//------------------------------// // Drawing a Blank // Story: Mortality // by Aceofgods //------------------------------// Chapter Five: Drawing a Blank There was an odd stirring in the cave as a young stallion rose to his hooves, a hoof pressed against his head. Where am I? The stallion looked around the cave, but there was little indication as to a location. The only things that could be seen was a sword, a strange dish, and… A pair of glasses that laid in a section of dried blood. The stallion’s stomach started to heave as he covered his muzzle with a hoof. Are these all mine? The stallion looked around once more, but couldn’t see anyplace for somepony else to be. They must be… The stallion took the glasses and started to walk over to the pool of water near the sword, but stepped on something along the way, something soft. What’s this? The stallion picked the article up, finding that it was a sleeve resembling a pony’s hoof, but it was slightly larger than his own hoof. Not knowing what to do with such a thing, he threw it onto his back before going back to the pool with the glasses. The stallion dipped the glasses in the water, rubbing them gently to remove the dried blood from the lenses. If only there was some light in this cave so that I may see a reflection in the water… I would ever so much like to know who I am… The stallion wore the glasses, but it didn’t feel as though his vision were any different. Well, they certainly fit me… Shrugging in his uncertainty, the stallion took the sword and threw it onto his back, tightening the cinch to keep it and the sleeve it held in place. Looking over the cave once more, the stallion noticed the nearby dish resting on a small lip near the pool of water. I’ve no way to carry such a thing… How did it even get here? Oh well… I can come back for it if I remember something. Noticing nothing else other than various fungi and peaceful animals, the stallion started to make his way through the cave. The cave seemed to go on for quite a ways, but there weren’t any other tunnels or caverns, nor was there any source of light. Is this where I live? It seems so… lonely. The further the stallion went, there were fewer and fewer signs of life, and it felt as if it was getting colder and colder. Is there any end to this cave? Is there anything else on the outside at all? For a while now, the cave had been without any sign of life… The rustling of the sleeping bats faded away behind him, the skittering of insects had long since vanished, and even the snakes were either silent or non-existent. The cold air seemed to intensify the pain in the stallions head while bringing a new pain to his lungs with each breath. Not long after, the pony came to see why it was so cold; he came to the mouth of the cave, greeted by a field of snow that went on for as far as he could see, halted only in a couple of places: a stream running off from the mountain, and a few major streets in the nearby city. That must be where I came from… But why was I way out here? And why can’t I remember anything? The stallion started to make his way down from the cave, suffering only a quick shiver as the wind greeted him. Well, if I don’t have the answers, somepony else might. Once the young pony made it to the town, he had hoped his memories would return as his eyes roved over each of the buildings on the outskirts… They did not. With no sense of direction or belonging, he just wandered the streets aimlessly, his body still hurting and a bit sore, but he was starting to believe it was just normal. The pony came alongside a bench, sliding the sword from his shoulders to rest against it before taking a seat, the sleeve loosely tied to the sheathe of the sword for safekeeping. The stallion rubbed his hooves over his arms and shoulders, working his way to his chest in an attempt to keep warm as he watched the other ponies wander past with their coats, scarves and other warm clothing. If I lived here, I’d have to have a warm house with warm clothes, right? His gaze wandered to the sleeve, which appeared to be his only possession aside from the sword and glasses. Shame I haven’t a clue where to even start looking. The stallion sat on the bench for a time, huddled up to try and keep his body heat from flowing out as he watched numerous ponies going about their business, talking amongst each other, hoping for somepony to recognize him. “Ace?” All the ponies in town seemed to have warm clothing, so-- “Ace!” —I must have had something if I lived here. It doesn’t appear-- “Ace! That is you, isn’t it?” I wish that stallion would find who he was looking for, he’s quite-- The stallion felt somepony nudging his shoulder as they leaned over to look him in the eyes. “I knew that was you! What happened? Are you okay?” Is he talking to me? “I… I don’t know. Anything… Do you know who I am?” The new stallion was an earth pony with an orange-red coat covered by a warm looking brown vest, his mane obscured by a fluffy hat while his tail betrayed