Chapter 1
A New House
My hooves hurt along with everything else. The year has been ticking towards its end as everything grows colder with winter's approach. It’s been a long journey from that small mountain town to Ponyville but finally I’m arriving at the outskirts of the town I've been walking to. My first stop will be town hall to find a suitable place to set up a workshop, in the unlikely and borderline impossible chance that somehow my plan succeeds. It probably won’t, so I won't even bother taking my things off the wagon. I’m lost in thoughts of previous houses I've lived in, when suddenly a blur of pink shoots out of the town square ahead straight toward me. I brace for impact, my pained body unable to escape the pony projectile. “This is gonna hurt.” Mercifully it stops only a hoofstep from me revealing an excited pink pony. She’s cute with poofy pink hair reminiscent of cotton candy. She has a cutie mark depicting 3 balloons. It can only be the Bearer of Happiness. I feel a twitch in my cheek as she beams at me. “Hi you must be Pinkie Pie. I’m Harbinger.”
She gasps, “Omigosh I thought you were new to town because I thought I knew everypony in Ponyville but you know who I am and I don't remember you how do I not know who you are?”
Somehow being around this pony seems to break me out of my dark thoughts and erases my fatigue and pain. For the first time in years I feel happy and I smile. It feels good to be where I have been headed.
“Pinkie Pie: world’s greatest party pony and Bearer of Laughter. You’re famous, and I am new in town. But I don't know if I’ll be here for long. We’ll have to see what happens.”
“Omigosh so you are new I thought so because I know everypony in Ponyville and now everypony else knows me too? Thats so cool! Oooohhh I have stuff to get ready!”
She starts to dash off, but I holler, “Wait. Please.” I can't help but let the sadness enter my voice as she starts to leave. She stops and looks back seeing my unsmiling face her she looks serious.
“Why are you sad?”
“It’s just been a lotta stuff. Life sucks sometimes but anyways I need a favor.”
“Will it make you happy?”
“Well, it’ll keep me from being run out of town, and it being kinda, well..“ I stop before I say your fault. I dont want to make this beautiful mare who made me smile sad but she has to understand. “Anyways, I know you're planning on throwing me a surprise party, but there’s a problem. If something happens and my cloak gets knocked off.. If anypony sees the secret it hides, they’ll run me out of town before I can even say my name. I’ll explain later. I need to talk to Twilight first. Frankly, I’m tired and I can’t keep running. I’m just too..” I cant keep going. She looks a little sad and worried. I prepare to fend off an investigation, but instead she perks up and smiles another infectious smile.
“ALRIGHT ONE SUPER DUPER MAKE HARBINGER FEEL WELCOME IN TOWN WITHOUT MESSING UP HIS WEIRD FASHION SENSE SURPRISE PARTY!!!” She brings her voice down from her previous screaming, “Ooh but it won't be a surprise anymore.” She darts off again. I don't know why, but I want to stop her again. She leaves a light in her wake that seems to make me feel better, but not as much as when she was there. Great, just great. Harbinger, you can’t start feeling like that towards anypony, it’s dangerous. Maybe it’s just because she’s a Bearer. I've learned to trust in my other sense to keep me safe, and it’s telling me this pony is truly special. I continue plodding on to town hall.
After introducing myself to the mayor and purchasing a house in town, I pull my wagon into the garage and park it. Not bothering with anything else, I trod inside and install my security spells system on all the doors and windows, then barricade myself into my room and allow sleep to overcome me.
I dream of flying on my Blastboard with Pinkie riding with me as we soar through the skies. It’s a strange dream that makes me feel lonely when I wake up. I need friends I can count on, who are actually truly friends. But that was the point of coming to Ponyville anyways. One last attempt to be happy. One last hope. If it worked, then I could definitely live happily ever after. Yeah, right. I try to let myself feel hope that this might work, that things will finally turn out okay. But too much pain and running have left me jaded and I don't bother unpacking, expecting it to all come crashing down on my head like usual. Theres a knock that triggers my spells. Feeling infinitely better with a good night sleep, I open my door. Outside is a small purple alicorn with a pink six-pointed star for her cutie mark.
“Hello, Harbinger. Welcome to Ponyville. Pinkie said you're looking for me?”
Well that was fast. I had hoped to wake up a bit before talking to her, but no matter. “Indeed. Would you mind coming inside? I need to speak with you privately.” She looks curious as she follows me inside. She takes a step back and looks guarded when I cast my security spells on the doors and windows. “Sorry, but this needs to be private. You’ll understand in a moment. Anyways, I need your help and maybe the help of the elements of harmony.”
