//------------------------------// // Capitulo Veinticinco // Story: Cuatro // by Dirty Bit //------------------------------// Capitulo Veinticinco Omen Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie shivered under the seemingly intense gaze Cuatro was giving them, and the strange alicorn proceeded to speak "I'm aware of your habit of pranking...However, I must say that I do not favor you trying to make trouble for the crusaders while I was busy protecting them..." Pinkie piped up "Well, the pranks WERE for you-Oof!" A light elbow in her stomach from Rainbow Dash ceased her words. Rainbow Dash grinned as she replied to Cuatro "Okay, so maybe we might've gotten out of hoof with the pranks, but it was all in good fun, right?" Cuatro stared back at the cyan pegasus after her attempted recovery "Your idea of fun has already held a negative impact on Scootaloo...I should've known the color of my strawberry snow cone seemed darker in shade...But what struck me as curious was back at Sweet Apple Acres, when Pinkie was itching uncontrollably..." Pinkie giggled "Well, that's another funny story! You see, Dashie tried to use some itching powder on y-" "Pinkie!" Rainbow Dash hissed with a glare before she turned back to Cuatro with a terrified look in her eyes "Um, you know how Pinkie gets, right, C!?" She chuckled with a shaky grin "So, why don't we call your lesson on loyalty learned and maybe you won't have to do anything to us?" Cuatro stared at the two in silence, and the longer he stared, the more Rainbow Dash and Pinkie grew frightened; they figured he was plotting an ingenious scheme of revenge on them, as if they caused him to hold a vendetta for their action. He looked away and calmly said "I suppose I can let this go...I'll let the crusaders know my work here is done..." Rainbow Dash and Pinkie both heaved sighs of relief as they wiped the sweat from their brows while Cuatro walked away "However...This also means you can forget about learning Sonido..." He shifted his head back for a sideways glance back at the pranking duo "Rainbow Dash..." The strange alicorn then trotted away, leaving behind a confused Pinkie Pie and a slackjawed Rainbow Dash behind. _____ Later, Cuatro was back at the library, where he went back to reading his history book. Twilight was sitting beside him, scanning Cuatro's list of fragmented memories and hummed to herself 'Aizen, Hueco Mundo, Ichigo, Las Noches, cero, Murciélago, Soul Society, arrancar, and humans...I have to start asking around to see if anypony can distinguish these terms as well! Then again, they probably won't believe me...' She turned to Cuatro and observed him while he was engrossed in his literature, then decided to break the ice "So how was your time with Rainbow Dash, Cuatro? Did you learn about loyalty?" "In more ways than one..." Cuatro replied as he flipped a page, his eyes still focused on his book. Twilight beamed at this "Sounds like you might learn all about the Magic of Friendship sooner than you get your memories back! Isn't that great?" Cuatro flipped another page "If it makes you and your friends happy, then I suppose it is..." Twilight lost her smile upon his response and gave a small huff "I just don't get you, Cuatro! You don't even sound enthusiastic at all! It's nearly impossible for anypony with amnesia to feel so...so..." Cuatro shifted his eyes at Twilight "Empty?" He asked with his usual tone, albeit inquisitive. His answer silenced Twilight as she stared at him with a frown. The strange alicorn placed a bookmark in his book with his magic and set it down as he turned his head to face Twilight "I'm fully aware of my apparently ill-favored demeanor...Sure, my interaction may seem unappealing to most, but for all we know, it could be a clue to my memories...I'm trying my best to interact differently with others since it bothers you so much." Twilight was silent, then drooped her ears as she held a look of regret "I'm...I'm sorry about that, Cuatro. That was uncalled for..." She then smiled "But I'm glad to see you're bettering yourself while living with us. So how did Rainbow Dash teach you loyalty?" Cuatro replied "She had me watch Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo for most of the day. However, she and Pinkie Pie thought it would be a good idea to prank me during my lesson. Scootaloo managed to fall victim to one of their pranks; a minor fault on my end...But I managed to pass my test..." Twilight tilted her head "I take it you avoided every one of their pranks? Or did they decide to stop?" Cuatro levitated his history book and opened it back up as he went back to reading "The latter...and I intend to keep it that way...As punishment for the trouble she put me and the fillies through, I will not teach her Sonido..." Twilight frowned before she gave a brief chuckle "A bit harsh, but it's for the best. We wouldn't want Rainbow Dash to be flaunting more of her speed around Ponyville when it isn't needed!" Spike waddled into the library with an apron tied on his body "I'll say! She can only be so level-headed most of the time, but she always loves to show off!" Cuatro gave a curt nod "Agreed..." As he read, he heard Twilight and Spike share a laugh amongst themselves. Spike looked at the two ponies and pointed towards the kitchen "Anyways, dinner's done! You two should probably eat before going back to reading and stuff!" Cuatro rose from the sofa while he was still reading "Understood..." The group trotted into the kitchen to eat their meal. In the kitchen, Twilight and Cuatro sat in their chairs while Spike prepared his dish for the evening: A fine radish broth. He poured some into three bowls using a ladle to scoop it up. After he passed out the bowls, the trio enjoyed their meals. Cuatro read on in his book and finally reached where the three pony tribes had founded Equestria. He forgot to read up to this point from this morning, and what was shown has intrigued him. He ceased his reading and looked at Twilight as she sipped some of her soup "Twilight, can I ask you where alicorns fit into the founding of Equestria?" Twilight