“So, what you are saying is that this world is made up of two giants known as the Bionis and Mechonis, and the Mechon are the sworn enemy for your people?” Twilight Sparkle asked with interest dripping from her tone.
“Yes. These Mechon only care about inflicting pain on us. So, we decided to retaliate by constructing our own defenses. Though the Mechon are normally impervious to our standard attacks, we were able to keep them at bay using the power of the Monado wielded by the hero Dunban.” Shulk answered while the trio walked down the mountainous path.
“Fascinating! I definitely want to get a closer look at this Monado in your lab. I also want to meet this Dunban as well.” Twilight Sparkle responded with a gleeful smile.
In the moment after, the mountainous path ended, revealing an open view of the entire area. Twilight Sparkle’s mouth dropped upon seeing an entire town built a good distance into the lake.
“Ah, Colony 9! Nothing like the feeling of going back home after a weird encounter.” Reyn euphorically announced, glancing over to Twilight Sparkle.
“Hey, it’s you two who are weird to me!” Twilight Sparkle snapped back.
The trio walked across the bridge into town. In the square of the colony, various beings that Twilight Sparkle had never seen in her life wandered throughout the district, looking through wares and bargaining. The market district was filled with clamors of discussion and the sounds of spoons digging against the plate for food.
“I didn’t think your people’s lives would be so similar to the lives of my ponies, especially since you make it seem as though you are preparing for war at any given moment.” Twilight Sparkle noted.
“If it wasn’t for this normalcy we’ve maintained, our morale would have been crushed long ago.” Shulk explained, looking towards a stand with various cooking implements and seated people. “Are you feeling hungry, Twilight? Being unconscious must have given you some kind of hunger.”
Twilight Sparkle opened her mouth, ready to decline. Doing so, her stomach growled with pangs of hunger.
“You know what? Food does sound good right about now.” She stated.
Reyn and Twilight Sparkle sat at the seats near the stand, looking back at the standing Shulk.
“Going to wait for Fiora to deliver food to you again, Shulk?” Reyn asked in a teasing voice.
“That’s the plan like always. I don’t want to disappoint her, you know. I’ll go on ahead to the lab. We can meet up there.” Shulk responded, walking into the crowd.
Reyn and Twilight Sparkle directed their attention back to the stout man with a blond beard and a white handkerchief over his head and a wooden smoking pipe in his mouth. He was at the stove, searing a bright red sauce in rice. The spicy aroma hit Twilight Sparkle’s nose, causing her to drool with a mouth open in delight and ignore the world around her. The man at the stove looked back and stealthily smiled.
“It appears you like how my food smells based on that drool on the counter, creature I have yet seen.” He stated in a hefty voice.
Twilight Sparkle broke out of her stupor and shook her head. She looked down on the counter, her drool saturating it. She looked up to the man and chuckled with embarrassment.
“Sorry about that, sir. I have not yet eaten, and your food smells delicious.” She explained.
The man moved around the frying pan, stirring the contents within and pouring it out on a plate. He moved the plate in front of a woman at the counter. He reached towards a bottle filled with oil and poured it onto the pan.
“One question for you; do you have a taste for bunnit?” He asked.
Twilight Sparkle looked towards Reyn, who patiently sat at the counter.
“Aren’t bunnits among those creatures that you and Shulk were killing, Reyn?” She asked.
“Yeah. bunnits can be annoying, but the meats that come from them are delicious!” Reyn enthusiastically stated. “Giorgio, when are we going to get our curry?”
“For you, Reyn, soon. You are one of my best costumers after all.” Giorgio stated, pouring a canister of red sauce into the frying pan. “As for you, I saw the look on your teeth; they’re flat and dull. They won’t be able to cut through the bunnit meat like other teeth can. I can substitute your curry with something more pleasing for your teeth.”
“That sounds good, Giorgio. Thank you for your concern on my diet, and my name is Twilight Sparkle.” Twilight Sparkle said.
