“It seems that didn't work” I said standing back up to look at the white alicorn, before turning to the others “And remind me never to make you six use those on me”
“Then the only other option is to put you in stone” she said looking at me apologetically.
A sigh racked my body at the thought. “Are you sure there's no other way. Time in stone doesn't sound fun, there's no one else you can think of?” I asked, the only idea coming to Discord, and the look on Celestia's face saying she had come to the same conclusion.
“W-well I think I might kn-know of someone” Fluttershy said catching the group off guard. A smile coming to my face as I knew where she was going.
A sigh echoed from Celestia as she summoned the spirit of chaos, her horn glowing brightly before the chaos spirit appeared holding a golf club and wearing a strange outfit that made Rarity cringe.
“Oh! Princess Celestia, and company” He said a smirk appearing on his face leaning against his club “What a pleasant surprise”
“Yes yes, Discord” the princess said looking at the spirit. “We need your help with something” she said making a curious look appear on his face.
“Oh and wh-” he started only for me to cough making him turn around mid-word. “Ohhh! And who might you be?” he asked circling me his face stopping right in front of my own.
“I'm the Wanderer” I said, making his face change from curiosity to boredom.
“My what a boring title, the idea behind it is interesting as mounds of chaos can occur when doing nothing but wandering, it's just...” An over dramatic sigh escaped him as he bent over backwards teleporting in front of me wearing a director's cap. “Where is your spirit! You sound dead when you say it like that!”
I laughed for a moment at his antics and simply because it was kinda funny how he phrased it. “I am dead!” I said before lifting my mask to reveal my face.
“Eww” he said teleporting behind Celestia who stood slightly annoyed at his antics, but stone faced beyond that “Protect me Celestia! The scary monster is gonna eat me!” he said before cackling. “I will give you that it is pretty realistic”
Taking off one of my gloves I reached up until I found a bit of the skin that was trying to flake off, grabbing ahold I peeled it down my face all while staring the spirit down. Pain threatened to rack me, but his reaction was too good to regret doing it.
Discord floated there for a moment as the other ponies got sick or looked away. “Huh, well okay then I see we have a problem” he said as I replaced my glove on my hand after throwing the ribbon of skin into the fire behind me before replacing the mask.
“So what do you want me to do about this one?” the spirit of chaos asked, unnaturally stoic.
Celestia coughed holding a hoof up to her mouth before turning to the dragonequiss. “Well, as it seems he is cursed, and the effect of this curse will make him decay until he is simply a mindless corpse attacking anything he sees” she said explaining things with the spirit of chaos nodding before holding up a talon.
“And you wish for me to see if I can help him” he asked to which he turned back to me. A strange black aura surrounded me as he examined me, a similar one flowing around his lion paw. After a moment, the paw's light went out and the aura faded only for him to place it on my head. A few flashes of light seemed to blind me for a moment before he removed it. “Seems you need something called humanity eh? Well in theory, you should be able to get it from killing living beings, but since the princess not will allow that...” he trailed off tapping me on the head with the paw again, “Looks like someone's going grave robbing!”
I thought for a moment as the others shared looks of disbelief and disgust. “Well, should work” I started only for Applejack to step forward to object.
“Now wait just an apple pickin' minute! How in yer right mind can ya think goin' round desicratin' graves is a good idea?” She asked looking at me angrily. “Ah mean that's like a slap in the face to our ancestors who built this land around us!”
I turned to the mare indifferent in the matter. “Are they really still there?” I asked making her look at me strangely. “You told me not long ago that this” I said motioning all over my body “doesn't matter. It's what's in here that does” I said before giving her a light poke in the chest. “Are they really still there to care what happens to their, now no doubt rotten corpses?”
Applejack looked like she was about to argue the matter, but Twilight intervened. “He does have a point, brain function is what constitutes being alive, and since well they're not... alive...” she slowed to a halt under her friend's gaze.
“Regardless of the moral and ethics in question, I cannot allow it” Celestia said, betraying little of her emotions behind her 'poker face'. “Many of my other subjects will share Applejack's thoughts on the matter, and even if you did this in secret, they may suspect the worse and panic”
I nodded my head and sighed. 'Always tend to forget that part' I thought before turning back to Discord, who was lounging in the air. “Any other ideas then?” I asked. The dragonequiss looked lazily over at me before opening his mouth, his long snake tongue rolled out floating in the air as another Discord wearing a miniature messenger outfit rode out of a pig before handing me a scroll and riding back into the spirit's mouth before the whole thing reversed as he swallowed.
I looked at the scroll for a moment before turning to the others who simply shrugged. Opening it, my hood was blown back by a great wind and a very loud “NO” before the scroll burst into flames that seemed to envelop themselves before consuming the letter.
Chuckling I turned to Celestia who was staring at the dragonequiss with a look of disdain on her face. “Well I suppose it's time for my nap then” I said making Discord's ears perk up.
Celestia nodded before the other two alicorns approached her sides. “Well then, what we shall do is lay a sleep spell over you, when you have entered the realm of dreams, we will then petrify you” Princess Celestia said, followed by a curt nod from myself.