looked at Cuatro "Are you referring to the story of the three pony tribes? Well, alicorns were around before Equestria. They weren't properly mentioned throughout history is all. Even their main origins are a mystery!" Spike smiled "But what really makes the founding of Equestria so amazing is how it started Hearth's Warming! We usually go to Canterlot every year and perform a pageant explaining both Equestria's birth and the true meaning of Hearth's Warming through songs!" Twilight chimed in "Seeing as how it's less than a month away, I'm sure you could enjoy our performance on stage!" Cuatro gave a curt nod "I see..." He set down his book after closing it and took a sip of his broth "I wonder if it would be best to learn either generosity or kindness come tomorrow..." Spike piped up "I vote kindness! It'll be nice to see you and Fluttershy bond, since you two barely talk at all! What do you say?" Cuatro turned to Spike "Your suggestions prove to be all the more helpful, Spike..." Spike chuckled "It's what I'm here for! I AM Twilight's Number One assistant, after all!" Twilight smiled "So it's gonna be Fluttershy tomorrow then? This next lesson will be a breeze with how kind you can be, Cuatro!" Cuatro looked back at Twilight "Even if I'm-" "That doesn't exactly matter at this point." Twilight interrupted "Sure you appear empty, but I'd say that we're steering you in the right direction with learning about friendship each day. After all, how can one feel empty in a world full of friends?" She asked in a warm tone. Cuatro stared at Twilight and Spike smiling at him, then bowed his head with his eyes closed, giving off his gratitude in silence before going back to sipping his broth. As he ate his dinner, he reflected on Twilight's words and how they were so moving towards him while he was considered an empty shell. "They truly are my friends to care so deeply about me like this..." _____ Celestia sat in her study, writing in her diary with a small smile 'Today's meeting had gone better than expected...Aside from discussing certain taxes, there has not been any rough problems to deal with. I believe the noble's are finally starting to see the bigger picture with how they choose to act in their roles.' Interrupting her entry, a green flame bursted out in front of her, followed by a wrapped scroll. Celestia took it with her magic and unraveled it to read its contents. Dear Princess Celestia, Today I learned two things: The value of my loyalty towards other ponies, and myself in the eyes of your personal student. When it comes to loyalty, it is wise to stand up for your friends and to do your best to ensure their safety and well-being, even if trouble comes from the most unlikely of places. As for myself, I was considered empty by many ponies, including Twilight Sparkle. But what she had told me inspired me to cherish both my friends and their lessons. The time cannot be predicted, but in a world full of friends, they could be all I need for me to be whole again, with or without my memories. From this point on, I hope to remain loyal and protective of those that I hold dear, even if I am considered a stranger to you and the rest of Equestria. I thank you personally for letting me discover this firsthoof. Sincerely, Cuatro P.S.: Please tell Luna I said hello. Celestia read the paper start to finish with a neutral expression, and sighed. She thought to herself on Cuatro's progress 'He is doing well according to this letter. And to think that he would send another the day after his first one...Maybe if he has learned enough, then perhaps...' Celestia shook her head at the thought 'No...I'm still uncertain if it would be the right time for him to get his memories back altogether...I cannot comprehend what exactly might happen if he does manage to, but I'll need more proof of him learning about friendship before he can even remember his old life...' The solar princess rose from her rug and looked at the letter once more before she managed a thin smile 'I suppose I should at least acknowledge this small favor for his success in learning...' She trotted out of her study and made for Luna's bedroom. _____ Cuatro's eyes were closed, and the sound of wind whistling in the air was enough for him to open his eyes. He looked around and noticed that he was not in Ponyville, but instead in the middle of a vast and ominous desert that was flowing with white sand and held a small amount of leafless trees. He looked up in the vast pitch black sky to see a crescent moon giving off a pale glow over the landscape. It was not Luna's moon upon first glance, but it felt familiar with how the strange alicorn continued to glance at it. The longer he looked at it, the more the particular image set into his mind and filled it with clarity. "I've seen this before..." It was all he could think, but Cuatro was sure of it. Lowering his head to look forward, he decided to advance across the ominous desert and see if there was more for him to discover. He approached one of the trees and gently placed a hoof on it, slowly sliding it down to feel its texture. "This tree...It's not made from bark." Indeed it wasn't. It felt more of a hardened texture than any other common tree; as if it were made entirely from rocks or a set of minerals. He drew his hoof away and continued onward to see what else was possibly waiting for him. A small trek later brought Cuatro to what appeared to be a large palace nearby. It consisted of a main building with a domed center surrounded by several large towers and smaller buildings, with five smaller towers seen atop of the dome structure. The palace was far, but it felt so close with its large and majestic size, along with its lingering familiarity with how much longer Cuatro stared at it. However, as he stared at it, the strange alicorn felt both his heart shrink and his mind slowly ridding himself of the memories he had shared with his friends in Ponyville. With a grunt, he shook his head and looked down, placing a hoof on his temple. "What happened? This was entirely different from what I had experienced in the past...Is