//------------------------------// // It's a- // Story: Friendship and Mysteries // by The Cake Devil //------------------------------// Chapter 18 (Now edited by Neko Majn C) Twilight stared over the force gathered before her. The rag-tag army had donned their armor and weapons of various types, and now stared back at the princess in a shared silence. “Alright,” she said, calmly exhaling. “The time has come; we all know what needs to be done. But before we take our leave, I want you all to know that your bravery on this day will never be forgotten. You are not only fighting for your world, you are for fighting for mine as well, and for that I am in your eternal debt. Although some of us will not be joining the fight, the kindness and friendship shown to me when I arrived is more than I could have ever hoped for from a complete stranger. So, would Dipper Pines please come forth?” She paused, waiting for the young man to come forward. And waited, and waited, and waited. She gulped as murmurs began to emanate from the crowd. “Chutzpar,” she said, causing the Manotaur to jump. “Do you know where Dipper is?” “Um,” he said while rubbing the back of his neck. “He said something about taking Mabel and heading back into town where it’d be safer, right guys?” Chutzpar said turning to his fellow Manotaurs, who answered with a series of nods and grunts. “Oh,” Twilight said, her smile instantly sinking into a frown. “I see, well, at least they’ll be safe.” She put on a fake smile and turned her attention back to the crowd. “Well then, let’s move out, and remember—” “Wait until you give the signal,” the crowd finished. “…Right.” Twilight turned away from the dispersing crowd and folded her ears back. “No need to worry,” she said forcing a smile. “Dipper’s safe, they’re both safe. That’s all that matters.” ---------------------- The carriage came to a screeching halt in front of the clinic, giving the guards stationed at the entrance a small fright. Silver lept from the carriage and bolted toward the door and through the entrance, failing to heed the cries to desist from the guards. It didn’t take him long to find the door to Diamond’s room. With a burst of magic, the once closed door slammed against the back wall, revealing a shocking scene. The small room was filled with several ponies shuffling about the room. What immediately attracted his attention were his guards, currently frozen from the neck down in solid ice. At the base of each guard were two unicorns, each of them producing a steady stream of fire from their horns in an attempt to thaw out the guards. “Oi!” a voice shouted, grabbing Silver’s attention. Coming towards the the king was a green earth pony with a short cut grey mane and matching grey side burns. The stallion sported a tan flat cap that failed to hide the stallion’s bushy eye brows. On his flank was the image of a magnifying glass and a question mark in the middle of the lens. “This building is off limits to civilians,” the stallion stated in a gruff voice. “I’m unsure how that’s not obvious considering the two guards out front. So if you don’t mind—” “Can you tell me where he is?!” “My apologies sir,” he said, placing a hoof on Silver's chest. “but you need to—” “I am King Silver Shroud,” he said, swiftly swatting the stallion's hoof away. “King of the Crystal Empire and all its inhabitants, and I refuse to move a single step further or backwards until you tell me what in Tartarus happened to my guards and where Diamond is!” All eyes were now on the king, the stallion in front of him completely taken aback, his jaw hung open and his pupils shrunk. Just as the stallion was about to speak, a weak and fragile voice just barely broke the silence first. “S-s-s-sire” In an instant the gazes of the occupants were drawn back to the guards, one of which were conscious. “Opal Blitz!” Silver shouted, brushing past the inspector as he made his way to the conscious guard. “F-f-forgive me, your majesty,” Opal pleaded, his voice quaking. “It all happened so fast. Th-th-there was no way we could have been prepared for him. ” “Who, sergeant?” Silver asked. “Tell us who did this.” “Diamond, sir,” the Opal coughed out. “H-he sprouted a massive w-w-white beard, and his fur t-t-turned blue. Th-then he tried to leave, and when we tried to stop him, that’s when he attacked us. I-I know it sounds unbelievable, b-but it’s true, I s-s-swear.” “But-but how?” Silver questioned the sergeant, rising to his hind legs and placed his forelegs on the ice block. “You’re not making any sense, sergeant, how is this even possible?” “I’m sorry m-my lord,” the guard stuttered, his eyelids slowly drifting closed and his voice fading. “I’m s-s-so sorry.” Silver’s mind was filled with questions that raced throughout his head at a million miles an hour. But as he opened his mouth to release them upon the guard, his eyes fell to the tired guard and his eyes fell to the floor. With a heavy sigh, he gently removed his forehooves from the block and made his way to the door. He stopped, and turned his attention to the inspector, who was still standing at the entrance. “My most sincere apologies, your majesty,” the stallion said as he bowed and removed his hat. “If I had known—” “All is forgiven, inspector—” “Coldcase,” he said. “Very well, if you would, please, once