//------------------------------// // Reminisce // Story: And Then There Were 10...Er...67 // by Grey Ghost //------------------------------// “So, Terra is it, please tell us more about yourself,” Rarity inquired of the new human as she got comfortable in her seat. “We’ll be on the train for a few hours,” she added. “Well, what would you like to know?” the woman asked, adjusting her hat. “I’m all ears girls, ask away.” “What was Jason like as a foal, or whatever term you use to describe your young?” Twilight asked, somehow having gotten a scroll and quill. “We call our young children,” Terra said, leaning back in her seat. “You know, I can’t really say, I only had him until he was three, but I do remember that he used to cry all the time when I wasn’t in the room.” “Really?” Chrysalis asked in surprise, looking at Jason. “I wouldn’t have pictured you like that.” “He was only really like that for his first year, he mellowed out after he understood the world more. Plus, Ib really helped him get over his fear of the dark.” “You’ve mentioned her,” Twilight said, looking up from her scroll. “She’s Jason’s sister, yes?” “Thats correct!” Terra chirped, a smile blooming across her face. “She was five when Jason was born, tried her best to be his big sister. She’s a shadowmancer, so she helped him get over his fear of the dark rather quickly.” “Ohh ohhh me mee!” Pinkie shouted, bouncing up and down in her seat, waving her arm around. Terra couldn’t help but giggle. “Yes Pinkie?” “What was your wedding like? Was there cake and balloons?” Pinkie asked, firing off questions in rapid succession. “Ok ok,” Terra said, grabbing Pinkie’s muzzle and holding her mouth shut, though she kept firing off muffled questions. “Pinkie dear, I can’t answer your questions if you keep asking them so quickly.” She pulled her hand away, looking expectantly at the overexcited pony. “Sorry... I just get really nervicited around new friends...” Pinkie said with a sheepish smile. “It’s ok,” she smiled at the pink mare. “As for my wedding, it was rather small. We had it in Niflheim, where my parents live. Most of my family was there, Uncle Sleipnir, Uncle Fenrir, Grandpa Loki.” “What, no Jörmungandr?”Jason asked, though the gathered ponies and changeling looked confused. “In all honesty, Jörmungandr is just a snake. An insanely huge snake, but still just a snake.” Terra said, adjusting her hat. “If I may ask something,” Rarity spoke up. “Jason has already told us about Sleipnir, but who, if I may ask who are Fenrir and Jörmungandr?” “Fenrir and Jörmungandr are my mother’s brothers, Fenrir was a huge wolf while Jörmungandr was known as the world serpent, a snake so huge that it circled the world,” Terra explained. “How the hay does someone have a wolf and a snake as their kids??” Dash asked, looking at Terra like she was crazy. “Because my grandfather was a weirdo. At least he was male when my mother and most of my uncles were born...” Terra trailed off, crossing her arms. “And ya’ll have no problem with Jason datin’ Chrysalis?” Applejack asked, “Even though she’s a changeling?” “Well she isn’t a mindless animal, now is she? Besides, I’d be one to talk, I married the guy who was hired to kill me.” “What...?” Jason asked as he and the others just stared at Terra. “Yes, your father was hired to kill me. I was living in the woods at the time and found him injured. I nursed him back to health and we fell in love.” Terra took on a far away look, a small smile on her face. “I can’t imagine they were happy with that.” Rarity said, rather entranced by the story, always one for romance. “They weren’t. One day Toya said he was going to take care of it and left. A few days later he came back but didn’t tell me what happened. I still don’t know to this day,” Terra said, shaking her head. “I always assumed he either made a deal or killed them all. We’ll never know either way really.” “I think that's terribly romantic,” Rarity said with a small smile. “I do believe that leads us to our next topic of conversation: Jason and Chrysalis’ wedding~!” she said in a singsong voice, looking rather giddy. Jason just rolled his eyes, allowing the mare to pepper the couple with questions. Slash groaned as he opened his eyes, only to slam them shut with a hiss as the harsh light of the sun hit his eyes. “Oh sorry, let me get that,” Celestia’s soft voice soothed, the gentle sounds of her hoof falls indicating her movement. A second later the curtains were closed. “There, how is that?” “Better...” he said, slowly opening his eyes, blinking the tiredness