//------------------------------// // Solstice's Early Winter // Story: Dragon of the Eclipse // by Marik_Azemus //------------------------------// "Hm hmhm hmm hmmmm, hm hmhm hmm hmmmm... hmm hmm hmm...." "Desmond, what are you doing?" "Ah, my sweet ray of sunshine! Good morning! Have a look at this. I've been experimenting with biological magic and I have created something... interesting." "Are those... lions with wings?" "I call them griffons. Aren't they just adorable?" "They certainly are interesting." "I intend to release them into the wild." "Why is that?" "To see what happens, what else? Of course, this won't distract from my royal duties... or you, love." "Oh, Desmond..." "Come, let us retreat to our bedchamber." Chapter 12 Solstice's Early Winter Years earlier... That was probably one of the most entertaining days of Rainbow Dash’s life, because until then, she never saw Pinkie Pie as anything more than that one friend that somehow found her way into the group and they never had the heart to say ‘bug off.’ Now that it turned out that she and Dash had so much in common, tomorrow was looking to be a really good day. Just her and Pinkie Pie, two good friends and all the ponies one could ever want to prank. Heck, the young pegasus thought to herself, maybe we could be more than friends. Maybe we could... she never got a chance to finish that thought, because laying on her lightning bolt patterned bed was a familiar face... or beak. That beak was snacking on a leftover piece of cake. Rainbow Dash's jaw dropped. Gilda the Griffon was in her bed. "I may have emptied your fridge." she said. "Gilda!" Rainbow Dash leaped from the entryway to her room all the way to her bed, right next to her old friend. "How've you been, you old carnivore?" "Meh, not bad. Flight school's boring as usual. I'm took the quarter off so I could spend the summer with someone I hadn't seen in a while." "Who?" "You, dumbass!" Dash found herself on the receiving end of a noogie, and she was laughing the whole time. "I wanted to surprise you but you weren't here." "Oh, sorry. I was spending the day with-" "You're not seeing someone else, are you?" If there was one thing that Gilda could do better than fly, it was giving a death glare, and Rainbow Dash was the victim here. She kept stammering over her own words before Gilda let up. "Aw, come on, Dash. I know you'd never think of cheating on me. Come here." Rainbow Dash's head was going a mile a second. First she realized that she was on a bed. Then she noticed that Gilda's eyelids were lowered, and she was pulling Dash in close... so close... Okay, this wasn't the most entertaining day of Rainbow Dash's life. It was the best day of her life. Pranking all day with Pinkie Pie, then spending the night with Gilda... she couldn't stop grinning. Gilda gave her a peck- er, kiss, on the cheek before getting under the covers. "Wake me if you wanna have another go." Present Day... "Brilliant! Simply brilliant! Winter Solstice is a live saver! I heard the rumors, supposedly her elemental magic was so powerful she changed the seasons themselves, why, I only wish my magic were that powerful! Of course, I can settle for smaller, more practical things, like levitating that measuring tape over here. So, since it is suddenly winter for Equestria, I'm getting a surplus of business. Winter fashion has always been one of my strong points, wouldn't you agree?" "Shrr hrrn Rrrity," said Cerberus through a mouthful of pins. "Be a dear and hoof me another pin, would you? This will be your new cloak, I used sheep wool to ensure toasty warmth throughout even the coldest of nights, not that it's been night for a while now. Ooh! Idea! I can make Fluttershy a matching cloak! You'll be such a cute couple." "Thrrrt wrrnt br nrrcrsrrer." "Speak up, dearest." Cerberus spit the pins out of his mouth. "That won't be necessary. I don't think Fluttershy approves of black and blue too much, right love?" Fluttershy was laying on the couch examining a fashion magazine while she sipped hot tea. "I like the design, but if you changed the colors to green and cyan, then I'd wear it." Rarity pointed her hoof to the ceiling. "Then I will make it so!" "What kind of a pose is that?" "Judas does it all the time, usually saying something along the lines of 'Who the hell do you think I am?' Her switch is always on full blast, isn't it? Kind of like Fluttershy when she..." Rarity tried to avoid speaking of Fluttershy's outburst in town square, but being the socialite that she was, it was difficult to not bring up recent events. There was something she wanted to get off her chest, though. "Um, Cerberus, could I speak to you alone for a moment?" Outside the boutique, Rarity got rather close to Cerberus. She spoke softly to him, and he craned his neck to keep at least a few inches from her face. "Are you and Fluttershy doing well?" He laughed his discomfort off. "Miss Rarity, are you coming on to me?" "Wha- oh goodness, no!" She backed away and snorted and chortled at such an idea. "Ha- just- where did that come from? Well, to be honest, if Fluttershy hadn't snatched you up at