//------------------------------// // "Legacy" Day 1 // Story: "Legacy" // by Novel Idea //------------------------------// Day 1 The World of 1 Becomes 2 . I made my way through the open market slowly. Their eyes were on me. Everypony, Earth, Pegasus or Unicorn could not help but stare. I had moved here years ago, but I suppose for many of them it was the first time they had seen me… not that I hadn’t seen them… when they didn’t know it. I gave a swish of my black and grey tail, the fruits before me enticing my sense of smell so very sweetly. Raising a hoof I prodded and poked my way through apples, oranges, peaches and almost any other food they offered at this market and bought more than one pony’s fair share. I paid everything up front without hesitation, though I admitted only to myself I did this because I was stealing at least twice as much money with my horn or a quick play of the hooves. They never caught on, and never would. I was too quick, too good. To them I looked like nothing more then an old Unicorn far past his prime. My thick grey mane had once been an onyx black, and though my hair kept it’s nightmare shade the lines of greys revealed my true age for all to see. Still my black eyes were sharp, alert at all times. They would leave me alone--my rugged appearance made sure of that. If it didn't, my cutie mark would. No one but me ever understood the cloak and dagger which I wore on my flank, and no one ever would. I chuckled a little, blowing some of my long black hair from my face. No, these ponies where all too easy to control. . “Well, howdy!” a sickening loud voice called out as I entered one of the few store shops along the open market. Ripe Pickens was one of the few ponies in this town who knew me by name, I had been coming to this store fairly often since my arrival for food and he never seemed to get the hint that I wasn’t one for words. “Looking like you have a heavy load, Mr. D’Rouge,” he said waving his hoof at my heavy saddle pack, brimming with food. “Would you like some help?” the yellow earth pony asked, I took a moment to consider him. Out of all the ponies in this town he was the only one that could pose a problem, I had become too comfortable here, spent too much time in his presence. Looking him over I still found it hard to believe that this simple pony with his thick yellow coat, bright orange mane of short groomed hair; a cutie mark of a tropical tree bearing fruit could cause me a problem. That realization sunk in just how deeply I was jeopardizing myself with routine. Had I become soft? I pondered as I politely turned down his offer, my voice coiling from my throat like the finest silk, as my namesake it was. He smiled to me plainly and bought whatever lies I choose to tell him. For this particular day I decided a long trip out of town and the inability to shop would require me to stock up on food. I paid him well, left a generous tip. Donated haplessly from his neighbours and friends, smiling I left the shop looking up to the sky. It had been a moonless night just hours before and the mere thought sent a shiver down my spine. Looking around everypony seemed to be ignorant or accepting to the fact…their faith in their Princesses was not unfounded, but it was too heavily relied upon. XXXXXXXXXX I moved about my kitchen, my home was to say the least on the outskirts of the town where I had spent my day. It was actually connected, underground at least, to an ancient ruin which contained many magics and treasures for an inquisitive mind like myself to play with. I had learned spells that would put Celestia to shame, and they had…presently served their purpose. I allowed my thoughts to linger to the room down beneath three levels of the house. It was truly a marvel of magical ingenuity and dragon forged technology. It was constructed by a stone that literally fed off of unicorn magic draining a pony to beneath the level of a Earth Pony in magic. This magic is then stored within the wall and can be altered, by a powerful unicorn outside of the room to be used to fuel ruins and glyphs of power. I smiled a little finishing the meal I was preparing, looking down my mind went from the room to my current situation. This was the first time in my long life I had made a meal for two…the circumstances felt bizarre but it had an oddly homely feeling. I shook those thoughts violently from my head, it was not the time to think of such things… my weakness was showing and I did not enjoy it. Balancing the plates in my hooves I began to make the long trip down to the under levels of my home, making sure the freshly diced fruits and cooked flowers did not fall to be tainted on the dusty floor bellow. Hopefully my guest would find her meal adequate. XXXXXXXXXX I came to the magically enchanted room, and coughed loudly to clear my throat. Though surprisingly thick it was only soundproof from within (a benefit to the immense magic pulsing through it’s form) my voice would carry through. “Are you calm…?” I asked ominously, my voice was soft and