out of them. “Slash, I’m so glad you're awake.” Celestia smiled. She moved to his side to give him a tender nuzzle. “Um... not that I’m not grateful for the concern but... why are you nuzzling me?” Slash asked, a frown on his muzzle. He knew Celestia cared for those under her command, but... she had never nuzzled him before. “You’ve been in a coma for the past month... I’m just overjoyed to see you awake,” Celestia said, looking away. “A month?” Slash asked, his frown deepening. “That bad huh?” “You have severe nerve damage, Slash... not to mention they removed large sections of your carapace... I’m afraid I have to rule that you are no longer physically fit to serve, and thus discharge you from the guard.” “What...?” he asked dumbly. “But Princess... I’ve been in the guad for decades...” He lowered his head. “It’s the only thing I know how to do.” “Thats not true and you know it,” Celestia chided, shaking her head. “You were taking rather good care of yourself before you joined the guard.” “I remember those times...” Slash said as he laid back in bed, looking up at the ceiling. *** Slash watched as a group of ponies talked to the couple that had lost their young one. They were white with golden armor, identical to a ‘T’. The white ponies returned the young ones to the couple, who thanked the white ponies profusely. The white ponies nodded in turn before walking off. His curiosity piqued, the young king, in the form of a pegasus, trotted over to the couple. “Um... excuse me,” he spoke up rather shyly, still not used to being around ponies. “Yes?” the mare asked with a smile, hugging her foal close to herself. “Who were those ponies that helped you?” Slash inquired, “If it’s not too much to ask...” The two adults looked at him like he had just asked if he could eat their manes. “Those were royal guards, everypony knows that.” Slash looked away, rather embarrassed at his lack of knowledge. “Oh!” she said, putting a hoof to her muzzle. “I’m sorry, please don’t feel insulted. I didn’t mean any disrespect,” she quickly assured him. “It’s ok... I grew up far from any cities... I, um, don’t really know a lot about... everything...” Slash admitted, looking at the ground. “Oh, you poor thing!” she said, pulling him into a hug. “Please tell me you have a place to stay?” “Well um...” Slash said, not sure how to answer her question. “You don’t have a place to stay?!” she nearly shrieked, her eyes wide. “Well in that case you’re going to stay with us!” she said with finality in her voice. “Wait what?” was all the dazed changeling managed to get out. “No use fighting her lad, once Velvet sets her mind on something, it’s next to impossible to change,” the stallion chuckled, shaking his head. “I’m Night Light, this is my wife Twilight Velvet and this little troublemaker,” he paused, nuzzling the foal, who squealed happily, “is Shining Armor.” “I’m, uh...” Slash stammered, his mind racing for a name. “Air Razor,” he said after a moment. “My name is Air Razor.” “Nice to meet you Air Razor,” Night Light said, holding his hoof out with a smile. Slash stared at the outstretched hoof for a moment before bumping it with his own and returning the smile. Perhaps all those warnings his mother had given him about ponies weren’t as true as he thought... *** “Slash?” Celestia’s voice cut through the fog of memories. “Hmm?” he asked, looking at her. “Are you alright? You’ve been just staring at the ceiling for the past five minutes.” “Yeah... I’m ok,” he said with a nod. “Just... reliving some memories.” “Fond ones I hope,” Celestia said, sitting next to him. “Some of my fondest,” he said, leaning back into his pillow and closing his eyes. He relaxed, listening to the quiet that filled the room. “May I ask what they were of?” “It was my first day in Canterlot, I had no idea how pony society worked. It was was just my luck that I was taken in by a young family. Heh, I had no idea their children would end up as royalty. I’m rather proud, in a way.” “That’s right... you don’t have any children do you?” Celestia asked, a far off look on her face. “Sadly no... I’ve never had the chance to really meet a queen,” he said, shaking his head. “I know the feeling. Slash... would you be averse to joining me for dinner?” Celestia asked, looking into his eyes. “Princess... I’m stuck in a bed...” Slash said, raising his eyebrow. “Let me rephrase, would you allow me to join you for dinner?” she asked with a smile. “And please, you’ve more than earned the right to call me Celestia.” “A-alright Celestia, you may join me for dinner,” the