NOTE: For those who have or have not read my previous work, keep in mind that this is the first time I’ve written a piece of fan-literature in several months, you’ll just have to bear with me if it isn’t accurate or correct. On top of that, like my previous work, I’ll occasionally sneak in a link or two for a song to be played. Whether a remix or an original song, they will mostly pertain to Pokemon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald Version.
Ancient Solitude
The Greater Equestrian Sea, a massive body of water spanning but half the size of its namesake. However, this is the deepest body of water in the world, reaching down to unexplored depths.
This has always baffled anypony who questions what lies at these cold depths. No piece of technology is advanced enough to reach there. Is there reason for this? Has development been slow so that whatever lurks at the bottom of this deep sea remains hidden?
Yes. An ancient power far greater than any deity or demigod can conjure lies under here. And, while no intelligent being can see it but fish and other oceanic creatures, its two, angry, yellow-irised eyes open. These glaring spectacles began to glow blue, as if by magic. Suddenly, a large Fwoom! echoed as the eyes moved. A dull roar followed after. This glowing was telepathy.
“Who dares to disturb the slumber and solitude of my being?” it communicated telepathically. It would fascinate any who had heard it via this almost-magical use of the speech. Another series of shuffling, and this followed more glowing, around its body. This featured a red outline in an elliptical pattern, spreading out in the center.
“I did, old foe.” there was another response to the entity. “This...This cannot be...”
“Yes, after so many millennia, something had awoken me, and I would have assumed it was you! Even after the greater of the Sky had settled our qualm, you wish to continue?”
“This was long, long ago. By now I would assume resolve-”
“‘Resolve?!’ You seek ‘resolve’?! We had conflicted before the greater had intervened! It is no time for resolve! It is time for justice!”
Whatever outer force had communicated with whatever lied under the sea, it was clearly enraged. Breaking this was a vicious roar. “JUSTICE?! You want justice?! There was no issue until you took away my sea! My being! If it is justice you want, it will be justice that is delivered! Even if I must flood the entire land before you give up! I will show you ‘justice!’”
The originally calm blackness was stirred like a violent hurricane as the beast surged through the depths. Behind it came a ferocious torrent of water. They want “Justice.” Hah! The only thing they will admit is defeat! They will be destroyed! It thought to itself as it finally breached the blackness.
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“Spi~ike, where are you?” a young, feminine voice called out. It came from a dwelling right about the northeast area of Ponyville. Here was a library built out of a massive tree, and who else could inhabit it besides the studious-yet-clumsy student of Princess Celestia, Twilight Sparkle.
As was the day’s events that she is working on, her ability would have to be rushed as the day that was dawning was extremely imperative. It was the week before Hearths Warming Eve, a holiday that she must help after previously being obligated to it.
“I’m coming, Twilight’! Ya’ got so many books here about the same things that it’s hard to find one thing over and over again.” came a voice followed by a loud cluster of thuds on a wooden floor. Tumbling down the staircase in the atrium of the small building was a small, lizard-like creature, about half the high of a normal pony, a purple coat of scales with a green ridge along his head and back.
“They’re different authors, Spike. Different opinions and viewpoints. Now, did you find the book I was looking for?”
After getting out of the piles of books and scrolls, he gave her one that he had remained clutched in his claw, this was titleless, though featured a design of a snow-white alicorn with a few designs, and none much else.
“Ah, there we go!”
Hovering the parchment-wrapped tome telekinetically, she moved it over to a small, brown, wooden table where a massive equine-shaped bust lay. Placing the book down, the lavender unicorn began flipping through the pages of the thick book.
After recovering from the fall, Spike managed to hop to his feet and walked over to Twilight. He was trying to look over her shoulder at the content when something caught his green, lizard-esque eye.
“Hey, uh...Twilight...Didn’t they say that it was gonna’ snow today?”
Turning around to face her companion, she replied, “Yeah...Why?”
He pointed a claw at the window, where, as he had asked, no snow had gathered on the pane. “Huh...Maybe the pegasi just didn’t move the clouds yet.”
