//------------------------------// // Chapter 12: Back in town // Story: Refracted Love // by Silentpegasus //------------------------------// Chapter 12 Back in Town “Boop.” Geode felt something tap his nose as he laid in the bed at Sweet Apple Acres. “Boop.” Geode opened his eyes to see Applebloom with a smile on her face. “Morning.” “What are you doing?” He asked. “Booping your nose.” She said as she did it again. The stallion rolled his eyes and got to his hooves. “How’d you sleep?” She asked. “Best sleep I’ve had in a very long time.” He said as he kissed her on the cheek. The mare smiled and walked with the stallion down the stairs. The other Earth ponies were sitting at the table as Granny Smith started serving the food. “There you two are.” Applejack said with a smile. “Ah was about to call for ya.” “Sorry sis.” The yellow mare said with a smile. The two sat down across from Mac who was in between Applejack and his wife. “Hey Mac ah was wondering if ah could have the day off.” “Ah don’t know Bloom we-” He was cut off as the mares sitting beside him discretely punched him in the ribs. “Caramel?” The stallion said as he fought through the pain. “I’m not getting involved.” He said as he sipped his coffee trying to not notice the death stare Applejack was giving him. “Good boy.” The orange mare said with a smile. “You two have a nice day off.” The mare said with a smile. The young couple smiled and finished their food. The red stallion and the yellow mare made their way down the dirt path towards town. The yellow mare stopped and scratched her chin. “Something wrong?” Geode asked. “Just remembered that ah had to do something.” “What?” The yellow mare then slapped him across the face. “Okay, ow!” He said as he rubbed the sore spot. “That was for leaving!” She yelled. “Fine I deserved-” He was cut off as the mare kissed him. “That was for coming back.” She said with a smile. “If you ever run off like that again then I’ll-” “Snap my horn off?” He asked with a wince. “I’ll snap something off.” She said in a rough tone. The red stallion gulped as the mare giggled. “C’mon. Let’s go, ah want to hear about all the things you did.” “Right, why don’t we find everypony and we’ll meet up at the library. I’m sure Twilight is as eager to hear my story as you all are.” He said with a smile. The mare nodded and the two trotted off to meet with their friends. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The cloaked green crystal stallion got off the train and made his way through the small town. He kept his head lowered and made his way through the streets until he saw a red unicorn stallion with a black mane. He quickly ducked behind a building and started to observe the stallion. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Geode along with the group of friends made their way towards the library. “So Pip. When did you give up your eye patch for a compass?” Geode asked. “Ah, yes. In my pirate exploits I started studying old maps Twilight had at the library. Soon I started to draw my own maps and the rest is history.” He said with a shrug. Geode grinned as he knocked on the door to the library. The door swung open and he was tackled by a familiar pink Alicorn mare. “GEODE! IT’S SO GOOD TO SEE YOU!” Cadence yelled as she locked him in a death hug. “Cadence...can’t breath!” The stallion said as he gasped for air. “Sorry!” She said as she let go of him. “When Twilight told me that you were back I was so excited!” She said with a giggle. “It’s good to see you too.” He said as he got to his hooves. The group trotted inside to see Twilight along with Shining Armor and Dawn sitting at the kitchen table. The group of friends sat down as Twilight poured them each a cup of tea. The stallion also saw a seven foot purple dragon carrying a few extra chairs. “Spike?” “Hey dude.” He said as he put the chairs down and hoof bumped him. “Wow look how big you got!” “I can say the same thing about you!” He then looked over at the lavender mare. “What have you been feeding him?” The ponies snickered and took their seats. “So Geode tell us. What have you been doing for the past five years?” Shining said with a smile. “I’ve been running. Faster than I ever have and I’ve been running my whole life.” He said as he sipped his glass. “Now it’s time for me to stop. I’ve made a decision.” “What’s that?” Twilight asked. “I’ve spent the last four years systematically taking out Corrupted members.” He said in a flat tone. “I don’t know what they’re planning, but it’s big and it involves the Empire in some way.” “What do you mean by ‘taking out?’” Cadence said with a gulp. “I’ve found a way to strip Sombra’s magic from them.” He said with a smile. “After I had beaten them to the point so that they can’t move I’d take the magic away which, resulted in amnesia. The I’d send them back to the empire fully cured and in control of their minds.” He said with a grin. Twilight looked at the red stallion in amazement. “How does it work?” Twilight asked. “I can show you in a few minutes.” He said with a smirk. “How?” The red stallion pulled out one of his hammers and slammed it on the hard wood floor. The group heard a loud scream coming from outside. “What was that?” Twilight asked. The red stallion got to his hooves and trotted outside accompanied by the other ponies. The ponies saw a massive rock sticking up out of the ground. “Wait for it.” He said as the screaming grew louder. Geode looked up and saw a dark green hooded Crystal stallion falling from the sky. The object landed with loud thud. The ponied cringed as Cadence covered Dawn’s eyes. Geode walked up to the green mass struggling on the ground and lifted his head up by his mane. “Ah Lt. Archer. I’ve heard a lot about you.” “So you’re the brat.” He said as Geode