//------------------------------// // Chapter 43 - Reaching The Destination // Story: Quest For Harmony // by destinedjagold //------------------------------// "Bloody..." I panted as my left hoof finally reached the last step of this darn staircase... "...stairs...umf..." I dropped myself on the castle's fourth floor. There were several unicorns on the lower floors though, but they were really busy running around for whatever reason, and they really didn't my our presence...except for this unicorn who is already approaching us from his post in front of the castle's library, where Applejack and I are heading. Great... "What are two earth ponies doing here?" he asked with a raised eyebrow. Applejack glared, "Brownie here's lookin' fer this here castle's library." The unicorn's eyebrow arched even further, and Applejack rolled her eyes. "Twahlight sent 'im." "That's Princess Twilight, you unrespectful dirt-pony!" the unicorn hissed with both narrowed eyes and glowing horn. His partner, who was still standing on his post meters away in front of the library's door, turned his attention at us with a confused look, while Applejack took a daring step forward, and glaring daggers at the unicorn. Me? Oh, nothing new... I'm still lying on the ground, panting, tired, and hungry... "Ah suggest ye step aside, horny," I actually blinked at that. I stared at Applejack, and yeah, she's grinning. "Or do ya want yer princess tah strip ya." Wow...uh... The unicorn's horn stopped glowing, but his glare and stance remained. "What makes you think I'll let you pass?" I didn't plan this... We're goners. Oh well... At least I tr---Applejack took out a scroll from her saddlebag with her mouth. She then turned with a glare to the unicorn in front of her, and judging from how she's trying not to bite the scroll and split it in half, she must really be wanting to kick the poor unicorn to kingdom come. The unicorn grabbed the piece of parchment with his magic, and studied the seal. "That there's from this horn-head called Rarity. She asked us tah deliver that to yer princess, but she told us to put it inside the library," she explained with a glare and a lame-sounding voice. The unicorn opened his mouth, but no words came up. He shook his head slightly. "Fine, fine. I believe you," he said lowly through clenched teeth. Applejack then took the scroll with a fast hoof. Heh. "But only one of you will go inside." Applejack was about to protest when I cut her of with an intentional loud groan as I stood on all four. "I-is the library neatl-ly arranged now?" He arched me an eyebrow. "What do you mean?" I shrugged. "Last time I was there, the books were all scattered about." "You've been inside before?" I flashed him a lame look. "Oh, really? No." He actually growled, and I winced slightly. "Okay okay, I was, sheesh... Look, let me just deliver this here paper and then we'll leave." "Be quick about it," he hissed and he exhaled sharply before tuning around and walking back to his post. Applejack and I soon followed after I took the scroll from her. "Ah'm gonna wait out here," she said as she was staring around, until she suddenly stopped. Curious, I stopped as well, and she was staring at the hallway opposite to where we came from. I was going to ask what it was, but judging from how her neutral expression suddenly became like she could take this castle down to ashes, I kept my mouth shut. "Ah think ah need to go somewhere," she hissed through clenched teeth and started walking away. I...guess I'm on my own then. The two unicorns lit their horns and opened the double door to the library. Noticing my lame look, they both turned their heads and saw how messy the library is. It still even have that black explosion marks on the ground, where Twilight's magic and Spike's flames exploded. Spike... "Th-that's Princess Celestia...?" the other unicorn whispered in disbelief. I rolled my eyes as I walked inside. Finally, I can talk to Celestia. I jumped, startled, after a loud bang sound of wood or something echoed. I quickly turned around and saw the startled looks of the two unicorns. "What was that just now?" I asked the two of them. The two unicorns looked at each other, and then back to me. Seeing their faces, I'm certain that they don't know as well. After staring at the peaceful form of Celestia for a few moments, they then closed the double doors. I took a deep breath, and exhaled. I then took a step forward, and then another, and another... I stopped. Nothing bad is happening yet. What the heck, why am I waiting for something bad to happen!? I continued moving forward. --- Turning around the corner, Applejack took notice of the nearest door of a room that just closed. Exhaling angrily, she marched towards the door, and slammed a hoof, instantly opening the door and slamming it on the wall, creating a loud bang, and startling the red stallion inside, dropping the golden helmet from his hooves. "Ah've got somethin' tah say to yah, mister," Applejack hissed with a cold glare at the shocked red earth stallion, and everything went dead silent, saved for the creaking sound from the door, that is slowly closing.