//------------------------------// // Rough Start // Story: Titan of the Depths // by Blackdragn18 //------------------------------// “I still don’t understand why you’re doing this,” Spike said as he curled up in his bed. “we just met the guy, and the first thing he does is blast a hydra’s head off with water.” “He needs our help Spike,” Twilight explained as she climbed into her own bed. “he’s clearly lost and confused. Plus this is a new creature, think of all we can learn from him.” “Didn’t he say he only has a few memories?” Spike asked. “How do you plan on learning very much from that?” “I haven’t thought it all through Spike. We’ll think more tomorrow,” Twilight said before pulling the covers over herself and preparing to sleep. Why? That was the only thing going through the newly named Nautilus’s mind. Why had he ended up here? Why had this strange creature helped him? Why couldn’t he remember anything? Nothing made sense to him. The one thing he did know was that there was something about the purple creature that reminded him of himself. Nautilus simply sat in the corner of the library’s main room, staring into the darkness. It would seem sleep was another thing he no longer needed. As he sat there the memories of the hydra fight came back. How had he done that with the geysers? He bashed a fist into his head in frustration. His life was giving more questions than answers. The titan sighed and closed his eyes. Perhaps answers would come to him tomorrow. Nautilus’s glowing eyes opened at the sound of footsteps. Looking in the general direction he watched as the purple lizard from yesterday descended the wooden stairs. It rubbed its eyes of sleep. “Agh!” The child let out a small yelp as the two glowing orbs watched it from the shadows. “Um, hi Nautilus.” “Morning.” Nautilus nodded his head. “I’m just going to start making breakfast.” Spike pointed a thumb back towards a doorway that likely lead to the kitchen. “You want anything specific?” “No.” “Alright.” Spike turned and headed through the door. A few minutes later the sound of hooves on wood came from the second floor. “Good morning Nautilus,” the cheery voice of Twilight Sparkle came from the stairs, turning his large head he saw the purple pony coming down from the second floor. “how did you sleep?” “Fine.” Nautilus replied. “Great.” Twilight’s smile shrank slightly at the metal giant’s lack of conversation. “So, breakfast should be ready soon. Let’s go see what Spike made today.” “That won’t work,” Nautilus said as he stood up. “Why not?” Twilight looked at him in confusion. The titan then stepped towards the doorway to the kitchen, standing next to it he waited for the pony to understand. The entrance was like the front door, designed for something at most maybe seven feet tall. Nautilus was at least a foot too tall. His shoulders also would give trouble due to their broadness “Oh.” Twilight put a hoof to her chin. “I’ve got it.” The alicorn’s horn began to glow then the arch next to Nautilus began to grow until he was able to fit after hunching over. “Problem solved,” Twilight happily stated as she trotted around him to get to the kitchen first. “Just in time.” Spike turned to face them with a plate of pancakes. “Those look delicious Spike.” Twilight complimented him as she sat at the table. “Thank you.” Spike smiled as he put the plate on the table, he then took his seat next to the pony. “Why are you standing over there Nautilus?” Twilight looked at the giant in confusion. “Yeah, the foods over here.” Spike pointed at the pancakes. They heard an echoing sigh before the past sailor came to sit at the table with them, taking up an entire side. “Let’s eat.” Twilight began to levitate a stack of pancakes to her plate while Spike ravenously grabbed some with his fork. As the pony prepared to take a bit of her breakfast she saw that Nautilus’s plate was empty. “Are you OK?” “I’m fine.” Nautilus nodded his head. “Do you not like pancakes?” “I don’t know.” Nautilus shook his head. “Even if I did it wouldn’t matter.” “What do you mean?” Twilight looked at him in concern. “I don't have a mouth!” A leather fist smashed into the table, leaving a dent. “I am a freak. I can’t eat or sleep,” He pointed at his chest. “This body is a curse.” “Nautilus, I’m-” Twilight began to apologize. “I was given this form not to live, but to have vengeance.” Nautilus stood up. “I’ve wasted enough time, I have to find the guilty.” He turned and left the kitchen. “Nautilus wait!” Twilight ran after him. She entered the main room just as Nautilus began to lift his anchor, quickly enveloping it in her magic the alicorn yanked it back. This caused the already off balance giant to tip completely over. The entire library shook as he fell. “Release my anchor.” Nautilus ordered flatly. “No.” Twilight looked at him stubbornly. “We’re going to sit down and talk.” “Fine.” Nautilus released the anchor before getting up and dusting himself off. “Ok, first and foremost who are you searching for?” “My former crew.” “From when you were a sailor?” Nautilus nodded. “Why are you looking for them? Were they your friends?” “Friends!?” the titan began to let out a deep and honestly creepy laugh. “They betrayed me, left me to die. I will have vengeance.” Nautilus clenched his fist in anger. “Calm down.” Twilight held her hooves in front of her. “How did they betray you?” “They left me to die, in the cold depths of the sea.” when Twilight gave him a confused yet interested look he sighed. “Let me explain.” Inside the throne room of Canterlot castle two alicorns sat on thrones, a white one and a blue one. They listened as a unicorn guard explained the situation of the monster. “From what our scouts tell us, the creature appears to be moving in a straight line.” a guard pony placed a hoof on a map of Equestria. “Based on its current trajectory and pace odds are it will soon turn up in the town of Ponyville.” “Twilight,” Princess Celestia looked at the map in concern. “I want my best guards ready to move in ten minutes, we have to save Ponyville.” “Then I awoke to find myself in this form.” Nautilus gestured towards himself. “Everything of my past life is hazy except one thing, I was left there, in the sunless depths to die.” Finishing his story Nautilus waited for a response from the purple pony. She