//------------------------------// // Ch.10: A new outlook, a new quest // Story: A bard's tale // by Brotato //------------------------------// Chapter 10 A new outlook, a new quest "Deekin, for the last time, there aren't any monsters coming to get you." After Celestia had ordered the three ponies and kobold to leave Canterlot, they had reached the chariot only to be stopped by a guard. He explained to them what had happened after their departure and that Celestia wished to see them at the dungeon's entrance. However, Deekin wasn't buying it. His clawed hands held the chariot in a death grip as Twilight tried to pull him away with magic. "D-Deekin doesn't believe you!" Deekin wailed. "He seen that creature stare at him and felt his blood run colder than the blizzards back home!" His eyes boggled when he felt pressure on each finger, and found Shining Armor lifting each digit with magic. "Deekin, stop being unreasonable," he ordered sternly. "Celestia took care of the creature and is in the dungeon away from everypony." With a tug of magic, he freed the chariot from one of Deekin's claws. Only to have it re-grip the chariot when he switched to the other claw. Princess Cadance laughed. "Oh, you two," she said with amusement. Nudging Shining away with a bump of her nose, he gave her an odd look. "Just watch," Cadance simply said. She turned her attention to Deekin who was looking at her with a mix of fear and curiosity with what she was going to do. Deekin watched as Cadance lifted a hoof and rubbed it over the ridges on his head and down his neck, receiving a croon from the kobold. "There's nothing to fear, Deekin," Cadance soothed. "You're in safe hooves with us." With a light tug of magic, both claws came off easily. "There we go. Was that so hard?" "Y-Yes..." Deekin muttered. He suddenly had a feeling of vertigo as he was lifted in the air by Twilight's magic. "Wah!" "Good, because Celestia is probably wondering what's taking us so long!" Without another word, she carried Deekin away as he struggled with the uncomfortable feeling of being held by magic. Cadance and Shining fell behind her as they made they way back towards the throne room. Deekin looked at Cadance with a mix of sadness and betrayal, which she returned with an uneasy smile. "Sorry." "Princess!" Twilight set Deekin down gently and galloped down the polished hallway toward her mentor. She nuzzled her chest to give some comfort in knowing she was alright.. "Are you okay? What happened to that creature? Are you hurt?" Celestia returned the affection and giggled at Twilight shifting between her safety and curiosity towards the construct. "I'm fine, Twilight. As for what happened to the creature, we'll see him soon enough. This way please." Celestia opened the door and strode inside the dungeons with the others following behind. They soon found themselves in a large hallway filled with cages. Each one separated with thick stone walls. Several of the bars seemed to give off an odd glow that lit up parts of the room. "Canterlot's dungeon is hardly used, but they are the best prison in Equestria," Celestia explained. "Each cage has magical properties if we need to contain somepony who cannot be held by normal steel." She demonstrated by tossing a pebble in a cell that made everypony's hairs stand up. When she pulled the pebble back with magic to go between the bars a loud buzz filled the room, leaving the pebble smoldering. She smiled at Twilight's shocked reaction. "Don't worry, they wont harm anypony outside the cell." To the right was another cage with bars that was made of a strange metal. The bars had a silver sheen to it as if covered in tin-foil. "And here we have our most expensive, but strongest bars: Pure mithril." "The bars may be, but the foundation could easily crumble," the prisoner inside stated flatly. Hidden Arm was sitting in the middle of the cage looking at the group of five in front of him. His body seemed to have repaired itself; the cracks in the ceramic not longer there. However, the right side of his face was still showing the whirring gears underneath. His glowing right eye never blinking. "Who... are you, exactly?" Twilight questioned, her brow raised curiously. She had stepped towards the bars to get a closer look at him. "Inevitable three-two-seven-five is my given numeral in my creation, but my fake identity is Hidden Aim. You are Twilight Sparkle, are you not?" Twilight took a step back. "Yes. How did you know my name?" Something made a loud clicking noise inside Hidden's body. "I visited your library back in the town known as Ponyville. Your dragon assistant was most helpful in my previous objective." "And that was?" Shining trailed off, expecting an answer. "Deekin was my objective." Hidden stared at the kobold, only making him cower behind Cadance. "After my target was captured he would be brought back to his home; his memory erased." "But why? Deekin has done nothing to harm anypony here!" "Because I am an embodiment of