//------------------------------// // Chapter three: No Turning Back // Story: An Elegy of Enlightenment // by Algoortheviking //------------------------------// Awaking in my bed later that morning, I thought it might have been a bad dream or something. That was until I saw all the damage to my house. The table was split inwards; the kitchen cabinets next to the sink were busted. I looked over by the fireplace. The family crest was place back above the mantle; however one of the rapiers was missing. The door was closed but I could tell that the lock was broken. Climbing out of bed, I felt a tingling pain in my abdomen as well as a few sore spots along my body. I trotted over to the entrance of my house, glancing around at all the damage. Opening up the splintered door, I was blinded by the light of the sun. It took a moment for my eyes to adjust. It was getting close to noon from what I could tell. “Well look who’s awake,” said a familiar voice coming from the front lawn. It was Mr. Clover, sitting in a chair with a smile. “So are you feeling any better?” He asked with a sense of relief that I was alright. “You poor thing; you cried yourself to sleep in my arms. What ever happened, I know it was bad when my tough little Autumn breaks down the way she did last night.” I lowered my head. I’m not fond of crying or letting others know when I'm driven to tears. “Yeah, it was bad. Some monster broke in an attacked me and my friend last night.” I just realized that Spectra was nowhere to be found. I saw her collapse after the battle but that’s all I remembered. “Spectra! What happened to her? Is she safe?” “You mean that yellow unicorn with multi-colored mane? She regained consciousness shortly after you doze off. She gave us a brief rundown about what happened; but when we tried to bring her in for questioning, she teleported away. It was a powerful spell too, we couldn’t even trace her,” Mr. Clover explained. “But if she’s your friend then I guess she’s off the hook for now.” I was glad to know that Spectra was ok, but where did she run off to? Perhaps back to the airship. Mr. Clover then stood up out of his chair and looked at me. “Listen, you take it easy and rest for today. Me and a few of the others will be around in case you need anything. Perhaps later if you’re willing, you can tell us in detail about what happened. We’re here if you need anything.” “Ok, thank you Mr. Clover, for everything,” I replied with all my gratitude, I knew that if anypony, I could always count on him. Mr. Clover just looked back and smiled. “Anything for my favorite little pegasus; and the daughter of my best friend.” As Mr. Clover and the others suggested, I spent the next couple of days recuperating. Mainly working around my house; I was either fixing the damages or tending to my garden. I’d journey into town for a bit but nothing more. The investigation lead to nothing, nopony seems to of ever heard of a creature like the one that attacked us. Spectra had also disappeared; nopony has seen or heard of her either, other than the few who showed up to my house that night. The weekend has passed and today starts another day of work. Maybe some normalcy will help me get my mind back on track. As I opened the door to head to work, I was surprised by a familiar face. “Spectra! Where have you been? I was worried about you,” I exclaimed, happy to see her safe and sound. She didn’t seem as happy as I was though. “Hey, Autumn; I just wanted to apologize for putting your life in danger like that. And I never got to say thank you; thank you for all that you done for me. Not only were you friendly to me, but you saved my life that night. Even though it meant that you had to stay and face an unknown danger, you stayed and fought to protect me. That’s difficult even for a soldier, and for that I thank you.” Spectra explained; her heart heavy with regret as she looked me in the eye. “It wasn’t a problem, you were in need of help and I was happy to oblige. It wasn’t your fault for what happen.” “It was my fault,” Spectra rebutted “It’s the amulet, that creature was drawn to it. That’s why I left that night, in case there were anymore of those things.” I wasn’t sure how to take the situation. There was this look in her eyes and I didn’t like it. “I came here to say goodbye. I’m leaving to see if I can’t find any more information on this thing. There’s something about this amulet, something more than meets the eye, and I’m going to find out what that is. It’s been fun while it lasted, and I’m glad I met you.” “You’re serious, aren’t you? You’re really just going leave.” I just lowered my head for a moment. Guess it wasn't a surprise givin my track record of making friends. “So, I guess this is goodbye then… For what it’s worth, I’m glad you spooked me back on top of the hill the day.” I replied with a heavy heart. I don't know why I even try anymore. “Even though we’ve known each other for little more than a few weeks, I feel like were becaming good friends, would you say?” Spectra just smiled, subtly. “Yeah, I would say so.” She just turned around and began to walk off. “Oh and, Autumn, I