//------------------------------// // Chapter One: In Which Lunar Does Nothing Of Importance // Story: The Legend of Lunar: The Pony Hunter // by BattleSwine //------------------------------// It began many years ago, on a warm summer night. A young man (in about his mid-twenties) sat before a small fire, petting his black pony. Not a magical pony, mind you, just an ordinary, normal pony. At least, ordinary and normal in the way that she was not magical. Amongst non-magical ponies, however, she was rather exceptional. She was fiercely loyal to the young man, and would follow him through the seven circles of Tartarus if need be. In addition to this, she was highly intelligent and was trained to do many tricks, like coming whenever the young man whistled. This pony's name was Polaris, which means North Star. She was named so because of the distinctive star marking on her forehead. The young man was not magical, either, but that goes without saying, as magical humans don't exist. But just as with his pony, his lack of magical-ness did not make him ordinary. Rather, it made him extraordinary. You see, the young man had a gift: Pony magic could not touch him. Now, ordinary magic, like potions or charms, those worked just fine, but if a spell came from a pony, it would always miss or fizzle out, rather than hitting him. This sort of thing was completely unique, and it was what made him the best pony hunter who ever lived. The young man's name was Lunar Everfree Ponisbane. His first name came from his mother's sister, who died before he was born. His middle name came from the forest he was born in. His last name was his father's. And so the non-magical young man sat, petting his non-magical horse, before a non-magical fire, contemplating his very magical life. "Who'd have thunk, that after eight years, we'd be coming back here." He gazed down upon his hometown of Ponyville (A rather ominous name, they might as well have called it 'Devilstown' or 'Demon City') from the cliffside. He hadn't been planning on coming back, too many memories. But sometimes plans change. He pulled out the letter again. It was in a familiar script that was reduced to a scrawl, due to haste. Dear Lunar, As much as I hate to trouble you, Lu, I don't know who else could help me. I've been understandably busy of late, I don't have the time to faff around, so I'll give it to you straight; I need you to come back. Now, before you feed this to Polaris, hear me out. Crops have been going missing right out of the fields, soap and other supplies vanishing from storefronts with no one to blame. We don't have any evidence so far, but we think it might be ponies. Also, this is probably unrelated, but some kids have gone missing, twenty-something of them. I thought that Tedi could handle it, but all he's done is put out a curfew and question the families. Something's changed about him since I gave him that Sheriff's badge. He sleeps all day and only comes out at night, if he does at all, and when he does, he snaps at everyone who talks to him. Maybe the power is going to his head, but I get the feeling he doesn't care about those kids. You know I wouldn't be asking if it wasn't important, Lu. Please come as soon as possible! Your old friend, Flannery Moyra, Esteemed Mayor of Ponyville For the thousandth time, he wondered if it was a trap. He'd made many friends in his travels, but he'd also made many enemies. Supernatural enemies. Draculus, the unkillable God-King of the Vampires was still hunting him. Harris, the Alpha Werewolf, promised twenty of his finest females for Lunar's head. Vanna Bog, the Black Witch, wanted him taken alive so she could harvest spell ingredients, it was also assumed that she had a little crush on him. And that was just a few from a long list. He was a Supernaturalist, a man among gods, immortals, and creatures with powers beyond Human understanding. But he was, first and foremost, a Pony Hunter. He knew what friendship was. And he had a friend in danger, it was his job to help her out. No matter the cost.