//------------------------------// // Tests And Tablets // Story: An Earthbound Journey // by ShadeJak //------------------------------// “Where am ah…” Applejack wondered as her eyes fluttered open and she found herself in a blurred, barren landscape. The sky was a swirling pink and the clouds drifted in random directions. “This that spirit walk they told me about?” She asked aloud. As if to answer her question, her shadow suddenly stretched in front of her and detatched itself. Forming into a circular puddle, a large, imposing figure emerged from it, looming over the earth pony. “So... you have come…” It said in a low voice, its yellow eyes peering through the serape it had draped over itself, the numerous feathers on its headdress billowing in the wind. Applejack narrowed her eyes, trying to get a better look at the entity that stood before her. “Yeah, ah have. An’ you must be this fancy spirit guide they told me about?” She asked. “That would be correct.” It said, hovering towards her, and immediately shedding off its cloak. “Why HELLO there, Applejack! Fancy running into you here!” The now-uncloaked Discord said with a cheerful tone as he tossed off the headdress which promptly flew away as though it had wings. “DISCORD?!” Applejack shouted, shocked to see the God of Chaos present before her in this weird dream. “What the hay are ya doin’ in my mind?!” She demanded. “Isn’t it obvious? I’m the spirit guide they called upon!” Discord said with a chuckle, summoning a glass of chocolate milk and drinking down the glass, letting the milk blow away in the wind. “Ah don’t believe that for an instant! The buffalo tribe wouldn’t be consultin’ with you!” Applejack replied, glaring at the draconequus. “Normally, or until recently you’d be quite right, Applejack.” Discord replied. “To them I’m viewed as a trickster entity… a flattering term if I may say so myself, but a deity nonetheless! But ever since reforming I felt it’s time I repay that act of ‘reverence’ if you would, by being on call for bending the laws of reality in exchange for a test the subject must go through!” “What kinda test?” Applejack asked, cringing as a grin spread on the draconequus’ face. “Why, a test of entertaining ME of course!” He said as though the answer were obvious. “Pass, and I’ll use my power to send you to your friends. Fail, and it’s no deal. Since you’re one of the bearers of the Elements, believe me when I say I’m going to REALLY enjoy this!” He explained. “Fine, whatever. Let’s get this over with already!” Applejack said with an eyeroll. “If you say so, Applejack. But answer me this first… is your body ready for this?” Discord asked, causing the farmpony to glare at him in disgust. Discord rolled his eyes and scowled. “No, not remotely what you’re no doubt thinking. Get your mind out of the gutter!” He said. “Anyway, answer the question.” He said, putting his arms behind his back as he leaned ominously over her. “Yes…” She said, taking a fighting stance and expecting whatever she figured he’d throw at her. “Good.” He said. “First I’m going to take away your hind legs so you can’t apple-buck anymore!” The draconequus explained with a grin. “Are you fine with that?” He asked, before speaking up almost immediately again. “Of course you are!” Discord declared with a chuckle, bringing out his eagle claw and with a snap of his talons, Applejack’s hind legs vanished in a flash of light. “WHAA?!” The earth pony cried out, her back half was merely torso and a tail, and felt nothing else. “Now, now. Wanna back out?” Discord asked with a grin. “If you do, you get them back but you fail.” Applejack grit her teeth at the chaos god. “No. Keep goin’.” “As you wish!” Discord said, hovering in the air and circling around her. “Next I’m going to take away your forelegs. You’ll be unable to walk… though I suppose hopping might still be an option. Gonna let me do it?” He asked, his grin spreading. Before Applejack could answer, Discord interrupted. “Of course you will!” He declared, snapping his claws again and Applejack’s front legs vanished in a flash of light. Discord took one look at her and burst out laughing. “Oh… you… you look like a bath toy or something now!” He said, wiping tears from his eyes, prompting an angry snort from the earth pony. “Now next I’m going to be less lenient… your ears go next… you’ll become deaf. Can you handle that, Applejack? As if we don’t know the answer!” He said, snapping his fingers. In