//------------------------------// // The Arrival. // Story: Writer's Block. // by xXCondemnedSoulXx //------------------------------// Daylight eyed the figure within the reflection as it gazed back with the same unrelenting look. The author couldn’t stand to look at the creature and turned away for but a moment and smashed his hand against the shimmering surface. As his fist made contact with the force field, it chimed with a grand echo that rung throughout its whole. Slowly, both the figure and the field dissipated into nothing, allowing access to the mountains and the Hive. Darkmoon shot his gaze upon the author and called out with a hint of curiosity. “Hey, what the hell was that? Some kind of magic? I’ve been trying to get through this blasted barrier for the past two weeks and you just hit it and it fades away?” He crossed his arms and gave Daylight a worried look. “Something’s going on here Day, and I want to know what it is. Right now.” Daylight looked towards Dark and irritably ran his fingers through his hair, trying to figure that out himself. “I don’t know.” He took a deep breath and tried pulling his thoughts together. At that moment, an idea popped into mind. He spoke to Dark, but he couldn’t fix his eyes on the elderly guardian as his eyes continued to wander as he walked in circles with one arm rested across his chest and the other rested upon that, his hand covering his mouth as he thought. “Maybe.. maybe it’s.. That must be it!” Day cried as he jumped with a essence of happiness. “Maybe that’s reason the barrier’s gone now! It must be because of me!” “Well, it doesn’t take a genius to realize that it’s gone now, but ‘why’ is the question.” “I know, I was just about to get to that but...you started talking.. Anyways.” Daylight shook his head as he tried to get back into his thought. “What I was thinking was that it wasn’t a magical barrier set by someone to keep you away, but a barrier that was created because I’m the writer!” “What? That doesn’t even make sense...” He trailed off as he begun to think himself. “It actually does, well. For me anyways. Here, let me explain it to you, well the best I can at least. The reason that I’m thinking the barrier disappeared is since I’m the author, the story can’t continue without, this is going to sound a little self centered, without me. Since reaching the Hive was always one of my main goals, basically a major plot element, and since I hadn’t arrived yet, the barrier was set. Now that I’m finally here, the story can continue, and thus the barrier’s gone.” “I.. I think I understand.” “Nevertheless, we have some people to meet with at the hive. Let’s get moving.” Daylight said as he climbed back onto the wagon. With the snap of Dark’s fingers, the cart quickly began rolling towards the direction of the hive. As they traveled along the side of the mountain, Day could see the remnants of the Guild. The untouched rumble of what once existed. He looked towards Dark and saw that the elderly guardian was also looking towards the fort, lost within his thoughts. Day spoke up,“Kinda sucks what happened, eh?” Dark didn’t break his concentration away from the fort and sighed. “You know, I kinda felt that something like that would have happened. Maybe It’s a good thing it was stopped before things got too out of hand.” The rest of the travel was a quiet one until they were about a hundred yards from the front gates of the hive’s walls. As Dark set his eyes upon the hive, Daylight could see a small glassy shimmer from the elders eyes. “I know how it feels Dark, missing home and all. At least you have family to return to.” At this Dark turned to Daylight with a confused look. “What do you mean? I thought that was one of the reasons you were trying to return to earth for. Because of your family.” “Well, yes and no. I want to return back to earth so I can see my family, but I don’t live with them. I moved away from my family many years ago, but me and my stubborn pride, I haven’t seen or spoken with them in years. Should I get back, maybe I’ll try make contact with them, but I’m not sure entirely.” “Then stay.” Dark said as he looked to Daylight. The answer he gave Day made him look to him with a twinge of confusion and uncertainty. “What do you mean?” He asked. Dark let a small smile creep over his face as he spoke,“Think about it, sure, you get back to earth, back to your life.. but what then? You could go back to your family, but from way you tell it, you’re not certain of that yourself. If you were to stay, you’d have us. You’d have me, Chrysalis, Dusk, hell.. you’d have everyone.” Daylight thought about this for a moment, and he began accepting the idea for a second. “That does sound pretty good, but then I’m a stranger to everyone. Well, to all those I haven’t met yet anyways.” “That’s why we make you your own story. But does it have to be any different from the adventures you’ve had from the one’s you’ve had since coming here? From the little adventures you’ve told me along this ride, they’ve been good ones. You arriving here, you and Ditzy escaping Canterlot. The most interesting part was the extensive travels you’ve been on to get to the hive, only having to turn around and return to Canterlot to save Ditzy. One of the grim parts in your story was when you died in that field I found you in, meeting death. The last time I met him was... the last. And I don’t plan on seeing him anytime soon. Your story is an interesting one, so don’t change it.” “Well, it’s been an adventure and a half, but I’m still a stranger.” Day said as he rested his elbows against his knees and leant forward, holding one hand in the other. “And this is to be expected, we’re all strangers. I was a stranger once, then I met Archimedes, then I met Axton, then Terra, followed by Pyro and finally Strife. We formed the guardians. Strangers at first, but soon recognized as much more to everyone. You’re a stranger now, but I’m pretty sure they’ll warm up to you pretty soon.” “Thanks. I.. I really needed to hear that.” A smile slowly crept across Daylight’s face as he looked up and seen that they were almost at the hive’s front gates. There stood four changling guards, doned in full battle armor, staring down at the cart with the two halves. “Who goes there?” Called the guard from atop the tower. Dark nudged Day and signalled for him to speak. Day looked to him and shook his head, refusing to speak. Darkmoon wouldn’t stop nudging the author and continuously pestered Daylight until he finally forced Dark’s arm aside and stood from the cart’s seat and spoke. “My name is Daylight’s Break and with me is Darkmoon’s Crescent.” “Ah, Darkmoon, we haven’t seen you in some time. Come on in.” The guard from atop the tower turned to face other changlings that operated the gate controls and signalled for them to open the gate. The sound of heaving and grunts could be heard as a group of ten turned a large spinning wheel, slowly cranking the front gate open. After it finally opened, the cart began trudging its way into the holds of the castle yard, quickly followed by the closing of the front gates. Daylight turned to Darkmoon and thought for a moment before he spoke. “If the Hive was under attack, and they had pegasi or other winged creatures, what would the point of having the gates there be?” He asked. “Easy, if they have aerial soldiers, and should they send them over the walls to open the front gates for the ground troops, they risk losing those aerial troops.” He looked to me with a smile. “Not only are they out manned, but they are also foolish for even trying. Simple strategy my friend.” Dark parked the cart over to the side of the castle training grounds and leapt out of the seat and stood to his feet, quickly followed by Daylight as he looked around the courtyard. “This is... this is just as I pictured it in the story. The black, spiked walls lined with some form of encryption along the entire wall. The numerous guard towers along the fort walls, the massive size of the training ground with all the equipment placed in their designated spots. Everything’s just so... where I wanted it to be. It’s amazing.” “Well, like you said earlier, you’re the author.” Dark strode to the back to the cart and pulled off the green and blue tarp that covered the back. “Here, help me with this.” Daylight quickly sped to the back and was tossed two fairly large satchels and a large duffle bag. “Can you manage that?” He asked as he watched as Daylight almost lose his footing as he caught the bags. He quickly placed them down and slung both satchels around either side of his torso, one after the other. Next was the large, heavy duffle bag. He took it into hand and lifted it around his back and held onto the strap. He looked towards Dark and grinned,“Yeah.” He said through a small grunt. “I’ve carried worse.” Dark looked to him and smirked. “Alright tough guy, I’ll let you take a couple more.”