its likely dingy-brown color. His eyes were a seemingly bright gray that showed concern. “Yeah, and I owe you quite a bit, too,” he said as he started to make his way down the street again. “Grab your things and follow me, you can stay at my place until you get your memory back… You look like you took a pretty hard hit to the head.” The stallion was stunned for a moment before nodding and taking the sword onto his back once more, hastening his step to come alongside the earth pony. “Then you know who I am? My name, and where I live? I’d very much to like to hear it.” The orange pony nodded, looking over his shoulder. “I do. My name is Helping Hooves, but you’ve helped me more times than I care to count. I’d like to repay the favor any way I can.” “Then please, my name! Anything you can tell me would be most helpful.” The stallion shook his head for a moment before looking ahead again. “I think it’d be better if we talk inside. There’s a fair number of ponies out here who might take advantage of you if they knew who you were.” It didn’t take long before the pair made it to Helping Hooves’ house, but waiting even that long when the answers were at hoof was excruciating. The stallion had a hard time remaining still as Helping worked at the lock. “Sweetie?” came a mare’s voice from inside at the sound. “What are you doing back so soon? You’ll be late if—“ When the door opened, the mare’s voice appeared to halt in her throat as her eyes wandered over the forgetful stallion. Her eyes were a muted amber, framed by her baby blue mane as it fell around her features. Her coat and wings were as white as the snow, reminding the stallion how cold it was outside, bringing him to hurry inside with a shiver as Helping closed the door behind them. “Oh my princess! Ace, what’s happened to your horn! Are you okay?” My what? The stallion’s hoof groped over his forehead while Helping removed his coat. Parting his mane, the hoof came in contact with a protrusion at the crest. The stallion was immediately brought to his knees by the surge of pain that pulsated through not only his head, but seemingly radiated from his very core. His teeth clenched at the pain, but the groan still escaped, causing the mare to flinch while Helping disappeared somewhere in the house. The mare was looking around worriedly, unsure of what she should do. The stallion struggled to get back to his hooves, but was lowered once more as a wave of coughs subdued him with his eyes winced shut. “Goodness, he’s bleeding! He’s bleeding! Helping—“ “I’m here,” he said as he came back into the room with a glass of water and some medicine in the other hoof, handing them off to the mare before helping the stallion back up and rubbing his back. The stallion continued coughing until the pain subsided, blood falling from his mouth with each breath, staining his hoof as well as the floor. The stallion’s breath slowly recovering, the snow-white mare offered the medicine and water, which he took gladly without question. “They’re a couple of pain-killers,” Helping Hooves said as he stepped away slowly. “It should help with the pain, but I think we might have worse things to worry about after all of that.” “My… Name…” the stallion said, his breathing still ragged and labored. “You’ve always introduced yourself as Ace Deus Fenrir,” Helping Hooves said, pronouncing the name properly in an effort to jog his memory. “Most ponies call you Ace though, because many have trouble remembering the foreign name.” “My name’s Graceful Charity,” the snow-white mare said, catching on to what was likely going on. “I’m Helping Hooves’ wife. We do what we can at the soup kitchen in town.” Helping Hooves’ nodded with a smile. “That’s right. You’ve come by a few times to help out as well, sometimes even bringing spells from your shop in Hoofsdale to help us or the others out.” “Shop?... Hoofsdale?... Is that where I’m from?” Ace said with a hoof to the side of his head before noticing there was a small mirror on the wall behind Graceful. “I’m not sure,” Helping said as Ace looked over himself in the mirror. His horn had been shattered, the remainder sticking only a few inches out from his two-tone red mane that matched the blood clinging to the near-black coat around his jaw. Following the trail of blood, Ace noticed he was wearing a necklace. How long has this been here? “I’ve never left Frost Valley, myself,” Helping continued as Ace readjusted the glasses that had been loosened from the coughing fit. “I think you’ve mentioned living someplace else, but I can’t recall where… Hoofsdale is where you sell spells at…” “The Dragon Eyes Spell Shop,” Graceful Charity finished for him. “You use to tell us stories of how your grandfather built the shop there when it was nothing but grass and hills. After a while, ponies started to build a whole town around the shop.” “That sounds like a good start,” Ace said hopefully. “Do either of you know where I can find my family?” They both shook their heads before Grace answered. “You