day one I would've jumped on that bandwagon right away. Figuratively speaking, of course." "Why do you ask, then?" "Well... she's still very kind and gentle, but there's something unusual about her. She's not quiet or reserved. She's actually speaking audibly." "I figured out why." "Well, it's a mystery to me, so do tell." "She lost her home and almost every animal she cared for. We were lucky to get Angel Bunny out of there alive. He's still very restless. Anyway, all of that on top of... the trial..." he shuddered and did his best not to recall the feeling of the noose around his neck, "I think the trauma really got to her." "I am calling out to you, Cerberus and hope I have your attention!" Cerberus knew Heretic's voice when he heard it. He looked at the ground to ensure he wouldn't step on him by accident, and saw that he was approaching from the crowded streets. "Good morning, Heretic! Well, at least I think it's morning." "The venture I have taken to arrive here has been comparable to a night terror. For what reason is everypony up and about?" "They're leaving." "To which location?" "Anywhere but here. It's not like most of them have homes anymore." "Then I come to the conclusion that the fact that Twilight Sparkle's home, the library, is structurally intact, is convenient. I wonder why the highest elevated tree in this locale was not decimated by the fire?" "Perhaps Celestia took sympathy on Twilight." Rarity had a look of intrigue on her face as to how Cerberus understood a word Heretic spoke. She decided to sneak back inside the boutique and finish her work. Heretic continued. "I am at this location for this reason: Queen Luna has requested your presence at the library at the most convenient moment." "I'm free right now. Shall we?" As Twilight's library was the largest building undamaged by the fire storm, Luna had began using it as her base of operations. She occupied a collection of pillows beside the fireplace, writing letters to nearby towns and provinces to tell them of the unfortunate circumstances at hoof, hoping that they might sway their loyalty to her and assist in the uprising against Celestia, or at least offer financial support for Ponyville. "One thing I certainly did not miss whilst I was imprisoned in that sphere was the paperwork. I suppose the idea of taking a single throne for myself is enough motivation to keep writing." "I can do the writing for you when you're officially queen, mother." Cerberus and Heretic had entered the library. "Ah, my son." Luna wore a heartwarming smile that could melt a windigo whenever she saw Cerberus. "My other motivation. I hope you and dear Fluttershy have been doing well. I've been so preoccupied with these professional affairs, I've hardly had time to check up on you two." "We're doing fine. Rarity was kind enough to set up a guest bedroom for me and her." "As for your more personal-" "Your majesty, I apologize for my interruption although I believe it is most important that you are informed of the damage report for Celestia's attack." Heretic was holding parchment with many numbers and calculations scribbled onto the corners. Luna turned her attention to him. "Do tell, Heretic, so we may never speak of that day again. I'm already sick of it." Heretic adjusted his glasses and scanned the paper. "Let us see... property damage, reimbursement and medical bills add up to the upper thousands." Luna dropped her quill in surprise. "In bits or pounds?" Heretic responded with a blunt "Yes." Twilight, who was reading history books on revolutions in Pre-Equestrian times, spoke. "Not even Mayor Mare's constant penny pinching will be enough to cover that." "On to more important things," said Luna. "What is the casualty count?" This was what everypony dreaded most of all. Death was seldom an issue in Ponyville with minimal crime rates and high life expectancy. Then the disaster happened. Twilight, Cerberus and Luna braced themselves for the unfortunate news. "Injuries have been reported for more than half the population, but the death toll is," Heretic's eyes widened, "Zero! How is that possible? Considering the structural damage and widespread decimation of-" "It was Hephaestus Ironwright." Cerberus interrupted. "Oh, you know him?" "Yes. I went to him for some protective gear after Sweet Apple Acres was burned down. It's a good set too. It's something only a half phoenix can make." Luna gave a chuckle of intrigue. "So, the elusive half phoenix. I've seen many half breeds but not one of his kind. I wonder how he even came to be? I highly doubt a pony could have relations with a phoenix." "He's something special. I saw him while I was flying above Ponyville. He was, I think, absorbing the fire." Heretic was just giddy with this revelation. "Positively brilliant! He can walk amongst the elements of high temperature and be without discomfort." "Indeed. He will make a great asset during our assault upon Canterlot. I will have to send him my regards." The door opened without a knock. What entered was not exactly shocking but unexpected nonetheless. A female griffon with a letter in her talons. "I've, uh, got