soothing, gently. The voice of someone who knew how to control the emotions of others, for all my rough and tumble appearance my charm and charisma was my greatest tool. I knew no noise would follow, but I also knew that my house guest would have calmed down. I had been hesitant to leave her there for the hours while I was away gathering the necessary food for us given the nature of… her entire being… was something that even the ancient tombs had little information on. I leaned my head forward touching my horn to the stone, it recognized me, it would answer me and the power of that knowledge filled me with confidence. There she was as I pushed the door open and felt the air of it closing behind me. It felt bizarre, the magic being sucked out of me… yet invigorating, like the weight of it had kept these old bones of mine down for years. I felt for certain at that moment I could steal the wheel off a cart and be miles away before the owner realized it had stopped moving. She was laying before me, her eyes opened slightly almost weak. I knew she wasn’t that bad off, I spent a month in this room straight before deciding it would be safe enough to use without harming her. Those sea-blue eyes looked at me begging me to explain, I shrugged them off and set down the food. “Here, eat.” I said pushing her food towards her, not wasting anytime I began to eat and observe. She was hungry, I knew this, her rumbling stomach and dilated eyes. I took this time as I ate my food to observe her. Her magical mane had been disillusioned, her power drained. Her brilliant blue coat looked as if it had never seen a days decent work, I noticed and her massive wings, twice the size of a normal Pegasus’s twitched against her side anxiously. She had now started on her food, it made me smile. Glad that the young one knew enough to eat when given food, enjoying my own. Not to toot my own horn but I had discovered a talent for food preparation during my early travels in life. Her tail swayed happily, the only movement in the room dragging my eyes to it forcibly. It had lost its magical sheen as well and was a faded blue to match her eyes, on her flank was her cutie mark. That black splotch with the white crescent moon… “Is it to your liking, Princess?” I asked respectfully, sitting back with my plate cleared. Luna choked a little on the food she was currently eating, her eyes moving back from her food to me. She didn’t speak but watched me closely, as if judging my personality and temperament would effect her answer. “Always the royal…” I thought to myself lifting a hoof to my mane giving it a toss and pushing it from my eyes. “Don’t worry, that wasn’t a test. I have done all I needed to do with you and now my only goal is to make sure you are comfortable.” I said, eyes never leaving hers; I could see the shiver down her spine. My black eyes were intimidating, and a great asset. “And what was it you needed to do…?” she squeaked, her voice was so fragile and filly-like that it was almost impossible to take her seriously as a princess, no a deity to the people of Equestria. I gave her my cockiest smile, there was no need to be modest about that question, none at all. “I have stolen you, my Dear Princess. My job has been completed.” I nodded to her food and she turned away from me eyes closing she finished off her food. We sat in silence and I looked up, I had used Luna’s magic to enchant part of the wall to allow her to see the grounds of my home, it was the same thick wall but the magic had made it one way translucent. It would be evening soon on the second moonless night…I couldn’t help but wonder if that was hurting her more then helping…As I sat their and pondered this her voice cut through my thoughts and called me back to reality. “Can I ask why…?” It was a timid whisper, she was afraid to anger me… this Deity was afraid of me. I didn’t know how to feel at that emotion in her voice, to be proud that I had done what nopony would ever believe possible. I had robbed the sky of the moon. I considered her question, and I made sure to show it on my face that I was deep in thought during this moment to keep her quiet, I had never been one for foal-napping and I didn’t feel like I was one now. I had not taken her out of spite, the royal sisters had never been a bothersome to me… no authority had ever been bothersome to me. My motives had seemed clear and they still did not seem muddled or confused by her question. I supposed this is what bothered me the most about the situation. I should have been hesitating, my motives should have felt shaken. I had kidnapped a Princess, a Deity and trapped her deep underground. Still I felt as normal as if I had stolen anything else, if not more so. The rush was something I had expected, but I found that it had forsaken me… like a high that I had become to used too. “Why…I guess if I had to answer you…” I started to say getting up and opening the door, the beaten Alicorn laid there making no attempt to flee, curious to the answer. “It would be…to have a Legacy.”