Day VIII
A grass field on Canterlot Mountain, Equestria
Fourth stage of Setting Sun
There was a lack of wind at the grassy cliffside. And it was not helping Quill. He crouched low, hiding within the barely-moving tall grass, creeping forward ever so slowly. Fortunately, the excessive chirps of bugs amongst the grass were enough to mask most of his movement. Unfortunately, said bugs kept buzzing around him and in his face, causing his ears to twitch and his tail to flick out of instinct. But despite all these complications, Quill's magenta eyes remained focused on something ahead of him; something he knew was there, but could not see and could barely hear... something trilling softly and occasionally rustling among the grass, accompanied by a light metallic scraping sound.
He took another careful step forward and made his own rustling noise. He cursed under his breath as the trilling halted. Then, a head poked up out of the grass ahead-- and there it was. It was confirmed. Its bronze beak glinted in the late afternoon sunlight. After a few tense seconds, the bird returned to its... whatever it was doing. There was a small breeze of wind, and Quill took the opportunity to move forward.
Finally, he reached a point of visible contact. There you are... he thought. Slowly, he levitated his journal out from behind him, along with an ink-ready quill. Keeping his eyes on the target, he turned to a specific page; a list of rare and exotic creatures that are supposedly native to Equestria. He then scanned the list until he found what he was looking for...
...
Minotaur
Phoenix
Roc < Badlands?
Salamander, Fire < normally in hot temp
Slime:
Black < caverns, mainly
Blue
Green < Especially common in swamps
Red < almost always near magma, must be in hot temp.
YellowSpider, Giant
Stymphalian bird
...
He smirked as he looked back at the bird. Its shining metal feathers softly chimed as they clinked together in ever so slight movements; giving a sound similar to ringmail armor. Quill watched with curiosity as the bird's bronze beak scraped between its feathers, both preening its wings and sharpening its beak. Fascinating, Quill thought. That would explain the metal scraping noise. The scribe smirked again as he levitated his quill over to the journal. Finally, a new addition to his bestiary. He decided he'd work out the details later, and crossed out "Stymphalian bird".
However, at that exact moment, the breeze, the bugs, and the bird decided to stop whatever they were doing. The wind ceased, the bugs went silent, and the bird stopped preening. So right at that moment, in the dead silence, there was a (relatively) loud scratch of a quill being drawn across parchment. Quill froze as the bird's head snapped in his direction.
"...Uh-oh."
The bird let out a metallic-sounding screech, which was surprisingly loud, catching Quill off-guard. Immediately following, the bird took off and hovered a few meters off the ground, its metal wings creating an eerie vibrating noise. It glared at the red unicorn.
Now, Quill had done his homework. He lived over a library after all, so he spent a lot of his free time studying for his upcoming expeditions. He did his research on this.
He knew what happened next.
In one swift motion, Quill levitated his journal and quill straight into his satchel and dove to the side, right before a pair of razor-sharp metal feathers embedded themselves in the spot he was just in. Wasting no time, the bird gave a short squawk and performed another hard flap of its wings, causing another volley of feathers to hurtle straight at Quill.
Stymphalian birds were known to be very hostile. They won't attack for no reason, but if you so much as look at them from a maximum of seven meters away, they'll tag you as an enemy.
They have three methods of attack, the first being their metallic screech, combined with the intimidating spread of their metal wings, intending to scare the foe off and avoid a conflict altogether. However, they don't usually give their foes much time.
Because almost immediately after, they launch a flurry of razor-sharp feathers, designed not necessarily to kill the enemy, but to cause them pain and/or incapacitate them.
But Quill knew this.
Quill was prepared.
Quill snapped his head around, his horn glowing in a light blue aura. With a flick of his head, a half-dome-shaped blue forcefield made up of hexagonal panels conjured in front of him. It pulsated as the feathers bounced harmlessly off of it, one embedding itself in the ground, another flying of to the sky, and one barely missing the bird, who squawked once more in anger.
The volley of feathers was a method to prepare for the third phase. Once the target was incapacitated, the bird would swoop down with its sharpened bronze beak and go in for the kill.