order, and it was my duty to see that it is maintained." His gaze pierced Twilight's, sending a shiver down her spine. "Deekin being here has changed every life he's met. He's not meant to be here. He is a trespasser, and was meant to be sent back by me." "Wait, what do you mean was meant to be sent back?" Twilight eyed him, her curiosity returned. Hidden looked at Celestia and she sighed. "That information, my dear student, might be too much for you to take." She looked at Twilight with a sad smile. "Just understand that his creator changed him for the better. His quest is to no longer force Deekin from Equestria. He will only take him away whenever Deekin sees fit." Everypony turned back toward Hidden Aim and he nodded his head. "She is correct. I am still sorting through my scripts, but it is clear my objective is to only protect Deekin until he wishes to depart." Twilight eyed him skeptically while letting out a long thoughtful hum. "Alright, but I'm only trusting you because the Princess does." She looked toward her mentor. "So what now?" Celestia softly hummed. "There's still the issue with your lute, Deekin." She eyed the kobold who stared back with wide eyes. "We need to see to it that its powers are never used. If I may?" Deekin nodded and unslung it from his shoulder before holding it up toward her. She lifted it up further with magic and kept it floating beside her. "Thank you." She opened Hidden's cage and motioned for him to leave. "If there is nothing else, you may all go before any of the guards suspect anything." She moved through the group to leave, but stopped several feet toward the exit. "Oh, and if you wish for another instrument. I'm sure there's a certain store you would love to visit." After Hidden had been released and changed back into his pony form, he easily left the castle without hassle with the guards. His body was able to regenerate over time, but his face could not. Cracks and dents could be fixed, but the ceramic that had already broken were permanently damaged. Leaving the right side of his face to look like it wrestled with a lion's mouth whenever he was in disguise. The group casually walked down the main street of Canterlot where most of the stores were located. The sun was past its apex and began its descent, meaning it was close to supper. Already several establishments could be seen bustling with business, making the streets fairly clear. "If it makes you feel any better, the royal guards would be jealous to have a scar like that." Shining armor stated. Hidden Aim shrugged. "My outward appearance is only to blend in with the crowd. I could care less what others think of me. So long as they don't know what I truly am." Cadance raised her brow quizzically. "Really? The form you chose makes me think otherwise," she teased. Shining furrowed his brow and looked at her, causing a giggle to escape her. "Oh, honey. You're handsome too." Twilight ignored the affectionate noises coming from behind her. "Anyway. We might as well find you a new instrument, Deekin. I remember a music shop being on this street when I was a filly. I wonder if they're still open." Deekin sighed as he hung his head. "It was Deekin's favorite lute too." When they found themselves at a cross-section Twilight spotted the familiar sign of a giant clef across the street. The building itself was white had two stories with instruments on display against the large window that took up most of the front. The entrance was past the window and up two steps leading to a simple white door. On it was a small sign that said in bright orange: Open. "Cadance and I need to head back to the castle to... do something," Shining finished lamely. "See you Twily." Giving his little sister a hug, he began to depart. Cadance rolled her eyes. "Goodbye Twilight, and you too Deekin." She gave both of them also a quick hug before catching up with Shining. The two ponies and kobold ignored the stared and gasps from anypony they came across and crossed the street to enter the music shop. The doorway gave out a small ringing sounds as a bell flailed to announce them to the storekeeper; which was nowhere in sight. To the left was a plain white wall and in front was the front desk splayed with odd trinkets that the owner kept for amusement. Behind that was a red curtain with a doorway leading to rooms in the back. To the right were shelves stocked with traditional music needs such as replacement stings, straps, or cases for travel. Along the wall past the shelves were lines of sting instruments, while in the back of the building there was a piano on display. To say the storekeeper liked to keep the place organized would be saying Rainbow dash enjoys napping. "I'll be with you in just a minute!" A feminine voice yelled in the backrooms behind the desk. "This place is very... orderly," Hidden pointed out. He stood at the entryway while Twilight and Deekin made their way through the shelves, looking for nothing in particular. "I don't know if this