would often speak highly of your father and grandfathers, but you would normally avoid questions about where they were, so we didn’t ask.” Easy come, easy go… The weight of his forgotten memory, his pain, his broken horn and the events of the day wore heavy on his shoulders as Ace sat back with a heavy sigh. “You’ve helped us out quite a bit in the past,” Helping said as Grace nodded with a smile. “You’re welcome to stay here for as long as you need while you recover and get your memory back.” “Yes, our doors are always open for those who need help. Who knows, maybe if we tell you a few of the stories you told us, your memory might come flying back right away!” Ace’s features turned to a smile as their kindness fell upon him. “I’d hate to impose, but I certainly have few options. I hope it won’t be too much trouble.” I also hope it won’t take too long… I can’t help but feel I should be somewhere far more important right now… Twilight laid alone in her bed, her body weak from her lack of restful sleep despite spending much of her free time under the covers. Her head fell lazily to the side on the large, circular bed that was not originally hers. Through the window, she could see the sun already high in the sky. Ace has been gone for 3 days now… He should have been back by now… Twilight turned to the opposite side, taking a pair of plush dolls from the nightstand. ”You should look for him! He could be hurt!” she heard her own voice speaking inside her head as she held the doll that looked just like her. ”You must wait here, my student. It is not safe to look for me,” Ace’s voice played through her mind as she carefully stroked the mane of the doll made in his likeness. Besides, I haven’t a clue where to even start looking… ”Let us examine the facts,” her own voice offered. ”Ace has mentioned a few times that the ritual can only be performed near a large body of water.” That’s a start, but it’s been three days… He could be anywhere by now, and with his magic… The doll persisted. ”Ace has mentioned the ritual left the caster physically weak and without magic for a time. Odds are he wouldn’t have made it very far in such a condition!” If that’s the case, Ace will be here as soon as his magic recovered… ”Perhaps not,” Ace’s doll-pleganger posed. ”If the ritual failed to produce a Unicorn or Alicorn soul, then even I can only guess as to the result. At the best, I would be without magic until the next ritual. At worst, my magic would rapidly devour my physical body. Of course, any result in between is possible as well.” ”He’s right! Ace could be in need of our help!” Twilight Spark-doll restated frantically. ”We have to do something!” But what can I do? I don’t even know where he went… The Twilight Spark-doll was readying another retort when somepony came through the window with a thud. “What are you doing still in bed, lazy plot?” Rainbow Dash asked loudly before Twilight covered her head with the other pillow. “Come on Twilight, this isn’t like you!” “Ih dohn’ wahna herr et,” Twilight’s voice came muffled under the pillow. “What? I couldn’t make that out…” “Ih sayd Ih dohn’ wahna herr et!” “What was tha- oh forget it!” Rainbow Dash threw the blanket up before grabbing Twilight’s tail in her mouth. “Wait, what are you-“ Twilight started to interject, but was cut off by her own screams as Rainbow took off with her in tow through the window. Twilight spun in a circle from Rainbow’s loose grip on her as they flew towards the center of town. “Rainbow Dash! Where are you taking me?!” “Shuddup an’ shtop shquirmin’ or elshe ah’m gunna drop ya!” she managed through her clenched teeth. Despite the warning, Twilight couldn’t stop the spinning, making her dizzy on top of air-sick. Fortunately, before she could even puff out her cheeks, Dash was heading toward the ground in front of Sugarcube Corner. Twilight landed lightly on her back as Rainbow Dash’s hooves alighted the ground next to her. Twilight had just enough time to stand up straight and start dusting herself off before Dash took her by the tail again and started pulling her in through the shop as she flew in. “Dash! What are you doing?!” Before Twilight could finish protesting, she was thrown into Pinkie’s room upstairs, causing the pink pony to bounce aside out of the way. “Oh hey girls! Am I missing a party?” Twilight rolled to a stop in a pile of confetti with an explosion of the specks of colored paper flying everywhere. “Not a chance, Pinkie… Twilight’s just been moping around in bed all day since Ace left. I think she needs 120% more Pinkie Pie, stat!” “You mean Acey’s still missing?” Pinkie asked, her normal smile fading only for a second before coming back. “Yeah, he’s been missing for a few days now.” “Ace left at midnight. He’s been gone for 3 days, 11 hours, 28 minutes now…” Twilight mentioned dejectedly as she crawled out of the pile, her horn glowing as she straightened her mane, tail and coat. Rainbow Dash’s jaw was slack for a moment before she motioned to her