Giorgio smiled, taking out a head of red lettuce, chopping it up and putting it on a separate frying pan.
“With your name, appearance and mannerisms, Twilight, you sound like someone who my daughter would be enthralled to meet.” He stated, moving around the pan and letting the visually pleasing sauce coat the chopped up lettuce. “Speaking of my daughter, I haven’t been able to spend much time with her as of late. My cooking stand is really popular, so I’ve been forcing myself to work from day to night. Plus, it’s the only way how I could support the two of us.”
Hearing these words from his mouth, Twilight Sparkle could not help but form a frown on her face.
“I’m not sure what to say, Giorgio. Even if my father was a head astronomer for Canterlot working through the night, he always found the time to spend it with his family. But, in your case, it seems like you can never find any sort of time with the most important person in your life.”
“Do not worry your head off about it, Twilight. I’ll find some way to spend time with her, even if it kills me.” Giorgio replied with a hearty laugh, pouring out the contents of the red cabbage curry onto a plate. “I hope you enjoy this. I poured my soul into making this extra delicious.”
Twilight Sparkle looked at the plate before her; the sauce was teeming with spices and vegetation she had not seen before. She looked towards her left, seeing Reyn being served with curry of his own. He rubbed his hands in anticipation.
“Come to Reyn, delicious bunnit curry!” He shouted, taking a spoon on the side of the plate and digging it into the curry.
Twilight Sparkle levitated a spoon next to the plate and scooped a spoonful of the curry, bringing it into her mouth. Her eyes lit up in excitement, driving her spoon into the curry for more.
“This is delicious! It’s spicy, but has enough sweetness to counteract the stronger spices. The cabbage is tender and savory, so it practically melts in my mouth!” She stated, eating the curry. “I wish I could hire you as a personal chef, Giorgio.”
Giorgio laughed at the comment made by Twilight Sparkle.
“I’m flattered that you feel that way, but I can’t really dedicate my services to only one customer. Only amazing chefs can do that.” He stated.
“Yeah, bird-horn silly for thinking chef like Giorgio stick to one Hom-Hom!”
Twilight Sparkle looked to her right, where the source of the youthfully male voice was. To her surprise, a small creature with a round body and yellow fur was sitting next to her. The creature had stubby limbs and ears so long that they can wrap around the creature.
“You look kind of adorable. What are you?” She asked.
“Me called Chiigo. Me Nopon from Colony 9!” Chiigo introduced.
“I’m going to have to make a mental note about Homs and Nopon. Thank you for appearing by my side, Chiigo.” Twilight Sparkle happily stated. Chiigo smiled, revealing the small fangs on his top gums.
“Chiigo happy to make bird-horn happy! Chiigo feel good now.” He stated, walking away from the stand.
“Wait!” Twilight Sparkle shouted while she was extending her hoof towards the direction Chiigo left. “Awww… I wanted to learn more about you.”
“Greetings, Princess Twilight.” A dignified voice called out from behind her.
“Greetings, Sergeant Sprinkles… wait, Sergeant Sprinkles?!” Twilight Sparkle shouted in realization, turning around to see a white-coated pegasus stallion alongside a brown-coated earth pony stallion and a gray-coated unicorn stallion, all of whom are clad in golden armor.
“Thank goodness you are okay! I thought that we had lost you when Equestria was absorbed in darkness!” Sergeant Sprinkles exclaimed with a relieved sigh.
“I was thinking that I was the only one who made it out of that cataclysm. I want to hear a status report from you.” Twilight Sparkle requested.
“Yes, Princess! The three of us awoke within the home of strange creatures about three hours ago in the Residential District. The residents of the home cared for us and were very friendly. We came over to the Market District to gather information on our whereabouts. That was when we found you, Princess.” Sergeant Sprinkles announced, lifting his right front hoof to his forehead in salutation.