She nods, “What kind of evil has shown up this time?"
“Me." She looks confused at my little joke. "Whether they save me or turn me to stone, this has to end. I can't live like this any more. I’m a cursed pony. You see, when I was young and in magic school, the day I got my cutie mark was a day like no other. A giant black dragon, Apep, who blocked out the sun and made day into night, appeared from nowhere. It killed everypony. I always had a lame horn, and I was unable to use any magic. But I tried to fight it with the desperation of wanting to save my school. To save everypony. I was filled with power, and it exploded out of me all at once as I hurled everything I could at the beast. I hit it in the eye with an old decorative sword, and it roared and landed before me. I felt like a bird before a mountain as it spoke, “You, a little pony, have irritated me. So for you a fate far worse than simply becoming a part of me. You shall suffer until the day you die. You just got your cutie mark, how horrid to have such a heroic thing on your flank. Let me fix that for you. I was shocked as I looked back and saw these horrid things cover my cutie marks before I could get more than a glimpse of my real ones.
When ponies who had been nearby came to help, they saw me and thought I had done the destruction. They called me horrid names, and I ran away. As they chased me, I remembered the lessons and managed to teleport myself somewhere, but I was far from where I knew. I had been all alone in the woods when a kind blind unicorn took me in. He taught me magic for a while, but then he was visited by an unwelcome guest. It was horrible. He did something unforgivable, and I was angry and did something horrible. I was forced to flee and have been learning from books and, welp, it changed me. I gained a new, dark, magic different from my usual magic. Every now and then, Apep sends a challenge after me for some reason. I don't know if it's to test my growth or to kill me. I’ve been going around from town to town hiding my cutie marks and moving when I got found out, usually escorted by a crowd of ponies who the day before had been my neighbors and now wanted me to disappear forever. Everytime I make a friend, in the end, they betray me. I even spent some time traveling the world with some mercs. At least they got rid of me because of a legitimate reason, not some stupid picture.”
Twilight sat through this tirade listening with interest and horror. She seemed unable to speak. “Any questions?” I ask.
“Can I see?” She seems to have regained her composure and her eyes have regained their analytical stare.
As I grimace and remove my cloak, I can feel her eyes upon my mark. She perks up, “What do these symbols mean?”
“No idea. I can't find anything about them. They seem to be pre-Celestia ancient, possibly even Grogar the Terrible ancient. Maybe.. even older.”
“I think I know somepony that might know them. DISCORD!!” She ends in a yell. There is a puff of smoke, a flash of light, and a yelp of pain as the intruder gets ejected by my spells. My eyes water at the unexpected drain of power. What the hay just tried to break in here? One of the princesses? No she said Discord. wait. THE DISCORD? Spirit of chaos and an ancient evil the Bearers are famous for defeating? I remember reading something about him claiming to be reformed, but to be at literally the beck and call of them is a level I never expected. I smile again briefly with the hope of a new and immensely powerful ally who knows a lot about Apep. I place my cloak back on and walk to the door to allow him in.
“Ouch. Oh woe is me, I try to visit a dear friend and get hurt. Wait.. That wasn't Twilight’s magic, and it tastes.. Tainted.” With that, he teleports in a puff of smoke in front of me and glares at me. “Is Twilight alright, demon? I hope for your sake that your answer is yes, and this is just a big misunderstanding.” Somehow the spirit of chaos manages to make me afraid for a moment. Ridiculous. I'm only afraid of dragons. Hmm.. Does a draconequus count as one?
Twilight trots out the door and glares at me, “What was all that about? What if a unicorn had set that off? They could have been hurt.”
“It’s a reflexive spell that reacts to the power of the one who activates it. It wouldn't have been nearly so powerful if it hadn't been him, and it wouldn't have felt like sticking my horn into fire. Anyways, let’s go inside, please, I don't want to talk out here.” I walk back inside. This has gotten complicated. I wasn’t expecting Twilight to be so quick to trust somepony else, much less some.. thing else. Here, I thought Discord was on some kind of probation. I wasn't expecting him to be such good friends with Twilight to the point where she would trust him with something so delicate. Though I saw the wrath in his eyes. The kind of anger that blazes when somepony you truly care about is in danger. But since she's trusting in him so simply, I begin to wonder if she doesn't understand how bad it is if anypony finds out. After all, I haven’t really been over all the towns I've been in and how many houses I've lived in, slowly learning not to call them home.
The doors sealing up again, I turn to her expecting an explanation. “Why Discord? Can I trust him?”