something for a Princess Luna?" "Come on, Dashie! You've been flying all day. Let's go have some fun!" "I just gotta try out this new stunt I've been planning, but first I need my goggles. I don't want my eyes freezing over. Geez, it's cold! What was Solstice thinking?" "Dashie..." "I know, I know. I'm being selfish again. I just need to poke in to the library. Be back in a sec." Rainbow Dash touched down on the cobblestone and entered the library, but she got much more than her goggles... Rainbow Dash's jaw almost hit the floor when she saw her. There she was, by the fireplace, presenting a letter to Princess Luna, speaking in her ever so sarcastic tone. "Okay, Princess. I've got a letter from Appleloosa. Apparently all the hicks over there actually want to fight Celestia too." "Most wonderful of news. I was expecting that they would need more convincing, but I suppose Applejack put in a good word for us." "Yeeeeah. Am I excused?" "You may take leave, Miss...?" "Gilda." Was this real life? Was this just fantasy? Rainbow Dash couldn't move, she could only watch Gilda the Griffon stride past her. Then, she stopped. "Um, hey, G." said Rainbow Dash in hopes of breaking the silence. She wished she didn't say that. Gilda tilted her head ever so slightly. She then said, "Who are you again?" That was not the response Rainbow Dash expected. She looked around at anything that could distract her from this awkward moment. "So... you're delivering mail now?" "Yeah." That's when Rainbow Dash decided to just go for broke. "Why are you so upset, G? I thought you would've been over me by now." Those were the scissors that snapped Gilda's cord. "It don't work like that, Dash! When I finally got a quarter off of flight school and I decided to spend it with you, I thought it would be the most smokin' hot summer of our lives, then Pinkie shows up to steal you away! Then you insult me to my face springing all those lame-o pranks and calling me 'uncool!' You know what? That's not cool. And here's the thing! Griffons only get one." "Um... one what?" "One. Lover. We're sensitive, you know! We lose our lover, we go find a cave to mope in and die. How do you feel now?" "I... never realized-" "Well, I ain't like other griffons. I got out of that cave and swore that I could make it on my own, so I finished flight school, and got this stupid mail job, and where should my first delivery be but here, where my old girlfriend is having secret butt-fun with a stupid pink pansy!" "...Wow, G. I'm really sor-" "That ain't gonna cut it, Rainbow Dash. Life ain't been easy for me, especially when the only job I could get is minimum wage. Do you know how hard it is to make ends meat when your supervisor is a dumb blonde with bubbles on her ass?! Whatever, dweeb. I'm out." With a slam of the front door, Gilda was gone. Rainbow Dash knew without looking that everypony in the library was now staring at her and her stunned expression. She looked back and sternly said, “What are you lookin’ at?” and they returned to their business, muttering their curiosity under their breath. Rainbow Dash decided that she had worn out her welcome. She grabbed her goggles from the coatrack and left the library in silence. To clear her head and cheer herself up, Rainbow Dash took to the skies and let the crisp winter air fill her nostrils. She made several laps around indiscriminate cloud formations and glided between the wreckage of old businesses. It was strange... in the air, everything made sense. The laws were simple; just flap your wings and let the wind carry you. Enjoy the moment. Rainbow Dash closed her eyes and did just that. She wasn’t going to hit anything. Just fly away... she snapped her eyes open as a blur of orange and magenta crossed her path, and stopped herself to avoid a collision. “Okay, I was wrong again. Scootaloo!” The streak stopped doing loops around a small nimbus cloud and settled down upon it. “You’re getting easier to predict, Rainbow Dash!” “Oh, come on, squirt. You only caught me off guard. You’ve got a long way to go before you can best me.” Scootaloo glared at Rainbow Dash with a smirk. “Is that a challenge?” “It could be.” “Then I accept!” “Alright then! Last one to my place is a... gnarly dragon egg.” “Dash? Are you okay?” “I’m fine. ReadysetGO!” From cloud to cloud, Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo kept trading places at the front of the line, and the former was almost too astounded by how skilled her little fan had become to hold the lead before they touched down at the clouds leading up to Rainbow Dash's airborn abode. "Darn it!" Scootaloo kicked away stray clouds in frustration. "No matter how hard I try, you always beat me!" Rainbow Dash flicked Scootaloo's spiked mane with her hoof. "No matter how times you lose, you never give up." "Yeah, I guess so. It's because I know that someday, when I beat you, I'll get my cutie mark!" "You would deserve it, kid!" A familiar streak of purple and pink landed next to Scootaloo. "Yo wassup?" Scootaloo was intrigued. "You're Judas, aren't you?" "Yes indeed, and don't you forget it!" "Wow, I never thought