Reyn stopped eating the curry and slowly looked back, seeing three royal guard ponies behind him. Upon hearing the name of the leading pony, he snickered, gradually breaking into full-blown laughter. Twilight Sparkle, Sergeant Sprinkles and the two other Royal Guards eyed Reyn with confused expressions.
“Oh man! Your name is Sprinkles?! I knew that ‘Twilight Sparkle’ was a funny name, but to think that big, strong stallions such as you have such pushover names?! What’s next, your two subordinates are Corporal Ice Cream and Private Plain Donut?!” Reyn shouted with delirious laughter.
“Ummm, actually, that is our names.” The unicorn squeaked out with a slightly hurt tone. The earth pony held his right front hoof outwards towards the unicorn.
“Forget it, Corporal Ice Cream; he doesn’t understand the work our parents made to name us.” Plain Donut consoled.
“I guess so, Private…” Ice Cream stated dejectedly.
Reyn, who looked towards the three Royal Guards, his smile and laughter breaking down into silence and a frown.
“Hey, don’t take it like that. I was only joking. Look, considering you three look like soldiers for Twilight here, how about I take you into the fortress to become soldiers for Colony 9? While you guys are here, you gotta get some form of work in your field. Guarding the princess over here can’t really get your bills paid.” Reyn suggested, turning his frown back into a smile.
The three guardsponies looked towards Twilight Sparkle with pleading looks on their faces. Twilight Sparkle shrugged with a smile.
“I don’t know how long we are going to be in this world, but these people are going to be in need of your services much more than I am. After all, I heard that this place can be attacked at any moment.” She stated, bringing stoic smiles onto each of their faces.
“Alright, err…, Sprinkles, Ice Cream and Plain Donut. Follow me. And you might want to come with me, Twilight. Shulk’s lab is at the fortress.” Reyn announced.
Twilight Sparkle looked at her curry, which was half-eaten. She looked up towards Giorgio with pleading eyes. Giorgio chuckled.
“I’ll prepare a doggy bag for you, Twilight. Feel free to come over here at any time.” He stated, taking the plate and putting its contents into a Styrofoam box.
Twiilight Sparkle levitated it onto her back. She turned around and saw that Reyn, Sprinkles, Ice Cream and Plain Donut were walking out of the area. Her eyes rose, prompting her to run after them.
“It still isn’t funny the second time, Reyn!” She shouted.
An amber-coated earth pony mare with a blond mane and tail began to stir awake. Light entered within her green eyes as her body lied on the concrete ground. She slowly got up, her strength being refreshed. She found herself in the center behind steeled walls, various Homs in brown and metal uniforms staring at her as if she had two heads.
“What in tarnation?! Who are all of you, where am I and what happened?!” She shouted. One of the Homs soldiers shouted in a shrill tone.
“That monster talks!” Another guard shouted, pointing at the pony.
“Now hold on one moment! I ain’t no monster. You all look monstrous yourselves.” She stated.
One of the guards pointed his spear towards the pony, his grip trembling.
“S-s-state your name, or else!” He stated. The pony sighed, placing her hoof onto the stalk of the spear and lowering it.
“The name’s Applejack, sugarcube. I don’t wanna fight any of you, so can you please lower your weapons?” Applejack kindly pleaded.
The guards looked at each other, their will strengthening to that of iron. All of the guards around Applejack pointed their spears towards her. They were so close that one was barely touching her neck. Applejack’s eyes widened and an urgent need to gulp on air came upon her. However, she neglected her need, feeling that even a single gulp will give her a messy end.
Shulk, who was walking into the fortress by the gate, saw the group of guards surrounding Applejack and ran towards them.
“What’s happening here?!” He shouted.
One of the guards looked back and stepped slightly out of line, revealing Applejack to Shulk’s eyes.
“We got an intruder over here. No doubt, it wanted to infiltrate our headquarters and share our secrets with the Mechon.” The guard stated.
“This is not a spy, I can assure you. This creature is my responsibility.” Shulk reasoned.
“Your responsibility?! What makes you think that this dangerous creature is your responsibility?” One of the guards asked, turning back to Shulk.
