//------------------------------// // Chapter 8: The way things were // Story: Like A Phoenix // by Coda Singer //------------------------------// Twilight woke up in a cold sweat. Something she hasn't done in two years but in light of recent events she found herself In the mindset She was in before Sweetie Bell wandered out of the fog. Twilight didn't trust Travis for a second. After all he was there when Equestria fell, he was there when her friends died, he was there when Pinkie... Pinkie... She didn't like to think about it. Twilight was wandering through the Everfree forest looking for some berries which were safe to eat. They had run out of flour at Sugar Cube Corner and she had yet to make some more. Until the Apple trees grew they were left with berries and anything else they could find. Twilight looked down and noticed the time dial was at ten. She decided to head home. "I'm back!" She called as she entered the house. She liked how she could call this place a house instead of a cave. Sweetie Bell came galloping out of her bedroom and attack-hugged Twilight. "Welcome back!" She yelled happily. "Hey." Twilight looked over at the door to the guest bedroom. "Did Travis cause any trouble?" "No... He's been real quiet... I guess it's because there's really nothing to talk about." "Or because he's planning something." Twilight gritted her teeth and intensified her stare, as if she was looking straight through the door at Travis himself. "Twilight..." Said Sweetie Bell in a mocking tone. "You're making something out of nothing. You need to relax! Let that stone heart of yours settle down for a while." "I guess your right." Admitted Twilight. "I'll have to relax later though because somepony's birthday is coming up!" Sweetie Bell's face lit up with excitement. "You remembered!" She jumped around the room happily. Twilight smiled at the sight. "Now I'm going to go into town for your present, no peeking when I get back okay?" Said Twilight in a playful tone. Sweetie Bell nodded her head furiously and galloped into her room. Twilight grinned a glorious grin and walked out of the house to make her way to Ponyville. "Now I'm going I to town to pick up your present so no peeking when I get back okay?" Sweetie Bell nodded furiously and galloped into her room. As soon ash she walked through the door way she leaned to the side, ear against the wall, waiting for silence. She heard the front door shut softly, and a twig snap as Twilight left the house. Sweetie Bell smiled and ran to the guest bedroom. She unlocked and opened it with a big grin on her face. "Hey!" Said Travis, in his changeling form. He grew more fond of it once Sweetie Bell had fixed his hoof. "So I heard that somepony's birthday is coming up!" Sweetie Bell's grin grew larger, it was reaching Pinkie Pie levels of A smile now. "Yep!" She said proudly, sitting down on a pillow she had brought in days ago. "So how old are you going to be?" Asked Travis, now moving to his own pillow. "Eleven." "Wow you're getting big!" Travis' eyes went out of focus like they do every time he does his poetry. "But I can still see the young filly inside you. Oh." Travis' eyes flicked towards Sweetie Bell, but they were still focused on something behind her. "You're still worried about your cutie mark." Sweetie Bell was shocked. "No!" She said defiantly. "Sweetie Bell I can read your memories there's no point lying to me." His eyes came back into focus. Sweetie Bell looked at the floor with guilt. "Well, it's just something that a pony should get when they find there destiny. Something they've always been naturally good at. And... I can't find it." "I think you should take your mentor's advise." Said Travis, he got up and walked over to Sweetie Bell. "But if it still bothers you... It's probably really hard to find your destiny in a baron wasteland." Travis rubbed Sweetie Bell's back. She looked up at him with a tear on her cheek. "Once this is all over," Travis wiped away the tear and put his hoof under Sweetie Bell's chin, looking deep into her eyes. "I bet you'll get your cutie mark so fast, other ponies heads will spin! So hang in there. Okay?" Sweetie Bell nodded. "You always know what to say." She said, watching him as he crossed the room back to his pillow. "Part of the job." Travis smiled modestly. Sweetie Bell thought for a second. "I want you to tell me your story." She said suddenly. "What?" Said Travis surprised. "If I know your life, maybe I can convince Twilight to trust you." "That's not going to be easy." Said