I'd actually get to talk to a member of the Loony Republican!" "Lunar Republic, kid." "Whatever, stop touching my mane." "Let me put it this way." Judas took to the sky and accentuated her speech with several broad movements of her hoofs and hindlegs. "Some ponies decide to do everything they can, and I mean everything, to get their cutie mark. Others," she landed and posed in a primal stance, "will wait and let what they call destiny take its course. Then," she flew again, trying to appeal to a nonexistent crowd, "you have a pony like me, who went quite a while without a cutie mark. But dude, you could have hired Daring Do herself and you wouldn't have found a buck that I gave! I still got it, though. Take a look." Still remaining airborne, she flaunted her flank for Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo to see. Her cutie mark was a white symbol resembling the letter Y, but at the same time, not quite. Its color matched the rest of Judas' tribal tattoos that made up most of her body. "So, it's some kinda fork?" asked Scootaloo. Judas slapped herself across the face and laughed, then she did the same with her flank. "No way, kid! This is the symbol of betrayal and revenge." Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure that's something to be proud of?" "Uh, maybe I should explain why I got it." Judas' Story My family was what you would call the uppercrust... if that crust was armor plated in platinum and gilded with sunshine and rainbows! We weren't living the high life. We were living the mile high life! Yep, my folks were the some richest pegasi in Canterlot. Though, come to think of it, they were some of the only rich pegasi there. I was their little bundle of awesome. I had everything I ever wanted on a gold platter. Of course, my parents were too absorbed in their fame and fortune to see anything lower than their noses, including me. My only real friend was Litner, the butler. The one thing I really wanted that my parents couldn't provide was a little brother. Then, there came a miracle. Outside the front door was a little half dragon going through dumpsters. I never saw a more pathetic sight, so I took sympathy on the little bugger and said hello. He clearly wasn't used to casual conversation because he growled at me like a dog! I offered him a daisy sandwich, but instead he ate some of my jewelry. I wasn't upset, it wasn't like I actually wore that crap. I knew this boy and I were destined to meet. I told him, "From this day forth, you are my little brother, and I will call you... Cerberus!" My parents were too high and mighty to notice Cerberus. Litner took care of him just as he did me, and slowly he warmed up and stopped acting so beastly. I taught him how to talk right and read. Eventually he was no different from the average pony. My perfect life was becoming even better. Of course it all had to come crashing down eventually. On the night of the Summer Sun Festival, the news came. Nightmare Moon had returned from her lunar prison and was wreaking havoc on Equestria. Cerberus was out of control. He kept hollering, "Mum! Mum!" as he bolted for the door. My parents didn't care when I crashed into a window and got a concussion after my wings spurted, but they threw a hissy fit when Cerberus knocked their diamond encrusted silverware to the floor in the confusion. They threatened to call the soldiers on me for hoarding a half breed, and said they would have "It" executed. I yelled, "Leave my little brother alone!" I came over some serious adrenaline. To this day, I don't remember what happened, except for a lot of yelling, bruising, and somehow, the mansion was destroyed. As Cerberus and I looked over the wreckage, I noticed that I had my cutie mark... the symbol of betrayal. Yeah, I turned against my family, but who cares? So long as I had Cerberus, I was happy. "You see, kid, this cutie mark doesn't define who I am. My actions and experiences do. Who am I? I'm Judas Blackwing, and I exist to protect my little brother and the rest of Equestria from tyranny!" Scootaloo, while she enjoyed the story, was sick and tired of the mushy stuff, like Judas constantly talking about Cerberus like he was some kind of cookie she had been saving for a special occasion and wouldn't let anypony touch. "That's great and all, but come on, Rainbow Dash and I don't need to hear all that lovey dovey family crap. Right, Rainbow Dash?" However, the cyan pegasus that Scootaloo admired was acting rather sentimental, lying belly down in the clouds with her hoofs on her cheeks. Suddenly, her wings shot upward. "The ponies you love are the most important, right Judas?" "Damn straight. It's times like these in which we have to stick with the ones we care about most. You never know if it's the last time you'll ever see them." "Heeeeeeeloooooooooooooooo, Heretic!" Pinkie Pie came into the library from the nonexistent back door that was totally always there since like forever and knocked the notebook away from Heretic's hoofs. He shot a stern glare at Pinkie. "Miss Pinkie, I was in the centroid of progress on several economic calculations." The