“This might sound silly, but back when I was at the Mechon Wreckage Site, I found another creature similar to this one. However, she was slightly bigger, had wings and a horn and was purple in her color.” Shulk explained.
Applejack’s eyes widened at the details Shulk gave. In that moment, hope sprung up from her voice.
“Twilight’s here?! Thank goodness!” She shouted.
Shulk looked towards Applejack, inspecting the trio of apples on her flank and her tone. His mind began to piece together the evidence he was given. The guards, who looked at Shulk, shrugged their shoulders, dropping their spears.
“Alright, Shulk; we believe you. Just make sure to keep this creature at bay.” One of the guards stated, creating a sign that caused all the guards to disperse throughout the fortress. Applejack happily ran up towards Shulk with a gleeful smile on her face.
“Thank ya kindly for that assistance… err…”
“My name is Shulk. And, based on the details Twilight told me, you must be Applejack.” Shulk finished.
“So it was Twilight who you found! Looks like I’m not the only one in this strange place after all.” Applejack stated with an alleviated tone.
In that moment, Reyn, Twilight Sparkle, Sprinkles, Ice Cream and Plain Donut ran through the gates and laid their eyes on Shulk and Applejack. Twilight Sparkle grinned with an open mouth, dashing towards Applejack and embracing her neck.
“Applejack!” She cried out. “I thought you were lost in that cataclysm!”
Applejack chuckled, returning the embrace back.
“It takes something stronger than a cataclysm to take care of a member of the Apple Family. But, where are we?” She asked, releasing the hug.
“Apparently, we are in some place known as Colony 9, which is located on the calf of the world known as the Bionis. Thankfully, since my personal guard and you wound up here, then that means that all the ponies should be in this world as well.” Twilight Sparkle replied.
“Well, I really hope that they get warmer welcomes than I had. I literally woke up with a spear dangerously close to my neck. If it weren’t for this Shulk fellow here, I would have not made it ‘til nightfall.”
Reyn looked at the two ponies before him and glanced towards Twilight Sparkle, his eye lifted in disbelief.
“I sound nothing like her, Twilight. Why did you have to say that to me? Regardless, we’re all here for a reason. Shulk, aren’t ya going to show our guests the Monado?”
Shulk nodded, waving his hand towards Applejack and Twilight Sparkle to follow him. Reyn, Sprinkles, Ice Cream and Plain Donut split from the group, continuing on towards the other soldiers in the fortress.
The inside of the building caught Twilight Sparkle and Applejack’s eyes; the dimmed lights and the plastered metal interior made up the inside of the building.
“This place looks amazing!” Twilight Sparkle stated, walking down the stairs.
“It’s definitely something. Maybe a bit too fancy for my tastes.” Applejack commented.
The group of seven continued walking down the stairs until a series of complex machinery came up in sight. There, on a brazen pedestal made of wires and metals, sat a very unusual sword; it is of a red color with smoothened metal, a zigzag line was present within the sword’s motif, and there were three different gaps within the blade. One of the gaps was a giant circle near the hilt of the blade.
“All right, Shulk. How are you?” A wizened voice called out from behind the group.
Everyone turned towards the source of the voice; an aged man with dirty blond hair covered with a red handkerchief worn on top of his head and a thick moustache sat on a desk, reading a book. The man wore a blue jacket that was unzipped, revealing his shirtless chest and abdomen, and light blue jeans held together with a black belt.
“Dickson!” Shulk shouted with a smile. “When did you get back to Colony 9?”
Dickson chuckled underneath his breath.
“Just now. I see you’ve been busy. Looks like your Monado research has been going well. Looks like I’ve made the right choice leaving you in charge. On top of that, I see that you have some very interesting guests.” He stated, walking up towards Shulk, Twilight Sparkle and Applejack.
“Your research notes really helped.” Shulk stated, Dickson walking up towards the sword and examining it with sparked interest in his eyes.