“Yes. He is a God of chaos older even than Celestia, and he used to be evil, so theres a good chance he knows these glyphs.” I mentally laugh at the understatements.
“Oh has..” Discord turns and addresses me, “I never did catch your name.”
“Harbinger.”
“Harbinger what?” His mismatched eyes seem to pierce me for a second, and I say more than I had planned to.
“Spa.. No, it doesn't matter. Just Harbinger for now.”
He looks suspicious for a moment, then levitates upside down, eyeing me expectantly.
“So does this Harbinger Spa have a ancient and evil book you expect me to translate?”
Eeehh not again. I realize I need to explain everything again. It’s like diving into a pool of lemon juice after a dive into a vat of nails. I sigh and tell my tale again. This time I mention the towns and the incidents that got me thrown from them. Discord however takes it upon himself to yank my cloak off for a better look when I’m done. Once he sees, he reels back in shock. “Tambelonian! This.. this predates even me.” He attempts some manner of summoning magic to create what I assume was a seat, only to land on the floor, increasing the shock.
“Impossible! Only powerful chaos magic or ancient harmony magic can counter my own! I am Discord, God of chaos and unapproachable in power!” He’s angry, just great. Realizing I have to do something, I let my body drop on the floor like I'm exhausted, and I surreptitiously take down the spells inside that were blocking dark magic from being used. “Yeah, I'm pretty strong. I can handle one, but the spells are collapsed. Just don't bring anypony here and keep an eye out for eavesdroppers.”
He frowns, noticing my attempt at deception, and absentmindedly waves a claw. A fluffy sofa with a napping yellow pegasus appears on it. She opens her eyes sleepily, “Dissy?”
I dash to quickly cover myself, but I fear it’s too late as she looks at my cutie mark and gasps, coming fully awake and shrinking into her chair in horror. Wow, this is going well. I’ve pissed off the only one in town that could succeed where everypony and dragon that tried to kill me had failed. I've already scared the daylights out of somepony who lives here by them seeing my cutie mark.
“Great job on your listening skills. I suppose I’m telling everypony this story all one at a time, huh? I tried that once, a couple listened but one got so scared that she ran off in terror of me screaming ‘Monster!’ and turning the village into a nightmare.” I snap, annoyed and a little afraid.
Twilight looks at me and smiles, “You're right. I’ll go get everypony, and you can tell them all together!” She trots out of my house completely bypassing my security spells without triggering them. She’s an alicorn. Damn. I need to rewrite some of my spell’s dependencies. This got out hoof quickly. I look over at the pegasus on Discord’s lap. I remember her from her modelling days, and she hasn’t lost an ounce of adorableness.
“So why exactly did you bring Fluttershy here anyways?”
“I was shocked! A unicorn bearing Tambelonian glyphs on his rump bested my magic effortlessly and had the kindness to pretend to be exhausted from the attempt. Honestly, I don't know what to make of you. I know you're an excellent actor and liar, but you're doing it for a reason you think is good. A complex creature of chaos like myself that I never expected to encounter. I just meant to bring my chair here, and my little Fluttershy came with it. How do you know who she is anyway?”
“She’s the Bearer of Kindness and an ex-model. She’s famous. Everypony knows and loves her.” She looks away shyly at the mention of her past modeling career.
Twilight comes barging in, trying to make her wings tuck in correctly. Pinkie Pie slams into the barrier and lands on her rump, and a rainbow falls from the sky bouncing off it and landing on top of her. Giving up all hope of privacy, I decide to rely on the protection of my.. er, princess, to keep anything from getting out of hoof. I drop all the protection spells.
“Everypony, come in please.” Pinkie bounces in, bringing an aura of happiness with her. She was followed by one who could only be the famous Rainbow Dash, whose appearance make everything feel more awesome. Then Rarity, who can only be compared to the glow of a jewel perfected over the ages. Finally, Applejack, with her earthy and straightforward energy. With everypony else here, and with Discord gently trailing a claw through her pink mane, Fluttershy begins to exert a sense of calm. The true nature of the Bearers is almost overwhelming to my other sense.
It’s crowded with everypony in the room. Despite it being big enough for a shop, it still feels a little cramped. Twilight and Discord work together commandeering my furniture and conjuring some extras. After everypony is settled in, Twilight speaks up.
“Alright everypony, we need order. Somepony needs our help, and I don't think this is helping. Spike, prepare to take a long letter. We’ll be sending this to Princess Celestia.” She noticed me shrinking away, undoubtedly oblivious to my reaction to seeing the small dragon. She proceeds with introductions and my story. I interject where needed, but after only two times, she seems to have it completely memorized. “Now, Discord, you know these glyphs. What do they say?”
