//------------------------------// // A Monster of a Coincidence // Story: Ponies and Grey Wardens: The Equestrian Age // by Icecane //------------------------------// For what felt like hours, Twilight paced back and forth mindlessly in one of the many back alleys of Ponyville. Small bits of grass and dirt clung to the bottom of her hooves as a large rut was worn into the ground underneath of her. None of it was even remotely noticed by the troubled mare however, he mind racing at incredible speeds as all that she could think about was what had happened between her and the commander. “H-how could I do that?” the lavender-coated mare said worriedly, talking as though a clone of herself was standing right next to her. When said clone never responded however, it only made her talk even more. “Why did I do that?! I-I didn't mean to! He was just there and I- Oh Celestia, why?” There wasn't even a simple notion of reason or purpose she could gather as to the cause of what had happened. It felt more like she was watching a pony who looked exactly like her locking lips with the human, only to realize she was the one facing him. The scholar could remember the display of shock written on the Warden's face, the tell-tale shade of green that flashed clearly in his gaze, shifting his mind to a compliant state. It made what had happened all the more horrifying. “He was grateful for me helping him,” Twilight continued murmuring to herself. “I just wanted to take care of him, make sure he was safe. The changeling magic wasn't even fully out of him yet. Then I just... I took advantage of him!” Tears began to form in her eyes yet again, following the same path down her cheeks the ones flowing hours before them did. “H-he probably hates me now... Of course... I would too.” As much as she desperately wanted to, Twilight was smart enough to know that she couldn't just pretend that it never happened. She would have to face the commander sooner or later, and the sooner she did so the better chance she had of salvaging the situation. So with a heavy sigh and an even heavier heart, the young scholar wiped her face clean and slowly made her way back to her library home. When the mighty tree of a building came into the unicorn's view, every step she made toward it became a challenge. It felt as though large weights had been tied to her legs and tail, holding her down and making her short trek all the more arduous. The queasy feeling in her stomach and the quivering flutter in her heart made it all the worse for her, especially as she stood before her own front door and lifted a shaking hoof to open it. Entering her home, Twilight's trepidations were quickly replaced with confusion and worry. Immediately upon opening the door she caught sight of the Warden-Commander. The human had managed to get himself out of bed. He was wearing the matching purple shirt that went with the pants that Rarity had made for him. The article of clothing was just as baggy as the pants, it was a good thing however as a noticeable bulge could be seen at the right side, where his still slung arm pressed against it from the inside and the empty sleeve hung limply in place like a cape. There was a noticeable tension in the Warden's body as Twilight laid eyes on him, but he didn't look in her direction or even acknowledge her presence in any other way. His eyes remained straight ahead as he worked on the strap to his sword's scabbard. Every movement he made was slow and cautious, a clear amount of strain on his face as he fought back the pain that his movements were bringing. “What... what are you doing?” Twilight asked, doing her best to keep her voice as steady as possible. Even when asked a question, the commander didn't turn to face the mare, not even looking at her. “Just grabbing my sword before I leave,” he murmured, his tone unnervingly flat. “I hope you won't mind if I leave my armor here for now, not like I can wear it anyway.” From what little could be seen of his face, the unicorn could see a deep frown chiseled onto his expression. Twilight's eyes kept locked onto the commander her own sadness made palpable on her face. “You... you're leaving?” she questioned. A subtle forward tilt of his head was passed as a nod by the human. “Yes,” he replied, “I'm going to make camp with the others. It will make our stay here... easier for everyone.” Droplets of moisture began to form in the corners of the mare's eyes again, now seeing what she was fearing. “Please, listen,” she tried saying. “What happened before... I-I just don't know why but-” She was stopped as the commander raised his hand up, silencing her. “There's nothing to say,” the Warden said coldly. “What happened happened.” Managing to throw his blade over his shoulder and strapping it across his chest, the commander turned toward the door, his eyes never drifting toward the saddened mare. “I do not blame you for any of it. It was a mistake and nothing more. To make things easier however, I can at least stay with the others until we are able to leave your world and get back to our own.” Stopping in front of the door to open it, the commander's hand lingered