//------------------------------// // Chapter 4: ...Only Half Of What You See // Story: My Little Pony: Blackened Hearts and Polished Boots // by Alphony Omaregon //------------------------------// Chapter 4: ...Only Half Of What You See “I really think you should add some rubies.” Spike called from over her shoulder. “It’s a salad, Spike.” “So what? You can put rubies in anything. They’re like… the ketchup of gemstones.” Twilight rolled her eyes as she shredded the lettuce. “Well, you don’t put ketchup in salads, either.” She heard Spike mumble a reply as he paced behind her by the table. “What am I going to do for dinner tonight?” He asked. Twilight turned around. “Well… you could come along, if you’d like, but I don’t think there will be any Rubies.” “Well, that’s okay, I’d settle for Sapphires, Emeralds, even!” Twilight giggled. “I don’t think the Apple family have any spare gemstones around the farm for you to eat, Spike.” Spike Crossed his arms. “Come on, Twilight, let me tag along! I don’t want to just wait around here…” Twilight stopped. What if that invader came back? Spike all alone in the house- “Alright, you’re coming along. Applejack will understand, I’m sure.” Twilight dropped the lettuce into the bowl and snapped a lid overtop. She watched as it floated down the hall toward the front door, and into her saddlebags on the hook. “We’ll just stop by the Jewellers… or something.” She added, trotting to the door. Spike waddled after her. “Awesome!” He cheered, as Twilight adorned her saddlebags. He clambered onto her back, and they were off. Twilight was practically galloping up the path to Sweet Apple Acres. “Twilight~!” Spike called, clinging to her for dear life. “We’re only 10 minutes late!” Twilight didn’t even turn her head. “Why didn’t I just drop you off at the quarry or something?” she groaned, charging past the property line and the hoof crafted welcome sign. At the top of a slight hill stood the Apple Residence: A well aged, auburn painted two story home, the renovations over the decades were clear in it’s simple, if not chaotic structure. Twilight had seen it dozens of times, She didn’t notice the closed shutters, or The Apple Family’s wagon resting to the right of the porch. The air sat silent save for Granny Smith’s rocking chair, which creaked loudly. “It’s really quiet, don’t you think?” asked Spike, looking around. Twilight said nothing as she stepped up onto the porch. Spike was right. Wasn’t there supposed to be nine ponies eating supper inside? She knocked once. … … She knocked again. “Applejack? Hello?” she called out. “I know I’ve asked this before, but… Do,- do you t-think that…” “It’s not zombies, Spike.” Twilight rolled her eyes. “If it makes you feel better, you can search the barn.” Spike gulped. “Y-yeah, no thanks.” He said as he slipped off of Twilight’s back and onto the porch. She gave him a teasing glance. “I told you: The Trotting Dead would give you nightmares.” Spike went beat red. “I don’t get nightmares!” he grumbled. “I’m just joking with you , Spike.” She added, giving him a loving squeeze. “What the heck is taking them so long?” the dragon asked. Twilight leaned forward to knock again, only for the door to swing open. A black earth stallion stood in the doorway. He was wearing a rather simple traveller’s cloak, not unlike Zecora’s, though this too, was black. The stallion smiled widely, his green eyes lighting with recognition. “Hello there, Twilight! So glad you made it. We were getting worried about you.” He laughed, stepping to the side and bidding her enter. “Thanks.” She said, smiling. “Where’s Applejack? Or Big Mac?” she added, stepping inside. Spike hurried in after her, nearly getting his tail caught in the door. The Stallion paid him no heed as he walked alongside Twilight. “I just got here a few minutes ago, actually, Applejack told me Big Mac and Apple Bloom are just finishing up in the fields, after she shook my hoof for a solid minute.” He hushed his voice, sharing a smile with Twilight, who returned it. “They ought to be rolling in with the wagon any minute now.” He added, turning and walking into the house. Twilight nodded to herself as they walked. “I’m sorry, but… what was your name again? We’ve only met the one time at Sugarcube corner, and I-“ The stallion chuckled. “Please, don’t feel you have to justify it. It’s Partridge. Thank you for asking.” “Partridge? Like the bird?” Spike asked, hurrying alongside Twilight. Partridge chuckled. “Yes, I used to work on a pear farm. Think ‘Partridge in a Pear Tree’. That was me as a colt!” “Are you going to take off your coat, Partridge?” asked Twilight, glancing across at him. He smiled. “No thank you, I’m actually freezing, I always get cold, bad circulation, or something, the Doctors say.” They were near the end of the hall, halfway to the dining room. Partridge stopped, and looked at one of the photos on the wall. “Keep a secret, Twilight?” he asked. She leaned in, confused. “I can’t stand pears.” He smirked. “I was overjoyed when Applejack invited me. Guess my sneaky little plan to buy you girls’ affection worked, eh?” Twilight laughed. “Yeah, though I’m not sure I’d call paying for six fillies at the spa and getting one dinner out of it is exactly “Espionage Brilliance”. Partridge shrugged. “It was my pleasure. Your friend Pinkie went out of her way to throw a party for a complete stranger. I wanted to return the favor, and what fun would it be for her sitting around with none of her friends?” Twilight smiled. “Well, I really appreciate it, and I’m sure everyone else does too.” A thought struck her. “Oh! Are any of them here yet? Just because you and I were late, you know?” she laughed. Partridge nodded. He gestured towards the end of the hall, where the light of the dining room cast its glow on the opposite wall. Twilight