changeling said, looking at her with a surprised face. “Good, it’s a date,” Celestia said, giving him another nuzzle before trotting out of the room with a bounce to her step. “D-date!?” Slash nearly shouted, bolting upright. He immediately hissed, the pain causing him to lay back down. “The world has gone nuts,” he sighed, shaking his head. “And this here is Sweet Apple Acres! Home of the Apple family!” Applejack proudly proclaimed, giving Terra a smile. “Jason is as much an Apple as the rest of us,” Applejack said with a smile, giving her adopted brother a hug. “Um... if’n thats alright with you ma’am...” she said, giving Terra a sheepish smile. “Applejack I already told you, if Jason sees you as family, so do I,” Terra said, letting out a giggle. “There’s no need to worry. “Thats a big relief. Now, Big Mac and Granny Smith are outa town but Applebloom is here, so why don’t we go say hi?” Applejack asked, heading toward the farmhouse. “I should head back to the hive,” Chrysalis said, spreading her wings. “You stay here and spend time with your mother,” she said, giving her lover a kiss. “Alright m'lady,” Jason said with a chuckle, giving her a hug. He pulled away, watching as she took to the sky and head towards home. “You have quite the girlfriend Jason,” Terra said with a chuckle as they moved up to the door. “Yeah, she’s quite something alright.” Jason smiled, reaching to open the door right as it was thrown open by Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle tearing out of the house. “The hell?” Jason asked, rather confused. “Apple Bloom!” Applejack shouted, rushing up to the two humans, her eyes wide. “S-she... oh Faust this is my fault!” “What is your fault? AJ, seriously, chill the hell out,” Jason said, grabbing her head, making her look into his eyes. “W-we all had to leave the farm and we decided that Bloom was old enough to stay but ah just got so worried that ah stayed home and babied her... she’s taking the delivery Jay! Through one of the most dangerous swamps in the country!!” “Ok you need to calm down,” Jason said, nodding his head. “Now I’m pretty sure the three of us can find a filly. You up for a little detour?” he asked, looking over at his mother. “Of course I am,” Terra said with a nod. “Family looks out for each other.” “Thank ya kindly miss Terra,” Applejack said, managing a smile. “Please just call me Terra,” she said with a smile. “Now like Jason said, we have to go save a filly!” “It’ll take hours to get to her,” Applejack said, her ears drooping a little. “Heh, you're talking to the guy with a million bodies on his wrist,” Jason said with a chuckle. “Omnitrix, Siegfried,” he commanded, shifting into his griffon form. “How is that gonna help us?” Applejack asked, raising her eyebrow. “Like this,” Jason said, turning the Omnitrix, his body shifting again. He grew in size, becoming as tall as Celestia and bigger than Big Macintosh. Length-wise, he was at least eight feet long, his tail adding another four feet. His talons had tripled in length and sharpened, gouging holes in the ground. His beak had grown as well, gaining what looked to be fangs. “Well?” he asked, his voice deep and rumbling. “Jay, that there griffon is terrifyin’,” Applejack said, her eyes locked on his talons. “Yeah yeah, just get on,” he said as he laid on his belly. Terra wasted no time in getting on, nestling in just behind his wings. Applejack sighed, climbing on his back and putting her arms around Terra’s waist. “This just ain’t right, earth ponies ain’t spose’ta fly,” she muttered to herself, nearly screaming in terror as Jason leapt into the air. Apple Bloom walked slowly through the dark swamp, looking from left to right several times as the noises of the swamp played on her fears. She stopped for a moment, pulling out the map. She stared at it, sighing. “Ah can’t see a darn thing in this swamp.” She let out a startled gasp as jet of fire erupted from in front of her, incinerating the map. Around her several other eruptions went off, belching fire into the sky. “Well...” she said, looking around. “Now at least ah can see.” A figure in the fog caught her eye and she squinted, trying to get a better look. Six yellow eyes appeared in the fog, glaring at her. As it stepped out of the fog, she got a better look at it. It had the front half of tiger,the back half of a goat, a goat head growing from its left shoulder, a snake head for a tail, and all of its heads looked at her hungrily. Apple Bloom turned to run, only to be blocked by fire at every turn. She spun around, coming