Distrusting her judgement, Spike walked over and opened the door.
“Um...Twi’, there isn’t any snow at all...”
“Oh, don’t be ridiculous, it’s jus-” she stopped when she peeked out the doorway to see that he was right. There were puddles and the ground looked soft and dark. Grabbing a pair of boots before stepping outside, Twilight observed that, not only did no snow fall, but it wasn’t even cold, it was actually very warm, hot, even.
“Agh...Why is it so warm? It’s the middle of winter.” she asked in frustration. Apparently she wasn’t the only one noticing, either, everyone was walking around, staring at the sun and looking back down at the once-present snow to wonder what had happened. The only reminder of the previous snowfall was a few piles of slush with carrots and sticks.
Before she took another step, a loud CRACKOOM! reverberated throughout the area. Twilight covered her sensitive ears as she ducked down. Whatever massive explosion she had felt, not that it had happened with her experiments or anything, didn’t feel pony-made, but in fact, was a force of nature.
Looking back up, she saw that around the open skies were several black thunderheads. They were massive, dark and sickly. The student’s flabbergasted expression led to raised eyebrows, her pupils dilating and a bead of sweat forming at her brow.
“Wh-What’s going on?”
Somehow this blazing sun immediately disappeared from existence, as if Princess Luna had one of her mood-swings and took shift early (It’s not the first time that it’s happened). The clouds overhead began cascading rain, Twilight Sparkle ducked inside to avoid the downpour.
The two stood there, observing as the drops of rain slammed into the surrounding windows.
“This...Isn’t normal...” she muttered, slowly stepping back from the door.
“Don’t worry about it, Twilight, I’m sure just one of the weatherponies messed something u-” Spike was cut off by the barraging HRACRACKOOM! sound of the ensemble of thunder as vicious, white flashes appeared outside.
They remained downstairs as it continued, the violet-maned filly trying to use magically-conjured music or reading aloud as the storm continued. Through all of this noise, however, a sound came out. It was a very dull Thwump! Thwump! Thwump! Thwump!, but it was audible enough for Twilight to reach for the top-half of the horse-door and open it to see a familiar orange-hued, green-eyed face.
“Applejack? Why are you all the way out here?” Twilight asked.
“Ah can explain if you let me insahd, please!” the earth-pony yelled over the rain. Without a second though, the full door was opened, and Applejack quickly darted for a dry spot. While ringing the water out of her stetson with her teeth, Twilight repeated her question.
“Ah was doin’ some work on the storeroom for the apples, ya’ know, so they stay above freezin’ around this time. After...this happened, Ah figured you’d be the one who’d know what the hay’s goin’ on.”
“I don’t, this just sort of...came out of nowhere...”
Before either could add onto their statements, Spike felt his gut and doubled over as if he was about to retch. Instead, he raised his head, opened his mouth, and burped. A little burst of flame tailed a rolled-up parchment.
Telekinetically grabbing it from the air, Twilight removed the red ribbon, tied under the Royal Seal, and unfurled it.
“It’s from Princess Celestia...” she stated before reading it.
My Faithful Student Twilight Sparkle,
It seems that the storming is in Ponyville, too. Not very long ago, the clouds and cold were replaced as sudden heat and rain began fluctuating. I am not sure what this means, but whatever it does, it can’t be good, at all.
I need you and your friends to get to Canterlot immediately, whatever happens to be brewing, it must be anything but pleasant, especially at this time of the year.
Your Ever Loving Teacher,
Princess Celestia
“Well, what’s it say?” Applejack asked from behind her friend.
“We have to get everyone, the Princess wants us in Canterlot.” she replied.
“Hey, can I come, too? I’m sure I can-” Spike was cut off. She looked at him, her eyes not giving a look of disapproval, but of concern.
“Spike,” she started, “When something like this is happening...Whatever is happening, it can’t be good, it can be extremely dangerous, and I don’t want you to get hurt.”