a flash of light, all was silent for the earth pony. Discord began saying something, but Applejack could not hear him. A sense of worry came over her, but she knew she couldn’t quit now. Her friends needed her… Oh, forgot! You can’t hear me anymore, can you? Not out loud anyway! Discord’s voice asked in her mind, laughing. Does it scare you, being so helpless? Well guess what, next thing that’s gonna go is your sight! Applejack cringed, and she heard Discord laugh again in her mind. Oh no, no! That’d be treading too far into creepypasta territory right there! I just demand you close them tight and not open them till I allow you to! Discord’s voice said, though Applejack didn’t feel too assured. Suddenly, her eyelids seemed to take a life of their own and forced themselves shut, and then she was surrounded by darkness. Fear began to grow inside her. She couldn’t bear this… the dark didn’t really frighten her, but being so… helpless… did. She wanted to move, wanted to open her eyes, wanted to hear, ANYTHING to get rid of this growing terror. No! She had to be strong! She had to be… Discord’s laughter grew far more sinister now. Think I’M frightening, you should see how Princess Luna does this sort of thing! Discord’s voice taunted. All that’s left is that precious mind, Applejack. That precious mind I can corrupt if I wanted… tell me, Applejack… when you saw you had no choice and couldn’t stop me from taking the rest of what you had… did you become scared that I can do that to you now, while you’re laying there helpless? No, no, no…. … “Yes.” She said, though she could not hear herself say it. You’re a very honest pony, Applejack. You pass. Discord’s voice said in a satisfied tone, and as she heard those words in her mind, Applejack felt something petting her shoulder. ~ “Oooohhh… where am I?” Rainbow asked, noticing she was laying on a hospital bed. “It took some work and some help from your friend Twilight, there. That cupcake was loaded with Poison Joke!” The doctor said as he headed to the door. “You should be fine now. Just head to the desk and sign out when you’re ready.” “About time you snapped out of it.” Rarity said, hopping from the bench. “You stared at your hooves commenting on how big they are, flew in a fashion that’d make Derpy look like a wonderbolt in comparison, and then gorged yourself on an entire vending cart’s supply of oat products.” “That last one cost us more then a few bits…” Twilight said flatly. “Anyway, Rarity and I had to use our magic to bring you here with some fuss. I’m just glad you’re better now.” “Thanks, now let’s get outta here and deal with what we came for!” Rainbow said. “And girls? Whatever I did on that stuff? Let’s talk about it, like NEVER, okay?” “Agreed.” Twilight replied as the three of them left. Getting outside, the three ponies were stopped by a sudden dramatic fanfare. “Oh come on, really?!” Rainbow demanded, glaring up at the serpentine figure swirling down from the sky till it touched down. “Well hi there! LOVELY weather isn’t it?” Discord asked. “And have I got the PERFECT picture venue… and a little surprise for you as well!” He said. “What could you possibly have for us that’d be useful?” Rarity demanded. In response, the draconequus snapped his claw and in a flash of light an orange, limbless, earless pony torso with its eyes squeezed shut plopped to the ground in front of them, and all three ponies screamed as loud as they could. Click! Discord laughed hysterically as he lowered his camera after snapping the photo and immortalizing the three ponies’ reactions to his little prank. “HA HA! I thought you’d be happier to see your little friend!” With a snap of his claw, the torso was engulfed in a flash of light and Applejack was back to normal, though slightly disoriented as Discord looked over the photo he’d just taken. “Ahhh, this will always bring back the FONDEST of memories! Well, for me anyway! Farewell, girls!” The draconequus declared, raising his claw up and spiraling back into the sky, vanishing in a flash of light. “Ugghhh… what in the sam hay just happened?!” Applejack demanded, shaking her head to get rid of the dizziness. Turning she saw her three friends staring at her. “Oh, uh, howdy girls! Miss me?” She asked. “Applejack!” Twilight cheered, giving her friend a hug and was soon joined by the others. “Good to have you with us!” “Oh my… I do hope that trip wasn’t too unpleasant…” Rarity said nervously. “Eh, nothin’ ah