“Ohh? Simply giving up just like that?” Discord asked turning back to me. “Stuck in dreamland, waiting for them to find some way to fix you? Do you trust somepony you just met that much?”
I laughed, “Discord, you know the power of friendship” I said simply before making my way to the bonfire and sitting down in front of it. “Whenever you're ready” I said before slumping over myself as I had awoken not long ago.
A feeling similar to a blanket being laid over me was felt before I began to feel sleepy. After a few moments I closed my eyes and was asleep.
Sounds of birds seemed to seep into my ears as well as the calm whistle of the breeze. After a few moments an odd sound started, almost like walking on gravel, but different, more focused, the sound grew louder and louder before finally stopping, replaced only by a rhythmic thumping.
I held onto the black coat in front of me, clutching tightly as the motorcycle hummed. A voice sounded making me look up to see a strange face that I swore I knew. “Are you ready?” it asked only for me to nod. As the bike pulled from the parking space, the road swirled green mixing with the black. I looked up from the grass to the girl next to me, she was young with long blond hair that seemed to dance in the breeze. “Bret, do you like me?” she asked only for me to stare, confused, a blush ran across her face. The sunset shown pink and orange, “I remember hearing the sunsets are so beautiful because of the pollution” a voice said making me turn around to see a grown woman with brown hair that seemed to have gold hidden in the curls.
A rumble echoed in the ground making me look down only for there to be black. The sunset seemed to fade along with the woman as faces swirled past. Animals seemed to run by, intermingling with the faces.
I blinked and I was in a shop standing in front of a woman, her lips shone like a pair of rubies contrasting her blue eyes that seemed the color of the sky hidden behind a pair of small glasses. Her hair cascaded down to her shoulders, an auburn I had rarely seen naturally.
“Sir?” she asked the cool voice shocking me for a moment before she held out her hand. Looking down I held a book, I handed it to her and blushed.
“Sorry” I said putting my hand behind my head and scratching. Something nudged me in the side and I turned to see a woman giving me a death glare holding onto my other arm.
“It's quite alright, I seem to get that look a lot” she said smiling ringing up the book. “That'll be six forty two” she said holding out a hand. Reaching into my pocket I pulled out a ten before handing it to her. The woman tapped a few things out on her cash register before pulling some coins and a few bills out. “Here you are, three fifty eight. Enjoy and please come again” she said putting the receipt in my hand before before the coins and finally the bills.
I grabbed the book from the woman's hand before leading the other woman on my arm to the door, holding it open allowing her through first.
As soon as we were both outside I started walking down the sidewalk with her on my arm. “I can't believe you! Gawking at her like that” she said before laughing.
I scratched my head again, “Sorry hun, I was kinda lost in thought there for a second” I said making her let go of my arm and push me.
“Ohhh you always say that! If I didn't know any better I'd say that every pretty girl just makes you lose your mind” she said laughing as I bumped into a nearby sign.
“Yea right. Why would I need to look at pretty girls when I have you?” I asked grabbing her around the waist and lifting her into the air, her short coppery hair bouncing from the sudden movement.
“Hey, hey! Careful!” she said beating on my shoulder lightly. “I don't want you hurting yourself!”
I laughed snuggling my face into her stomach. “You don't weigh anything! I don't know what you're going on about!” I said jovially making her hit me harder on the shoulder.
“Oh bull!” she said as I put her down.
The two of us continued down the sidewalk passing a few shops making us stop and look inside. Antique shops were her favorite, loving to stop and look at the old war memorabilia and weapons that sat in glass containers.
A smile came to her face as she looked at me with a childlike glee before pulling me towards an ornamental suit of armor.
'Thank God I managed to find a girl with my love for weapons' I thought looking up at the armor. The black and gold plated suit reflected the shop around us making me smile before sticking out my tongue making faces in the reflective surface.
Julia started to make faces too, making us both laugh before walking towards the exit.
Thumping filled my ears before a bright light flash of light filled my eyes.
I rubbed my eyes, the after light still flashing along with a few tears. I pulled my hands away wondering before looking around.
The Everfree forest looked much the same, a few more overgrown plants surrounded me than I remembered, but as I turned dark, gray legs stood before me, silver hooves exiting from the bottom of them. Looking up, abs covered in black fur jutted out in my direction, leading up to a chest that was partially covered by a white beard along with a silver necklace that was draped over it's shoulders. The fur ended showing over muscular arms that shown in a bright red color.
Looking at the beings face, my stomach fell as I saw a silver nose ring below a pair of eyes that seemed to stuck in a perpetual glare. A large white mane was above that between a pair of huge horns that an orb of amber light floated between.
“It seems the princesses and Discord left out some information” He said, his mouth curling into a smile as I floated into the air right before him the same amber light surrounded my body. The being inhaled deeply only to sputter and cough as nothing, but air entered his lungs.
“Tirek?” I asked as the being scowled at me before releasing the magical hold, making the ground rush to meet me.
“Useless” The centaur said turning and walking away.
Thinking for a moment I realized what was going on. Looking to the centaur before me I grabbed my spear from where it had fallen and took my shield from it's place. Wrapping the straps around my arm before looking to the being that began fading into the trees.
“Not today” I muttered, pulling out the Ring of Fog and slipping it on my finger.