He looked into her deep, purple eyes before nodding, a small smile spread across his lips. “Just be sure you don’t get hurt yourself.”
The mare returned the smile and agreed. She went to a coat rack near the door and took a semi-waterproof coat, still wearing the boots she had on. She grabbed another one, a bit larger, and hoofed it over to Applejack, who quickly swung it over her back.
They began walking the streets of Ponyville in the vicious rain. Besides a few slips in the mud and a few shrieks from either of the two as the lightning flash and the cackling of thunder, the journey was uneventful.
After about a half of an hour of stumbling and sliding in the mud and water, they finally reached the central business district-esque portion of Ponyville. Upon getting there, they immediately went to the unmistakably identifiable bakery well-known as Sugarcube Corner.
Upon reaching there, expecting the inhabitant that they knew to be laughing in the face of danger, they instead heard...nothing.
Applejack walked up and lightly knocked on the door, where it was swiftly opened to reveal a teal-blue, magenta-maned mare with matching adornments on her ears.
“I don’t even need to ask, do I?” she asked before hustling them back inside as the rain began to stop.
The two trotted upstairs and went to the nearest door, inside was what you could either call a party-zone or a disaster-zone. However, through the clutter of hats, wrappers, whistles, and other party paraphernalia, there was a single, silhouetted shape of deep and light pink resting on a wall.
“Pinkie, we ne-”
A raised hoof silenced her, she turned around, she didn’t seem confused or angry, or upset or even happy at all. She just stood there, beaming a blank expression.
“Oh...Hey guys...” she muttered in an almost-monotonous voice.
“What’s wrong? Even through all of...this...you’re never like this, never at all...” Twilight asked, an eyebrow raised in concern.
“I don’t know, even with the sunshine, and even through the rain, I feel...I don’t really know?” she gave a vague smile. “What’s up?”
“We need to get to Canterlot to get to the bottom of this.”
Even though her straight mane and expression painted that she was somber, she nodded her head, grabbed a similar pairing of a coat and boots from a nearby wardrobe, and followed the two through and out of the building.
---------
Trying to use the blazing sunshine to their advantage with haste, they hustled to a nearby meadow, where Applejack mentioned seeing a few colors in the clouds before.
Of course, once they reached here, they quickly spotted a sky-blue shape, streaking behind the seven colors of the rainbow. It was trying to move some of the other clouds away before they rushed back.
“Rainbow, we need ta’ talk to ya’!” Applejack called from below.
“What?!” sounded off a faint voice in the sky.
“We need ya’ ta’ come down! We need ta’ talk!” she repeated.
“Oh! Okay!”
The shape quickly swooped and slowed down, which then materialized into a pegasus after the loss of speed. After coming down, she walked over to the lavender unicorn in front of the trio, asking, “What’s up?”
“What’s up? Rainbow, can’t you see what’s going on here?” Twilight almost shouted at her cocky friend’s docile behavior.
“Yeah, that’s what I’m tryin’ to move all of these clouds before the rain comes-”
Before she could speak, a loud, fierce RRAAAAHAAAH! sounded off, followed by a ferocious clap of thunder as the clouds rushed in again.
The rain crashed down on the rainbow-maned filly, who frowned and stomped on the ground. “UGH! I’m never gonna get this finished!” she yelled in frustration.
“Rainbow,” Applejack started, coming up to her side, “This ain’t never gonna stop until we and the Princesses fahnd out what’s wrong here.”
She turned to her blonde-maned friend, nodded, and followed her, Pinkie and Twilight out of the field.
---------
The next destination led them to the edge of the dreaded Everfree Forest, here was a large cottage built inside of a massive, spiraling tree. Unhesitantly, Twilight trotted to the front door, and knocked.
No response. The student knocked again, once again, no answer.
“Fluttershy! We need you to come out here and help us!”
Upon that, she began to recollect that, even at that point, she’d be too stubborn to go. “Uh...Under the circumstances, Twilight,” Applejack called from behind her, “I don’t think she’d budge if you tried yankin’ her outta there, we might as well just go.”