couldn’t handle.” Applejack said with a smirk. “Soooo…” Rainbow began. “This mean since I’ve totally been the hero and leader of this crazy adventure you’re gonna fight under my awesome direction?” She asked with a grin. “…Keep dreamin’ Dash.” Applejack said flatly. “You mean like I did a couple minutes ago?” Rainbow asked. “Uhh… Rainbow?” Twilight asked sheepishly. “We’ve been here for several hours.” A brief, awkward silence passed between them before Rainbow spoke up again. “Uhh, girls?” She asked. “Yeah?” Her friends asked in unison. “No more cupcakes till we save the world. This is, like the second time something like that’s happened to me.” Rainbow grumbled. “So… where ya reckon we go now?” Applejack asked. “Let’s check the paper, see if there’s anything in it that might help.” Twilight said, approaching a newspaper vending machine. Sliding a bit in, the box unlocked, and a paper slid out. Floating it up and unfolding it, Twilight’s eyes widened. “Girls, look!” Coming over, her friends saw the headline. New Saddle Arabian Artifacts A Breakthrough At Museum: Attraction to Open Tomorrow! “Fancy Pants mentioned Saddle Arabia. I wonder if this is why Sombra was trying to keep us out of here!” Rarity said with a smile. “Then I suppose it’s settled; let’s be on our way to the museum.” ~ The museum was gigantic, to say the least. All around the place seemed to be dedicated to exhibits from Saddle Arabia. “Check it out, girls! King Trot’s sarcophagus!” Twilight said, admiring the golden casket that an ancient middle-eastern ruler had been buried in. “Wanna pose with him?” Applejack asked sarcastically. “This stuff ain’t anything ah’d know about, so ah really got no idea what we could be lookin’ for.” She muttered as she and the others joined Twilight by the sarcophagus. As soon as they did, however, another cheerful fanfare went off. “Seriously?!” Rainbow pleaded in disbelief as Discord again descended in a spiraling motion, this time from the ceiling and touched down. “Well hello again, my little ponies!” Discord said cheerfully, his camera already out. “Miss me?” He asked. “I couldn’t resist so I just had to drop in on my favorite little heroines again!” “Discord, kinda busy.” Applejack said, clearly annoyed. “If ya ain’t gonna help us, then git!” “Oh fine, be that way. But first…” He raised his camera. “Say fuzzy pickles!” He ordered. “Fuzzy wha--?” Applejack began, and in a single click her baffled expression along with the exasperated ones her friends wore was immortalized. “Oh, PRICELESS!” Discord said with a laugh as he looked over the photo. “You know, if I were you, I’d use those wonderful connections to friends in high places to… well… get to high places if you know what I mean, Twilight.” Discord said with a mocking grin that oozed a condescending tone. “Well, I’m off! Adieu, ado, and arrivederci!” He said, raising his claw up and spiraling back up toward the ceiling, vanishing before reaching it in a flash of light. Glancing up in annoyance, Twilight lowered her head then noticed a stairway with yellow tape and a guard next to it. Curious, she got up and trotted over. “Excuse me…” She said to the guard, who glanced down at her. “Yes, ma’am?” “What’s up there anyway?” She asked. “Oh, up there? The new exhibit! A buncha stuff just came in now. The curator’s handling the paperwork with another donor who showed up as we speak.” He explained. “Any way my friends and I can see it a little early?” Twilight asked. “No way. Some noisy blue unicorn already came through, But she flashed a lotta bits to get an early entry. You’d need some major leverage to do that now.” “Trixie…” Rainbow muttered angrily, snorting. “Well, this is entirely for educational purposes.” Twilight explained. “As the personal student of Princess Celestia herself…” Twilight explained, floating out her academy pass from her saddlebag. “I ask if you’ll do me and in turn her a favor by letting us through?” She asked with her best smile. The guard looked it over for a moment, then at Twilight and sighed. “I guess. But if the curator has a problem with it, don’t involve me.” He said, using his magic to lift the tape and allowing them to pass. Heading up the stairs, the four were greeted by a hallway. As they approached the door at the end, an older stallion whom they guessed was the curator emerged with a mare who looked just a little older then them. She had a dark yellow coat and traces of a dark gray mane were visible