place has a lute, but maybe we could find something to replace it?" Twilight suggested while eyeing the instruments. Deekin grunted. "Deekin never seen these strange devices in all his life." He pulled at the string of a nearby guitar and cringed at the high-pitched twang. "Nor have any interest in playing them." "I'm terribly sorry about the wait, what can I do for you-uh..." Twilight looked toward where the voice was coming from to find a biege earth pony staring at Deekin. Her silver eyes were wide in shock, but didn't show any fear of the kobold. "Hello." Twilight greeted quickly to tear the storekeepers gaze away from Deekin. The last thing she needed was somepony calling the guards over him. "I'm Twilight Sparkle and my friend here is Deekin." The storekeeper returned the greeting and said her name was Capella, before asking again how she could be of assistance. "We were wondering if you had any lutes. Deekin lost his and needs a new one." "A lute? Your friend here has some old tastes." Capella tapped a hoof to her chin. "Sorry, I can't help-" She took notice of Hidden Aim still standing in the doorway, staring off at nothing in particular. "Actually..." she looked around the room as if there were somepony else watching, then motioned a hoof for them to follow her to the back. The room behind the curtain had a small dining area, meaning this was her workplace and home. A small kitchen was just beside the table most likely where she ate her meals. Straight ahead were a flight of stairs to the second story of the building. "Alright." Capella whirled in place when everypony was inside. "I'm sorry for all of this and it must look silly, but you have to trust me." Her eyes looked pleading as she said this. Twilight nodded her head. "We understand. So, what's this all about?" Her own brow worried with what was going on. Capella sat on her haunches and tapped her hooves together nervously. "About three days ago my sister, Octavia, went missing after a phenomenal performance at the theater not far from this building. I tried looking for her and even the guard did, but I couldn't find her anywhere. That was until I got a letter this morning." She opened a drawer and pulled out a envelope. Twilight brought it close when Capella handed to her and opened it. "A letter?" Dear Capella Clef We have your sister. If you wish to see her again, leave a sack of two-hundred bits in the back dumpster near Morning glory's flower shop. Fail to do so and you'll never see your sister again. We will be watching. Signed, The CB "The CB? Who are they?" Twilight asked as she flipped the letter to see if she missed anything. "The Canterlot Bandits of course." Saying as if it was obvious. "They must've taken my sister when she was returning from the theater!" "You wish for me to rescue your sister, do you not?" Hidden stated flatly. Capella nodded her head while wiping away a tear. "No." "What?" Capella asked, her sadness only getting worse. "It was quite obvious," Hidden said with a shrug. "You believe I can save your sister only because of the rumors that I saved a pony from three thugs this morning. I didn't expect it to spread so quickly, and I am deeply sorry for giving you any hope that I-" A firm slap caused him to shut up, even if it had no effect but give Capella a very sore hoof. "Do you know how many ponies stood up against them?" Hidden was actually about to give an answer, but she didn't give him a chance. "None!" Tears streamed down her face as she yelled. "You're the first pony who ever fought back. Everypony fears what they can do, and the guards can do nothing about it because they're gone before they arrive. I thought you would be the hero I was looking for, but you're nothing but a coward!" She sobbed as she looked at the ground, the tears gathering on the shiny lacquered floor, her anger dwindling away into more sadness. "Why cant you under stand. All I want is my dear sister back." Deekin had his own sorrowful expression as he looked at Capella. He didn't like the thought of someone losing family over another. He remembered several kobolds he believed to be friends lose their lives to either blizzards or the troll tribe in the mountains. Seeing this poor pony in the same situation reminded him of himself, but she could be helped. Hidden refusing to made him quite peeved. "I-I'll do it." Everypony in the room looked at Deekin and said the same word at once. "What?" Deekin did his best to stand tall and fearless, which could possibly impress a mouse or two. "I'll save your sister!" "Deekin," Twilight began. "These ponies sound dangerous. While I appreciate your bravery, you might get hurt. Or worse!" For once ever since he's been here, a mischievous grin formed on Deekin's face. "You misunderstand Deekin. I am going to save her sister." He pointed a claw at Hidden. "But he's coming with me!" Hidden Aim looked back at Capella who was quietly sobbing, then back at Deekin's clawed finger. He let out a deep sigh. "Very well."