“Yeah, you don’t want to try that either.” Rainbow Dash intervened.
Shrugging, she turned around and walked off.
“Wait!” shouted a voice from behind. The purple mare turned around to see her shy friend, quivering, but standing fast. “I’ll go if I need to...I mean...if it’s all right wi-”
“At this point, we need all the help we can get, and if it involves the Elements? Please come.”
“Okay!” she said with a bit of adamancy, but as she took another step, she fell over and fainted. Pinkie Pie slung her over her back and under part of her coat. After this, they continued away.
---------
Rarity was a completely different story, upon reaching her home, they heard all sorts of shouts of anger and franticity as she hurried with whatever she was doing. Twilight knocked on the door as she did previously, and it swiftly opened to reveal the fashionista in what appeared to be a crazed panic.
“Oh! Twilight, how great it is to see you!” she huffed.
“Rarity? What’s the big rush?” she asked, gawking in curiosity at the mare’s state.
“Oh, it’s just that the thunder is throwing me off track and the glaring sunlight is making me mess up my designs and I’m trying as fast as possible to get everything done. That’s...That’s all.”
“Well, we have bigger problems on our hooves, and Princess Celestia wants me to get us to Canterlot to figure out what’s causing all of this.”
“Oh! Of course! Let me just get my things...even...though...I still have so much work t-to do.” her speech was riddled with pauses of exhaustion.
The four of the conscious ponies waited as their friend grabbed her things. Shortly afterwards, she came out donning a coat of several bright, vibrant colors and matching boots. As she began to trot gracefully towards them, a bolt of lightning struck some distance away, jolting her from her spot. She quickly ran, and they headed for the train station.
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They finally reached the castle, and the guards wasted no time into hurriedly ushering them into the throne room. Despite the room and all of its gorgeous entirety; pure-white brick walling and flooring, red carpeting and adamant guards, of both the day and the night at either side. However, in the very back were the two thrones, and both princesses looked equally worried. The taller of the two, a large, white alicorn mare with gold adornments and an ethereal mane of various pinks, greens and blues immediately sprung up and ran to them.
“Thank you for coming, what’s donning upon us is far too important than it may seem.” she began.
“Anything to help, Princess.” Twilight stated happily.
“Why exactly are we here anyways?” Rainbow Dash asked from behind the group.
“That’s an excellent question, follow me.” the sun goddess said as she led them to the back. Here was when two things caught their eyes. Two balls, or orbs, more appropriately, one was violently glowing red, and the other was glowing blue.
“Ever since this ordeal started, these two orbs have been glowing like this.”
“Where were they ta’ begin with?” Applejack asked.
“They were in the throne chairs themselves, as we thought they were relics of the sun and moon. But apparently it represents something else.”
“The blue orb was accidentally moved out of place when I had to fix something with the seat, and if it’s what it is, they must control the weather.” stated the smaller alicorn, which had a midnight blue coat with a sparkling sapphire mane.
“Darklight, please retrieve the orb.” she ordered, moments later a unicorn stallion about her height and of the same coloration grasped the orb with magic, and moved it down to the fillies to see.
“Do you see anything wrong with it?” she asked.
“No, I do-” before Twilight could finish, the glowing became more violent.
“Gah!” Darklight stressed as he suddenly doubled over. The glowing became more vibrant, then, all of the sudden, it stopped.
The guard stood up, lines began forming around his body, and the surrounding ponies began clearing around him. He closed his eyes, and they opened to become a vicious red color, the lines began glowing as well, the same color as the Blue Orb’s glow.
“What-...What’s going o-”
“SILENCE!” it screamed. They all backed up.
“D-Darklight? What happened to you?” the lesser princess asked.
“Who is this...’Darklight’...you speak of?” it growled.
“Who are you, what have you done to him?!” Rarity screamed shrilly.
“Who am I?” it asked. As this happened, they noticed as the sunlight began glaring brightly through the windows. “I...am Groudon.”