under her gray hat. Her magenta eyes were framed by a pair of large red glasses and she wore a purple cloak over her back that made it impossible to tell what kind of pony she was. “Thanks for the donation, Miss Yearling.” The curator said. “I’m betting there’s a lot of ponies who’ll come by to see the rings you brought!” “Pleasure’s all mine. Figured I had to get a look at that tablet for myself and needed the right leverage.” The mare named Yearling said with a nod and a tip of her hat as she turned and trotted down the hall, passing the four ponies and heading down the stairs. Deciding to catch the curator before he could got back in, Twilight rushed over to him. “Excuse me, Mister…” She began. “Relic Find.” The curator said. “I run this museum. Can I ask what you four are doing here? The place is off-limits till tomorrow.” “My apologies. I’m Twilight Sparkle, personal student of Princess Celestia and I’m only able to be in town for today. I was wanting to get a look at the new Saddle Arabia import for a research project.” She explained. Relic Find looked past her at the stairs for a moment. “Well I suppose if it convinced my security it’s convinced me. Just be careful, alright? I don’t want it busted up before I can get this exhibit hall opened.” “No worries. My friends won’t cause any problems.” Twilight said as she lead the other three into the room with her. As they came in, Relic Find gestured to a large stone tablet. “This was brought in recently, it came from a large tomb in Saddle Arabia. A blue unicorn came by earlier and had a lot of money to pay me some time to look it over… though I can’t say I wasn’t happy when she left. She kept referring to herself in the third person and acting like some stage diva.” “I see.” Twilight replied. “Who was the other pony, then?” “That’s Miss A.K. Yearling. She’s an author and—” “OHMYGOSH!!!” Rainbow cried out. “YOU MEAN AS IN DARING DO AUTHOR A.K. YEARLING?!” Her eyes were larger then ever, a shocked look over her face. “Uhh, yes. The only one I know of.” The curator said, facehoofing as he realized his mistake. Rainbow growled angrily and beat her forehead several times with her hoof. “Walked RIGHT past me and I had NO idea?! I didn’t get her autograph! URGH! Life’s so not fair right now!” She whined, collapsing on her back and kicking her legs out in frustration. “I gotta go catch her before it’s too late!” She said, rolling onto her side and preparing to fly off, only to be snagged by Rarity’s magic aura. “Try not to have a heart attack, Rainbow. We DO have higher priorities then getting autographs.” Rarity muttered, shaking her head. “Guess you’re right.” Rainbow groaned with a snort. “So what’s the big deal with this tablet? It came from some old tomb in Saddle Arabia?” “That’s right. We were working on the translations, and have managed to get a legible outcome from them.” Relic Find said. “Oh? What’d they say?” Applejack asked. “They said—LOOK OUT!!!” Relic Find yelled suddenly, eyes wide with horror as he backed away. “Kinda basic for such a big tablet, don’t ya—” Applejack began before noticing the shadow that began to loom over them. Turning, all five ponies present screamed as a tall mummy horse towered over them and let out a guttural whinny and slammed its decayed hoof into the ground, foul dust puffing from its nostrils as it glared down at them with glowing green eyes. “I got this!” Rainbow said, flying forward and slamming her forehooves into the mummy horse’s neck. With a dry cracking sound, the creature’s head flew off, smashing into the wall in a cloud of dust. Immediately after, however, bandages flew off its neck and lashed at the pegasus, snaring her. “Little help here?” Rainbow asked urgently. “Got it!” Applejack said, galloping forward and giving a fierce buck into the mummy horse’s front leg, causing it to topple over. More bandages began to lash out from its stump, snaring her as well. Rarity cocked her head, and focused her magic on one of the undead creature’s bandages and used her magic to give it a firm yank, causing it to rapidly unravel and fall to the floor and dissolve apart in a pile of dust and decaying bandages. “Okay, what was that all about?” Relic Find asked. “Sombra…” Twilight said. “This tablet must have a really important story on it.” “Sombra? As in King Sombra?” Relic Find asked. “Ya better believe it.” Applejack said. “Hear about all the crazy stuff happenin’? He’s the cause of it! The four