//------------------------------// // Chapter 5 Not Evil, Just Misunderstood // Story: Not What I had Expected // by Frosthowl //------------------------------// Aran sat in his cell. His body, malnourished and weakened from months of imprisonment, despite this, he was very calm and collected. Sitting with his legs crossed and his back against the wall. Hiding his face in a dark corner of his cell, he saw the guards playing a card game while on duty. One of the guards laughed as he apparently won the round and leaned back, taking with him a big pot of bits. “Today’s the big day huh?” One of the guards spoke. “Yeah, looks like Shining is finally getting married. Its too bad we’re stuck guarding this freak when we could be at the reception, I heard there were some pretty fine mares attending the wedding.” “Solar Wind, you couldn't even get a mare if you were royalty.” The guards shared a laugh at the expense of their colleague. “But at least this beats guard duty at the wall.” One of the guards got up from his chair and trotted closer to Aran’s cell. “I get to see the famous monster that everyone’s been talking about. Hard to believe this thing could stand a chance against one of us.” The one called Solar Wind, also stood and made his way towards the cell. “Hey, check this out!” He said and levitated a bucket of water that was by the corner in case of a fire. “This always pisses him off.” He hauled the water into Aran’s cell and completely soaked him. Both of them had anticipated that he would get angry and smash the bars, but to their disappointment, he just sat there and didn't move an inch. The nameless guard turned to his colleague in curiosity, “Is the rumour true that it can talk?” Solar Wind didn't get the chance to respond as another spoke first. A dark and rough voice that hadn’t been used for days was now laughing. “Soon I’ll get out of here. And once I am free, I’ll pay your Captain a friendly visit.” The recruit took a step back as he was creeped out by the talking human. Solar Wind however saw his chance to antagonize the human even further. “Oh really? So he can kick your flank again?” He said with a smug smile. “Heck, you probably couldn't handle me.” Aran did not respond and just sat completely still. “Thats what I thought!” He boasted. From out of nowhere, the ground and walls started to shake, a terrible tremor erupted and the sound of shattering glass could be heard. “WHAT WAS THAT!?” One of the guards shouted out trying to protect his head from some stones that were peeling off the roof. The sounds of multiple impacts could be heard out in the streets. The guard took a look outside from one of the barred windows and saw black creatures hurtling towards the ground, a sickly green aura of magic wrapped around them. “WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!” Solar Wind called out. His cry was quickly met with one of the creatures flying directly against the dungeon. Like it was made out of cardboard, the thing flew through the wall and crashed directly against the human’s cell. The guards were recovering from the assault, the room now covered in a thick layer of dust. “Form up!” He called out whilst coughing. They all slowly stood up from the ground and regrouped into one solid unit. The nervous guards anxiously waited for whatever had flown in, to reveal itself. As the dust settled, they saw the creature with its green eyes emerging from the darkness inside of the cell. To their surprise, it was a black looking pony with chitin instead of fur and had both wings and horns, but most noticeable of all was its proportional size, it was the size of a short mare. The guards smiled as they didn’t doubt that they could fight this thing. But their confidence was quickly shattered as the hand of the human emerged and grabbed the thing by its neck, making it hiss out as it struggled to free itself from the biped’s iron grip. The prisoner slowly walked out of his shattered cell and revealed himself to be free. At that moment, the guards quickly lost all hope that they had before. With his bare hands, he snapped the creatures neck, killing it instantly and letting it drop to the ground with a thud. The guards, horrified by the display of ruthless murder, saw how Aran was cracking every bone in his upper body, from lack of movement in a long duration. “Never again…” He spoke with a grim and dark voice dripping with anger. *** Applebloom slowly opened her eyes. She stretched out her hooves, and enjoyed the feeling of the soft blanket over her body. That is, until she noticed that she wasn't in her bed, or even in her house. Scanning the room, she found it looked quite a lot like Zecora’s hut. “Little one, thank da spirits you're awake.” The voice coming did not rhyme, nor did it sound like a mare. She turned towards the other side of the room looking at the ajar pearl door that lead outside. There, standing in the doorway was a medium sized male Zebra. “Who-...Who..Hachu!” She sneezed as her nose began to run. “Oh my, it appears that you have caught a cold. No wonder, ya two swimmed in waters most