face to face with the tiger head. “I’d stay where you are,” it spoke with a distorted, yet feminine voice. “This is the only safe spot around here.” Apple Bloom gulped, backing up some more. “I-it don’t look so safe to me.” “Oh we just mean from the flames,” the tiger clarified. “Yeah-h-h,” the goat head cut in, “Not from us!” “What wasss that?” the snake head asked. “Ohh, can you guysss speak up?” “I was about to tell our guest how we haven’t eaten in days,” the tiger said. “My sisters and I can never agree on what to eat.” the goat added. “Except,” the snake hissed, “pie.” Apple Bloom quickly looked from them to the cart then back to them. “Well,” she started, giving them a scared smile. “Unfortunately ah’ve gotta get these pies to a town on the other side of the swamp so uh...” “Oh, you don’t have to worry about that,” the tiger said. “Yeah-h-h,” the goat spoke, “You don’t have to worry about anything anymore!” “Because we’re going to have our apple pie with a ssside of filly fillet!” the snake added. “You don’t say...” Apple Bloom said as the creature advanced upon her. “Get away from her you bitch!” a loud voice shouted out before some large bird collided with the creature, knocking it into a tree. Getting a good look at it, Apple Bloom could see it was a massive griffon, with Applejack and what looked like another human on its back. “Apple Bloom!” Applejack shouted, sliding off the griffon’s back. She rushed over, the two sisters meeting in a hug. “Are ya’ll alright?” Applejack asked, looking her sister over. “Did that chimera hurt you?” “No I’m ok sis... um Applejack, who’s that?” Apple Bloom asked as the other human walked over. “Er... that Jason’s mom, her name’s Terra,” Applejack explained. “His mom!?” Apple Bloom asked, looking at Terra with wide eyes. “Hello!” Terra said, waving with a smile. Any further conversation was cut off as the Omnitrix timed out. “Ah, shit,” Jason muttered as the chimera, who looked pissed, got to its feet and approached him. “Hey, how about we talk about this,” he said as he put his hands up, allowing the Omnitrix to scan it. After a momentary flash of confusion at the sudden yellow beam, the chimera responded by knocking him into a tree. “Oh come on!” he shouted, hugging himself. “My ribs just healed!” “Hey, excuse me,” Terra called out, catching the chimera’s attention. “What?” the tiger asked, glaring at her. “Thats my son you just ragdolled,” Terra glared back, clutching her staff. “Oh yeah?” the goat challenged, “Whaddya gonna do about it?” “This,” she said as her staff glowed and a fist of rock shot out of the ground, slamming into the tiger head. The chimera howled in pain, clutching its jaw. Terra didn’t relent, as more and more rock fists shot out of the ground, slamming into various parts of its body. “Please! Stop!” the goat begged. “Enough! We’re sorry!” “Oh I bet you are.” Terra said walking over, grabbing the tiger head, staring into its eyes. “Listen good, you ever try to eat a pony again and I will hunt you down and make myself a new dress, accessories included, outta you, got that?” she asked. To emphasize her point, she raised her hand, collecting all the nearby fire into a ball. “Y-yes ma’am,” they all stuttered out, looking at her in utter terror. “Good, now scram.” With that the chimera ran off as fast as it could, disappearing into the fog. “Wow mom, you're terrifying,” Jason said getting to his feet. “She err... they needed to be taught a lesson, don’t eat things that can talk,” Terra said, closing her fist, snuffing the fireball. “Well Jason, I’m afraid we must part ways again.” “What? But we just met!” Jason said, giving her a rather hurt look. “I know and I can’t tell you how happy I am to have found you but the barriers that keep the worlds apart are strong and I have to get home before my window closes,” she said, pulling him into a hug. “I’ll miss you,” he said, hugging her back. “And I’ll miss you, but I will make the wedding, and so will Ib,” she pulled away. She moved over to a open spot, charging up her staff. “Oh!” she paused, “Almost forgot,” she said, tossing him a scroll. “What is it?” he asked, looking at it. “It’s a summoning spell, it’ll allow you to summon your grandmother whenever you want.” “Huh, that’s awesome... well... goodbye,” he said, putting the scroll into his hypercube. “You stay safe,” she replied, before finishing her spell and disappearing into a vortex. “Wow Jay, yer mom is cool.” Apple Bloom said, a look of awe on her muzzle. “Little filly, you are in so much-” Applejack started before Jason put