Chpt. 5
(Finding Happyness)
“RUN SILVER!”
Spell Squire and Silver Lining had been found out and were being chased though the woods all the while being closed in on by the unicorns. Panting Spell was reaching his limits as one of the unicorns got closer he stopped and bucked backwards with his back hooves catching the unprepared stallion in his muzzle causing him to drop in agony before spell resumed running. Silver was faring better having a branch held in her magic letting it swing back when she felt a pony was getting to close. But neither she nor Spell saw that they were being herded towards a cliff face thanks to Ralph’s scouting ahead and Gilded Scepter’s planning.
Seeing the wall and realizing the trap Spell Squire realized how much trouble they were in. Backing up he put himself in front of Silver and lowered his head as he tried to gather the magic necessary for an arcane bolt a sense of Déjà vu coming over him.
Twilight and Rainbow Dash sat out in the waiting area of the hospital, waiting and worrying, and pacing, lots of pacing. Rainbow was on a circuit around the room and had been for hours now. Twilight lifted a hoof to her chin as she looked to the ceiling as she thought and sighed going back to her book having lost count of Rainbow’s laps after 29,365.
Earlier in the afternoon, a few hours after Rainbow Dash had left, Spell Squire’s monitors had started to go haywire as his body began to convulse suddenly and his nose began to bleed. Doctors and nurses were in the room faster than Rainbow could clear the skies of Ponyville all while carefully shooing Twilight out offering her reassurances that everything would be ok. True to her word Twilight teleported a half-asleep Rainbow Dash to the hospital.
And there they waited. Twilight with her book, and Rainbow Dash wearing a hole in the floor. Twilight glanced up at the hall at the same time as Rainbow as they heard a door close and the doctor headed towards them. As Rainbow readied to bolt down the hall Twilight wrapped her in her magic holding her in place much to Rainbow’s distress, “What the hay Twi?!”
The lavender mare continued to watch the doctor and calmly walked up to him, “What happened doctor? Is Spell Squire alright?”
“Yeah doc, is he ok?” Rainbow asked walking up next to Twilight now free from the unicorn’s magic.
With a nod the doctor gave a gentile smile, “Yes, Mr. Squire will be fine in my opinion. However, we must warn you, we don’t know what triggered his episode; there is the likely-hood that it could happen again.”
Twilight nodded expecting as much but as she opened her mouth Rainbow Dash cut her off, “Yeah, that’s all well and good doc, but can we see him?” the doctor smiled understandingly and lead the mares back to Spell Squire’s room before taking his leave.
Sitting down the girls sighed softly as they saw him. Once more, he lay motionless in the peaceful hooves of sleep. With a soft sigh they settled back for another watch duty. A short while later though the door opened to an alabaster unicorn and her carefully styled mane, looking over her book Twilight smiled, “Hello Rarity.”
The unicorn smiled and looked at the sleeping stallion and mare in the chair behind him and giggled softly, “Sweetie and I heard about Spell’s little fit and thought to drop by. Sweetie was terribly upset when she heard and I thought we should check in.” She walked further into the room to reveal an unusually somber Sweetie Belle waiting in the doorway.
Quickly though Sweetie moved and joined her big sister sticking close to her side.
She avoided looking at the sleeping stallion in the bed in front of her until Twilight broke her reprieve, “Sweetie, everything is going to be alright. Spell’s just sleeping.”
The little filly looked up at her sleeping friend and stepped closer putting her fore-hooves on the edge of the bed to steady herself as she stood on her hind legs, “It really does look like he could just wake up any time doesn’t it Twilight?”
The older mare looked at the filly’s sister and gave a soft smile before nodding, “It really does doesn’t it Sweetie?”
With a nod the little filly looked at her sleeping friend before spreading her legs a little more for a better brace before pulling herself up onto the bed curling up next to the stallion much to the shock of the two mares, “Sweetie Belle! What in Equestria are you doing?!”
Blinking the little filly lowered her head, “He just looked so lonely, I just wanna keep him company sis.”
Rarity blinked looking at Twilight who only smiled and shrugged. With a sigh Rarity gently smiled, “Well, that’s very considerate of you Sweetie, if Twilight says it’s alright, then I suppose there’s no harm in you keeping him company.” She said looking up at Twilight for her consent.