with a hoof. “See? This is what I’m talking about! Help me cheer her up!” Pinkie pounced right on top of Twilight, giving her a huge hug as she pushed her back into the confetti with another explosion of color. “Let’s get everypony together for a picnic! That’ll take your mind off of everything!” “—And after he cast the spell, he dived deep down to the bottom of the sea there, just off the coast of Dragon’s Roost, and sure enough he found the city the mermaid was talking about!” Grace continued telling the story, a large smile full of wonder crossing her pure white features as her soft amber eyes lit up. “Once he got close to the city, it was completely encased in glass,” Helping Hooves said as he picked up the story again. “He swam around and around – it took him almost twenty minutes just to get to the other side! – and came to the gate. “‘Halt!’ the guard said when he swam close. ‘Land-dwellers are not permitted beyond the gates without reason,’ he said as he leveled his weapon, a trident, at him.” Ace listened to the story with awe, hanging on every word. “So what did he do? He got into the city, right?” Helping laughed with a nod as Grace took up the story once more. “’I’ve been invited by a local citizen,’ he said as he opened his pack. From the pack he pulled out the young mermaid’s brassiere.” The three of them shared a laugh for a moment at the absurdity of the image that played in their minds. “He didn’t!” Ace managed through the laughter. Grace could only nod for her own laughter before Helping Hooves took up the storytelling. “After he got into the city, he found out that that mermaid woman was actually a princess, and her gallivanting was getting her in trouble…” “He got escorted straight to the king and got invited to stay in the castle until the king could make the time to talk to him. They even gave him a re-breather thing that let him breathe underwater for a while! He kept it and placed it in the trophy room.” Ace sat in stunned silence for a moment as the story digested in his mind. “Wow, and my great grandfather did all of that?” he asked in amazement. Grace and Helping nodded with wide smiles. “That’s what you told Helping and all of us around the campfire that night. You even brought the re-breather thingy with you. It was made of fishbone and scales that glistened beautifully in the firelight.” Ace was still sitting and staring like a young foal as he stashed away the story along with the other tales Grace and Helping told him about his forefathers. For the past few days, Ace had stayed with Graceful Charity and Helping Hooves in their quiet home. Each day passed as they would sit around the fireplace, at the dinner table or on the couches in the living room, the couple retelling stories that Ace apparently told them before. Whenever they weren’t regaling him, Ace would help out in places here and there in the house or in the kitchen. “Ace, would you mind coming with me to go grocery shopping?” Helping said as he was putting on his coat and heading for the door, likely already knowing the answer. Ace nodded with a smile as he made for his own clothes. “Sure, my pleasure.” Sanctis awoke to the sounds of other ponies going about their business as a cold wind blew over her. She curled up into a tighter ball, the newspaper making crunchy sounds as she pulled it over herself. At least it isn’t wet from the snow… Try though she might, Sanctis just couldn’t get back to sleep. She laid on the bench for a while, but between the cold, the noisy newspaper blanket, and the hubbub of the passersby she just couldn’t rest. “Hey look everyone, it’s the blank flank filly!” Not this again! Sanctis rose up with a start just in time to see one of the foals throw a snowball at her. She ducked under it as it flew over her head between her ears, but didn’t see the little Unicorn boy throw another from behind her with magic. The sphere of solidified cold ran down her back as they laughed in their warm clothing. "Cdub dryd! Ed'c lumt!" she shouted at them in Al Bhed, careful to keep her anger at the forefront as she masked her fear. “A blank flank who can’t even speak Common!” cried the foal who threw the first snowball. “What’s she even doing here if she can’t even speak right?” asked one of the fillies. ”I can too speak common, I just refuse to,” she said in Al Bhed as she kept up the ruse. ”You lot aren’t even worth the breath…” Sanctis leapt off the bench and shook the snow from her coat before ducking under another snowball as she started to run from the spoiled children. I know the snowballs are just meant to be a fun way of playing, but the cold hurts when you don’t have a coat… “Blank flank foreigner! Blank flank foreigner!” the kids teased as they pursued her, laughing as the Unicorn used his magic to toss snowballs at her as they went. ”You’re all being mean!” she called as they ran. Sanctis didn’t like the spoiled foals around town as they teased her and made fun of her blank flank. She preferred they knew as little