Reasons
Basil sat at a table in the local town’s hall. He had relocated closer to the hearth to feel the warmth and watch the flames. Starswirl soon arrived, he saw the lone pony sitting at a table half illuminated by the hearth’s fire. He walked over to Basil’s table and stood silently watching the earth pony. Basil’s green eyes mirrored the flames from the hearth, gazing into the blaze as if there was something hidden within, something others could not see. Starswirl sat at the table and looked into the hearth as well.
“Didn’t think you would be coming back,” Basil said, still looking into the fire.
Starswirl was silent for a moment before saying, “I was quite tempted to leave, yet something compelled me to remain.”
“These past two days I have asked myself what compels someone to act against everything they believe in?” Basil wondered.
“Curiosity, or perhaps there’s greater purpose to what the two of you have done,” Starswirl said, considering his fortune that he remains alive.
“I don’t see how. Lately I have made decisions that only increased our chances of being killed,” Basil said, regretting his curiosity which nearly killed them the first night.
“The two of you rescued your enemy, allied yourselves with a natural born predator, and risked your very lives to find a place that may not have existed in the first place. All of these things were in fact foolish and likely to get you killed. However you and your friend made it work this far, I want to see what happens next,” Starswirl explained.
Basil flipped the table over and dragged Starswirl to the floor. Basil’s dagger held against the unicorn’s throat, and growled face to face with Starswirl.
“Our lives are no game for your entertainment unicorn! You’re right, we brought you this far and now I want answers. What were all of you doing that night?” Basil demanded, the dagger shaving away the fur under Starswirl’s muzzle.
“We were looking for answers Basil. I am a scholar not a soldier! I dedicate my time to research not violence. I figured these growing winters are of no natural cause and I was right. There is something causing this freeze and it came after us,” Starswirl explained under the point of the dagger.
“What is it?” Basil demanded, shifting his stance to hold the pony down.
Starswirl took the initiative and used his magic to repel Basil away from him. After being caught by surprise the earth pony flew straight into the air, then promptly fell belly first into the floorboards. Starswirl had rolled out of the way and stood up.
“I don’t know what it is Basil, my own kind would rather blame yours than believe me. I want to stop it but I can’t do that alone. I want to work with you Basil, you’re the only group of creatures sensible enough to care and insane enough to try. If you throw away your resentment towards me then I will do the same for you,” Starswirl explained as he held a helping hoof out to Basil.
Basil took Starswirl’s hoof and stood onto his own, then sheathed his dagger.
“Fair enough Starswirl, you want to work with us? You’ll get your opportunity soon. There was a crystal pony that paid for our rooms and gave us an offer. I’m just as well considering taking it granted that conditions back home aren’t worth going back to,” Basil said as he brushed himself off from landing on the floor.
“Good to hear Basil, I won’t be so easy to bring down next time,” Staswirl said.
“Maybe you’ll have more fur to shave under that muzzle of yours Starswirl. You can share the room with Regina if you like,” Basil said jokingly, just before leaving to meet with Orion.
“I’ll take my chances in here,” Starswirl said just as the fire in the hearth blew out behind him, darkening the hall.
Basil entered the room Orion had claimed, it wasn’t as elaborately decorated as the main hall. However a simple bed is much better than the frozen floor of an igloo. Orion sat up on one of the beds with his back against the wall. Orion had taken his camouflage off and piled it onto one end of the bed with his sword resting on top. After the mess they had been through his black coat still managed to shine a little with the flicker of a lantern hanging near the door.
“The unicorn came back, says he wants to stick with us,” Basil said as he stood in the door.
“Why would he want to?” Orion questioned.
“Starswirl claims that there is something specific causing these winters, and wants our help to find it. Apparently he figured that his own kind would leave the blame on everyone else than advance his investigation. Now he might have an opportunity if we work with Sombra,” Basil explained.
“Makes some sense, but you’ve yet to explain to me what this deal of yours is with the crystal pony,” Orion mentioned.
“He wants us to join this so called guild with him. So far as I can see, this guild has resources,” Basil said.
“It would be better than what we’d have going back to the earth ponies,” Orion said sadly, understanding the harsh reality of the facts.
“It would be better than what I have to go back to,” Regina said as she exited her room next door and entered the hallway.
“Not much waiting for any of us,” Basil sighed.
“Nothing I would want to be part of,” Regina added.
“So that’s it then? We form this ragtag band of fools and do whatever this guild asks of us?” Orion asked.
“If it means I get hot food and a warm bed then yes,” Basil said enthusiastically.
“You had me at hot food,” Orion said.
“Well if we’re a team now, where’s Starswirl?” Regina asked while leaning against the hallway wall outside the door.
