//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: Forgotten Legend // Story: Time Fetch // by MrAwesome343 //------------------------------// Chapter 2: A Forgotten Legend Taro and Silus walked the streets of the old town. "Where is everypony? This town doesn't seem too destroyed," Silus wondered aloud. "I don't know. Let's split up and see if we can find someone and get some answers," Taro suggested. Taro left Silus and headed for the town hall. When he got there, he found a group of three ponies. "Hey," he said, getting their attention. "Can you tell me..." "What the heck are you doing out here alone? It's getting close to night, you shouldn't be out here," said a violet unicorn. "What? Why not?" Taro asked. "Dangerous things happen out here at night. Come on back to the base with us," replied a mint colored earth pony. "Um... I kind of..." Taro started. He was cut off by the violet unicorn pulling him by his shirt. They lead him down the road and came to a stop at what used to be the spa. Most of the spa had been destroyed in a fight between Taro's dragon and Cerberus, long story, so it was rebuilt, half of it above ground, half below. The largest basement in Ponyville. Taro walked down the steps and into an area where several ponies were. Ponies of all ages stayed in the main corridor, playing some card game or instrument. One of Taro's escorts spoke up. "Hey everypony, we found this guy on the surface. He was all alone, with day coming to an end. We're letting him stay here for the night." The ponies nodded in agreement. "Hey," Taro said, stepping forward, "I have a few questions. First one is why are you all here?" An old earth pony spoke up. "There's somethin' out there at night!" The remaining ponies nodded with fear. "Okay then, what is it?" Taro asked. "We don't know!" "What does it do that's so dangerous?" "W-well, we don't really know... but it's scary!" replied a different pony. "How do you know it's so dangerous, then?" "Because it... well..." The pony paused. "Are you saying we should go outside and find out?" "Not at all, just curious. Next question." Taro surveyed the ponies. "Why are you all unicorns and earth ponies?" One of Taro's escorts answered. "Because we can't reach Cloudsdale." "So..." "Cloudsdale is a place of legend. They say that it hasn't been corrupted by whatever force has changed our land. The pegasai flew straight to Cloudsdale and left us behind." "Those selfish pegasai! No concern for anypony but themselves!" shouted a pony from the crowd. "Oi! Watch it! My wife was a pegasus," Taro replied. "Next question. I brought humans to Equestria years ago, yet all I see are ponies. Why is that?" "The humans fled to Manehattan and Fillydelphia. Some of them are in other towns, I'm sure. We don't know why they left, so don't ask," one shouted. "Alright, that's all for now." Taro turned to the stairs. "Where are you going?" asked another one of Taro's escorts. "Well you said it yourself. Something potentially dangerous is out there." "Why are you going after it then?" "Two reasons. One: I have a friend out there. Two: I like danger." Taro took his first step up the staircase. "I can't tell if you're brave or stupid." "I like to think I'm both, if you don't mind," Taro said, leaving. Taro stepped outside. Dusk hadn't quite settled. Taro walked a fair distance from the Ponyville spa, looking for the location of Silus's favorite building, the Ponyville Weather Terminal. Taro saw a glimpse of magic as the building came into view. She turned around and saw Taro. "I thought we were splitting up," she said as he walked closer. "Change of plans. I found some the remaining ponies of Ponyville. They said that at night, something dangerous comes. I'm not too worried about it, since they couldn't exactly come up with a good reason to call it dangerous, but I still don't want to take the chance. Come on, let's get to the spa." The two walked through the town, seeing only through the spell Taro had produced with his magic. Being a Dragon Rider had its perks. "So what did you find?" Taro asked. "Nothing," Silus replied, keeping a solid tone. "I haven't investigated much, do to the whole 'night danger' thing. I'll ask the ponies more when we return." "Cool." "What's wrong?" Taro asked, turning his head toward her. "Nothing, it's just..." She sighed heavily, "How long do you think we've been gone? Look at how much has changed. We're in a new world!" "Yeah, it happens." "You say that like you've done this before." "Meh." Taro held out his arm suddenly, dimming his light. "Hold on..." Taro squinted, trying to make out a figure that walked away from them. "I think that might be the danger." Taro then drew his sword. "What are you doing?" Silus asked. "Well if you don't mind, I'm going to go take a whack at it." "Why? You don't know what that thing can do." "Did I ever tell you I was stupid?" "No, but you DID constantly brag of how intelligent you are." "I'm my own oxymoron." Taro took a few steps toward the figure in the dark, purposely making noise. It turned around. "Taro!" it shouted. It was a she. It was... white with a ruby mane. It was... "Faust?" The white alicorn ran up to Taro and hugged him. "Finally! After 70 years of searching for you, I finally found you!" "Faust?" Silus asked, walking up to her. "Silus? What? How are... You're so young! How did you keep your appearance for that long?" "She didn't. We went into some forest and the next thing we new, we were in the future," Taro answered. Faust thought. "Hmm... must be a Time Seal. It keeps the things inside the way they were when they went in, but it constantly changes time. You must have gotten out at the seventy-year mark." "So why were you looking for me?" "Hmm? Oh, right! I was told, or... over heard the bad guy, you know, the one after energy, that the only way he can be defeated is by the use of the living presence of the Elements of Harmony. You were the only one who actually believed in them. I came searching for you so you could beat the bad guy." "Yeah, about the bad guy, we named him Specter," Silus said. Taro spoke again. "Not that that's important. I can't do anything about that. The Elements of Harmony only lived when I was how old I look. I can't get them back, as far as I know. There's no possible way to... No! Wait! AUGH! I'm such an idiot! The shrines! In the corners of Equestria are the shrines to the elements! Well, technically Loyalty is in Cloudsdale and Magic is under Canterlot, but who cares, point is, we might be able to do something there! Small, seemingly unimportant legend says emergencies bring them out." "Bring what out?" Faust asked. "Not sure, I just hope it's the Elements of Harmony." "But there's still one thing I'm curious about," Silus said. "What?" replied Faust. "Why were you only looking at night?" "Specter is everywhere in the day and nowhere at night. I can't travel in the day without being detected by Specter." "Okay, that's weird. To say the least, that is," Taro stated. "Yeah? That's the way it goes," replied Faust. "Okay, Faust, tomorrow, you and I will fly to Cloudsdale to get the Element of Loyalty. Silus, you wait for us in the spa, here," Taro insturcted. "Why the Element of Loyalty first?" Faust asked. "Well... because it's... closer..." Taro stuttered. "Okay..." "Is that the real reason, or is that your reason?" Silus asked. Taro thought for half of a moment. "Both." Taro started walking. "Come on, let's go show these ponies Faust's face of terror, shall we?" The other two looked at him a moment and followed. "Oh, Taro!" Faust shouted. "One more thing: No one knows who you are. They forgot all about you." Taro turned and looked at her. "Well... let's go and fix that, shall we?"