let go of him. The stallion sat up and glared at the red stallion. “This is your one chance, surrender and I’ll get rid of that annoying voice in your head.” He said with a smirk. “Um, no thanks.” The stallion’s coat turned from swamp green to a jet black and his eyes spliced. “Ah yes. Two can play at that game.” The red stallion’s horn glowed and the mark on his neck started to spread across his body. His coat turned jet black and his eyes were spliced. “Now let’s have a good old fashioned fight.” The red stallion lunged forward and kicked the stallion down the street and towards the woods. Archer hit the dirt hard and quickly got to his hooves. The stallion looked up to see the other dark stallion turning back to his normal red color and his eyes returned to their normal size. “So, you’ve gotten control over it have you?” “More or less. Oh and I’d watch where you’re standing if I were you.” The stallion looked down to see that the ground had engulfed his hooves. He looked back to see the other ponies galloping up to him. “Ah just in time.” He said as rocks formed around the stallion’s neck and started to grow around his body. “Let me go you whore spawn!” “Oi! Watch the language.” Geode said in a stern tone. The red stallion then touched his horn to his head and made it glow. The trapped stallion felt a pain in his head and started to scream and pain. Shining was about to intervene when Twilight held him back. The dark coloring around the green stallion started to go into the red stallion’s horn. Once all the dark color had faded away Geode released the stallion. “What? Where am I?” The stallion asked. Geode smiled and put a hoof on the stallion’s shoulder. “Ponyville, you’re about three hundred miles from the Crystal Empire. Take the twelve o’clock train and go home.” “Y-yes. Good idea.” He said as he rubbed his head in pain. He looked at the pink Alicorn and the group and gave a nod. The ponies watched him walk away and stared back at the red stallion. “What did you just do?” Twilight asked. “I took in all the magic, the memories everything the corrupted did to him and removed it.” He said with a grin. “Instead of killing him I gave him his freedom back.” The red stallion suddenly stumbled only to be caught by the white stallion. “Are ya okay?” Applebloom asked. “Yeah, it’s just doing that takes a lot of magic.” He said with a sigh. “How many times have you done that?” “Including him, seventy-two times.” He said as he cracked his neck. “I think I’m finally ready.” “Ready for what?” Cadence asked. “I’m going back to the empire.” Geode said with a smile. “WHAT?” The ponies yelled. “You said that they would attack you on sight!” Shining protested. “That was before I could change the way I look and I have a plan.” He said with a smile. “Which is?” Rumble asked. “I find the senior Corrupted member and Purify him. Once that is done I use the same spell on the Crystal heart to amplify the effects across the entire Empire, thus destroying the last remains of King Sombra permanently.” “This sounds risky.” Cadence said. “How are you even going to find this leader anyway?” “Oh he’ll find me. The crystal fair is only a few days away correct?” The pink mare nodded. “Then it’s simple, I enter the fair under a false name and disguise myself.” “Out of the question.” Twilight exclaimed. “You’re putting your life on the line for this plan you just came up with!” “I’ve been planning this for three years Twilight. There was only one piece in the plan I didn’t count on.” “What’s that?” Applebloom asked. “Wanting to come back here so badly.” He said as he hung his head. “These Corrupted ponies drove me from my home, killed and enslaved my friends. It’s time I put a stop to them. Once and for all.” He said as he stood up. “So if you need me I have an order to bring down.” He said as he started walking away from the group. He felt something tug at his cloak. “Hold it right there you.” The farmer said in a stern tone. “Ah ain’t letting you leave twice.” “Applebloom....I have to do this.” He said in a saddened voice. “Not without me ya ain’t.” She said with a smile. “Count us in too.” Rumble said with a smile. “It’s gonna be dangerous.” Geode said to the ponies. “This Captain never abandons his deck hoof.” Pip said reverting to his pirate accent. “I suppose talking you out of it is futile.” Twilight said with a smile. “At least you learned something from me.” She said as she rolled her eyes. “I’m in.” Shining said with a smile. “One rule Uncle.” He said in serious tone. “Shave that thing off your face. You look like a hobo.” He said as he pointed to the stallion’s facial hair. “What? No I don’t. Cadence loves the beard.” He then turned to the pink Alicorn. “Right honey?” The pink mare started whistling to herself. “Twiley?” The lavender unicorn adverted her eyes. Shining then looked down to his daughter “Dawn, you like daddy’s beard right?” He asked with a hopeful smile. The pink filly immediately stuck her tongue out at the guard captain. “Me no like.” The filly said with a small giggle. “Dawn. Grammar.” Twilight said. “I don’t like it.” The lavender unicorn smiled at her niece while Shining held his head in defeat. “Right in the pride.” Geode commented. “Okay then, we’ll leave tomorrow morning then.” He said with a smile. “Time for a homecoming.” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Back in the Empire the elderly stallion waited in the dark corridor for a report. Another dark hooded stallion galloped up to him. “Archer failed sir.” “As expected. It matters little. The board is set and the pieces are in place.” He said with a wicked grin. “Soon my brother. Soon, we will rule this kingdom and then the world will bow before us.” He said as he looked back at the shadow covered stallion.