But sometimes, when phase two fails, you just have to go straight to phase three.
Quill wasn't prepared for phase three.
Deciding the feathers weren't working, the bird dove down, beak first, headed straight for the scribe. Quill gasped and quickly dove forward, rolling underneath the predator and evading its metal strike. Scrambling to recover, the bird fluttered its wings and did its best to maintain hovering. It turned around and squawked when it saw Quill with his glowing horn at the ready.
The young scribe was rather proficient in magic, at least for what he knew. He would either be very skilled at a spell or know nothing about it.
Magical beam was one he knew well.
Quill released a burst of blue sparks from his horn, impacting the bird and stunning it. It fell to the ground, its muscles locked up, as the unicorn took the opportunity to get the hay out of there. Quill knew the spell wouldn't cause any permanent damage-- but that was the idea. He used a stun beam, one of the more famous non-lethal forms of attack in magic. As he ran for his life, he couldn't help but grin widely. I just got into a fight with a Stymphalian bird! he thought. He grinned wider. And I lived to tell about it!!
As he ran off, the bird slowly craned its neck and poked its head out of the grass. When it caught sight of the unicorn, it merely cocked its head and watched him leave, giving a quiet, curious squawk.
Day VIII
Royal Library, Canterlot, Equestria
Dusk
Quill stood on the balcony, watching the sun set in an orange hue, its light reflecting off the clouds, appearing as if it were sending out fiery tendrils to the atmosphere around it. It was making its best efforts to cast its final energy upon the land before it would retire for the night. Quill just stood there, gazing at it. Today had been a good day. He had finally gotten out of the castle after... who knows how long. And yet... he couldn't bring himself to smile. Something was troubling him, and he didn't know what it was. He just stood there, with a stern expression.
His thoughts were interrupted by a knocking sound. Slowly, he looked away from the sun and cantered across the candle-lit room, over to the door. As he did, his mind wandered back into reality, and he silently questioned who would visit him after hours on a busy day like today. He opened the door, and standing out on the pathway was-- a purple mare.
More specifically, a mare in a brown scholar's cloak, smiling kindly at Quill. Quill smiled back. "Hello, Clover," he said.
"Hi, Quill," Clover responded.
"Come for another book?" the scribe asked, stepping back and allowing the mare to enter. "Even though the library is closed...?"
Clover rolled her eyes. "Yes, please," she answered as she walked inside. "I'd like something on travelling and wildlife. Like, a guide for camping."
Quill didn't stop to wonder why she wanted such a book, and instead nodded and scanned the walls until he found the shelf he was looking for. He trotted over to it and levitated a few books down to eye level. He looked through them until he found a rather small, green covered book. "Ah. Here we go..." He levitated the other books back on the shelf without even looking, then walked over to Clover and held the book out to her.
"'Camping, Survival, and Everything in Between'," she read. "'A newbie's guide to surviving the wilderness.' Hey!" Clover glared at Quill, who snorted trying to contain his laughter. "I am not a newbie!"
"Then why are you here for a book?" he asked, chuckling.
"I'll have you know that I've discovered an documented several new species of flora and fauna since we've been in Equestria."
Quill let his laughter loose. "Mostly flora, considering most of the fauna you encountered scared you to death!" He laughed more. "How big was that snake, again??" He mockingly held up his hooves no more than half a meter apart.
Clover blushed. "Sh-shut up!"
Quill doubled over and wiped a tear from his eye. "Hahaha! I'm sorry, but it's just-- *snrk*" He took a moment to regain himself. "Sorry. If this isn't what you're looking for, you could always try this one." He levitated over another book, this one olive-colored and much bigger. He held it up to Clover.
"'Mare vs. Wild'," she read, "'by Mare Grylls'. That's an odd title."
Quill shrugged. "Meh. It's an odd book. You'll love it." The book hovered back over to him. "Shall I check it out for you?"
Clover shrugged. "I guess so. Thank you." Quill nodded and walked over to the desk. Once he was all finished with officials, he levitated the book over to Clover, who took it with her own magic and put it in her saddlebag.