this place actually connected to my memories?" The strange alicorn began to wonder if such a dark and lifeless area like this even existed in Equestria with how it was presumably peaceful to his eyes. He felt a small pinch in his head as he gave a light grunt, rubbing his head with his hoof. "Wait...It could be...I remember...I mentioned...Hueco Mundo and..." He looked back up at the moon looming over the vast palace in the distance "Las Noches..." He uttered in realization as he stared. It was unwise to jump to conclusions, but Cuatro felt that this very area could be linked to his lost memories. However, he felt the same feeling from before while he looked upon the palace and quickly averted his eyes from it, not wanting to deal with it again. "Why is this happening? Should I still look at that palace and see what happens next?" A tempting thought, with how the supposed 'Las Noches' is linked to Cuatro's lost past. Before he thought about actually looking at it again, the ground shook as a deafening roar was heard. Cuatro looked behind him to see a monster standing a few feet away from him, and turned to face him to distinguish its features. It was a bipedal monster that wore a tied, but tattered black cloth and a torn right sleeve; Its entire skin was white, save for the blackened lines that extended from the visibly wide hole located at the upper chest region. The lines reached up across its shoulders and neck region all the way up to its skeletal head, which bared razor sharp fangs and two large curved horns; large orange locks hung from behind its head. On the neck, arms, and legs of the beast rested tufts of brillant red fur. It held a black katana blade in its right hand while it leered at the strange alicorn with glowing yellow eyes, and its body covered itself in a bright red aura before it gave out another piercing, but warbled roar as the ground shook once again from its mighty sound. Cuatro stared at the monster in front of him with a feeling he never thought he would discover: Fear. Undeniable fear. Cuatro proved to be powerful according to his friends, but he could not move from his spot as he gazed into the source of his seemingly overwhelming fear, his pupils slightly shrunk. "Who is that? What is that?" While the strange alicorn chose to remain motionless in front of his new predator, the horned beast went into a stance as a sphere of red energy began to form in between the tip of its horns. The sphere grew in both size and intensity, the power from it being felt even by Cuatro as he continued to stare. "This attack...I must move...I have to move..." As much as he urged himself to, Cuatro felt powerless in front of the attack as it went from a sphere into a large blast that made a direct course towards him while the monster roared a third time. As it neared Cuatro, he unknowingly felt his fear vanish as he went back into his emotionless state, staring his death in the face as it was about to cover him entirely. Only two words came out of his mouth in a straight tone. "...Do it..." Afterwards, there was a vast explosion, followed by a white flash. _____ Cuatro instantly sat up in his bed with a light grunt, a small sweat on his brow. He looked around to see he was back in the upper level of Ponyville library, sleeping in his guest bed. To make sure, he looked over to see Twilight and Spike sleeping contently in their own beds. He turned to the window to see that it was far from morning, perhaps not much a few minutes from when he went to bed after looking at the moon. The time did not matter to Cuatro, however. His mind was tentatively wrapped on his spine-chilling nightmare. To think that there existed a possibly profound clue to his past along with the only thing to ever give him fear was a lot for the strange alicorn to take in. "That monster...I must have seen it before. But why did I surrender to its attack so willingly other than fear? Could there be more to this nightmare?" With how he woke himself up to the point of constant contemplation over his nightmare, Cuatro decided to raise from his bed and quietly go downstairs. He trotted towards the sofa and levitated his scroll of documented memories towards him, looking over each term until his eyes stopped on the words 'Las Noches'. Cuatro was beginning to think that Twilight's theory about Las Noches being a location in Hueco Mundo was correct. What would be hard to explain to her and the rest of his friends is how he came into contact with a threat that could possibly be looming in Equestria. _____ Three shadowed figures flew over the murky landscape that was known by many as the Haysead Swamps. The trio reached over half of the treacherous land "We flew too long! Can't we just take a break already?" One voice complained in a deep male tone. Another voice growled irritably as it replied to the first voice in an adolescent tone "Fine, you big baby! Might as well gather our strength if we're gonna keep going like this!" The three figures swooped down into the swamp for a small rest. After their landing, a third male voice sounded off "I'm surprised you're actually going through with this! You know we'd be in a lot of trouble if anyone found out we're gone?" "Shut up! Don't you want revenge as much as I do!? We're gonna do this thing!" "I'm for it, seeing as how we were duped back then!" "I'm not as happy about it as you guys, but it's been a long time! Do we really have to-" "Yes! Where's your sense of pride!? We all know what happened back then, but I've ignored it for too long! We're finding that little prick AND his friends so we can settle this personally!" "They probably got a lot of stuff for us, too! There's a plus!" "...Well, I could use more stuff!" "That's the spirit! Alright, chumps! Break's over! Let's keep going!" The three shadows quickly flew back into the skies, out of the swamps as they continued their flight. "I don't care how long it takes, I'm gonna get even with him! No one makes a fool out of me and gets away with it!" The lead voice snarled as it carried into the sky. "We're coming for you, Spike!" To be continued...