about her as possible. Whenever she had to speak to them, she did so in Al Bhed to keep a distance from them. At least something mom taught me has been useful here… She ran down a side alley, quickly leaping on top of a trashcan, onto the dumpster, then used the flexibility of the plastic lid to propel herself over the fence. Sanctis turned around just in time to taunt and tease the children as they came into the alleyway before she turned and continued down the street leisurely. Her mother had taught her a few things, such as how to speak Al Bhed. Sanctis’ mother was nice enough when she was in a good mood, and she would sometimes bring home a cool artifact or scroll. Something that her mother was always interested in, however, were the Al Bhed ruins and the machines they called ‘machina.’ She would often sell a few interesting trinkets and scrolls, but she would always keep anything that related to machina. When Sanctis was younger, she shared a similar interest in them, often spying on her as she worked with the machines, trying to fix them or take them apart to learn more about them. One day, her mother caught her. Sanctis was afraid she’d get into a whole new world of trouble for spying, but her mother was happily surprised instead. Sanctis can’t remember her and her mother ever bonding other than when she decided to teach her how to read and speak Al Bhed. It took a couple of months, but Sanctis learned the language quickly and enjoyed every moment of it. That was until she tried to learn more without her mother, and she started going through her scrolls and drawings, reading the language anywhere she could find it. Then her mother found out, and she was furious. After that, the lessons stopped and everything was back to how it always was. Sanctis and her mother returned to their shaky, unhealthy relationship. Why did I have to spoil everything? Why did I try to read her scrolls?... The question didn’t linger in her mind for long before her hooves brought her to the Frost Valley Museum of History. Oh, right. Because I love to learn new things! Sanctis ran into the large building with a smile, the warm air inside greeting her welcomingly. Sanctis took in a deep breath as she looked around at the multiple exhibits, the entry room covering the founding of Frost Valley as a town. To the left laid a path leading to the exhibits that featured the cultural innovations Frost Valley had to offer, the middle path leading to an open theater that was empty at the moment as no events were planned. To the right was a room with a rotating room where a narrator spoke of the valley’s contribution to the Magic Wars in the past. Sanctis looked around at the copper and bronze statues that depicted the founding of the simple town, which was originally a mining village that pulled resources from the nearby mountain – all of the statues in the museum were made from materials drawn from that same mountain! Sanctis had visited the museum a fair number of times, both to learn as much as she could from the establishment, and to keep warm. Because of this, she had nearly memorized what each of the statues represented just by sight. The first copper statue on the left was a pony striking at a rock with a pickaxe in hoof with a small house in the distance. The small village thrived on the sales of the metals as much of Equestria consisted of gems and soft metals such as gold. Since these materials were ineffective in the fabrication of tools and other practical objects, the metals sold for a fair price and aided in the production of the village’s own tools. The second statue showed a pony working at a forge – the forge itself was made of stone with a real fire burning in its heart, both for likeness and to heat the museum. The blacksmith pony was forging a weapon as he hammered it into shape over the anvil. When the Magic Wars came to Equestria, Frost Valley was a small outpost that outfitted many of the infantry soldiers with weapons. Since the railroads were only beginning to be built, Pegasi from Cloudsdale were the only ones to benefit from the weapons. Because of this, Frost Valley couldn’t smith armor with their heavy metals, as it would weigh down the Pegasi as they flew to the front lines, only weapons were made. The money from the Magic Wars brought Frost Valley up to be a sturdy, thriving city. Sanctis looked around the statues for a second more before a grumble in her tummy reminded her that she hasn’t had anything to eat today… Or at all since she was last by the river, and even then she just had a few flowers and some grass… Sanctis opened the door to leave, the cold wind buffeting her as she stepped out of the warm embrace of the museum. Okay, so… Where to eat? she mused to herself. The dumpsters over there, she thought to herself before turning her head with a sigh. Or the dumpsters over there? Sanctis had tried a number of times to find work in the town, but she would always get turned away at the door and told to run back to her