glare was not very effective. "You work too hard, Harry!" "Curiosity arises as to what you previously spoke." "Harry! That's my nickname for you! It saves me precious seconds from saying the 'Tic' after the 'Here', and it rhymes with that name you don't like, Bubblemint Berry! It's cute, isn't it?" "You are entitled to the opinion of your possession." "Soooooo... Rainbow Dash is off having fun somewhere else. Do you want to come down to Sugarcube Corner and get a slice of coffee cake?" "I have already informed you of my current state of-" Pinkie Pie's pupils widened as she stuck out her lower lip. "Come on, Harry. I'm bored!" "There will be ample hours for mild entertainment when this conflict reaches its conclusion. For the present time I am occupied. Twilight Sparkle, I request that you-" "I got it." Twilight, who was still studying previously unread books about times of war (Currently she was reading Commander Hurricane's Perfect Army - Where and how to create the ultimate soldiers), levitated the scrapbook back to Heretic. "I don't get you, Harry. Why don't you ever relax that big brain of yours?" "The moment that my superior intelligence is tranquilized will be the day I am declared legally dead. Any moment not spent analyzing every possible outcome for an upcoming battle is potentially lethal." Twilight put her book down, intrigued by Heretic's dedication. "What drove you to be like this, anyway?" He sighed. "Very well. A brief history of my brief existence is as follows. I will be sure to decrease my level of existential language to make comprehension an easier feat." Heretic's Story The happiest pony in the world is likely the most ignorant one, for knowledge can bring sorrow. I never believed that. In my superior mind, the only thing that mattered to me was knowing everything. Every equation, every biological code, every historical event, every last piece of the puzzle. That's why I spent my days in the library of my mother and father's mansion. I took my meals in there. I never stopped researching, studying or experimenting, and I never let the idea that I as an earthwalker am less handy than the average unicorn stop me. My parents had to pull me out of Canterlot Academy for I was beyond my fellow students by dozens of grade levels. I had a bright future; the youngest teacher at the Academy. Master Bubblemint Berry! A future of infinite knowledge up for grabs... it was only appropriate that I would earn this insignia of pi for my hard work. Unfortunately, I eventually learned too much. When I had finally read and memorized every last book in the family library, I was too ambitious to stop there. In a dusty, condemned section in the public library I found the one book that I had not read. The Myths and Murders of the Half Breeds. The author was unknown, its origins more of the same, but what was contained within that book told me everything about a subject seldom mentioned, often persecuted. The book was made of several brief journal entries describing the half breed hunts from centuries ago, how they were kept under wraps, and what Celestia had done to ensure any half breed ever encountered would be discriminated against until their life was taken... sometimes by their own hoofs or talons, or claws... it was the most horrifying piece of literature I had ever read, but it was just as much informative. I knew what I had to do. I had to wipe out the ignorance and tell the truth, for a brighter future for all half breeds. Celestia wouldn't allow that. Every last page in the family library and public library was turned to ashes, and my mother and father were imprisoned for raising me on such thoughts, even though the thoughts were my own. From that day forth I was a criminal that couldn't be caught. My infinite knowledge of infamous outlaws provided me with the necessary skills to avoid any and all arrests. The time would come when I would meet Judith and Cerberus, two spiritual siblings with a common goal; the liberation of Equestria. Thus, with their experience in battle and my superior mind, the Lunar Republic was born. "Um... Miss Pinkie? Were you paying attention?" Pinkie Pie was upstairs on Twilight's bed, flipping through a recipe book. "I already knew about all that." "You... what?" "I read the script." She smiled with closed eyes. "What do you-" "PINKIE!" Rainbow Dash flew through the window, smacking into Pinkie at such velocity that it sent them bouncing into the kitchen. Pinkie opened her eyes, but not to the multicolored mane she loved. "Spike? You're not Rainbow Dash." "Ugh, get a room." Spike took his turquoise sandwich back upstairs while stifling his coughs. Pinkie felt Rainbow Dash run her muzzle across every inch of her mane. "What got into you?" Rainbow Dash kissed Pinkie, long and passionately. "I just... really, really love you." "D'aaaaw, I love you too, Dashie." Hephaestus Ironwright was to be the hero of another story, titled Flames: Eclipsed by Super Big Mac, but the idea of dual stories fell through and it had to be cancelled. Hephaestus' story will be elaborated upon in a future remake of Dragon of the Eclipse.