//------------------------------// // What Comes After // Story: Seeking Truth // by Razorcat //------------------------------// Seeking Truth-Ch.6-What comes after “I know how far away the hospital is Spike, that's why asking you to go now!” Twilight quickly re-checked the Gryphons heart beat to see if it had started up again, before turning back to yell at Spike. “He's not breathing, and I won't be responsible for anyone dy...” “'Uh', Hey Twilight.” “Ahhhh!” Twilight Sparkle nearly jumped through the roof when she heard Seekers voice. She quickly turned a round and saw the Gryphon slowly getting up. “Seeker, thank Celestia, I thought you were dead.” “Thanks for vote of confidence.” He replied. “Come on, we should go to the hospital.” “Whoa, Twilight calm down, I'm fine.” “Fine!” She said shocked. “Seeker, You were electrocuted, and clinically dead for 2 minutes, you're not fine!” Seeker smirked before replying. “I beg to differ.” Seeker told Twilight what had happened to him after the bracelet activated. At first she looked skeptical, but as he went on, she looked increasingly convinced. “I've heard about magic that brings people into an unconscious reality by killing them, then resurrecting them after a certain amount of time, but It's incredibly dangerous, supposedly only a deity can do it.” “Like Discord?” Seeker asked. Twilight sighed. “Yeah, like Discord.” She bit her lower lip for a moment. “I don't know Seeker, It's possible, but, I'm just not experienced enough to give you a concrete answer.” “Well, I could just say the rhyme again to..” “NO!” Twilight yelled grabbing Seekers wrist. She suddenly realized how crazy she must have sounded, and let go of the Gryphon. “Sorry, I'd just really like to avoid having you dead on on my floor again.” “It's fine.” Seeker chuckled. The two of them quickly fell into an awkward silence. “Excuse me for a minute Twilight.” Seeker said as he stepped outside. Twilight sighed. “I hope he's okay.” Seeker was outside, crying. Not for reasons of sadness though, but out of joy. He had found the answers he was looking for, and he had meet some incredibly interesting Ponies in the process, all that, along with being told he was dead for a short time, had over strained the Gryphons emotions, forcing him to run off so he wouldn't embarrass himself in front of Twilight. Suddenly, Seeker froze. As he found himself being embraced by somepony from behind. The Pony spun him around and continued to hug him. He simply stood there motionless as memories of his night with Zecora came flooding back to him. Eventually the pony let him go, Seeker stepped back and saw that his assailant was a pink Pony with poofy hair. "Thanks." Seeker said. The Pony broke into a huge grin before replying. "No problem, I'm always happy to help." However, her smile was suddenly replaced by an inspective expression. "You're Seeker right, Fluttershy told me about you." "Fluttershy, oh, oh yes, I remember, yeah I'm Seeker, and you must be Pinkie Pie." "That's my name!" She said. “Anyway, I just wanted to welcome you to Ponyville, and say thank you for being so nice to everyone. I would have done It yesterday, but Fluttershy told me you went off to Cloudsdale.” “Oh, wow uh, thank you, Pi..” Pinkie suddenly started playing an instrument that she pulled out of nowhere, while simultaneously flinging confetti into the air. “So, what do think of your official wel... Seeker?” “Up here.” Pinkie pie look up and saw the Gryphon was hanging upside down form the branch above her. Pinkie burst out laughing as Seeker let out an annoyed groan. “I swear, I'd tie you up with your own tail right now, If I weren't stuck to this tree.” Eventually Seeker was able to pry himself off the tree. He and Pinkie made it into the library just as Rainbow dash came flying in. At first Twilight was surprised by her friends visit, but then she remembered what Seeker had told her about the race he had with Rainbow Dash. “Hey Seeks!” The rainbow colored Pegasus said after landing in the middle of the library. She looked from Seeker, to Twilight, and then finally to Pinkie before continuing. “Am I, interrupting anything?” “Not really,” Seeker said. “I was just about to tell Twilight that the reason I took so long was because Pinkie Pie ambushed me.” He and Rainbow Dash laughed for a few moment before Pinkie Pie suddenly interrupted them. “Wait a minute!” She yelled. “How do you know Rainbow Dash?” Seeker, Twilight, & Rainbow Dash all turned to look at the pink pony and said. “It's a long Story.” After hearing the whole story of the Gryphons exploits, (leaving out the exact reason for the race which was only known to Rainbow Dash, & the part where Seeker was electrocuted which was only known to Twilight.), Pinkie declared Seeker to officially be “The nicest and most awesome Gryphon to ever visit Ponyville.” After that Rainbow Dash & Seeker decided to go get lunch. Twilight stayed behind but Pinkie Pie invited herself along. It turned out that she had come because she had over a dozen questions for Seeker about the Gryphons. He was more than happy to answer them of course, but found himself wondering more and more about her sanity as their conversation went on. After lunch Pinkie Pie introduced Seeker to the rest of her friends. The farmer, Apple Jack, was suspicious of him like everyone else, but Rarity jumped at the chance to learn about the fashions and styles of the Gryphons. The next morning Seeker woke up early, packed his belongings, then quickly paid his bill and departed from Cloudsdale. After that he flew straight to the train station in Ponyville and purchased a ticket to Baltimare, where he would take a ship on the final stretch back to Griffinus. However, before he left, Seeker decided to venture back into the Everfree forest and say goodbye to Zecora. It wasn't to difficult to relocate her hideaway, especially since all the forest creatures were either just failing asleep or just waking up. Seeker landed in front of Zecora's home, then quickly knocked on her door. “Zecora?” He called out. “It's me, Seeker.” He heard movement from inside followed quickly by the door being thrown open and Zecora embracing Seeker in a hug. It only lasted a moment before the Zebra pulled away. “I missed you.” She said. “I missed you too.” Zecora ushered Seeker inside and the two of them sat down in a small yet cozy sitting room. “Tell me my young friend, has your long journey finally come to an end?” “Yeah Zecora, I still can only barely believe it but, yeah I found what I was looking for.” Seeker told Zecora everything that had happened to him while he was in Ponyville. His meeting with Twilight, the race with Rainbow Dash, unlocking the bracelet and getting electrocuted, and finally his meeting Discord. For the whole time Seeker was explaining, he had expected Zecora to gasp, ask questions, be surprised in some way shape or form, but instead, she merely sat quietly and smiled till he finished his story. “Well,” Seeker said. “What do you think?” “I think,” Zecora started off slowly. “That I could not be more proud of you for finding your, missing link.” “My missing link?” “A black spot my dear boy. Something unknown that was sapping you of joy.” “Oh okay, I see. Um, thank you.” Zecora nodded her head gently for a moment, then got off and walked over to a nearby window. On the edge of the windowsill sat a paper box, it was open and looked like someone had been ruffling through it recently. Zecora picked the box up and carried it over to where she had been sitting. “Do you remember what I said I would do when I last saw you?” Seeker thought back to the day he left for Ponyville and quickly came up with the answer. “You said that once I finished my quest, you would tell me what forced you to leave your home.” “And now it that is over my young Gryphon friend, I think it's time you learned, of the tyrant I failed to end.” End of Seeking Truth PT.1