had listened to his short story in awe until the end. Now the alicorn was looking at him with eyes full of sorrow and pity. Nautilus was caught off guard as the pony lunged herself into him eliciting a metal clang from the titan’s body. She then attempted to wrap him in a hug, though her legs only reached to just past where his ribcage would be. “I’m so sorry,” she said sadly. Unsure of what to do Nautilus simply took one of his massive hands and put it over her in an attempt to return the gesture. When she pulled herself away from him she had a large red mark where her face had made contact with his chest plate. “Twilight!” The pony and giant looked towards the kitchen hallway in time to see Spike run in holding a scroll. “What is it Spike?” Twilight asked, rubbing her eyes. “A letter from Princess Celestia.” Spike handed her the scroll with the Princess’s royal signet printed on it. “I wonder what she needs.” Twilight opened the scroll and began to read. “I must go.” Nautilus grabbed his anchor and stood up. “Thank you for your hospitality.” He then went and opened the front door to go outside. “Wait, no!” Twilight tried to stop him but it was too late. “There it is!” A voice from outside shouted. “Are you sure it’s here?” a unicorn guard asked as they entered the simple town of Ponyville. “Of course,” a second unicorn answered. “You were at the meeting. The monster should be hiding around here somewhere.” “How is it supposed to hide? If what the report says is true this thing is at least eight feet tall.” The guard was keeping his voice low. The streets were crowded and it was well know that Ponyville was an easily frightened town. “Would you two shut up?” A pegasus guard glared at the pair. “We need to get to our position and wait.” Ponyville was currently full of guards, they came from every branch and race. They were hidden as to avoid suspicion. The most heavily fortified area of course was the local library. The large tree was surrounded to keep the youngest princess safe. “Here we go.” The pegasus quickly climbed on top of a nearby house. The unicorns soon followed. They were currently in the perfect place to watch the front of the library. “You’re prepared to contact the others when we find it?” The winged guard looked at one of the unicorns. “Yes sir.” The unicorn nodded. “Good. Now all we do is.” “There it is!” A voice rang through the town. “What?” Quickly looking back to the library the Pegasus was shocked to see a giant creature forcing its way out of the structure. “It was in the library!” “The princess!” One of the unicorns said in shock. “We need to move.” The Pegasus jumped off the roof and ran towards the tree. “Attack!” Nautilus looked around the the area. It seemed to be surrounded on all sides by armored ponies. As he had exited the structure there had been a massive panic as citizens saw him and ran. Now there were only the guards. “What is this?” Nautilus asked. He looked down at the purple pony standing next to him. “Did you summon them?” The titan’s voice had a hint of anger in it. “No.” Twilight shook her head. “They’ve been sent here by Princess Celestia.” “Who?” "I’ll explain later.” “Attack!” A battle cry echoed through the town. The two looked ahead to see one Pegasus charging at them. His eyes were trained on Nautilus. “Stop!” Twilight stepped in front of the titan, spreading her wings to make herself seem bigger. The Pegasus came to a halt. “Princess, please move away from the monster.” the Pegasus requested. “He’s not a monster.” Twilight shook her head. “I order you to stand down.” Then two unicorns came to stand next to the Pegasus. “What do we do sir?” One of the unicorns looked to the Pegasus. “Stun the princess.” “We can’t attack a princess!” the second unicorn looked shocked. “Besides that’s Twilight Sparkle, even if she weren’t royalty I doubt Princess Celestia would approve.” “We have our orders.” the Pegasus glared at his horned allies. “Princess Celestia wants that creature captured and brought to her. We are the day guard and her orders come first. Now stun Princess Twilight.” “Yes sir.” The unicorns nodded before charging their horns and firing two beams at the purple alicorn. Twilight gasped and prepared to raise a shield. But just as the beams were about to hit an anchor slammed into the ground in front of her, blocking the shots. “Are you ok?” Nautilus asked. “Yeah.” Twilight nodded. “Thanks.” “Good.” Nautilus then gripped the chain on the anchor and in one swift motion pulled it out of the ground and swung it in a wide arc. The weapon hit the three guards in front of them, easily knocking them over. As the titan retracted the anchor he checked to see that the ponies were still breathing. “It attacks!” one of the many nearby guards shouted. “Retaliate!” Within seconds at least twenty guards surrounded the tree. “Go inside.” Nautilus cocked his head towards the library. “Right,” Twilight nodded before running towards her home. “I’ll get in touch with Celestia and have her stop them.” “Come quietly freak,” a Pegasus guard in decorated armor glared at Nautilus. “You’re outnumbered.” “True,” Nautilus rested the massive anchor on his shoulder. “But the odds are still not in your favor.” “Spike, we need to send a message to Celestia.” Twilight ran into the library. “What’s going on out there?” The dragon asked. “There was a lot of-” “No time for that right now,” Twilight cut him off. She was beginning to breathe heavily. “I have to contact Celestia.” “Alright, geez.” Spike grabbed a quill and paper. “What do you want me to right?” “Just tell her to call off her guards and that this is all a big misunderstanding.” “Ok.” Spike scribbled on the paper before coiling it up and setting it on fire. “Good work.” A thud then came from the door. “What was that?” Spike asked as Twilight opened it. A knocked out guard was lying against the door. Looking outside they watched as Nautilus bashed his anchor into a unicorn, knocking it to the ground unconscious. The metal giant was surrounded by beaten but alive ponies. “Done,” Nautilus said as he head-butted the last guard. He turned and began to walk towards the library. Then a blue laser smashed the titan in the chest, sending him flying back. “Halt brute!” Looking up Twilight and Spike were surprised. “Luna?” Twilight asked in shock.