//------------------------------// // Sssearching // Story: A Marty Stu invades the Multiverse (Chess Game of the Gods) // by Keairan //------------------------------// I looked over at Steel Link as we worked on the gears going into the nail press. "So you're probably wondering why I've been going here and there so much, skipping out on work and the like." "I admit, I am curious. I figure that yeh do have yer reasons, and yer work for the crown does come into it." Steel replied calmly, focus on the gears. "While that is a reason, it's not the only reason. Tell me, do you know anything of Tirek?" I asked while taking a rasp to the gear. "The god of evil? Trapped in Tarterus for forever? Nothing beyond foal's tails." Steel stopped working on his gear, eyes curious. "Apparently while he was last free, he made a species of shock troops, ones that could repopulate themselves with any native population, ones that were very snake-like." I said evenly. "This is only hearsay, though, because from what I understand, the princesses buried all knowledge of them." "And yeh believe that ye're one of these creatures, don't yeh?" Steel asked with some assurance. "Not so much believe as was told outright by someone who would know. Anyways, I've been working on both my duties for the crown and on this problem in the times when I'm absent. But to be fair to you, I'll schedule my research efforts around when they're convenient for you." Steel looked up from his work, thought about it for a little while, then looked back at me. "Yeh can have three days for research for every six days yeh work on the forge. Does that sound fair, to yeh?" "Sounds fair indeed. Now lets get to work!" ***** I sat over my seventh attempt at a bowstave, looking at Violet. "Hey Vi, do you think you'll be able to come with me to Canterlot in about six, well, five more days?" I said before taking out another shaving in the stave beneath me. "I'll be going for three days, and trying to find an appropriate spell. Are you free? And would you like to come with me?" "I'd like that very much, Marty" Violet smiled at me sweetly. "Damnit, screwed up another stave!" I looked down at the notch that I had made too big in the wood. "Better luck next time, Marty." She said with a sassy smirk. "Why do I have a feeling I'll need it?" I said, somewhat resigned. "Because you obviously will." She replied back with a smile. I laughed. "Hush, you." ***** "Welcome to the Canterlot Archives." Princess Luna spoke in front of me, leading me into the dusty depository. "Here we have every single spell up until the current day. You should be able to find something useable here." "I hope so. I'd rather not be celibate for eight-hundred or so years. That just gets miserable." I said with a smile on my face. "Awkward talk about Marty's sex life aside, thank you your highness for allowing us to peruse the archive." Violet said with an embarrassed smile. Luna laughed. "His candidness is refreshing, but you really do need to train him better if he talks like that in front of polite company." "I'm trying. I'm just not sure what method is the best method to make him behave." Violet snarkily said to Luna I brought my tail up, and began to scratch the tip of my nose with the tip of my tail. "Marty, what are you doing?" Violet asked, laughing. "Well, if you're going to talk about me like I'm a pet, I suppose I should act the part. Besides, my nose itched." I continued to scratch. Luna looked at Violet, and laughed. "He's silly." "You have no idea." Violet shook her head. "I can't let him go anywhere without me, or he starts acting like a puppy in spring." "Arf." I said blandly to the amusement of both ladies. "Alright, I'll leave you to your research." Luna said, leaving us behind. "Thank you again, Luna!" I said as she left us behind. ***** I looked over the tome in front of me, delight on my face. "Muahahahahahaha! I've found it! The perfect spell! Finally, after all this time, I've found it! Power over everything, and all shall be bent to my will!" I quickly cast the spell, rearranging the world to my liking. First both princesses would bow to my power, and then the power of friendship between the pieces would be broken for forever. I made Violet my queen, and ensured that the two of us would rule for eternity from our throne of bones! I watched as Luna and Celestia, princesses no longer, dragged our royal thrones throughout the kingdom, showing my might to all! The elements were reformed into my lieutenants, their elements used to protect tyranny. ***** I turned and looked at Violet. "Do you ever get the feeling that you're doing something completely unlike yourself, but you're obviously not?" Violet looked at me, confused, but nodding her head. "Yeah, that describes what I'm feeling perfectly. Do you have any idea what's going on?" I looked at her, and shook my head. "No, not really, and what's more, I don't think I want to know." I turned back to the tome in front of me. "Anyways, lets try and find a spell that actually works. So far, a perforated condom would work better than what I've found." Violet giggled. "Yeah, I've not found anything either." ***** Celestia met with us before we were to return home on the third