"Now then," Quill said. "Is there anything else I can do for you, Clover...?"
Clover's eyes fell to the floor. "Actually, yes," she said. "The book wasn't the only thing I came for."
"Oh?" Quill raised an eyebrow.
Clover looked at him. "...I just wanted to say goodbye."
"Goodbye...?" Quill repeated, surprised.
"Well, not really goodbye," the mare corrected. "I just wanted to let you know... I'll be going away for a while."
"Really?"
"Yes." Clover narrowed her eyes. "What'd you think I needed this book for...?"
Quill furrowed his brow and shrugged. "Duh, I dunno..." he said, pausing to think of a good guess... "...Flowers...?"
Clover rolled her eyes. "No. I'm going travelling."
Quill grinned sheepishly. "Don't suppose you could bring me along, huh...?"
Clover sighed. "No, Quill. You've got too much work now to go off on another one of your adventures."
"But where are you even going...?" Quill asked, now concerned. "Why go now, and what for...?"
Clover hesitated. "I'm... sorry, Quill..." she said, backing off slowly. "I'm afraid I can't tell you..."
"Why not?" Quill asked, taking a step forward.
Clover shook her head, a saddened expression on her face. "I... I just... can't..."
Quill sighed and let his head lower, closing his eyes. "...Fine..." he said. He raised his head and looked at Clover. "If it's that important to you, then fine." He gave her a weak smile. "...I'll miss you."
Clover stopped and looked at Quill for a moment. Then, she smiled. "Thanks," she said. "I'll miss you, too." She turned to the door and walked out.
"And one more thing," the scribe called out. Clover turned to look at him. He smiled. "Happy adventuring, Clover!" The mare smiled back and closed the door. Quill sighed and walked back to the balcony. It was significantly darker now. The fire tendrils had retreated, the energy was ceasing, and the sun was disappearing into the darkness, retiring for the night.
And Quill just stood there, with a stern expression.
Day VIII
Canterlot Archives, Canterlot, Equestria
First Stage of Rising Moon
Quill scanned through the archive bookshelves, keeping an eye out for anything missing or out of place. A scroll and quill levitated next to him, occasionally checking off each item as he moved along. Everyone else had gone or was going to their homes for the night... everyone but him and the night guard. His mind and body worked like clockwork. It was all the same. There was nothing different in the archives. There was never anything different in the archives...
Quill was finished with this wing. Just one more wing to go, and he could head back to his chamber. The Star Swirl the Bearded Wing. He was glad that it was the smallest of the wings... and was still a work in progress. He'd be home before the third stage. He walked up to the wing's gate, passing by a unicorn guard on patrol, who nodded to him. Quill nodded back, and proceeded to unlock the gate. He entered and casted a torchlight spell, illuminating the room.
"Ah, good," came a male voice from the darkness. "Could you shine that over here, please...?" Quill stopped and wore a confused expression. Who could be here at this time of night...? Quill moved toward one of the bookshelves and rounded the corner. Leaning against the shelf was a gray earth stallion holding a tome in his forehooves, standing on his hindlegs. He smiled when Quill's light touched the tome's pages. "Ah, thanks," the stallion said casually. Quill just stood there for a moment.
"Um... Who are you...?" he asked.
"Oh, right," the stallion said, glancing up from the tome. "Sorry. My name's Silver Mine. Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Quill."
"Um... Likewi-? Wait... What? How do you know me?" Quill paused. "...Have we met before...?"
Silver chuckled. "No, but boy, I've heard that a lot this past week. Besides, if we had, I wouldn't have said 'pleasure to meet you'." He closed the tome, placed it back in the shelf and looked up at the confused scribe. "I bet some context would help, huh?"
Quill nodded. "Yes... yes, I think it would..." He looked behind him at the gate, then back at Silver. "For starters, how did you get in here?"
Silver landed his front hooves on the floor, standing properly. He shrugged. "I walked in."
"But... how did you get past the guards...?"
Silver blinked. "There were guards...?"