stepped ahead, and into the dining room. It was cozy and warm, like every room in the Apple residence. The table was set, and all of Twilight’s friends were sitting at their seats, hooves with spoons full of sweets and the home cooked meal that was spread across the length of the table. Sat dab in the center of it all was a large glass decanter full of a honey-brown froth. Twilight’s face and the wall behind her smiled back at her in it’s surface. She took in the sight and smell of the food instantly. Then she noticed nopony was moving. “Uh, Hello?” she asked the assembled. Nopony answered her, though now she noticed that each of them was staring at her. There was something wrong. She could see it in her eyes, even as their faces were frozen mid chew. Help us. Out of the corner of her eye, Twilight saw the decanter’s polished smooth surface glint with her reflection. With a scream, she reared her hind legs and kicked, planting her hooves in Partridge’s belly. The stallion stumbled back, a clatter of metal striking wood rang in Twilight’s ears as he dropped the knife. She darted towards the table, veering to the left and running around it to the opposite end, the frantic eyes of her friends following her with fear their faces could no longer express. “I didn’t know bookworms could bite.” Partridge grunted. “What did you do to them?!” Twilight cried, watching as Partridge moved towards the table. He smiled. “Hydra Venom. Renders them stiff as stone ‘till they get the antidote.” The pride in his voice made her sick. Twilight gasped. “How did you get Hydra Venom?” She asked, desperate to keep him talking. He smiled wider, done with the games as he darted around the table to the right, which Twilight countered easily. After several more failed attempts to outmanuevre her, he hopped onto the table itself, smashing plates and glasses aside as he charged towards her. Twilight dived under the table to avoid his thundering hooves as they hit the floor where she had been standing moments before. “Why are you doing this?!” she shouted as she scrambled away. Looking behind to see where he was now, she hit her head on a beam of the table’s underside. “Because I’m being paid to, and because I have a score to settle with these inbred farmers.” He growled, circling back around to block the doorway. Twilight cowered under the table. Maybe I can knock him off balance with a levitation spell and make it past him. If I get outside, I can cast a flare into the sky, that’ll bring half the town running! As she prepared to bolt from under the table, her horn sparking to life, she heard a thunderous crash from down the hall. She peeked her head out from under the table to see Partridge turn towards the sound “What the Bu-“ He shouted, as a red bull barrelled into him, sending him crashing to the floor. “Twilight!” Big Mac shouted. “Get outside and call for help!” Twilight dashed from under the table and down the hall past Big Mac and Partridge, who rolled to his feet as Big Mac stomped the ground too late to pin him. Twilight swung the door open and leaped from the porch onto the dirt path. Her horn sparked, and sweat threaded down from her brow as she concentrated. A bright ball of red light shot from her horn with the force of a gunshot, streaking up into the air, covering Sweet Apple Acres in a crimson light. She heard footsteps on the porch and turned to see Big Mac stumble out of the house, a thin scratch across his snout. “Did you get him?” she asked, her heart racing. “Nope.” Drawled Partridge, as he stepped past Big Mac, kicking out his front legs. Big Mac fell to the ground, stiff as a board, his eyes looking up at Twilight apologetically. As Partridge walked towards her, she backed away, eyes wide with fear. “P-ponies will see the flare, You’re done for now unless you run!” she reasoned. Partridge nodded his head, as if considering her logic. “Perhaps, but I think I can spare the time to poison you too. Even with the extra weight, I’ll make it to the Everfree before they get here.” Twilight gulped. “E-Extra Weight?” she asked. “Oh, Yes. I work for someone who wants to meet you, Twilight. Now enough talk, let’s get this over with quickly, yes? I’m burning time-“ His words formed into a terrified scream as he jumped into the air, his cloak bursting into green flames. Spike stood in the doorframe, his nostrils smoking as he growled. “Nobody. Hurts. Twilight.” He gnashed, sending another spout of flame towards Partridge’s backside. The Stallion ran for the pig pen down the hill, throwing off his cloak as he leapt into the filthy water trough. Spike ran after him, and Twilight galloped after them both. They both reached the pen to see him emerge from the now black waters. His coat had drained from black to an Ocean blue, and his mane and tail were now a vibrant Sea-green. The dye seemed to melt away from his soaking frame. Twilight saw his cutie mark, a trio of fangs, each dripping with venom, and was put to mind a snake shedding it’s skin. The only thing that didn’t change were his vibrant green eyes; Eyes that were filled with hatred as they flicked between Twilight and Spike. “You’ll pay for this, lizard.” He hissed, scrambling out of the pig pen and hopping the fence. Twilight and Spike raced around the pen to cut him off, only for him to disappear in a sudden cloud of smoke. Twilight recognized it as one of the smoke bombs found in the arsenal of a certain travelling magician, as they coughed and sputtered in the smoke, Partridge galloped away, disappearing over the property line. As the smoke faded, Twilight and Spike looked about, but could find no trace of the invader. The sounds of a crowd drew their attention to the Apple Residence, where a growing crowd of neighbors and guards were spreading out, several galloping down to Spike and Twilight. End.