Twilight smiled, “It’s just fine with me.” So with a smile Sweetie settled in with promises from Rarity to come get her in a few hours.
Spell Squire lowered his head to gather the mana for an arcane bolt an opened his eyes having another strange sense of déjà vu. A soft velvet voice whispered in the darkness around him, “You have been here before Spell Squire, look around you, and look at the details.” Blinking Spell began to look at the stallions approaching and blinked as he noticed the landscape around him. It was devoid of any details, just blurred shapes of color.Looking on in confusion his dream plane shattered leaving him in a black expanse of nothingness and before him stood the moon princess Luna in all her glory. With a soft smile, she looked at the stallion before her and spoke softly, "Hello my little pony."
Spell Squire’s only response was a blank stare back at the princess his mouth hanging slightly agape.
Luna sighed softly at the reaction, “It is more my sister’s thing I suppose, but I thought perhaps it was worth a try.” Noticing the lack of movement from the pony she flew over to him quickly looking the stallion over, “Oh, please do not be broken, Tia would be quite cross if we were to break her prized pupil’s friend.”
Blinking suddenly Spell moved away from the inquisitive staring of the princess of the night, and again he looked off into the darkness, “Is this a dream?”
She sighed in relief that she had not broken the stallion, “Yes dear Spell Squire, you are dreaming. More precisely, you are dreaming of your past, a worse nightmare than I could have ever conjured,” She looked at him and smiled the way a parent does when they have a surprise for their foal, “But tis a dream none the less.”
Frowning Spell thought about it for a moment before the gears clicked and looked at the princess with a broad grin, “And when you know it’s a dream you can control what you do, and what happens?”
“And so the secret is found and your cell door is opened.”
Spell’s smile slowly faded as the statement sunk in he looked at Luna with a now serious frown and a raised brow, “Cell door?”
Luna looked at the stallion her turn to be momentarily confused before blinking and realizing that he didn’t know the situation, “You do not understand? Spell Squire, you have been trapped in your dreams for near four days now, reliving the same tormented nightmare over and over, your friends were worried and called for Celestia and I to help and aid you, so here we are.”
Spell sat back as if physically struck. “I-I’ve been out for four days? Trapped in the sa…” realization struck him like Apple Jack bucking a tree he looked up at the princess panicked, “Sweetie, and the girls, are they ok?!”
Luna smiled softly, having just learned of his unfortunate catatonic state the stallion worried about the fillies that had unintentionally put him in it before bemoaning his bad fortune, a noble trait that was fading in this new age, “The little ones are safe, thanks to you Spell Squire.”
The stallion nodded and visibly relaxed before quietly thinking to himself. After a while, he looked back at the moon princess whom had settled down a short distance away, “So, if I’ve been looping the same memory, does that mean there is something about the memory that I need to change to wake me up?”
With a sigh, the moon princess hung her head before looking back at the grey stallion before her and shrugged, “We do not know, these catatonic endless dreams are a rare thing and we have never found two alike. However, if you believe that something needs to change, there is something to be altered, then find the change Spell Squire. Now, the night is young, and there are other ponies in need of our help, but remember to call on my sister or I when the need is indeed great and we shall come.”
With that the darkness claimed the moon princess leaving spell in darkness sighing softly. Spell thought to himself and slowly two ponies appeared before him as he stepped closer. Silver Lining stood before him with a kind smile, the wedding band around her horn glimmered in the sunlight Spell couldn’t see. Next to her stood Gilded Scepter with a trademark sneer on his muzzle. Slowly Spell walked up to the former and gently laid his muzzle on her shoulder and stroked her cheek, “Even after all that happened, I still love you.” Softly he kissed her cheek and stood back to look at Gilded, “You however, have earned my wrath and hatred, and every ill thought I can think of.” Slowly the two faded from existence as he willed the dream to take him, and once more he was curled up in bed with Silver fighting the morning sun.
Pinkie Pie frowned as she eyed Twilight inquisitively, “So I can’t throw a get well party for Spell?”
An exasperated Twilight sighed, as Sweetie Belle put her hooves over her ears and pressed closer to Spell’s side to help further shut out the pink mare who was going on an hour now about the get well soon party. Rainbow Dash had left for weather patrol duty at the insistence of twilight.
“Pinkie Pie NO! For the last time, there is no sense in throwing a party for a pony to make them feel better when the pony in question can’t attend!”
