//------------------------------// // Chapter 8: Reunited // Story: Kurai the Forsaken // by Seth Typofather //------------------------------// Deep within the swamp of the Everfree a creature stirs. The bubbles slowly rise before giving off an unpleasant pop with each risen bubble. Long forgotten has this beast been since its last defeat at the hands of the chosen undead. Rage fuels its eternal desire for revenge at the loss of its body, now a skull sitting at the bottom of a murky bog. He was not taking any of it anymore, a roar muffled by mud and water emerged from its bare toothed grin as the surrounding mud cleared way to a graveyard of pony bones. Moments passed by turned into minutes and then hours, at the moons full view, a skeletal arm burst from the depths. ----------------------------- Gasping Celestia sat up at the vision plaguing her dream with Luna quick to react by calling out from the other towers balcony. “Did you see it too?!” Flying over to her older sisters tower. Being immortal beings of such power serious threats were delivered in the forms of visions, minor threats were sent as small hints though they do wish all threats would come as a vision to make things easier. “Should we call upon the elements of harmony dear sister?” Nodding, Celestia levitated a paper and quill to start writing down her urgent message for Twilight to gather her friends with the elements and meet at the throne room. Hoping to herself they would respond in time, she sent off the message without the royal seal in her hurry. With a desperate act she sent the royal seal as a separate item, hopefully spike won’t mind coughing two things up at once. “Where is Kurai? I heard he is currently being hunted down for threatening a filly, don’t tell me the grand council accepted a request without my permission.” She fumed, as unacceptable as his actions were she knew he couldn’t help it. At this point to do a mass call for the police Filthy Rich hired would lead to paperwork and a lot of pay checks for the wasted time of the police ponies, and she knew Filthy Rich wouldn’t pay a penny. The royal treasury was already nearly empty after the changeling invasion caused mass property damage. “I sent him on quest, should I call him back because of this threat? If so that will not be possible until he either falls asleep or somepony finds him. Will take a while until nightfall, and I’m not sure my magic can reach him as easily. Why is it every time something goes wrong the best help we need is never on time or never there!” She fell backwards onto her older sisters back who wrapped a wing around her. “As long as we have help and nopony is hurt in the aftermath, but just in case if you could not find Kurai, I’ll send a letter to the Wonderbolts to do a mass search of Equestria.” Luna raised an eyebrow at this. Other than flying and being elite flight teams they were unreliable in certain situations, such as that time with Spike’s growth spurt. “Yes they aren’t the best for disasters but what choice do we have?” ----------------------------- Each step was painful to take, the ground so far was nothing but grass with the occasional lake. The water was clear and sparkling but it had a very bitter taste as he went on. Was he close to a volcano? Impossible, the water’s too clear for that. Maybe it was the humidity, he was traveling north. Stopping at the sixteenth lake he has seen thus far Kurai sat down to take a rest, maybe this lake tasted sweeter than the last few. Taking off his helmet and gauntlets Kurai dunked his hands in the water, bringing up a handful of water slowly dripping out from his cupped hands. Taking a reluctant but swift sip he noticed the water was much sweeter, a bit too sweet actually. But at this point he had no reason to complain as the water was actually drinkable, desperate from thirst he threw his head into the water and began drinking while his head was submerged. Opening his eyes underwater it was apparently so clear it was like looking through glass, taking in the wonder he noticed something off. A large pipe on the other end of the lakes wall, squinting to see clearer Kurai realised he was out of breath. Pulling his head up form the water with a loud and strained gasp he fell back, coughing up a bit of excess water. Staring into the sky was mesmerising, the clouds not controlled by pegasus magic taking many shapes and sizes. Back in Lordran the sky always stayed date same, it was refreshing to see new things. Closing his eyes Kurai began to drift off, suddenly awoken by a rumble and loud explosion. “What the?!” A plume of smoke arose in the distance, probably an actual fire breathing dragon this time. Dragging his sword out he eagerly ran onward to face whatever is ahead, no fear or hesitation in the striding movements. Approaching his destination