day. "Did you find anything that would work? I confess that such magic is something I've never dabbled with." Violet bowed low, while I nodded my head in respect, before answering. "We didn't find anything, but we didn't finish looking through everything, either. I'll be back in a few days, and look through more tomes." Celestia nodded her head, expression unchanged. "I look forward to seeing you again. Farewell." "See you later, Princess." I said easily, throwing a mock-salute. "Thank you for seeing us off, Princess. It is an honor to meet you in person." Violet squeaked out. "And it is an honor to meet such an amazing musician, my little pony." Celestia replied gently. Violet smiled so hard it seemed that her ears would be taken in. I thought to myself on the context of that phrase for a pony. That's a big grin for a human, let alone a pony. Huh, a creature that's all smile. Sounds like something Pinkie Pie would want to see. "Bye, Princess!" I channeled a skimming platform, and the two of us left Canterlot. ***** The next week continued on much the same way as the week prior, though Steel and I had essentially finished the gear-age for the press, along with much of the housing. All that remained was the completion of the housing, and hooking it up to a water-wheel. "Looking forward to getting this done, Steel?" Steel looked up at me, nodded, and smiled. "That I am, lad. This should work, and keep us from having to spend so much of our time on apprentice work. Now shut yer yap, and lets get to poundin the metal!" "Jawohl!" I barked back with a smile. ***** I returned to the archives, this time by myself, Violet busy with a performance in Maneapolis this time around. I looked through all the likely tomes, a much shrunk stack from the first time I had visited. One book turned into five, then twelve, and finally I didn't see a point in looking any longer. "Useless! All of these are useless! I'd be better off remaking the pill and using a condom!" I hit the table hard with my fist, denting the wood. I left the archive, and went to my hotel room to try and catch some sleep. As I drifted off, I decided to go into the world of dreams instead. ***** As I looked about the room I popped up in Tel'aran'rhiod, I decided to return to the archive, maybe finding it in the dreamworld instead. As I looked at the various books, each one getting further and further away from the subject of what I desired to find, I got more and more depressed. I suddenly heard a woosh from behind me. "Hello, Luna. What brings you here? Come to help me search?" A male voice laughed, and spoke up. "We are not Luna, Mr. Stu. We can, however help you, for a price." I turned around, and saw Oponn standing before me. "Oh, it's you two. Lovely. Anyways, you mentioned that you can help me. How can you help me, and what's the price?" I said with a droll, annoyed tone. "Are you familiar with the Eres'al?" The Lady asked me. "Vaguely. Wasn't she the mother goddess of the various forms of humanity in your reality?" I said evenly. "Correct to a degree, though she also personified fertility for all species, something that her artifacts factor in heavily. We were 'given' an artifact by her in lieu of her owing us a favor. We know that it will protect the mother of a child, keep her from conceiving, and even help a child favor one parent over another." The Lady said rapidly. I replied suspiciously "That sounds like it would work, and work well. What's your price for such an amazing artifact?" "We would require you to find six artifacts that have been scattered about this planet. We have an idea about where one is located. What say you, will you pay this simple price?" The Lord replied, voice like ice. "What would these artifacts do for you? I'm not going to give you a superweapon." Suspicion filled every nook and cranny of my voice. The Lady laughed. "These artifacts are merely tools that bring or represent a form of luck. Three forms of good luck, and three forms of bad. The reason we desire these artifacts is so that we can be attuned to this planet. This place... lacks a permanent god of luck. We wish to take upon that role." I still was suspicious, but held out my hand. "I'll do it. I can't guarantee how fast I'll be in collecting these artifacts, but I'll do it all the same." The twin jesters of chance shook hands with me, and then the Lady began to talk again. "The first artifact you need to find is Clover's clover. No, it's not a pressed four leaf clover, but a carved emerald that was a token that she carried on her person for years, and that her son carried on himself until his death, with it being laid in his tomb with him." The Lord took over. "The emerald is somewhere in the lands surrounding the city known as Los Pegasus. That is all we know. We thank you for your assistance and your discretion in this task. Do feel free to tell your intended mate, though. Secrets from those you are closest to are the ones that cause the most problems." "Thank you for that caveat. I'm going to return to my body and get some real sleep. Farewell for now, Oponn." I said tiredly. "Farewell, He of the Stu." Oponn replied in their freaky double voice. I quickly returned to my body and slept, exhausted.