foul.” “Where am I?” She asked, whilst taking a few more quick glances around the room. “Ya are in Zhevra village, Me and my clan found you driftin’ in da waters while we were preparing a cleansing ritual.” He replied with a cheerful tone. “Where’s Aran?” She asked curiously. The smile on the Male zebra’s face quickly turned upside down. “Oh your friend be very sick, he done been poisoned by some bad juju toxin that I’ve nevah’ seen befo’. Ou’ shamans are trying to cleanse ‘is spirit, but we can only give him remedies and odda tings to ease da poison in ‘is body.” Applebloom started slowly recalling the events that transpired before. She remembered how he saved her life, and how he was willing to sacrifice himself for her. “Can ah go an’ see him?” The zebra thought about it, chewing on his lip a bit until he nodded. “I don’ see why not.” Applebloom, despite her cold, laboriously got out of her bed and struggled to the entrance, forcing her tired muscles to get back to work. She went through the open door that had several pearly strings attached to it. Passing by it, she saw an entire village of Zebra huts. Most of them had masks and pots outside, similar to Zecora’s house. The terrain was covered in jungle trees and bushes. The zebras in the village quickly caught sight of the young filly, who stood out like a sore thumb. It did not take them long before they stepped inside one of the neighbouring huts. There she saw the unconscious human laying upon a hastily made cot fit for his size. His forehead was soaked in sweat and he was wincing in his sleep. She went over to him and stared at his face. His thick lush beard made it hard to see what was behind it. “Will he be alright?” She asked. The zebra shook his head. “I do not know, I’ve nevah’ seen a creature like him.” The zebra scanned his odd body structure, his skin and his closed eyes. “If ya don’ mind me askin’, how did ya end up in da rivah?” Applebloom panicked at the question. Was she going to reveal the whole truth, or try and keep the big part secret? “Me an’ Aran were attacked by Timber wolves, he protected me from them til’ we were cornered by the waterfall.” The zebra just stared at Applebloom, unconvinced of her story. But before he spoke, another zebra came into the hut, this one a female. “Vodja, I need to speak with you!” The male zebra stole a quick glance at Applebloom, who was still standing next to Aran’s cot, peering down at his face. “I will return shortly, little one.” *** Celestia held her mouth agape at the bloody carnage that had transpired just hours ago. The cabin had been destroyed, the corpses of her guards torn to shreds like they were devoured by a mob of wolves, pieces of their bodies littered everywhere. The shattered axe of Aran was on the ground, and there was no sight of the young filly that he had taken hostage. She could already be long dead for all Celestia knew. Captain Shining Armor was in a coma, he had been found hanging on the branch of a tree with another one of his guards, he was currently being treated at the local ponyville hospital. With Luna looking over his recovery along with Cadence. Tears were dripping down her face. She couldn't believe how she could have trusted Aran to keep his end of the bargain. She thought there was some decency in the human. “How could you…” Her breath quickened as a thick hatred made its way up her lungs. She stood up from the ground and narrowed her eyes towards the horizon. “I will never forgive you...I will never stop hunting you!” She spoke dripping with anger and loathing. Meanwhile, Luna was sitting with her niece, waiting for the captain to wake up… “Why did he do this… So much death and destruction…” Cadence wept into her aunt’s shoulder. Luna hadn't heard from her two agents in a long time now...She presumed from the destruction that they most likely didn’t survive the carnage. She had sent her most loyal guards to their deaths. All the loathing and anger towards Aran had been diminished, broken, and Luna felt the loss of her subjects and now realized that it was best to let the beast roam the outskirts of Equestria rather than spill any more innocent blood. “I do not know why...but at least Shining armor made it out without any major wounds. Celestia and I could never forgive ourselves if he would come to harm.” She said, comforting her fellow princess. “You should get some rest, it's been a stressful day and it’s best if we just wait and see how things play out.” Cadence, teary eyed and exhausted nodded at her aunt’s suggestion. Sniffling, Cadence bowed her head and slowly dragged her hooves from the room, reluctant to leave her dear husband’s side. The moment Cadence left the room, Luna started her mind alteration spell that would peek into the Captain’s mind and would alter anything that would leave her exposed to what she had done. “This way...There will be no more bloodshed.” Luna’s horn dimmed and she left the hospital to rejoin her sister. *** Vodja came back to the hut that Aran was in. Applebloom slightly nervous from his return, anxiously waited for him to say something. “Me