on the doorknob for several moments. Despite his distant demeanor throughout the brief exchange, the Warden managed to give one simple courtesy before departing. “Goodbye, Twilight,” he said, opening the door and stepping out of the library. Watching his back turned to her, Twilight could only stand there as the Warden set his sights toward the forest clearing where the other Grey Wardens had set up camp. Though she didn't know why, the unicorn wanted to chase after him. She wanted to scream out for him to stop and try to explain herself even more. But the confused scholar didn't even know why she wanted to do such things, let alone know what she could possibly say to the human. As the Everfree forest came closer and closer, it was easy for the Warden to spot where his companions had set up their camp. It was set up much like their old camp back when they fought against the Blight. Their few bedrolls were scattered about in random directions. Each simple bed was easily distinguishable as to who the owners were, Alistair's was the tidiest with little in the way of personalization to the immediate area, Anders' could be seen with a small coating of white cat fur clinging to it and a bowl set beside it to be filled with water for his furry friend, and Oghren's was a stained mess of a piece of fabric that was as tattered as it could be with many empty bottles surrounding it like a sea of glass. It was completed with a small fire pit in the center, one that would provide moderate heat and light in the cold nights to come. The other Grey Wardens were also nearby, their ears picking up the sound of approaching footsteps that caused their eyes to look toward their commander on reflex. Alistair showed a momentary look of concern as he approached his friend, eying him up and down to ascertain the reason for his visit. “What's going on?” the king asked curiously. With a weak smile, the Warden-Commander replied, “Nothing, I... just figured I would join you guys here at camp. Just in case something were to happen that needed us.” “Oh, okay” Alistair muttered, silently questioning if there was more to it than that. “Well, we've got plenty of room. Just pick your territory and claim it as your own.” With a simple nod, the commander approached a barren patch of dirt and grass that was unoccupied. Watching his commander acquire his sleeping space, Anders smirked wryly and said, “Got tired of the mare and her cozy tree house? Can't blame you though. I'd want to get out of there quick-like too if I was kidnapped and raped while I was there.” Just as the words left the mage's mouth, the commander's head jerked toward him, his eyes piercing like daggers and almost causing the robe wearing human to swallow his tongue. “Not. Another. Word,” he said warningly. Holding up his hands in defense, the coy mage muttered, “Alright, alright, touchy subject, I get it. My lips are sealed. Or at least moderately closed.” A frustrated huff left the Warden as he tossed his sword on the ground and carefully sat down along with it. Pressing his back against a nearby tree, the commander quickly developed a standoffish demeanor as he shut his eyes to rest and think. Two days passed with little happening in the way of excitement, nothing compared to colossal bears attacking or shape shifting monsters anyway. It was welcomed greatly by the Warden, wanting nothing more than to simply have the rest of their time in Equestria go by without anything else happening. Even with what he wanted known clearly to him, it did nothing to prevent him from becoming stir-crazy. It was something he couldn't figure out. Like a shadow as black as night and as thick as fog, the feeling of impending doom loomed over him. But no matter how badly the sensation got, nothing ever came of it. Perhaps he really was getting stir-crazy, maybe he was just paranoid after what had happened with the changelings, he wasn't sure. With his stay within the camp of his fellow Wardens, the commander also noticed the changes coming over his friends. Alistair seemed just as paranoid as he was, for a completely different reason. The nights he had slept in the camp were anything but peaceful. The royal Warden seemed to constantly wake up in his slumber, either in a cold sweat or his face coated in a dark red. It somewhat reminded him of his behavior before they left the castle, but the commander had already told himself that he wasn't going to care about anything that involved the king. There was also a noticeable change in Anders' mood. It seemed uplifted. When they had first settled themselves in to their fate of being stuck in the land of magical equines, the mage was clearly disgruntled and frustrated about it, impart for losing his magic in the process. Now however, he seemed much more cheery than he usually was, always heading off into town for whatever reason. He never said why but the commander didn't care to pry, he was simply glad that at least one of them was able to enjoy their stay in Equestria. One silver lining in an otherwise stormy sky, was the Warden-Commander's healing injuries. Already he was able to move his arm without pain. Though