think you might just make an excellent airship pilot someday. Just follow your heart, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. You take care now, you hear.” “Yeah, you too,” I responded, feeling like somepony just hit me in the chest with a brick. Spectra made it out of my front gate and teleported away. “Damn it! Why, why does everyone have to leave?” I cringed, losing yet another would be friend. I think, I think I’ll walk to work today. Hopefully the walk will help me clear my head of all this drama, all the sorrow, all this… all this grief. “Autumn Bliss! What’s your excuse this time? Well?” My boss yelled. At least that much hasn’t changed, I still hate that bastard though. “You know, I never did like you. You’re lazy, you’re sarcastic, you always back talk me, you never show up to work on time; hell, I sometimes get the feeling that you don’t even want to be here!” “Wow, what gave you that idea,” I replied in my usual tone when ever he yells at me. “That’s it; I have had just about enough of you! I think it’s high time you start thinking about your priorities, the things that you need to do! And being a genuine smart ass isn’t one of them!” "Yeah, yeah, yeah..." Hold on, what did he say? “Wait, what did you say?” “I said to quit being a smart ass!” “No, no, no! The other thing, what you said before that?” He looked at me strangely. “Um, I said you need to start thinking about the things you need to do.” “That’s it!” I said excitedly, who would have thought my boss would actually have been useful. He was right; there is something that I need to do. It suddenly hit my like a rock, I’ve just been coasting through life and never prioritizing what’s important to me. Never actually taking action. I always just accepted things for how they were and never gave a thought as to what really mattered to me. “What’s it? You finally came up with a clever, half-baked excuse for being tardy, again?” “Yes sir, the reason I’m late for work is because I had to piss you off one last time before I told you!” I explained excitedly. He wasn’t amused. “Before you told me what?” he asked, batting an eyebrow. I’ve waited for this moment my whole life! “Fuck you!” His mouth dropped at that response, trying to comprehend if what he heard was true. “WHAT DID YOU SAY TO ME!” “Fuck! You! Do you need me to spell it out? F U C-” Everypony’s attention was now directed this way. “You are in a world of trouble now! By time I get done with you, you’ll wish you never stepped hoof in that door!” “I already wish that, sir! I wished that for a long time now.” I was enjoying this but I was also low on time. I turned around and galloped straight for the exit. “Autumn! You walk out that door and you are fired! You hear me! Fired!” “Sorry sir, but how can you fire somepony who already quit? Or did I not make it obvious enough?” With that last remark, I spread my wings and darted into the sky. I haven’t felt that great in a long time. Making my way back to my house as fast as I could, I sped strait towards my front yard. My hooves dug into the grass as I skidded across the lawn, it wasn’t exactly my smoothest landing. “Hey Autumn! You’re home early.” Mr. Clover shouted from across the street. “I quit!” I told him happily as I ran into my house. “You what?!” I emptied my saddle bag of everything and started repacking it with the bare essentials I was going to need for a long trip. Rushing over to my bed, I pulled out an old trunk from underneath. Inside it were a lot of old photo albums, letters and other trinkets. I rummaged through it all, looking for one specific item. “There it is!” Mr. Clover was still waiting outside when I exited the house and locked the door. “Hey, that’s the scarf your father got you all those years ago, isn’t it?” He asked, referring to the cloth around my neck. It was a long silk scarf, bright blue with three orange stripes at the end. “It looks good on you.” “Yep, the one and only,” I responded with a smile. “Hey, Mr. Clover, I just wanted to say, Thank you for always being there for me.” Mr. Clover turned his eyes on the saddlebag that rested off my flank. “I’m guessing you’re about to head out on some long journey, uh?” He responded as he began to chuckle. “You’re just like your dad in that respect, unable to resist a good adventure. Go, I hope you find whatever it is you’re looking for.” I bit my lip; I had to so I wouldn’t start tearing up. Leaping towards him, I wrapped my arms around him, giving him one last big hug. “I’m going to miss you, so much!” I could already feel a tear running down my cheek, and I think it was starting to make him emotional as well. “You go on now, be safe. And have fun!” “I will!” I shouted back, smiling as I slammed my wings down, taking to the sky. Even though she teleported away, I have a good idea of where Spectra was at. Gliding over the plains, I could see the airship and as I got closer, Spectra too. Not wasting a moment I banked hard right and threw myself into a free fall. Spectra sat on top of her usual spot, which was the hill next to the one I always napped on. Before reaching the ground, I sprung my