//------------------------------// // Chapter 5 // Story: Legion // by DarthMalentai //------------------------------// +_ Legion _+ After talking to Leoran, I walked over to where I roughly remembered where my alcove was at. I still felt the dragon’s eyes on me as I went but I cared little. I had something I wanted to do, an itch to scratch, for far too long. As I made my way around, I saw mound after mound of various items, mainly gems. There were a few interesting objects in the mix like a few bits of armor, a sword, a guitar, a larg… a guitar? Pedaling backwards, my hand reached out towards the instrument. As I grasped it, I heard a rustling of metal come from behind me. I decided to look but instead Leorans head came around me, and I saw his eye dart to what I had in my grasp. “Would… Would you mind if I took this?” I asked, honestly a little hesitant about being this close to a dragon, even if he was a friend. “I don’t see why not. As you see I can’t quite handle something that size anymore,” He said, chuckling while motioning with one of his claws. The damnable things were nearly my size and half. “Honestly, I have no need for half of this. If you find anything you want, then take it.” He admitted. “Thanks pal,” I said, grabbing the guitar, and pulled gently, rocking the neck back and forth. Slowly the mound released its grasp upon the somewhat new looking guitar. When the guitar came free, I brought it up and strummed a few notes. The crazy thing about the guitar? It sounded like it was tuned within the last week. I did the basic scales, and then doing them faster. After I did the every scale I could recall in my head, I turned to go. “Hey… I’ll be back later,” I said to him, and he nodded. And as I walked out of the tunnel, I thought of what song I should play but not before depositing my helmet and shield off close to the entrance. Didn’t want to have the added weight and all. +_ Luna, Present day _+ After getting a guard detachment together, I led them to the edge of the gardens. “Remember, guards, capture don’t kill,” I spoke to them. I received a fair amount of nods, and a few “Yes, Princess” from the search party. With that settled, I turned back to the cliff. As I started approaching the cusp, I started to spread my wings, and at the edge I simply fell forward. The feeling of wind through my hair was exhilarating. I angled my wings so I would pull up gradually, looking behind I saw the guards I had gathered jumping off the side, and then proceed to follow in my direction. Feeling an upcoming updraft, I angled my wings once more, taking full advantage of the needed height to conserve any energy, and felt parts of me become heavier, while I rose steadily. At the apex of the updraft, I angled myself towards the Everfree forest. ‘Legion…’ I thought to myself, ‘Let’s hope for your sake you fight back. I will beat you to an inch of your life.’ +_ Legion _+ I walked through the words towards a nice clearing I had come across while looking for my home…cave thing. The woods, while eerily quiet were nothing to truly fear. Fingering the hilt on my hip, and shrugging the strap that held the guitar, I sighed in content. One thing I had been itching to do for such a long time was to strum the strings of a guitar again. Last time had been before all this…stuff had happened. I walked on for a few more minutes before breaching the tree line. ‘Huh. I don’t remember there being a hill.’ I thought, looking towards the offending hill. Upon its crest rested a decently large tree. I started to walk towards the hill, thinking of what songs I wanted, and was able to, play. What animals in the area stopped their frolicking around, and turned to stare at me. All probably uneasy of such a large beast trudging so close by, and a few had decided to run off. Taking note that there were some deer nearby, and the tree had a few birds in it, this was probably a safe haven for most of these animals. I saw in the tree an especially red bird, with tinges of orange along the wings. I stopped and stared at the bird, and the bird stared back. We stared at each other, and then I nodded to the bird, and surprisingly the bird nodded back. I just chuckled to myself, and got up to the trunk of the tree, and swung the guitar to the front. Looking towards the scenery, I couldn’t get an idea what I wanted to play, so I decided to go with some good ol’ Nickelback. As the song went, I closed my eyes. The animals started to settle down to some extent when I had done nothing but start playing from my strange instrument, and actually started to get closer to me. The more hesitant of them stayed, or ran off. The braver came closer and sat themselves around me, watching my fingers go from note to note. I focused on the song itself, and didn’t let anything outside of my small sphere interrupt me. I let myself go for the first time in over far too long. +_ Luna, 1 hour later, Everfree Forest _+ As I flew, I constantly kept an eye out for things that were out of place. Big clues were large piles of dead creatures, a path of trees that have been bashed down, a large cluster of animals aro…. Turning my head towards the hill that stood a little higher than the surrounding area, I saw a fairly large amount of animals that were circled around something that lay against the trunk of the sole tree in the clearing. Then this reached my ears. ‘This… This is nice.’ I thought, and motioned the guards to follow but stay quiet. As we neared the ground some of the animals looked to us, fear evident but as the man’s voice picked back up then their heads turned back towards him. As I landed, I pretty much went straight to sitting down. ‘This’ll give him quite a fright.’ I thought evilly. As the song went on, I slightly bobbed my head to it, and had a faint smile. ‘Tia would love to hear this, I wonder if I can still access that linking spell?’ I thought as I powered up my horn. +_ Celestia _+ I was looking at some papers, various nobles wanting certain expansions done as to increase their gain in money. Nothing that serious, thankfully. I was looking at a particularly interesting ‘t’ when a mirror like rip opened up next to me. I looked into it and saw Legion, sitting against a tree, with a guitar in front of him. He didn’t have his helmet on, so his black ‘hair’ was free to the elements, flowing a little bit in the breeze in where ever he was exactly. Then I heard this peculiar song. As I listened, I didn’t know how to react. He had never sung or if he did it was to usually goad us into doing something stupid, yet entertaining for him. As time passed, I felt my cheeks blush up unbidden, imagining him singing a song to me. The thought got suppressed, him singing to her was absurd. Oh, but how she longed to tell him how she felt. She didn’t know why she felt this way, as it ailed her forever since that accident when he had run up to the castle, carrying the poor drake. It was a surprise when she had found all the guards from the room, to where his armor was kept, knocked unconscious by pillows. The only tell-tale sign was all the feathers at each guard post. +_ Legion _+ As I ended the last song, I sighed content to get something out of my system. I heard the small thumps as the animals ‘applauded’ my performance, and I smiled. Opening my eyes on the other hand. “Hello Legion. Nice weather were having,” I heard Luna say, and behind her were at least 15 guards. ‘Well, shit.’ I thought to myself. “Y-yes. Nice weather. What brings you to the neighborhood?” I asked, brain firing off random ideas of escape. Then I noticed a window like…portal next to Luna. I saw through that portal, little Celly. “Hey Celly. Sorry for dropping out earlier. I had other plans.” I noticed that when I talked to Celestia, she ducked behind the desk, like some schoolgirl hiding form her crush. ‘How cute it’s like she ha…as.. a ..crush.’ I thought, slowing down after realization started bitch slapping me hard across the face. I nearly started laughing at the thought. Which failed horribly. All the guards present brought about their weapons, and started to slowly step forward. “H-hi…” I faintly heard Celestia say. “Yea.. boys I wouldn’t take another step closer,” I state, looking towards the guards as they all stopped and looked at each other, all questioning whether I was serious or not. “I don’t want to ruin this nice guitar here with blood.” I stand to my full height, and roughly foot taller than the guards. “Legion. *Sigh* All we want to do make sure you are not a threat. Can’t you understand that?” Luna asked. “So that’s why you chased me down, now?” I looked towards her. “And before? Whenever that was, Were you making sure I wasn’t a threat then? I know I am different, but when guards constantly start hunting me, then others put ransoms up… Well let’s say that isn’t the best case situation for making me want to turn myself in peacefully. Understand?” I leveled a questioning gaze upon Luna, then towards where Celestia peaked over her desk. “Besides… Me, causing trouble? I only do it for entertainment. You two are so-” “Don’t you dare finish that,” Luna said, starting to get up herself. “-Unbelievably-” “Stop!” “-one hundred percent-” “Don’t make me get Mr. Cuddles!” Luna shouted, starting to blush a little, either from anger or embarrassment, I couldn’t tell. “-hilarious,” I finally finished. Then I turned around, waved, and looked to Luna and Celestia. “I’ll be seeing you later, maybe.” With that I started to jog off. I heard the guards stand there, then a sudden pick up in armor clanging together as they started after me. “Oh and another thing!” I shouted picking up my pace. “Completely adorable!” With that I felt the ground tremble, and the sky visibly darken. “GET BACK HERE YOU BASTARD!” I heard Luna shout towards me, and immediately dodged left, seeing a purple bolt of raw energy fly past me. I picked my pace up tenfold, and yes I did like keeping my hide uncooked. +_ Celestia _+ ‘He said we’re adorable.’ she thought to myself. Celestia watched through the portal as Luna launched bolt after bolt after towards the retreating figure. The guards had pulled away or ducked down when the he started speaking up again. Still, the thought that circulated through her head was all that he said, slowly enticing Luna to action. Oh how Celestia wished she could hold that man close to her. Mutter things to him as he held her close. Many things went through her head, but many were not something she would dwell upon for fear of those…urges that she kept in ever so perfect check.