his muscles were still taut and the wounds in his chest weren't fully closed, he was able to manage well enough as to not be hindered too badly. It was actually surprising to see how quickly he had recovered. Then again, having realized how advanced the ponies were with healing magic, he could guess at what sort of treatments he received while he was unconscious. Deciding to take advantage of his ability to walk unhindered once again, the commander decided he could give his stiff muscles a stretch and visit Canterlot castle, wanting to check on the progress made with the Eluvian shards. The trip to Canterlot was surprisingly uneventful. The unassuming human riding the train and walking the streets of the royal capital garnered little in the way of stares, much less than he had first expected. Though some ponies did rivet their eyes to him, several murmuring to themselves in hushed tones, they were few and far between. The more the Warden thought on it, the more it made sense. With their stay within the castle as well as their exploits in Ponyville, it seemed more than likely that rumors of the strange bipedal creatures would spread like wildfire. It made things all the more easier for the human as he entered the castle and gained an audience with the princess. Celestia was found within a rather small chamber of the castle. It seemed appropriate to assume that it was where many of her royal decisions were made, seeing the room filled to the brim with paperwork. Shelves upon shelves of scrolls were placed against the walls, several looking incredibly old and dusty, with clear tears and creases in the paper. The princess herself had her alabaster rump resting on a massive plush pillow, with a large table set up before her that had even more papers spread out across it. She was busily scrawling across one, a large quill held in her golden magic while it occasionally dipped into the nearby inkwell. At least a dozen official looking ponies surrounded her, all appearing patient as they waited for their princess to give them her attention. Most of the ponies looked as though their business was more important than anyone else each giving the others shifty glances in silent attempts to show their superiority. Surprisingly, the guard outside of the chamber had allowed the human inside, no doubt assuming the visiting creature had important business with the princess. Celestia's focused gaze was torn away from her work immediately upon the commander's arrival, looking at him with a mixed expression of surprise and relief. “Ah, Warden-Commander,” the princess said, choosing to use his title rather than his name, perhaps to convey his important to the other ponies. It seemed to work as their expressions of self-importance seemed to dwindle as quickly as their hopes for attention did. Celestia noticed it as well, eying each of them with a warm smile. “I'm sorry, but if you will excuse us for a few moments...” The princess didn't have to say another word for the ponies to turn toward the door and begin leaving. None of them looked too happy about it, casting angered looks toward the human as they passed by. Several even muttered crude insults, mostly being about an outside gaining the princess' attention so readily. As the last of the official ponies had left, the door glowed with in golden light and shut itself. “You seem to have bought me a few minutes to breathe peacefully,” the princess said, smiling cheerfully as she set her quill down. “It is good to see you well, Warden. I had received a report on what had happened just the other day. It saddens me to think that changelings are still on the prowl here in Equestria.” A look of regret crossed her for a moment, lasting barely a second before she regained her smile. “But it is wonderful news to learn that Twilight and your companions were able to drive them off.” A weak smile was all that the commander could give as he muttered, “Yeah, I am too.” “Now,” Celestia continued. “Is there a reason for your arrival? I do not recall sending for you.” “You didn't,” the Warden replied. “I needed a slight change in scenery and thought I would see how our way back to Ferelden was going.” Upon hearing his reasoning, Celestia's smile inverted and became a frown. “I... am sorry,” she replied with disappointment, “but things have been going much slower than I would have hoped. Though we are sure that the magic within the pieces of the artifact you have provided could be recreated, it has proven difficult for any of the most powerful unicorns in Canterlot to understand fully how this foreign magic works.” The Warden-Commander crossed his arms as he looked down at the floor in thought. “If Anders hadn't lost his magic, he would probably be able to help,” he muttered. There wasn't any other magical power that he could think of to help the unicorns learn to control their world's magic. He doubted that Morrigan's ring would be able to help, only having a basic enchantment to it. Anders' staff would have been a possible choice, but sadly, it was broken in the forest. Sensing the human's growing concern, Celestia smiled softly and said, “It is only