wings open and cushioned my landing. I could also tell that I nearly gave Spectra a heart attack from the shocked expression on her face. “Autumn, what are you doing here? I thought you had work,” Spectra said to me, rather surprised by my sudden appearance. “I did, but not anymore. I’m coming with you to find out more about this amulet and that monster.” Spectra showed no sign of happiness or joy to have a somepony to accompany her. Instead she just exhibited a serious expression on her face. “I’m sorry, but you can’t come with me.” “What? But why not?” I demanded; seeing how I quit my job for this, I better get a good explanation. “It’s too dangerous, not knowing if any more of those things will show up; plus I don’t think you’re up for the challenge of the wild lands. Sure you helped me out back at your place but you're not exactly adventurer material,” she said, expecting me to just accept that reasoning. “I can handle myself, you saw for yourself first hoof.” “Look, I don’t need you following me around. You can barely swing a sword, much less defend yourself. You’re not a fighter, Autumn; you’re a civilian. All you will do is slow me down,” Spectra answered coldly with a piercing gaze. “Hang on a moment; I managed to get a few good swings in! I think I can handle myself in a situation.” “You acted without thinking, you didn’t flee when I told you to, and you went down after one hit. In that respect, you’re not suited to accompany me anywhere that I’m headed. I’m not going to foal sit some civilian who thinks they’re as good as a trained soldier,” Spectra replied, determined to change my mind. “Oh yeah, well you aren’t exactly wearing a flak jacket or a uniform flying the Ponytopian colors. Nor have I seen any signs of you being on active duty. So as far as I’m concerned, you are not a soldier. In that respect, you and I are the same!” I struck a nerve with that one, Spectra’s calm posture shifted into full out anger as she lunged forward. “I may not be an active soldier anymore, but my military training far surpasses any skill you possess! Furthermore I am the one who has more combat and survival experience with the wild lands! You and the other hoof are just some lonely, desperate for a friend pegasi; who thinks the whole world is against her. And because you got to spend a little time with somepony, you automatically assume that they’re your best bud!” Spectra shouted, each of her sentences striking at my soul; each word hurting more and more. “Well listen and listen well! I may have been nice and friendly to you; I might have considered you as an acquaintance. But that does not; I repeat, does not make you my best friend! You are not my comrade, you are not my companion! You’re just some pony who I met on top of a hill and that’s THAT!” Spectra exclaimed. Her words stung, and stung badly. Is that how she saw me? Was I really that clingy, too desperate for some pony to call my friend? Am I really that naïve? “I’m… I’m sorry, I just wanted to-” “Wanted to what? Follow me on some adventure because your life here is too boring; because you’re too reckless to see what you’re getting yourself into? I don’t need anypony’s help, especially the help from a pony who doesn’t know how to take a hint!” “But I-” “Go home, Autumn. Study to become an airship pilot or whatever it is you want to do; but just leave. This is my journey, not yours. You have nothing more to contribute to it. So just go home,” She said as she turned around and started to trot off down the road. I could always sense that Spectra wasn’t all smiles and laughs, that there was something more to her. But was this the true Spectra? All I wanted to do was curl into a ball and cry. I wasn’t a crier, but I wanted to break down right then and there. “No,” I mumbled accidently, Spectra’s ear twitched but she didn’t stop. Just follow my heart; that’s what she said right before she left my house. Well, my heart is telling me to stand up and assert myself to her. I had too; there was no turning back! “NO!” I shouted, holding back my feelings of despair, fear, and embarrassment. Spectra stopped in her tracks only to glance back, though not so much as to turn her head. “What?” she asked in an aggravated tone. Gritting my teeth in anger, I darted to her as fast as I could. My hooves dug into the dirt bringing me to a halt; face to face with Spectra as she turned around. Her eyes widened as I appeared instantly up in her face, our muzzles barely inches apart from each other’s. “I SAID NO!” I yelled, glaring into her eyes. Spectra was not one to be intimidated by someone up in her face. “I told you, Autumn, you’re not coming with me and that’s final!” “Yes I am!” Spectra was growing more irritated by the second. “No you’re not! Listen, you have no right-” “I have every right!” I exclaimed. This was my turn to go on the attack, I wasn't about to go back to that old cycle of watch ponies leave me behind. If Spectra wants to play the bitch attitude, then so can I! “The way I see it, I was taking a nap and minding my own business like I always do. Then some random unicorn decides to interrupt my daily