tribe be sensin’ a vast darkness in your friends body. We fear that it be dangerous to keep him here.” Applebloom didn't know how to react. On one hand Aran did save her from certain death by the timber wolves, on the other hand, she had no idea why he saved her. Maybe to keep her as leverage against the princesses or maybe as a bargain chip for something else. “So, what'll happen to him?” “We gonna purify his blood from da poison, and den we be sending him back to a safe part of the jungle, where he can wake up and without us having to worry about our lives.” “What about me?” She asked. “Ya’ be welcome to stay, but if you wish to go home, we be helpin’ ya’.” Applebloom glanced at Aran, she could be free of him without worrying about her safety. But a part of her was confused, she was technically free now, but she still pitied him. How could she turn her back on him after he had risked his life to keep her safe. He cared for her more then the princess who had disregarded her safety to use her as bait to kill Aran. “I ahm going to stay with him. He is not as bad as you say he is, he's not Evil, he's just misunderstood!” The shaman nodded. “you sure mon? When we be done, we be leaving ya’ alone with him.” Applejack rose her head and chest. “I ahm.” *** Princess Celestia returned to the hospital after examining last night’s scene. She did not hesitate to walk in the Captain’s room without knocking. The matter at hand was much more important. Shining armor, seeing the princess in his presence, quickly snapped up at attention. “Your highness?” He saluted whilst laying on the bed. “At ease, Captain. I heard that you had woken up and I came to ask you what happened last night.” Shining Armor was still shaking from last nights events. He couldn’t stop thinking about the good men he lost in a blink of an eye. Their heads chopped off and the axe stuck in one of their skulls. “I-...I did as You ordered me too. I bought the items to, Aran. But when we gave the items over…-” Shining armor felt a slight headache that was blurring his memory own memories and the ones passed down from Luna took shape.. “Then what?” “Then he came at me with his axe and tried to decapitate me…- I wouldn’t have survived if one of my men hadn’t stepped in to take the blow…-” Celestia thought about what the captain said. Aran did have a very strong contempt towards Shining armor. She had also read pages after pages from the abuse that Aran had suffered in his cell by the guards and sworn revenge on them. “What about the mangled bodies?” Celestia asked coldly. Shining armor was taken back by the harsh description of his guards. “During Aran’s assault, we were ambushed by the timber wolves, at that moment, aran grabbed his items and made a run for it, knowing we wouldn’t survive. But I only had enough magical power left from keeping the barrier up to teleport only one guard and myself up to the tree, the rest decided to stay behind, despite my orders to tell them to retreat…” “And what of the filly?” “I do not known, Princess. I never saw her.” Celestia took a deep breath. It had been a long day and she was still uncertain where Applebloom was. Though she could guess that either she had been taken hostage, or she could have escaped, yet she had a good feeling that she was alive, but she wasn't sure if she was well. “Thank you, Captain, I’ll tell Cadence that you’ve woken up. Get some rest and report to me tomorrow.” “Yes, your highness!” Whilst Celestia went back to her Castle, Luna was walking in the dream world, where all the spirits of living creature come to dream, and humans were no exception to that. Luna thoroughly looked for Aran’s spirit, if she could find him, she could erase the last of the evidence pointing towards her. However she had to be careful, if she would alter his memories to much, she could give her self off to him and in the dreamworld, Luna is the most vulnerable. “Found you!” She utter relieved. Though Aran was in the dream world, his consciousness was blank, meaning he wasn't dreaming but he was asleep and unaware of her presence. *** Applebloom followed the Zebras as they were carrying Aran to his destination, she was very twitchy of the every sudden sound or movement coming from the bushes and trees. Her previous scars from the wild life were now showing itself on the poor filly. There were two Zebra stallions that accompanied the filly and human to their destination, she was also given some food and supply, including some medicine to ease the poison in Aran’s body. It felt like an hour had gone by before they finally made it to a secluded part of the forest, it was a large patch of grassy land that was a safe haven from the jungle. “We arrived to da place now. Spirits keep ya safe, child” The zebra lowered his head in a respectful bow before unloading the human of the cart and made their way back. “Thanks for the help Mister!” Applebloom called, as she waved good bye to her friend. Applebloom, after seeing the zebra enter back into the forest in the horizon, went back to Aran and sat down next to him, waiting for him to wake up.