a matter of time, there is no need to worry.” “I suppose you're right, princess,” the Warden returned, gaining little in reassurance from it however. Just then, the door to the chamber opened to a guard carrying a scroll in his mouth. His attention fully on the princess, the guard ignored the visiting human and brought the scroll to Celestia. “Here is the letter you wanted, Princess Celestia,” the guard said, standing at attention as he placed the rolled up piece of paper on the table. With a simple nod, Celestia said, “Thank you, you may leave now.” Heeding the princess' words, the guard bowed his head for a moment and immediately left the room, not even glancing toward the Warden. The commander barely noticed it however as he watched the princess unfurl the scroll and read what was written. As her eyes ran from left to right, reading each line that was written, her face showed concern and worry. “Oh dear,” she murmured offhandedly, seemingly forgetting that the Warden was in the room with her. “Is something wrong?” the commander asked, realizing that it had to be important for the princess to react in such a way. Celestia's gaze looked up to the Warden for a moment before she set the note down on the table. “Hopefully not,” she replied, taking a another piece of paper at the far end of the table to examine. “There seems to be a bit of trouble in Hoofington however. Some time ago, there was a report stating sightings of some kind of monster just outside of town.” Unsure as to why, the Warden-Commander's breath was caught in his throat. Just the simple description made a strike in the back of his mind, filling his heart with a sudden sense of dread. “A... monster?” he questioned aloud. “Yes,” the princess replied. “At first, we thought nothing of it. Ponies can... overreact at times and it wouldn't be the first time such a sighting was proven false.” A small sigh left her as she continued. “But, we had not received any other word from Hoofington since then. A small group of guards were sent there to investigate, just to make sure. They were supposed to report back the other day but haven't. I do not wish to assume the worst, but I will need to send more guards to see what has been going on.” Growing steadily more worried the more he thought about it, an idea came to the commander that forced him to speak it. “Why not send us instead?” he requested, gaining a look of surprise from the princess. “Send you?” she repeated. The Warden-Commander nodded. “Please, princess,” he said, his concern showing in both his expression and tone. “Me and my Wardens are more than capable of handling any kind of monster. And not to sound rude, but I'm certain we are more qualified than your guards.” A short pause was all that was needed for Celestia to think on the request. “If you truly wish to help,” she replied, “then you have my thanks. Tomorrow, I will have a chariot sent to Ponyville to take you to Hoffington. Go there and locate the guards as well as whatever it is that is causing this disturbance.” “Without fail,” the Warden, acknowledged. With a gesture of farewell, the commander turned to let the princess be. Before he was able to leave however, Celestia's sudden voice caused him to stop. “Before you leave,” the princess said. “I would like for you take Twilight with you to Hoofington.” “T-Twilight?” the commander asked. As he questioned it, he could feel the princess' gaze locked on him. Her eyes stayed with his for several moments before they lowered slightly. It quickly made the Warden uncomfortable, though the princess seemed to look at it, it wasn't directly. “Yes,” the princess then said. “I have no doubt that she will be able to assist you with whatever is happening in Hoofington.” A small sigh escaped the Warden, as subtly as he could to avoid the royal equine from noticing. “As you wish, princess,” he said with resigned weariness, having no choice but to respect her decision. “One more thing as well,” Celestia quickly said, before the human had chance to try and leave. “After you have returned, I would like to ask that you speak with Alistair and have him visit the castle himself. There are several important matters that I wish to discuss with him.” Giving a firm nod and respectful bow, the Warden-Commander turned and left the chamber, muttering to himself, “”Alistair?'” in confusion. Shrugging away the princesses choice of title, or lack thereof, the commander simply kept his gaze forward as he thought on what he had learned. The commander could only hope that the supposed monster was nothing of the sort, perhaps paranoid ponies seeing things. The wrenching feeling in his gut made it difficult to put hope into the idea however. There was also a grand amount of dread from Celestia's decision to have Twilight go with them, having wanted to avoid such interaction. He especially didn't like how the princess had looked at him, as though she were reading his mind or something. Had the Warden followed the princess's gaze however, he would have seen where it had landed. He would have seen that she was eying his neck, more specifically, the pendent that was hanging from it.