“I’m sure he’s somewhere in the main hall still,” Basil replied.
“I guess I’ll have to convince him I won’t kill him in his sleep then,” Regina said as she pushed herself away from the wall and made her way to the main hall.
“You’re fine with all of this?” Orion asked.
“I trust Regina more than I do these unicorns Orion. We’ll just have to see what this guild has to offer,” Basil said after he closed the door to the room.
“I can’t help but think this is all a bad idea,” Orion said, looking at the frost covering the only window in the room.
“Of course it’s a bad idea, that’s all we have had lately is bad ideas, and that’s all we are going to get. Of course we could always go back to starving in the woods,” Basil said as he rested onto a bed on the opposite side of the room from Orion.
“What does this guild actually do?” Orion asked.
“As far as I know of it, they fight evil creatures that threaten everyday life for intelligent creatures,” Basil said.
“So this guild kills off these ignorant pests so that smarter creatures can focus on killing each other off in their own wars?” Orion inquired.
“That is about what they seem to do,” Basil said, removing his cloak and lying onto the bed.
“Seems we’re always killing something,” Orion said with regret.
“It’s the common trade is what it is. Could go for something more though, something better,” Basil said rolling over to face the wall.
“Something more huh? Well that’s your choice, I can’t really imagine the luxury of being more than just a fighter,” Orion said as he watched the frost on the window continue to accumulate.
Regina entered the main hall. Looking around the room she could see the unicorn sitting in the dark near the cold hearth. Regina approached Starswirl, who had his head on the table staring into the blackened hearth. Starswirl looked up at Regina with tired eyes and smirked.
“You’re not going to get any rest sleeping out here,” Regina said.
“How does a creature of such violent nature show such kindness?” Starswirl quietly asked.
“When you have a friend to teach you otherwise,” Regina said.
“So you are staying as well?” Starswirl asked, curious about her position on the group.
“There’s nowhere I’d rather be really. Every time I meet Basil my life gets so much better if for just a short time, but sooner or later something happens that it has to end. I’ve decided that whatever happens to end it this time, it’s worth the little bit I get,” Regina explained.
“Basil might not be as terrible as he would first appear after all,” Starswirl said as he scratched under his muzzle.
“Basil is cautious of anything he doesn’t necessarily trust,” Regina said.
“Aren’t we all,” Starswirl said in reply.
Sombra, the unicorn sent by the crystal ponies, sat in his own room behind a desk. The room was larger than the two he rented for the others, and was relatively nicer, warmer, and intended only for one. A lantern hung above the desk where Sombra was overlooking a set of maps and notes. One map was of the area surrounding the mountains. Another was of the crystal mines.
The map of the crystal mines seemed to attract the most of his attention. It was the most recent version he had available since the dogs had rebelled. In order to get it he had to swipe it from under their snouts, but they’re very attuned to detecting intruders. Escaping with the map cost him the opportunity to sneak further into the mines, but it did bring some help his way.
Sombra needs the help of Basil’s entourage to end this rebellion by the diamond dogs. They would need better weapons and equipment which the guild could provide, granted they pass the trials. Nothing could be coming together better for him now, he’ll surely gain some following with the crystal ponies if he succeeds. They’ll be able to build their city and he’ll be a hero.
Sombra felt his plan was coming together nicely. So long as Basil and his associates join the guild with him. He even acquired a special crystal needed for the trials that a guild member said he needed. The crystal naturally generates some form of energy; they must need to power something in these initiation trials. Everything he planned rides on their success in these trials, and seeing how this group handled the diamond dogs they should have no trouble accomplishing this task.
There was also something special about these creatures, their region is pitted in a never ending war against each other. The inclusion of a griffin only complicates the structure of their working together. Sombra wondered under what circumstances, did two opposing enemies and a predator manage to cooperate with each other. Never thought he’d look forward to working with two stubborn earth ponies, a unicorn he has not met yet, and a bird lion.
Sombra figured out that even if this group joins with him, there is no knowing if they’ll really help him. He will have to do more than work with them, he will have to make friends. It seems the only way to ensure that they will follow through with their initial deal. Befriend and follow, should be simple enough granted they will most likely be fighting side by side at some point.
“If I can pull this off, we will all be hailed as heroes by the crystal ponies, and be in connection with the guild,” Sombra said out loud to himself.
Sombra gathered all of his maps and notes, rolled them up with magic and stuffed them into a saddlebag. He would find out the next day if Basil’s group will join, and he has plenty of crystals to trade in order to entice them. Even though these lands are in ruin, they could easily become renowned by working for the guild as unique as they are.