“So, you can activate it now then?” Dickson asked.
“Well, anyone can activate it. The problem is controlling it.”
“Yeah. For everyone except him.”
“Yes. If anyone other than Dunban were able to control the Monado, we could surpass any military force in the world.” Shulk announced.
Twilight Sparkle and Applejack glanced towards each other, frowns forced on their faces with the implications of the sword before them. Dickson glanced through the papers in his right hand and saw something that he raised his eye towards.
“What are these hidden functions you mention?” He asked.
“It’s still only conjecture, but it’s starting to look like the Monado might be something far more significant than just a weapon for defeating the Mechon.” Shulk voiced out.
“I see. And the evidence to support your theory?” Dickson requested.
“It’s the symbol that appears within the centre when it’s activated. What I know is, the central piece is made from multilayered glass. The symbol appears on the top layer, and each layer is constructed differently.”
“So it’s possible that other symbols could appear on different layers?”
“Which means…”
“The Monado might conceal even more power. Am I right?” Shulk nodded once in response to Dickson’s question.
“If we could just unlock the Monado’s power…” Shulk poignantly stated, his eyes flashing with images.
Dickson turned towards Twilight Sparkle and Applejack, a confident smile on his face. He walked towards their direction.
“Something tells me you lasses aren’t from around here.” He stated, glancing towards the ring on Twilight Sparkle’s horn.
“Correct. You see, my name is…” Twilight Sparkle began to say before Dickson held his right hand outwards.
“Forget it, I don’t feel like going through introductions. I only came over here to check up on Shulk and his research on the Monado.”
“Oh… well… may you please tell me more about the Monado, Dickson?” Twilight Sparkle asked.
“Normally, that information would be classified. However, since Shulk brought the two of you here, and that ring suspiciously looks like it can be used with the Monado, I guess I can fill in some gaps for you.” Dickson replied.
“Okay. So, my first question; what exactly is the Monado? From my oblivious sight, it just looks like a sword that can fight what you Homs call Mechon.” Twilight Sparkle asked.
“Nobody really knows what the Monado actually is. One day, it just came into existence. All that is known is that it has the power to fight against the Mechon and that it might have more power than what meets the eye.” Dickson answered with a snide tone.
“Well ya didn’t need to sound stuck up about it.” Applejack voiced out.
Dickson shrugged his shoulders.
“I can’t help if my voice sounds like this, lass. You try living in a state where you’re always fighting Mechon. A soldier would be lucky if he lives to the age of forty-four.” He replied. “Now, I assume you have another question or two for me, princess?”
“Ummmm, yes I do. It’s my last question, because it seems as if you do not want to talk to us anymore. How did you even get to know Shulk in the first place? You have the appearance like you don’t stick around some place for too long.” Twilight Sparkle asked.
Dickson gave a smile, showing his teeth born towards Twilight Sparkle and Applejack.
“That’s… not a question relating to the Monado, princess. I’ll tell you at some time when it becomes relevant for you. In the meantime, I’m stepping out for some fresh air. You can join me if you want.” Dickson offered.
“No thanks, sir. We would rather want to check to see how Twilight’s guards are doing.” Applejack stated.
Dickson clicked his tongue and reeled back slightly. Afterwards, he began walking to the stairs, raising his right hand into the air.
“You girls don’t need to be so formal about it. I’m not that old.” He casually stated.
Twilight Sparkle and Applejack turned back towards Shulk, who stared at the Monado, mesmerized by the visions of the past.
“Are you okay there, Shulk?” Applejack asked in a concerned tone.
Shulk, hearing the words of Applejack, shook his head. He turned around and faced Twilight Sparkle and Applejack with a calm grin on his face.
“Yes. I’ve just been… thinking about Dunban. He’s the only one who would dare wield the Monado and its powers, even if it was slowly killing him. It was because of his use of the Monado that we were able to repel the Mechon at Sword Valley, though it did shoot the nerves in his right arm.” He stated.