"Uh... well... how did you get past the locked gate?"
Silver blinked again. "The gate was locked...?"
Now it was Quill's turn to just stand there, blinking. Finally, he shook his head. "Uh-- so-- what are you doing here...?" He looked over at the tome Silver was reading. "Were you looking for something?"
"Yes."
"Was it that tome?"
"No."
"Then what was it?"
"I was looking for you, actually."
Quill reeled back with a cocked eyebrow. "Me...?"
"Yes. You."
"What do you need me for...?"
This was apparently the line that the miner had been waiting for. Because what Quill saw next made him want to truly understand this stallion's character... as well as his... greater role.
Silver's face slowly shifted into what Quill could only describe as the biggest smirk that could ever be imagined in existence. His eyes said it all-- "I'm so glad you asked." However, Quill's uneasy mood was quickly shattered by what the stallion said next...
"...An adventure."
"SOLD."
Both stallions flinched at the fast response. Neither of them were expecting it. Quill was the first to address it. "*Ahem*, I mean, what kind of adventure...?" He attempted to keep a cool demeanor, but Silver could see the sheer excitement in his eyes, which, in turn, revived the smirk.
"We're going to the Dragon homeland," Silver explained. "As I'm sure you're aware, the dragons have threatened Canterlot--"
"I'm a scribe."
Silver paused at the interruption. "...Excuse me...?"
"I'm a scribe. I record all the important moments of Equestrian history. Of course I know when the capital is threatened."
"That's... why I said... 'as I'm sure you're aware'..."
"Right... sorry, I'm getting excited..."
"Anyway, I've assembled a team to confront the dragons and negotiate a truce. And I'd like you to--"
"YES!!" Quill hopped in the air and his horn sparked.
Silver paused before slowly continuing... "...come along and... record the... event..."
Quill cleared his throat. "I mean, uh, yes. I accept."
"Uh... Right... Don't worry about your job here-"
"Ah, don't worry about it," Quill interrupted again, waving his hoof dismissively. "It'll be better to record this event on the front lines, so to speak. Besides, the castle can do without a library for a few weeks. Not to mention only one pony really visited there regularly, and she's gone away, so... It should all be fine."
Silver stared at Quill for a moment with a deadpan expression. Quill grinned awkwardly. "Anyway," Silver continued, "We're basically-" Silver paused. "Wait a minute... What did you just say...?"
Quill cocked his head slightly. "Uh... I said the castle could do without a library for a few weeks."
"No, after that, something about somepony leaving...?"
"Oh. Well, the library really only had one pony who visited there regularly. Clover the Clever. Do you know her?"
"And she... left...?"
"Yeah, she's going away for a while. She didn't tell me where. Why do you ask?" Quill narrowed his eyes at Silver, who was staring off into space, brow furrowed in heavy thought. "Do you know her?" Quill repeated. No response. "Is there something wrong with that...?" Silver just kept staring, thinking, eyes slightly darting from side to side, as if sifting through thoughts. "Mr. Mine...?" Quill was getting concerned. The miner was just standing there... "Silver, are you alright...?"
Silver blinked and looked at Quill. "Hm...? Yes, I'm fine..." he said quietly. Quill looked at him skeptically. "So..." Silver shifted back to his smirk. "I take it you're in...?" Quill hesitated for a bit, before shifting his mood as well. He put on a smile of determination before answering:
"But of course."
With the team assembled, and the Scribe along for the ride, the miner leaves him to finish his work for the night, detailing what he should bring and where to go. The Scribe was waiting for a moment like this... but with barely any details on the mission, was his hasted answer a wise one...?
And what of the Clever one...? She departs from the city, taking but a single glance back at the castle. Back at one specific balcony... of a specific Scribe.
The Miner watches her depart, from a distance... thoughts and questions buzzing in his head. Satisfied with his observations, he takes one last look at the rising moon, irradiating a soft, silver glow upon the clouds, not reaching out with its energy, but merely displaying it. He decides it is time to leave, and he descends the castle rooftops, down to the city below.