The cotton candy pink mare stopped and looked at Twilight then to Spell Squire as though the idea had never occurred to her that he couldn’t attend his own party and then appeared for all the world deep in thought for several long minutes. Twilight and Sweetie looked at each other slightly concerned as to what might be going on in their harebrained friend’s head before she suddenly was up and bouncing “Okie Dokie Lokie, Then we’ll just have to wait till he can attended!” with a self satisfied nod Pinkie bounced herself out of the room and down the hall out of sight. Both mare and filly gave a sigh of relief in the quiet that was left as Sweetie went back to her nap and Twilight to her book.
Slowly the door opened again after a little while, Twilight’s eye twitched slightly and opened her mouth expecting Pinkie Pie for another long looping conversation, but as she looked up the lavender unicorn instead saw Rarity flanked closely by Apple Jack and the other two crusaders. Blinking she smiled, “Girls, what brings you here?”
Rarity smiled, “Well it was getting late so I thought that I’d come by and pick up Sweetie.”
Apple Jack nodded, “Yep, then Rarity found me ‘n Bloom helping Mac take the booth down and said she was head’n here so I thought Bloom and Scoots would wanna see Sweetie and Spell. How is the big fella doin’?”
Twilight sighed and shrugged, “He doesn’t seem worse, but he isn’t getting better. And He…” Twilight blushed as her stomach interrupted her making both of her friends to raise a suspicious brow.
“When was ta last time ya ate sugarcube?”
Twilight shrugged and her blush deepened slightly, “A few hours maybe?”
Rarity gasped loudly as she quickly invaded Twilight’s personal space, “Oh Darling! You haven’t slept either have you?”
Blinking Twilight shook her head, “No, and now that yahaw~” she interrupted herself with a yawn and giggled softly when it passed, “I suppose I am a little tired.”
Apple Jack smiled, “You go home with Rare Twi, get something ta eat ‘n some rest. I’ll stay here tonight.”
With a nod, Twilight smiled as she stood stretching out stiff limbs, “Thank you, Apple Jack.” The mare dipped her hat in response and took twilights vigil removing her hat in the spot beside her as she settled in for the night as Twilight and Rarity left with the small fillies.
Spell Squire lowered his head to gather the mana for an arcane bolt when one of said spells struck his side. Slow ly he stood and shook his head as again he gathered the mana for another arcane bolt but halfway it suddenly discharged in a flash blinding everypony in the clearing.
That is almost every pony. Spell glared at the wobbling form of Gilded Scepter who was trying to shake the spots from his vision. Growling through clinched teeth Spell charged the stallion tackling him to the ground. Magic from silver picked up a rock and struck Bruiser knocking him out as she struggled free from the shocked ponies.
Scepter was confused and disoriented as he tried to bring up his hooves to block the sudden impacts that seemed to be coming from everywhere at once. Ralph could only stare in wonder as he watched not really noticing as silver slipped away. Quiet, docile, shoved around, broken Spell Squire was going after Scepter with all the ferocity of a minatory possessed. Ralph took a step forward but Silver had already beat him and stood a few steps behind Spell as she spoke softly, “Spell?” not receiving a response as he continued to pummel the golden stallion under him. “Spell Squire.” She said more forcefully as the mare placed a hoof on his shoulder.
The stallion in question paused in his assault the red haze clearing from his vision as he looked down at the stallion under him. Scepter’s muzzle was broken in several spots and bleeding profusely his eyes were swollen shut and the skin under his golden fur was multiple shades of purple and blue. Multitudes of cuts and scrapes covered the whimpering stallion’s face.
Standing slowly Spell looked down at his unsteady hooves that were splattered red with the stallion’s blood. Turning he looked around at the stallions surrounding him and then silver and frowned slightly as he realized the panting he was hearing belonged to him. Taking a deep breath Spell calmed himself and walked towards Ralph whom backed peddled as if Nightmare Moon was after him until he ran into a tree. Leaning down Spell looked him in the eye and spoke slowly, “I want you to take him to the nearest hospital, and go home. I want to be left in peace with my wife, we never sought you out. We never sought trouble. It was you who sought us out and insisted on this course.”
Ralph nodded rapidly before Spell backed away towards Silver and smiled weakly, “I’m sorry I went off like that love… can we go now?” Silver opened her mouth to speak, but her words were lost as the darknes swallowed them.
