//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: Sunbutt and Friends // Story: Returning balance // by Pinkies Imagination //------------------------------// AND ITS BACK! After a LONG FUCKING TIME it's finally back! And it's back with a vengeance! So I hope you all sit back and FUCKING ENJOY IT! Because I want you all to know that I kicked myself in the ass REALLY hard for making you all wait so long. But not anymore! THIS STORY SHALL LIIIIIIIVE! Chapter 2: Sunbutt and Friends "Shy! Scoots!" I yelled out as I immediately noticed them out of the crowd. Turning around they both noticed me and smiled widely, running towards me. Upon reaching me Scootaloo jumped up and hugged me around my midsection while Shy hovered by my side and planted a small kiss on my cheek. "Your awake!" Yelled out Scootaloo as she hugged tighter. "Welcome back." Replied Shy softly. "Good to be back in the realm of the living! Anyway... what the hell happened? One moment we were in the house the next.... we were here?" I asked as I noticed the silence around the room. "CJ..." A motherly voice began as I looked up to see Celestia making her way from the throne to me, "That night was about a week ago. During the night someone had cast a spell upon you all and put you to sleep. They were dragging you out of the house until they were stopped by Hecarim who was coming back to check if you locked the door." She said but paused momentarily. "What? Who was it?" I asked her with worry. "We do not know. But Hecarim managed to stop the infiltrator and get Scootaloo and Fluttershy but..." She stopped. "But... what?" I asked feeling dread creep up into the back of my mind. "But before he could retrieve you the pony got back up and used a teleportation spell and brought you with her. A day later you show up unconscious in the middle of Canterlot. I have to ask, do you remember anything at all?" Celestia asked with a slight tinge of hope. "I'm afraid I don't... but..." I hesitated as I remembered the strange aura that encased my hands moments ago. "What is it?" "It's nothing, never mind. Anyway where is Hecarim?" I asked wanting to give my old friend thanks. Right after mentioning it everypony started looking everywhere but me. After a few moments of avoided eye contact I cleared my throat. "Hey! I asked where he is?" I spoke out a bit annoyed. "CJ... you see..." Celestia began but was interrupted by Fluttershy. "He's gone..." She said shyly as she looked at the ground. "Gone? What do u mean GONE? How can he be gone?" I reply with a tinge of anger. Walking forward until she was a few steps away, Celestia lowered her gaze to meet mine. "When he brought Fluttershy and Scootaloo to safety and told us of what happened he said he was leaving and not coming back until he found you. He told me to link his mind to mine if I have to contact him." "Alright well contact him then?" I ask worried. "I can't... the link has been severed." She said sadly. "What the hell does that mean!?" "I'm sorry CJ, but he's dead. We lost the connection two days before you woke up." Celestia finished. I began to shake my head. "No. No he isn't dead. He might have just been captured or they used some magic on him or something? He can't be dead he told me what he is! He is the shadow of war!" Slightly embarrassed, Celestia turned around and let out a sigh as she walked to her throne and sat down. "Honestly CJ? I'm not sure whats happening. My sister Luna... I don't know where she's gone. But there's no way she's turned evil again..." She finished with a thoughtful gaze. "What do you mean you don't know?" I said annoyed. "I just don't!" She said back, obviously upset at the loss of her sister. "But why now? When everything was starting to calm down..." She finished as she tapped the bottom of her jaw with her hoof as she sunk into deep thought. After thinking for a few moments I finally came to a conclusion. "Shy, Scoots, you stay here and stay safe, I'm going back to the house to look for some clues as to what the hell is going on." They were about to protest before Celestia cut in. "CJ, you won't find anything. I've had my best ponies look at every inch of that house and they found nothing." "Yeah but they seemed to lack one thing that I have." I said with a smile. "Oh? And whats that?" Celestia asked, intrigued. "Human instinct!" I replied as I internally slapped myself for how bad a lie that was. "Hm... very well, if you feel it so necessary you can leave, but I'm assigning a patrol to escort you there and back. We cannot have you go missing again." She finished with a small smile. Nodding I turned to Scoots and Shy. "Well I guess I'll see you both in a little bit alright?" I said as I placed my hand on Shy's cheek and gave her a small peck on the lips and gave Scoots a quick hug. As I turned and began to leave I paused for a moment and looked back to Celestia. "Oh, and Celestia? Can I speak to you for a moment in private?" Celestia looked a bit taken back by the request but quickly recovered and made her way to me as we both went through the throne room's doors and walked down the hallway alone. "What is it CJ?" Celestia asked as she continued to walk along side me. "I want to know right now why you are being so protective of me. Before you treated me like any other pony and now keeping me alive is of you utmost priority. But why?" Thinking for a second Celestia replied, "CJ, you know I would do the same for all my other ponies." "Celestia, I know when your lying to me, yes I believe you would go very far to keep your ponies safe, but how your giving me all this extra attention, just doesn't sit right with me. Now what is it?" Letting out a small sigh she nodded. "Alright fine, when we found you unconscious and brought you in we immediately began medical work to make sure you were okay. Everything was going fine until..." She trailed off for a moment but quickly regained her composure and continued,"When all the medical stuff was done I did a scan on you and something very strange happened." "And what would that be?" I asked curiously. "Well... the scan didn't work! At first I thought I maybe botched the spell and I tried again but once again nothing happened. So I tried a more powerful scanning spell which did work but what I found amazed me. It seemed your body for some reason is drawing in and absorbing magical energies, and at a fast rate too. Even the neutral energies all around us. Your body is acting almost like a conduit for magic." She finished her rant, looking to me for answers. After hearing this I mulled it over then quickly spoke. "But what does this have to do with my protection?" "Well... I'm not sure what would happen if you... say... died? Maybe all the energy would dissipate or maybe it would all leave in a much more... unfavorable way. Either way I want to know whats going on and why." I nodded back and continued to walk as I saw we were now about to exit the castle. "Alright, I'll be on my way now, I'll look more into this and whats going on with the magic." I said, trying to not bring up the fact that I have Discord power, might not go over well. Celestia nodded and turned to the guards stationed outside the entrance. "Please follow Sir Chris to his destination at Ponyville and ensure nothing happens to him." She finished as the guards gave a quick salute and stood by my side. "Listen to any and all orders given to you by him. Understood?" "Yes ma'am." They both said in unison. As Celestia began making her way back into the castle I called out to her as I thought maybe I should tell her about Discord's deal. "Oh and Celestia?" I asked as she stopped and looked back to me. "Yes CJ?" ".... never mind... just keep Shy and Scoots safe alright?" Squinting her eyes for but a second she nodded and smiled. "You have my word." She replied as she walked off into the castle. I quickly turned and took in a deep breath. "Alright boys I have a few orders for you." Quickly saluting they both replied. "Yes sir!" "Order one, never call me sir. Order two, never salute me again, and order three, fuckin' relax." I stated quickly. As I finished the orders the guards looked between themselves as they slowly dropped their hooves to the ground. One of them spoke up, "Alright... um..." "Just call me CJ, now lets get movin'!" I finished as I made my journey back to Ponyville determined to find out the truth.