//------------------------------// // New Enemies, New Prospects // Story: Cross-Realm Raiding // by Bishibosh the Shaman //------------------------------// Cross Realm Raiding Chapter Sixteen Bishibosh stood on the edge of his birth home. A small hut on the Elder Rise, just beside Thunder Bluff. He had come to this very spot to watch the peaceful plains of Mulgore. The lynxes and the wolves and the mighty kodo all shared the land in peace, not to say it wasn't violent. A pack of wolves stalking a kodo calf or taking advantage of the elderly bulls was a fearsome sight indeed, but such was nature. Bishibosh was joined by his love who stood by him and gazed over the land, but the skies darkened with ominous shadows pouring down as rain. Mist and fog rose from the grounds beneath him, as they thinkened they blotted out his surroudings. His love was gone, his home was gone, everything was gone except him. The mists and fog and shadows coalesced into a single entity before the shaman. As the shadows coiled up into legs and arms as if they were vines on a tree, one deathly eye rose from the shadowy stalk. Then came the whispers. The war you escaped is following shaman... the whispers hissed in Bishi's mind. He attempted to speak but was choked by the darkness. Just as they were stripped here, so shall everything you love be erased from your life Bishibosh was still struggling to breath but the more he struggled, the tighter the darkness strangled. I serve as an offer of mercy to your ungrateful kind. You have rejected the masters and now they come for you Bishibosh began to black out as the final whisper penetrated his mind. Run... and maybe the masters will spare them... maybe... they will spare... her... Bishibosh shot out of his slumber with a shout of terror. Taking a quick glance of his surroundings, he noticed the couch he was on, the warm house he was in. Her house, Flutter's home. As if she was beckoned, Fluttershy came hovering down the stairwell, her face showing signs of worry. "Are... are you ok?" She asked softly. "Y-you were having a nightmare... I tried to help but when I got close you began to choke, I was really scared..." Bishibosh felt sick to his stomach. Even though he had no control over the vision, he felt terrible for scaring Fluttershy. They had been together for almost a week and everypony had noticed. Probably her giddiness outside, more so than usual. Now she was standing there, with a look of fear in her eyes, which were red, obviously from tears of worry. "I... I am fine love, it was just a bad dream" Bishibosh assured her, "And don't ask, it had nothing to do with last night." Bishibosh winked, attempting to calm the distressed pegasus. "O-ok, well Twilight and Rarity stopped by looking for you, before the nightmares I mean. Twilight wanted us to meet them at her library" Flutter sounded better but still shaking. Bishibosh trotted up and put his fore-arms around her in a hug. "Lets go Flutter, it will be alright." The two of them walked together outside to go meet with the two unicorns. Bishi couldn't help but wonder why they both needed him. It wasn't unusual for either one to call on him but both at once, he was just glad the nightmare was over, but it wouldn't leave him. He even thought it to be a vision. Twilight and Rarity paced the library waiting anxiously for Bishibosh to arrive. Both were excited but for two different reasons, despite how well said reasons coincide. Rarity was especially nervous, for the longest time she had asking Bishi for favors to use his water spells to inspire her. He was more than willing but, alas, he was not always available. Twilight had been waiting for the opportunity to present itself that she may observe him using his spells in greater detail. Finally the door knocked and both unicorns raced to the door in excitement. They both made it and struggled to get the door open as they both were in the way. Rarity quickly gave up and allowed Twilight the privilege. Fluttershy stood at the door by herself. "Fluttershy? where is Bishibosh, didn't he stay with you last night?" Twilight asked. "Yes dear" Rarity huddled her into her forearm and closed her mouth to her ear. "You must spill the details." "Oh no Rarity, it was nothing like that. We just cuddled for a while until Sparky poped out. I got really scared trying not to touch her but she was really big and I didn't want to get hurt! So he was kind enough to take her downstairs and put her back to sleep. Once she gets that fiery though it can take a while to get her calmed down" Fluttershy meekly explained, leaving the two unicorns with their jaws dropped. Then the cinder kitten poked out from around Flutters leg and let out a cute 'meow!' "Oh, there she is now! Who's a cute kitty? You are! You are!" "Uhhh... ok?" Twilight awkwardly smiled as she changed the subject. "So where is Bishi?" "BOO!" Twilight shot towards the ceiling at the sudden burst, and looking down saw three little fillies and two stallions, all wearing black jump suits. "You guys are NOT FUNNY!" She scolded hanging from the ceiling. "Good job girls, any luck?" Said one of the masked stalions. "Nope" "Nattah" "Uh-uh" the three fillies muttered as they peered at their backsides, peeling off the lower half of their jump suits. "Well, don't you three worry! Operation Rain-bonk is still ago!" Said the Stallion from before. Both Stallions pulled off their masks revealing Bishi and Fayt. Fluttershy let out a soft snicker at Bishi as his mane was flattened to his neck, but after a quick shake it was back to it's shaggy, soft, lovable self. The Cutie Mark Crusaders and Fayt were exiting out at the time all four laughing and enjoying themselves. "Thanks for the help Bish, I will get these kids their cutie marks if it ki... well... you know what I mean" Fayt cackled. Twilight teleported herself back to the ground, and while trying to be a good sport about it, forced a smile. Rarity was appalled that her Sweetie Bell would go to such levels as scaring her like that. But she had other concerns to deal with now. "So... now that that is over with... Bishi, me and Rarity both had a favor to ask you" Twilight mentioned. "Ok, whatchya need?" Bish responded. "Dear, I am getting worried that my consistent prodding of your powers has become over bearing on you" Rarity elegantly put. "No, it's quite fine. I have nothing else I need to use it on. It may as well be for..." "No, it is quite not fine. Thus I have decided to train my own magical prowess under your watchful eye" "Uhhhh... what?" "You will take me under your metaphorical wing and teach me how to be a