of us are workin’ on tryin’ to stop him for good this time.” “I… see…” Relic Find said. “So the whole research project thing?” “…Was more or less true. I do need to research this so we can stop Sombra, Princess Celestia requires it of us.” Twilight explained. “So… by helping you… I help save Equestria?” “If ya wanna look at it that way, yes.” Applejack said flatly. “YES! EAT MY SADDLEBAGS, ARTIFACT SEARCH!” The curator declared proudly, then caught himself and grinned sheepishly “Heh, sorry. The curator of the Manehattan Museum and I have been at ends for the longest while! Alright, let me get the transcript out, it’s right here…” He explained, his horn glowing as a scroll floated over and unrolled. “Let’s see…” “Know this well, anypony who reads this. Sombra tried to spread his tyranny to the neighboring kingdoms. His ambition is without bounds, his desire to subject all to fear and oppression would have come to pass if not for the Princess’ intervention. The Shadow King of the Crystal Empire faced imprisonment then, but with him so too did the Empire disappear. Should it return, so too shall he return as well. Be warned, everypony, for then his power will be greater…” The curator explained. “And even then, death shall not be death for he; the King of Shadow.” “Death shall not be death…” Twilight muttered. “Dr. Whooves! He mentioned something about Sombra’s horn! …That maybe a part of his soul endured… oh no!” “Then that’s how the mummy horse came alive?” Relic Find asked. “Shame, he won’t be in much shape to display anymore…” “There’s more…” Twilight said, unrolling more of the scroll. “The way to Sombra… is shrouded in mystery. Where dragons dwell, and fire burns then shadow falls unto crystal…” The unicorn groaned. “Ugh, why do these things always speak in riddles?! Can’t they just say “Sombra is here!” Or “Go here!”…?” “Shrouded in mystery, though?” Rainbow asked. “Wait…” Twilight looked at the hieroglyphics carefully. “Not mystery. Mists. The Hayseed Swamps… it’s gotta be the Hayseed Swamps. The mists there are so bad there’s no way through, and that’s not even counting the thick muck the place has for ground.” Twilight explained. “Now it makes sense! There must be a passage into the Badlands then, hidden by the mist. The Badlands must have something Sombra doesn't want us to get to!” Twilight clapped her hooves excitedly. “But how do we expect to get through there?” Rainbow asked. “Only one of us can fly.” “Hmmm…” Twilight unrolled the scroll. “The Eye of the Sun shall light the way... for the pony who shall oppose the Shadow King. Kept away in our ruler’s final rest.” She read. “I wonder… the tomb… it’s gotta still be there!” She looked over at the curator. “Thanks for helping us with this, sir.” She said floating a scroll and quill from her saddlebag and making a quick drawing of the eye, and pocketed it. “Hey, no problem.” Relic Find said. “But I could ask of one teeny favor for me…” “Yeah, what?” Rainbow asked, cocking an eyebrow. “Please, if you can… when you’re in Manehattan again, go see what Artifact Search wants to show me that he thinks is gonna top what I got here. Something about the sewers and the Sapphire Spire… though not ABOUT the Spire.” Rainbow looked over at her friends. “Wait, maybe… hey Twi, think it might be a way to get to the Sapphire Spire?” “Hmm… one way to find out, I suppose.” Twilight said. “What’s this all about?” Applejack asked. “Why do we need ta go to Manehattan for some tourist attraction? Ah’d think gettin’ to Saddle Arabia’s a little more important.” “We’ll explain when we get back to Manehattan, dear.” Rarity said. “Can you handle that kind of teleportation, Twilight?” “I don’t know, honestly…” Twilight said. “But I may have an answer as to how we can handle such a long distance trip! I know a spell, you channel your magic with mine, we can increase the potency of my teleportation spell. We do this; we should be able to make it!” “Well, I suppose it is worth a try. We’ve got no other way back there on such quick notice.” Rarity mused. “Very well, Twilight. My power is yours.” “Okay, just focus on… we’ll go with outside the Equestrian State Building.” Twilight said. The two let their horns cross, and magic charged from both. “Girls, hold on tight!” Rainbow Dash and Applejack held onto Twilight and Rarity as magic engulfed the four of them, the world began spinning faster and faster around them as they vanished in a brilliant flash of light.