Travis, giving Sweetie Bell a questioning look. "Alright." Sweetie Bell smiled and laid down on a pillow, giving Travis the same look, it was the way a child would look at a super hero. "I was spawned to be a warrior changeling. I was supposed to be on the front lines of the attack on Canterlot all those years ago. I guess, i should be about twelve years old now." "You're around my age!" said Sweetie Bell happily. "i guess i am! anyways i was supposed to be a warrior but the changeling carrying my DNA to the gene pool was..." Travis saw Sweetie Bell's confused face. Travis smiled. "Let me explain. Changelings are spawned in a pool of Genes and strands of genetic information. The genes put into me were supposed to make me strong and fearless. But the changeling carrying my genes to the gene pool tripped and mixed in some genes of ponies which we were experimenting with. Queen Chrysalis thought if we could find out how to make changelings love like ponies could, we would be fed for life. I was spawned a week later and was a complete disappointment. I was sensitive and smart instead of strong and resilient. When they found out I wasn't cut out to be a warrior they made me a henchman. My new job was. 'Do what ever we want you to do.' And that included building things, carrying things, stuff like that. And one day I was ordered I carry a cage with six ponies in it, me and my friend carried it together. I heard the ponies whispering to each other and then all of a sudden the cage was tipped forward. It crushed my leg and chipped some I my teeth. But my friend was crushed and killed. The ponies got out but one of them... Your sister lost an eye. After that I was sentenced to be killed in a couple days. But before my execution the world just... Stopped. Then I woke up in the place hat Manehattan used to be. Our hive was located there before the history wipe. I changed into the gryphon form to keep my broken hoof from hurting and I took off trying to find other ponies... And I found you." Travis finished his story with a smile. "How did your trick the lie detector?" Asked Sweetie Bell. "I did come from Manehattan. Granted it was a hive under Manehattan but it was still Manehattan." "And your name?" "The name I go by is Travis, that wasn't a lie. But it's not my real name." "What's your real name." Asked Sweetie Bell curiously. "Trevocula." Sweetie Bell was silent. "Travis is a fine name!" They laughed together but suddenly stopped when they heard a knocking at the door. Sweetie Bell jumped and peered out the door. "Twilight's here! I gotta go!" Sweetie Bell slammed the door. "Nice to see you!" She yelled. Travis sat in darkness, then he door opened and Sweetie Bell lept inside. She planted a kiss on Travis' cheek then exited as quickly as she entered. Travis rubbed the spot she had kissed. "Nice to see you too." Travis sat alone in darkness for two more days until Sweetie Bell's birthday arrived. On that day Sweetie Bell swore to Travis. She would convince Twilight to trust him, as a birthday present for herself. Travis was planning a surprise. He knew a spell that sent confetti flying outwards like a party popper. He knew how to use magic but he didn't wan to use it to escape. If I break out, how will they trust me? Travis thought this to himself every time he thought of leaving. Plus he couldn't just leave Sweetie Bell like that. Outside of his door. "No Sweetie Bell!" "Just hear him out." Travis prepared his party spell. The door creaked open and with a sound like a firecracker confetti and sparkles went everywhere. After half a second Travis was slammed into the wall with Twilight's blade held in the familiar position at his throat. "What in the name of Tartarus was that!" "It was just confetti! I knew it was her birthday and I wanted to celebrate, it doesn't hurt anypony I swear!" Twilight shoved Travis into the wall. The back of his head went numb for a few seconds. Twilight walked out of the guest bedroom and slammed the door shut, she locked it behind her and Travis was left In darkness once again. "Twilight he's a good pony!" "He's not a pony! He's an abomination of stolen genes and strands of DNA. He was bred to be a killer and I don't believe for a second that he might be different." Travis pressed his ear against the door. "We can't trust him!" Travis lowered his head in sorrow. "Hello!?" There was a third voice that Travis hasn't heard before. "Celestia dammit!" Yelled Twilight. Travis heard the front door swing open and slam shut. "Another one!?" Sweetie Bell shouted.