cruse. Pretty awesome guy). Seer's Word was another thing that had been with me from the beginning.
Looking to the left, I saw a more recent weapon, Seer's Row. It was a gun unlike any other. Imagine a sawed off shotgun with the hammer of a .38 pistol and a quite huge handle (or is it stock? I've forgotten). It was specifically crafted by the best gunsmith in Asmeria (you'll learn about that later), for one of my good friends. But that friend had died, giving me inheritance. It was modifiable, as were the rounds, to be a shotgun-ish thing, shoot like a regular pistol, or shoot like a M429 PARA… (yeah, I don’t know where that came from, either)
Anyway, Seer’s Row was quite the weapon. I’d used it on many occasions and it used the shooter’s energy for bullets, so you technically never ran out.
Sighing as I thought of what situations it had also gotten me- and others- into, I placed Row back in its place and shut the cabinet. I turned and left the room before my memories flooded me any further. I plodded heavily down the stairs and turned into the living room again. Looking around, I found a full-metal door set with runes in certain places. That was what led to the Alcoves.
The Alcoves of Time, Space, and the Elements were my access to the other worlds. I could go to any place, any time in that place, and I could change certain things in that place and time. My Seer powers only allowed me to open the “doors” to other places if I had a strong connection to them, and that was only when I had built a house that contained the Alcoves there.
I turned from the Alcoves and went to the kitchen, just in time for the oven to, instead of beep, screech shrilly at me. Covering my ears, I ran to it and hit the timer. It stopped abruptly and I sighed. Then I realized. How long had I been upstairs?
Looking at the clock, I saw 6:20. I had been immersed in my past for that long? That’s not a good sign. As it was, I pulled the pizza out, not caring for the burns (well, then), and I turned to the fridge. I set the pizza down and pulled out a Dr. Pepper. Sitting down with a sigh, I began to eat.
While eating, I mulled the events that had happened since my arriving here. I had met the ponies, and it took a while for them to accept me. Except for those six. The Mane six. Tears still sprung into my eyes as I thought of how easily they had just accepted me. They had genuinely considered me a friend, and I considered them family.
The past week and a half was one the best in my eternal life. I hadn’t truly had people I could say I was close to in a loooooooong time. Being who I was, I had a few friends, but I was mostly just treated with respect and courteous gestures. It was like I was the Gods and Goddesses themselves… wait, scratch the latter part of that. You get the picture, don’t you?
Anyway, I had also gotten to know the ponies so much better. I now felt a natural kinship towards them, and Spike, well, he was just Spike. I’m a fan of dragons, but Spike… He was a different type entirely.
I was still lost in thought when a loud knocking came from the front door.”I’m coming!” I called as I changed into A.L.S (abbreviation for you know what) form. I reached the living room only to find that the girls were already there, and Pinkie was happily bouncing around the others. I quickly stepped in before they found something.
“Hey, girls!” I said a little over-cheerfully, “I’m still working on the house so I think we should go outside to talk.” I beamed fake-ly and ushered them to the front porch. I noticed Rarity, who was just standing there, mouth agape. That reminded me, I should ask her about decorating. She had been outside the whole time, so at least she hadn’t seen the dullness of it.
“Ah came home and Applebloom gave me your note.” Applejack said. “I didn’t really want to believe it, but here we are. You’ve gotten your house built already.”
“Yeah, I just got some tools and used my magic.” I replied, the smile still plastered on my face.
Pinkie came next, “Yeah! And it’s SO big! And funny looking!” I winced at that. “Oh! We should have a party!”
I started, “Um, let’s NOT, okay Pinkie? I think we’ve had enough for a while.” I looked to the others for help. They all nodded in agreement.
Pinkie’s head and ears drooped and I stepped up to her. “Hey, it’s okay, we’ve just had so many these past few days and-” I didn’t finish.
“Hah! Gotcha!” Pinkie cried, giggling. I again sat there confused until I realized her trick.
Chuckling, I turned to the other five. “So, is there anything else you came here for?”
“Well, we came to see your house, because Fluttershy saw it being built earlier, and she heard some shouting. Do you know what that was?” Twilight said with a gleam of mischief in her eyes.
Shit, it was that loud? “I, uh, well… I was… well, you see…”
Pinkie’s hoof shot in the air, “Derpy told me she found you yelling at your tools!” Then she beamed for all she was worth, obviously happy at her discovery. The others stared at her, then at me. I broke into a sheepish grin and coughed nervously.
“Yeah, that was me.” I said with another small grin, “I don’t know why I was doing it, I just… Well, I just felt like it.”
Dash rolled her eyes, “Well it seems like an awfully weird thing to want to do.” She scoffed.
“Oh, don’t you start that again.” I said teasingly, and drew her in and gave a good, brotherly noogie. I always felt an urge to that to her, but I never had. Rainbow struggled in my grip and I laughed. Suddenly I thought, Raaaaaapeeeeeee, and I told myself to shut up. Get my head out of the gutter, as it were.
Dash took this moment of confusion I had and turned it against me, throwing me back and flying a few yards away. I sat up, groaned, and turned to the others. They all had slightly shocked looks on their faces.
“…Yes?” I asked.
“Ah, well, you see, Mobius, uh…” Applejack began.
“What she’s trying to say, Mobius, is that that was entirely uncouth.” Rarity said simply.
I slowly came to the realization, “Oh. That… was just a… joke?” I said it as if I were unsure if that were true myself.
Pinkie came hopping around and said, “Really? I love jokes! What others have you got?”
Again I stood dumbfounded, “Well, I… I mean, uh,” I wasn’t getting anywhere with this. I just sort of hung my head and mumbled, “Sorry…”
Dash came up to me, “What the hay was that? What made you think that you could even do that? What-”
Applejack had grabbed her tail in her mouth, “Whoa there, Nelly. Slow down a bit, R.D. Mobius said he was sorry, so just drop it.” Trust Applejack to save your ass.
Rainbow shot a glare at me, then looked surprisingly guilty. “Y-yeah, uh, I’m sorry too.” Where the heck had that come from?
I stumbled over my words, “Um, s’okay…” I slurred, confused.
Twilight decided that then was the time to intervene. “Okay, then, girls, let’s leave Mobius for the night. We’ve said hi, now we can go.”
They all agreed, and the awkward moment was over. I flashed a grateful look at Applejack, but she was looking away, the hurt look on her face. I knew what she was thinking. I was still hiding something. Without a word, she trotted along after the others.
I sighed. I’ve never had so much trouble keeping my true self a secret. In all these years, I’d never felt such an urge to blurt out what I really was.
Sighing again, I turned back to my house and padded through the gray living room, up the gray- walled stairs, into my bedroom, and climbed slowly into bed. As I drifted off, I felt two thoughts run through my head: The only thing I can get Applejack… is the truth. And the other: I really don’t like this gray. A lot.