“This Dunban… is he alright?” Twilight Sparkle asked in genuine concern.
“He’s fine. He’s in his home being taken care of by Fiora, one of my childhood friends.” Shulk responded. “By the way, I’m going to head to his place to meet with Fiora. Would you two care to accompany me?”
Twilight Sparkle and Applejack looked towards each other and back towards Shulk with smiles eminent on their faces.
“We’d love to accompany ya, Shulk. This Dunban fellow sounds tougher than Cousin Rhubarb’s Rhubarb Pie.” Applejack concurred.
“I would personally like to see your relationship with this Fiora, Shulk. If Reyn’s tone is correct, then you must like her very much.” Twilight Sparkle added with a slight tease in her tone.
“It’s settled then. You two are coming with me to visit Fiora.” Shulk stated, walking towards the stairs.
“You know, Applejack; I have a feeling that Shulk is a bit oblivious to the words of others.” Twilight Sparkle whispered.
“You mean just like how you were before, Twilight?” Applejack snidely replied.
“Shut up.”
Twilight Sparkle slanted her eyes in an unamused fashion, walking towards the stairs where Shulk was. Applejack chuckled to herself, running up to her.
A tan-skinned man with long raven-colored hair and trimmed beard sat down on his bed, examining his scarred right arm. He wore no shirt, revealing his muscular upper body. He was adorned in black pants and brown boots. Around his neck was a necklace with an upside-down triangle in a silver circle.
“Dunban, are you awake yet?” A sweet voice called out, causing Dunban to turn to the source.
A fair-skinned young woman with blond hair walked up the steps. She wore a white top that reached from the bottom of her breasts up to the top of them, an orange miniskirt, white sleeves and brown knee-high socks. They were all attached together by a few brown straps on her back, shoulders and legs. She held a tray that contained a bowl of stew, a cup and a sandwich. Dunban smiled.
“Is it time to eat already? You didn’t have to bring it yourself. You could have just called me.” He stated.
“Don’t be silly!” Fiora stated, placing the tray on the nightstand. She leaned over the bed, her chin resting on her crossed arms. “Do you want me to feed you?”
“Don’t treat me like an invalid.” Dunban chuckled out. “I’m better than I was a year ago.”
“Much better. I really thought I lost you back then.” Fiora despondently stated, sitting on the floor with her knees curled in.
“Yes. But now I’m almost well-enough to handle the Monado again.”
“Dunban, don’t say that!” Fiora shrilly shouted, an upset frown on her face. “The Mechon have gone now! Why would you say that?!”
Dunban glanced towards Fiora’s face with a stoic frown on his face.
“I just mean I’m prepared. Sorry.”
“Ok.” Fiora stated, easing down into a frown. After half a second, a wide smile came upon her face. “More importantly, eat up before it gets cold. I made something really special today.”
“Don’t feel like you need to stay here then, Fiora. Go and make your next delivery.” Dunban responded, Fiora looking at him confused. “Well, I’m sure you’d like Shulk to try some while it’s still hot?”
His response obliterated a portion of Fiora’s enthusiasm, causing her to turn back and sit down with her knees bent.
“That’s ok. Shulk has no sense of taste. He’ll say it’s delicious even if it’s stone cold.” Fiora stated, eliciting a good-hearted laugh from Dunban.
“In which case today he would actually mean it.”
“Maybe.”
“I’m fine, Fiora. Off you go.” Dunban ordered.
“Ok.” Fiora complied, standing up and looking back. “Dunban… Thanks.” She finished saying, retreating down the stairs.
Being left alone in the room, Dunban struggled reaching over towards the nightstand, grunting slightly. Picking up the spoon with his right hand, a sudden spike of pain jolted throughout his arm. He dropped the spoon onto the floor. His hand trembling, he grasped it slightly. On the nightstand was a photo of himself, Dickson and a large man with a wide forehead and hair exceeding the hairline.
“I’m not finished yet. I have to be prepared to use the Monado again.”