shaman! shaman-ess? Water!" "Well, Rarity, it isn't quite as simple as walking you through the spells. You need a certain... connection." Bishibosh stated, hoping not to sound mean. "I assure you I will acquire this connection! Uh, what per say kind of connection?" Rarity smiled. "One to the Elements. Anyone... pony rather... can become a shaman in theory, but it requires a certain unity with the primal powers around us. The Elements must deem you worthy, so to speak, and I don't know if fashion would be considered a worthy pursuit for an elemental" Bishibosh tried to explain but Rarity was adamant. "I will try, please? please please please please?" When Rarity got this way, Bishi knew there was no getting out. "Ok, I will try" "Excellent! I just know I can create beautiful dresses with that kind of ability!" Rarity excitedly exclaimed. "Yes, now for my favor." Twilight mentioned. "Since you are going to be training Rarity, I wondered if perhaps I may watch and observe. Celestia had given me the assignment of studying the magic of friendship, but the way you use your powers suggest a certain... friendship with the elements. It could be valuable to my work." "I see no problem with that, like I said, anyone, or pony in this case, has potential. It would be a disservice to hide it. Besides, I guess it couldn't hurt to try being a teacher once. Wizzle was just outside the giant iron walls of Orgrimar. The spell that the masters had given him was working as he was given the appearance of a kor'kron scout. The Horde had been moving out recently, many kor'kron moving into the barrens and south towards the Echo Isles. Wizzle had no idea what was going on but he knew he had to speak to Garrosh. Garrosh Hellscream.... there was an orc he had never wanted to meet. The hulking Mag'har Hero, who raided Icecrown against the Alliance and led the Horde to victory against Arthas. The orc who spear headed the assault on the Twilight Highlands and nearly pushed the Wildhammer completely out, and here Wizzle was charged with fooling him into sending an army into an unknown portal. The gnome/orc paced his way to the massive iron wall when he was confronted by a larger orc. His armor was obviously battle worn, and had seemed to still have fresh blood on the shoulder pads.His Axe was nearly as tall as he was and he was holding it out with one hand! It was looking angrily at him. "You there! Grunt, why are you not in position!? I was under the impression Garrosh had all the scouts sent to Elwynn." The orc yelled and grunted. Wizzle was terrified that the orc would cleave him in two. Watch young one, as my power is unveiled Wizzle watched as an other worldy tendril rose from the hard iron and wrapped around the orc, who gave no resistance, as if he were put in a trance himself. The tendril lifted him into the air and then seeped into the cracks of his armor. The orc was set back down soon after. "Follow me, honored scout." Wizzle followed. Garrosh sat on his throne, imagining his rule on Azeroth. He counted his victories and smiled. How many Alliance fell today he wondered, how much blood was shed by his Kor'kron soldiers. His thoughts were inturupted when one of his honor guard walked in, followed by one of his scouts he had just dismissed a few days ago. "What is this pathetic wretch... a coward who tried to run home when the sun got too hot?" Garrosh spat on the ground before Wizzle. "No Warchief. This scout has word of an Alliance base of operations he had discovered" The charmed orc stated. "Speak worm" Wizzle flinched. Here he was standing before the leader of the Horde, who if at a glance saw through his disguise would have him killed in an instant. He began to shake hoping the Warchief wouldn't notice his fear. Must I do everything... he was correct about the 'worm' comment Wizzle felt words falling from his mouth but he had no control of his speaking. "Esteemed Warchief, I have spotted Alliance patrols marching into a strange device. One such was discovered near the Tauren Capital of Thunder Bluff but was destroyed when attempted to retrieve it. I for one suspect foul play from our... allies..." "Interesting... you do good to bring me this news scout. And you bring honor to your name. Tell me, were exactly was this... device?" Garrosh gave a grin that cleaved Wizzled mind, one as sharp as the axe which he wielded. "Ok, focus. The meditation is for naught if you cannot keep focus on the elements around you. Imagine the world, the core of fire that is both dazzling and destructive, The shell of Earth which contains it, the magnificent Oceans that swallow the land, and the gentle breeze that cradled the land. Now envision them as one entity, four elements combined as a whole. Perfectly in balance, in complete harmony." Rarity could see it all as one big picture. Her expert mind of detail allowing the imagery of her planet in total harmony. She felt whole, a feeling she had not felt before. "Now, you have seen the world in peace, that is only half of what a shaman is. You can envision the world in perfect bliss and feel at peace, but it is only when you understand chaos..." Rarity then saw the world she imagined slowly dying. Jets of flames shot into the sky, the oceans flooding the land. As the oceans flooded, the fires boiled. Lava raged from inside the core. The earth itself bleeding it's last. Rarity stuggled keeping her mind clear. these thought just came and flooded her mind, but she held through. She continued to focus to bring her world together, but the more she struggled the more she failed. Finally she couldn't take it, and released her world to oblivion. "Ugh... that... hurt my head..." Rarity awoke from her trance, dizzily trotting around. "You did good, for the first half. The second was... well an attempt." "I don't understand, I tried everything I could to save the world but it kept getting worse. I finally had to let it go." "And that is the first lesson you learn." "Wait what?" "Nature is both beauty and beast, with the ability to create and destroy. One must learn that nature cannot be controlled, thus it is not meant to be controlled. I say that realizing that in this world the pegasai control the weather, but they do not have full control of it. That can never be obtained. The Elements respect those who respect them." The rest of the day Rarity trained, even when Bishi was ready to stop. Her insistence was just as adamant as she was herself, so he stayed. Fluttershy stayed by Twilight as she buried her head in her notes. Flutter thought if Twilight wrote any faster her paper would burst into flames. The Quill was already letting out smoke.