routing. She then drags me along on some expedition into an airship, which I might add was dangerous by its own right, just so she could lay to rest some dream about a stupid necklace. And upon finding said necklace, keeps it for herself and leads some evil ghost monk thing from hell strait into my house. Then upon fighting the ghost monk from hell, wrecks my home in the process, only to leave with a short farewell and offered nothing for trouble. Then she has the nerve to call me incompetent when I try to help her out even more!” Spectra just stood there for a moment. Her tone of voice changed, she was a bit calmer in her attitude now but she was still against me. “Look I understand you want to help, and I’m grateful. But you don’t understand what you’re getting yourself into. You’re unaware about how the world works and how dangerous it is out there. You’re too young to understand.” “I’m twenty-two and I’m plenty aware of how dangerous this world is. You are right about some things though. Yes I am a bit naïve, yes I lack experience in dangerous situations, yes I’m lonely and I’m desperate for friends. But I’m not stupid. I know that I’m doing this because I feel like my life is boring. I live in a small town where everything is peaceful and repetitive. I work a job that I can’t stand. I have a hard time making friends and I feel like I’m just coasting through life, doing nothing with myself.” Spectra’s face slowly started to shift, form slight annoyance to almost sympathetic. She just stood there, listening to what I had to say. “Look, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to anger or insult you; but, I’ve always hated how indecisive I am. I never act, always second guessing myself. Life is passing me by and I’ve done nothing to change that. I know now that I did jump the gun; that I acted without thinking. However I’m tired of not acting. I realize now that you didn’t see me as much of a friend as I saw you. Hell I’m willing to bet that you view me more as a nuisance now, and that’s natural. We’ve only known each other for a few weeks and I’m not exactly the most social of ponies.” I took a moment to catch my breath and calm my mind. Now with a more collective train of thought, I just looked her in the eyes. “But, there’s no turning back for me. I quit my job and left my house in the care of my most trusted neighbor. I wanted to be decisive for once and actually do something. Maybe I am in over my head but that’s a risk I’m willing to take. If we get in each other’s way then I’ll go my own path from there and leave you be. I’ve made my decision and I’m not backing down.” Spectra just stood there. I couldn’t tell if she was still angry with me or if she actually understood what I was trying to tell her. Suddenly she just closes her eyes and cracks a small smirk. “I remember saying something similar to my dad when I first decided to become a marine for the Imperial Air Force. I want to see the world, make a difference. Not sit around and do nothing. It was tough, training was intense and live combat was terrifying. I believe it was the best decision I ever made,” Spectra explained as she opened her eyes with one of her trademark smiles. Spectra then sighed. “I’m sorry. It was wrong of me to of said all those things about you. That being said, I’m still not sure if it’s a good idea for you to accompany me. I can’t guarantee your safety or anything for that matter. However you are correct, you have every right to join me if you want. I got you involved the day we went aboard the airship. This may be a short trip with nothing to worry about, or it can prove to a long and dangerous one. I don’t know what we’ll find out, but… I won’t reject any more if you are truly set on this.” I didn’t expect her to change her mind that quickly. Well technically she hasn’t, but she’s giving me the choice. She is right, I don’t know what I’m in for and I won’t be able to change my mind later. Maybe I should just… no, I’ve already decided, I can’t back out now after everything I said. “I’m coming with you, for better or for worst.” Spectra smiled. “Well in that case, we are headed westwards to the industrial city of Detrot. I recommend that you take one last look at this place, because you won’t be seeing it again anytime soon.” It would be a while before we return to this place. I was already beginning to feel homesick the moment I started to think about it. But at the same time I was also excited. I’ve practically lived here my whole life, rarely venturing out of this valley. So I couldn’t wait to see what the rest of Ponytopia looked like. I’ve seen a few pictures and all but to actually travel the country was an amazing yet terrifying idea. I took in one last view of home; the lush green rolling hills, the scattered collections of trees, the mountain ranges to the north and south west, and most of all, the ocean that separates us from the rest of the world. The wind blew strong, north, north-west; a good sign that it was time to head on out. Spectra looked excited to get moving. “You ready?” “Yeah, let’s do this. To Detrot?” She smiled. “To Detrot.”