“I know them, but I cannot read them. The only one I know who knows enough about black magic is the princess.”
“So we need Luna’s help?” Twilight asks.
Discord shows his teeth in an evil, fiendish grin, “Oh my, no. We need the aid of the one who studied black magic: Celestia.”
Twilight looks as if her heart has just died, “Why.. why would she study black magic? She’s good, she has no need for such horrible powers.”
I speak up, “Probably for the same reason I studied dragons and black magic. It’s better to know what you're hunting.” Spike yelps and looks
at me terrified, backing up until he collides with Pinkie Pie, her relaxed smile completely out of place. Well, at least that broke the instant reaction of fear I had towards him. My eyes hover on the bright pink mare for a moment, and I continue gently, not wanting to further scare Twilight’s assistant. “The evil ones who exist as nothing but greed and darkness, Spike, not the cute ones.” He looks annoyed at me calling him cute, and something passes over his face when I mention the greed and darkness part. Guilt, I realize, but for what? Twilight begins an edit of the notes and places it against my flank, doing her best to begin to draw it. I stop her to fetch a camera from my wagon and snap a photo of it myself, handing her that to send with the letter.
After she puts the photo off to the side, I prepare myself for a massive query. “Twi, I’m glad everypony here is taking this so well. Umm.. I know this is a lot to ask, but you’re a princess. Is there any way you could let me live here in the open without everypony grabbing the nearest pointy object and trying to get rid of me? I’m tired of running, and I’m tired of hiding. I can’t take this loneliness any more. It’s eating my soul and swallowing my sanity, not that I had much to begin with.” I end with a joke, but only a few uncertain smiles show up except Pinkie Pie, who laughs.
Pinkie Pie leaps over, bouncing, “I can help!”
Twilight all but ignores the bubbly earth pony. “I do believe something can be done. Let me think.”
Unlike Twilight, I turn to the smiling Pinkie, “How can you help?”
“I can throw a party, silly!”
Twilight pretends she doesn’t hear her friend. “Anyway, we need ideas.”
Interested in whatever Pinkie could have in mind, I continue speaking to her. “Er, how can a party help? Sounds like fun, but...”
“We can introduce you to everypony at your party later and have a big fancy royal address that tells everypony that theres nothing to be afraid of from some silly picture over your cutie mark, and everypony might not accept you, but nopony will ignore what ‘Princess Twilight’ says.” She takes a mock reverent look and giggles as she says Twilight’s title. I can’t help it. It’s been so long since I laughed that I broke down in a fit of, admittingly insane sounding, laughter. Everypony is looking at me weird at this point, even Pinkie Pie.
I stand, still giggling a little, and gush out, “I haven't laughed or even really smiled in years. But I feel like there could be hope, and Pinkie is so cute and funny and being around her makes me feel like the world could be sane again like it was before the dragon and..ohmigosh.” I cut off, realizing that I was putting into words things that I hadn't even put into thoughts, and embarrassing ones too. I can’t help it, but I feel foalish. I start laughing again, and this time everypony joins me.
Pinkie Pie bounces up, “Let’s have the party here! I’ll get my cannon!” She bounces out the door, giggling and singing something I can't quite catch. At least, other than a few words strung together that I can't make sense of, “Muffins in a pan. Flying cannon, Discord and Fluttershy.”
I begin freaking out, “Cannon? Today? Can this really be this easy? What if it goes wrong? What I get run out of town? What if somepony gets me to drink some hard cider and I end up singing?”
Twilight looks perplexed by the weird questions. “All we can count on at this point is that Pinkie Pie’s plans never seem to go wrong, even if they don't make any sense.”
Applejack speaks up, “Look sugarcube, ah know you're scared, but being honest with everypony from the beginning is the best way to go about it.”
Rainbow dashes up, “Heck yeah! You can count on your friends to help you!”
I’m astonished and a bit suspicious now. “I have friends? I’ve heard that before but..”
Rarity walks up, holding her head high with dignity. “Well, I must say dear of course, you have friends! We are your friends.” She smiles and then frowns. “But I must convince you to get something better than that.. rag. Ah, I have just the thing and it won't look as out of place as a cloak or be so fallible. Come with me.”
I move to follow her out the door, and a hesitant Fluttershy moves to speak to me. I stop to let her say her part, even though I still have to strain to hear her. “I.. I’m sorry Harbinger. I didn’t mean to make you sad by being afraid of you, but.. I’m afraid of dragons, and there’s one on your cutie mark..”