mommy. She even tried to enlist to work in the mines, but that was work meant for earth ponies four times her size, and twice her age. The forestallion was quick to tell her as much. Looking to the sun and seeing it was a few hours past noon, she worked out that Mr. Frosting would be throwing out the first batch of goods before long, assuming business was as slow as always. If I get there before long, they might only be half frozen… Compared to the other options, it was likely her best as she willed her hooves to carry in the direction of Mr. Frosting’s shop, Frosted Foods. Along the way, Sanctis started to pass a metal concession stand with steam rising up from its heated trays and compartments as a Unicorn tended the stall serving steamed vegetables in various manners. An earth pony was ordering a steamed carrot on a warm, wheat bun as the aroma struck her, causing her to take pause as she watched the Unicorn serving the morsel in his magic, taking the carrot out, placing it on the bun, covering it lightly with ranch… Sanctis hadn’t realized she had been drooling until the cold wind reminded her why a wet coat was a terribly bad idea. Her tummy grumbled even more as she wiped away the saliva, her eyes still transfixed on that delicious carrot… Ever more so as the clumsy earth pony dropped it into the snow, Sanctis’ eyes going wide at the sight. That must have cost a whole three bits! Despite the cost that, to Sanctis, was a luxury price, the earth pony just shrugged as they ordered a replacement the same as the first. Sanctis could barely believe her luck when the earth pony strolled away nonchalantly, paying for both of the carrots as the first laid in the snow, almost entirely whole as the Unicorn turned his back for a moment to stow the funds in the register. Fresh snow-food wayyyy outclasses dumpster food, she thought to herself as she ran up to the front of the cart without thinking. Sanctis was pulling the carrot out of the snow and already delighting in its taste as the ranch danced over her palate. Despite the cold of the ranch and snow, the sogginess of the bun, the carrot was warm with just the right texture. The simple treat was like a feast to the starved filly. The Unicorn turned after hearing the sound of the snow crunching below her hooves as she approached. “Welcome! What can I get-“ he managed before looking down at her as she walked away, carrot in hoof. “Wait, stop! Thief!” Sanctis made the mistake of turning around at the voice, forgetting where she was and what was happening as she lost herself in her meal. Her rose-colored eyes met his gaze with an innocence that melted under the Unicorn’s anger. “Guards!” Not good… Sanctis quickly shoved the rest of the food into her mouth as quick as she could, already knowing nopony would take the word of a blank-flanked foreigner that nopony knew, the ranch overflowing from her mouth as she struggled to make it fit. Without stopping to chew her food, she turned and bolted down the road as quick as her little hooves could carry her. What, was he going to sell it off the ground? Come on! I’m not a thief! She didn’t make it far before an earth pony guard came running at the Unicorn’s call. Once the concessioner pointed a hoof at Sanctis running, the guard didn’t need to hear anything more as he begun to chase her. Sanctis had a small lead over the lumbering guard, but it wasn’t going to be enough to save her alone. She started looking around at the side alleys, but she didn’t know very many of them and few of them had anything that would help her lose the guard. Think Sanctis… Think! she chided herself as she considered her options. The fenced alley by the museum is a few streets away… If I can just make it there… “Watch out! She’s foaming at the mouth!” somepony called as she ran past. “Careful! She must have rabies!” It’s just ranch dressing! Gah, why are adults all so stupid?! Ace and Helping were on their way back from shopping when they heard the sound of ponies screaming not too far away from them. “I wonder what’s going on over there,” Ace said as he started to turn and look in that direction. “Kad uid uv dra fyo!” Wait, is that?… I know those words…They’re-- Before Ace could finish his thought, somepony barreled into him at full speed and knocked him aside, the groceries throwing him further off-balance as he fell to the side, his head landing on the pointed corner of a bench. “Dannepmo cunno!“ the little voice called as it ran away. “Ace? Ace! Are you okay?” Helping was frantic as he lifted his friend off of the ground. Ace’s head was bleeding from the impact, the trauma extending to his horn, causing another blood-fueled coughing fit as he laid unconscious in the snow. “Guard! Help me get him home!” The guard who was chasing the pony who ran past stopped for only a moment before seeing the blood, his features turning from anger to fear and concern for the stranger before nodding, lowering himself so Helping could lay Ace over his back. That was… Al Bhed…