was a breeze, but what stood before him was something not dangerous. Or at least he hoped not. A giant oak tree much like Twilights but made of what appeared to be iron or steel, the visible ‘roots’ being pipes along with a few chimneys on the top dispersing a large amount of steam. “Gott Im Himmel! Another experiment failed!” A large voice boomed from inside, definatly female, quickly becoming content after a few seconds. “Oh well, it can’t be helped. Assistant! You can take a break until I figure out the major malfunction.” Approaching the door, bolted together by the looks of it, Kurai raised an arm to knock on the door to be interrupted by the sound of a buzzer going off. The door then immediately opened at that buzzer revealing all inside. Strewn across the floor were bolts and pieces of metal along with a few blotches of liquid that was thick and black like tar. On the other end of the room stood a humanoid monster made entirely out of metal, the head replaced with a dogs head with the arms and legs resembling that of an anthropomorphic hound build for digging. From the looks of the hands shaped like giant shovels it seemed that way. Approaching it he was alarmed by the same voice he heard. “A beauty isn’t it- Oh! You! You’re not a pony aren’t you?!” Dashing right up to Kurai to inspect him closely, her eyes darting to very angle of his body before hopping back. “Es tut mir leid!” Bowing her head. “But you just look so interesting. My name is Ratchet, and I am an inventor! What is your name?” Stunned by her straightforwardness, it reminded him of a certain green eyed mare which slightly annoyed him. But then again he was the most unique thing that entered this room. “Uhm, my name is Kurai.” He stuttered. Her appearance was just as odd as the mechanical monster that lay in a heap. Her mane was blown backwards and straightened, wearing goggles over her eyes that seemed to have multiple magnifying glasses on one with a small appliance that produced light by some unknown means. Ratchets fur was a bright light blue which was covered in soot at the front with her mane being a contrasting grey, the cutie mark was of a wrench tightening a bolt. Sighing slightly at her broken invention she placed a hoof on its shin. “This was supposed to be my magnum opus for the advancements in technology, a mech suit capable of one hundred thousand horsepower that would make building a breeze! But every time!” She slams her hooves onto a nearby table. “Every time I get so close the thing malfunctions and breaks down!” Ratchets voice was full of passion in every word, shining through her thick German accent. “Well, with every problem there is a solution. My challenge is to find that problem and fix it and I will not rest until my iron diamond dog nark three is complete!” “Mark three? What happened to marks one and two?” Kurai asked out of curiosity, the design of mark three was perfect so this seems to be her most proudest performance. Full of sorrow she turned her head to two smaller mech suits, small enough to fit like a glove. However, they lacked a power source powerful enough to keep them active. From how they were built it seems like they were built for war and not construction. “Weapons?” She simply nodded. “Ja, weaponry. Those two were designed for underground warfare back during the recent changeling war before a peace treaty was signed. Strictly powered by unicorns but before they could even lift a leg they collapsed from the train. So now Im building physically powered machine for construction.” Grabbing a wrench in her mouth Ratchet jumped into the open cavity in the giant machines chest, tossing out random gears and wires that were not bolted in with speed and accuracy. dodging everything that rained out of the cavity, Kurai stood near a doorway to shelter himself from everything. A familiar voice was suddenly heard from inside the other end of the door calling out to Ratchet. “I made you some cucumber and cheese sandwiches!” Popping her head form the cavity with a smile Ratchet replied back. “Aww! You didn’t have to do that for me, my favourite too! Come on in! We have a guest!” Jumping out into a cubicle made of glass she was suddenly doused in water once the glass somehow became opaque. The water stopped after a few seconds, replaced with a sound of wind. At that moment the door opened, a tall figure walking into the room holding a tray of the mentioned sandwiches, almost as tall of as Kurai. He was too clad in armour with a red feather sticking out the top of his cylindrical helmet, what was most noticeable is the symbol of a sun with a face on cloth section of his armour. Once him and Kurai locked eyes he dropped the tray in surprise, the plate shattering and taking refuge along with scraps of shrapnel. “You’re here too?!” They both exclaimed.