“Merp?” I’m surprised.
“What? Did I say something to offend you? Oh, please tell me I didn’t say anything wrong, I really am sorry..” She looks surprised by my own surprise.
“Heh, of all the things to be afraid of it was the dragon, not the rest of that horrid thing? I’ll let you in on a secret, though.” I whisper, “I’m afraid of dragons too, even though I faced them before. Even though I’m determined to hunt down the oldest and strongest of them. I’m still terrified. Even if I knew how to find Apep, I couldn't face her. It would be too terrifying.”
The light-yellow mare’s eyes widen further, “You.. you fought a dragon? With your bare hooves?”
“Well, not bare-hooved. With magic, arcano-tech, and a lot of anger.”
“But you were all alone, and it could fly and shoot fire!”
I smile, “Now who said I couldn't fly?”
Twilight stumbles at that, “Teach me that spell later please?”
“Er. It’s not really a spell exactly. I’m an-”
Rarity comes back through the door, a ball of irritation, “HARBINGER, come with me, we don't have a lot of time and there is so much to do!” With that, she drags me off to her boutique before I can finish what I was trying to tell Twilight. Once inside, she begins a magical storm of her own whilst muttering things and floating outfits next to me. After a while, she settles on an outfit that’s red and black with a trim of gems and golden thread. It is elegant and beautiful. I don it and the cape drapes over my shoulders and flanks.
I look strong and dashing. “Incredible. What do I owe you for this work of art? I’ll have to make some improvements, but it is truly magnificent.” She looks pissed at that. That.. came out badly. “Before you yell, know that your design is perfect, and not what needs to be changed.”
“What then?” A snippy retort, but she seems open to listen.
“Well, I mentioned I’m a whiz with arcano-tech, right? I’m gonna weave spells into if for the usual things: durability, stain and filth resistance ‘couse I want to make sure nothing happens to it from working with some of the more dangerous arcano-tech I invent. Also some, just in case, fireproofing, injury resistance, and self enhancing. The usual things I put into my cloak that mean I never have to throw it away.”
Rarity is clearly amazed by the lengths I plan to go to in order to protect my new garb, yet a bit skeptical. “You seem to truly appreciate high fashion, to go through such effort to protect an outfit. Why do you wear that ragged cloak, then?”
“Welp, cloaks are one size fits all, and getting sized up for an outfit is, lets just say, problematic. This is my first outfit since I was a foal wearing the school’s uniform. I’ve always wanted to wear something like this and besides,” I look at her with my eyes growing a bit blurry, “my friend made this for me, of course I’ll protect it.”
She brings a hoof to her mouth. “Can't even go clothes shopping. I.. I hadn't even considered how hard this has all been for you. I can't imagine not even being able to get a new outfit!”
Pinkie Pie appears in the doorway, “Harbinger! Come on down, and let’s party!”
She stops mid-bounce, seeming to hover for a moment. I turn and give her a smile. “So, how do I look?” I give a flair with my head that ripples the cape and causes the gems to sparkle. I feel like I can handle anything life wants to throw at me.
“Ohmigosh, you're like somepony completely different, I like it!” She stops, and the next part is off and sounds forced. “You and Rarity are like icing and cupcakes: great apart but absolutely delicious together.”
Her light dims a moment, and I realize that something made her sad but she's hiding it. Thinking, I figure out the cupcake line. Jealousy. I feel a little happy that she was jealous of her friend, because it means she likes me too. I don't want her to start thinking Rarity and I were interested in each other just because we both loved clothes. I can't help myself, as stupid as it is to put myself in a position like this. I jump over to her and put a hoof over her shoulder, feeling her go rigid at my touch. “And here I thought that I would ask you to be my cupcake."
She looks at me in surprise. I feel her start to shift backwards and let go of her but instead of running she hugs me and shouts “Allright!” with a beaming smile, her inner glow flaring. The three of us head to my house, Rarity walking in the back with Pinkie and I side by side. Pinkie suddenly twitches and jumps to the side, and Rarity jumps back looking around worriedly. I react to the unknown danger by throwing up a shield around me and Pinkie, only to have a flower pot come falling off a windowsill above. I catch the plant and right it, floating it up to the apologetic pony in the window. Seems like I'm not the only pony around here with another sense. At my home I.. Wait, when did I start calling it my home? We pause at the door and brace for impact, as Pinkie shoves the door open and hollers into the din she creates with her entry, “Hello everypony! This is Harbinger, he’s my cupcake! Harbinger this is everypony! NOW LET”S PAARRRTTAAAYYYY!!!”