“Run Sil- Oh danmit all to the moon!”
“Five days,” the prismatic mare known as Rainbow Dash rolled to her side in an attempt to get comfortable on one of her favorite napping cloud. Looking at the clear sky she nodded slowly before closing her eyes. because while the day was supposed to be sunny and warm all she knew was that she couldn’t get comfy and felt like the sky was over cast and couldn’t get warm.
For the mare that was always, going fast these last five days seemed to drag on. Her friend was hurt and there was nothing she could do for him. Rolling back to her stomach, she let her wings spread out to catch the sun she relaxed and closed her eyes. Fluttershy and Angel bunny were keeping Spell company for the time being while she was on weather patrol.
The knowledge that her fillyhood friend was with Spell put her mind at ease but Rainbow didn’t know what she would do if anything happened to the stallion. Suddenly she sat up red faced and wide eyed before she looked around and kneaded the cloud she was on as she slowly lowered herself back down to the cloud mumbling softly, “Where did that come from?” turning her head to the side she tried to let her racing mind relax and nap before the next shift.
“HEY HEY HEY HEY! Just who the hell do you think I AM!” Spell Squire stood atop a large bipedal robot that looked like a strange mix between pony and those human creatures Lyra always went on about. The robot was heavily armored and at the end of it’s hooves it had… well Spell wasn’t sure what to call them other than unsharpened claws, like what spike had.
“HANDS!”
Spell and everyone else looked over to a bush and there was an overly excited Lyra, “Sweet Celestia! Bipedal, hands, upright.” She looked up at the pony like face and you could see the excitement fall from her face as she turned and went back into the bush she came from.
Shaking his head he glared back at the army of ponies before him lead by Gilded Scepter. With his newly named hands grasped around a pair of grey glowing arcane blades each rune brightly shining he pointed a blade at Scepter and resumed his rant, “Leaving his homeland he searches the stars in their endless wonder for the answers Celestia herself can’t find. With my wife at my side and the Crimzon End at my hoof’s call I shall defeat you for peace! For love! For justice! For my own Luna dammed vengeance!”
With that he dropped back into the cockpit Silver Lining sitting there waiting for him. Once the hatch slid shut he took the control bit in his mouth and put his hooves in place as the visual display came on he saw Scepter smirk and gave the large hat he wore a twist before jumping as a large sword fell from the sky. As the sword landed a room open up that Scepter landed in, his voice came through a speaker in the mech, “Let’s see how your Crimzon End does against Sam.” As he spoke the sword seemed to unfold into another large bipedal mech swords in hand.
As the fight started Luna sat back with a small bag of popcorn watching the two machines fight marveling at the imagination the stallion had. In the last few hours they had been in a space station the size of the moon for an epic duel, in a old cathedral where the two stallions had dueled before spell was launched out a stain glass window above the alter, the two had fought falling down a building using only swords in their mouths. And the fight just before this they had been titans fighting over the top of ponyville, all in all it had been a great show, even Celestia had been convinced to sit in and watch for a little while.
Luna blinked and applauded softly as it looked like the end of the fight was nearing. Spell Squire lifted a hand above his head the rune blade long broken. “GIGA!” as he spoke his hand retracted into the forearm of the mech and was quickly replaced with a rather large drill, that quickly grew three times the mech’s height and then twice it’s width, “DRILL!” he lowered the drill as it began to spin fast enough to spark from friction against the air before a jet of pure arcane launched himself forward making a clean hole though Scepter’s Sam of May. Once he was through the dream faded leaving a still applauding Luna in the Darkness between dreams.
“You are a very imaginative stallion Mr. Squire. But I see the changes have yet to hold the desired effect.” The moon princess said sadly.
Spell Squire groaned as he flopped to the ‘ground’, “I don’t understand, why it isn’t working, I beat him in every, well, almost every dream. So why aren’t I awake?”
Luna could only shake her head and shrugged but quick as the light bulb that appeared above her head she had a thought, “Maybe you don’t need violence to solve your problem Spell Squire. You are not a violent pony, despite these dreams, these dreams filled with dark violent rage. Maybe a peaceful solution will steer you the right direction.”
Spell Squire started at the princess mostly because of how silly she looked with a lit bulb above her head and then nodded slowly, “Maybe…”
FIN.