his hand on her withers. “I think the fact that she got this far proves she can handle things on her own.” he said, shaking his head. “Ah... suppose yer right...” AJ said with a sigh. “Ah’m sorry fer babying ya Apple Bloom...” “It’s ok Applejack, ah know ya care about me,” she said, giving her sister a hug. “So... what now?” “Finish delivering the order?” Jason asked. “Can we please sis?” Apple Bloom asked, throwing up her best pouty face. Applejack sighed, shaking her head. “Alright come on.” Apple Bloom gave a little cheer as the three resumed the trek to deliver the pies to whatever insane backwater ponies who decided to build their town next to a fire swamp. Animo glanced around the still forest, making sure none of Luna’s task force had spotted him. Deciding that the coast was clear, he levitated the broken dagger out of his saddle bag, focusing as much magic into it as he could. “This had better work...” he muttered, straining a little. Suddenly the broken blade began to glow a dark red before spitting lightning onto the floor in front of him. A line of the energy rose up from the spot it struck before separating, revealing a balcony of sorts made of obsidian, looking over a pool of lava and cave walls. Standing in front of him was a man in leather armor, his hood pulled up so that only his glowing orange eyes could be seen in the shadows. The man stepped through the now made portal before it closed behind him. “You called?” “You wanted to know if Jason woke up yes?” he asked, keeping his expression neutral. The man grumbled before putting a hand to his temple. “Yes, but the very fact you called me here must mean he did not only wake up, but escape or even defeated you and your allies. Didn’t I warn you about the whole ‘hero pulls something out of his ass’ thing?” “It was of no concern to me, I had no stake in that idiot rebellion.” Animo said, rolling his eyes. “But you are correct, he brought down the rebellion, from what I heard, he cut Trenderhoof so badly they’re still scraping him off the throne room floor a month later.” The man simply looked at Animo for a moment before pulling his hood back, revealing a head with short, black hair. The color of his eyes seemed to shift from orange to blue for a split second before he kneeled down. “Jason did what?” he asked flatly. “According to the reports he was like a raging animal, he left Trenderhoof as blobs of meat, but there’s always embellishment with rumors.” The man looked over Animo for a moment, searching for something before chuckling to himself darkly. “Here I thought I was dealing with the incorruptible hero. Sounds like Jason has more darkness in him than I originally thought.” He got up before beginning to wander around the woods. “Anything else you would like to say to me? After all, what do you gain from telling me this as of right now?” “Yes as a matter of fact there is. What do you know of necromancy?” The man stopped where he was standing, seemingly doing nothing for a length of time before turning back around. “I know enough to build upon. Why?” “There was a tremor at the base of Canterlot mountain, put a few cracks in it.” Animo began, “One of my... contacts explored one and what he found was marvelous. Canterlot mountain sits on the skeleton of a leviathan, a creature whose skull could serve as a castle. Just imagine what I could do with a specimen of such magnificence under my control.” The man looked at his hand for a moment, seeming to ponder Animo’s proposition. During which, Animo could have sworn he saw his eye color change multiple times. “Can you show me this creature?” “Of course, it’s this way. Though we must be careful, Luna has been hunting the Knight remnants, who knows where her guards are." For a moment the man’s eyes shot open before he pulled his hood back over his head. He seemed to do nothing for a moment before quickly throwing his arm out to the side, a spear made of shadows flying from his own. A sudden pained “urk” was heard where the weapon disappeared into the brush. “You should have said you were being followed before.” The man pulled his arm back, the spear returning with a pony corpse on it, clad in the dark blue and black of Luna’s elite. “I would have taken the necessary precautions.” The spear vanished as the corpse dropped to the ground. “Pray he did not get word to his allies.” “We should take our leave then, and quickly,” Animo said, already starting to trot away, returning the dagger to his bag. “Yes, we should.” The man followed, though his eyes scanned side to side as they walked.