you have them thawed out, admit them to the next nearest clinic. Spare no expense, I’ll see to cover everything.” “Yes, your majesty,” he said, raising from his bow and placing his hat back on his head. “If it helps any, what your guard said corresponds with what Miss Double Check was saying.” “It does,” Silver said, making his way out the door. “Thank you.” ------------------------------------ The forest floor trembled with the sound of hoof steps as the Manotaurs ‘stealthily’ made their way through the dense foliage—as stealthy as a group of half ton man-bulls could be, mind you. Amongst these warriors was Dipper, who rode at the head of the group on the shoulder of Chutzpar and alongside the Multi-Bear. “So, Destructor,” Chutzpar said, glancing to Dipper. “Ya think you’re going to be ready for this? There’s still time to back out, after all.” “What? Are you kidding, man?” Dipper asked, looking to the man-bull. “After you guys went through all the trouble of getting us this sweet gear? No way.” “Ha ha, just checkin’.” Chutzpar said, his face giving way to a small smile. “Can’t have ya flakin’ out on us in the middle of the battle, ya know.” “Wait a minute,” Dipper said, his voice taking on an air of suspicion. “Why would you think I’d flake?” “Well,” Chutzpar said, his eyes gesturing to the Multi-Bear. “Aw come on, dude,” Dipper said, gaining a scowl. “You’re still upset about that?!” “We’re all still upset,” Chutzpar said, gaining a scowl of his own. “Some more then others.” He gestured to the group behind them. Dipper looked back just in time see one of the man-bulls quickly looking away, his eyes slightly moist. “We brought you in, Destructor, shared with you our secrets of being a man, and when the time came to prove yourself, you let us all down.” “Look, I’m sorry, okay,” Dipper said. “But it’s different this time and there’s a lot more at stake here then just proving that I’m a man. I have someone and something other than myself to fight for and I’m not about to let my feelings or fears stop me from helping Twilight and saving my friends.” “I see,” Chutzpar said, his eyes returning to the path in front of him. The two once again drifted into a silence. “So this ‘Twilight’ girl, she’s something else isn’t she?” Chutzpar asked. “Yeah,” Dipper said, a small smile forming on his mouth. “She really is.” “One of the only ones I’ve ever known who can whip us into shape.” “Yeah.” “Brought all theses different species together into one functioning army.” “Yeah.” “You like her, don’t ya, Destructor?” “Ye—wait, what?!” Dipper stammered as his face flushed and his eyes darted nervously back and forth. “Come on man, yeah as a friend but I mean—” Chutzpar chuckled and shook his head. “Can’t hide it from me, Destructor,” he said tapping his snout. “I could smell it on you a mile away.” Dipper hung his head. “Is it really that obvious?” “Indeed,” the Multi-Bear said, drawing the attention of the two. “And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with it either. Love is but an ever changing maze filled with dead ends and misleading paths. But stay true to yourself and to others, and one day, all of us will find ourselves out of the maze and in the arms, wings, or other appendages of our one true love.” Dipper and Chutzpar stared at the creature in stunned silence. “Wow,” Dipper said, his eyes widened. “That was really deep, man. But I don’t know about love.” He shrugged, “I like her, don’t get me wrong, but I think we just need some more time to get to know each other, ya know?” “Wise words indeed, child,” the Multi-Bear said. “Thanks,” he said, as his eyes drifted to the ground and he let out a heavy sigh. “Too bad we’re not going to get that after this is all over.” “Pffft,” Chutzpar said, waving a dismissive hand. “Listen here Destructor, anyone can quote beloved romantic author No-Shirtie-O—” “Wait,” the Multi-Bear said. “How did you know—” “But a real man acts on his instincts, seizing the opportunity like an opponent and pounding it into submission until it cries for mercy! Because even if you do end up getting beat, that’s okay. Because at least you did something, and you can be proud of that.” Dipper’s eyes grew significantly wider as he cast his gaze on the man-bull. “Okay,” Dipper said, shaking his head in an attempt to regain his senses. “Now that I was—” “Quiet,” the Multi-Bear said, his voice suddenly shrinking to a whisper. “Chutzpar, stop your men.” “Hold on,” Chutzpar said, his eyes narrowing as he took a brief smell of the air, “who do you think you—oh—ooooh no.” he said stopping dead in his tracks, causing the rest of the group to do the same. “What?” Dipper said, his eyes darting back and forth between the two. “What’s going on?” “Form up, men,” Chutzpar barked, “the fight is coming to us!” The group complied as they created a tight circle, unsheathing their various makeshift weapons from their backs. “How long do you think they’ve been following us?” Chutzpar asked, turning to the Multi-Bear. “Long enough for us to stumble right into their trap,” the Multi-Bear said, cursing himself. “I should have been more alert, this never should have happened.” “Well it’s happening now, so no point in beating yourself up—” “Would someone please tell me what’s going on?!” Dipper half shouted half whispered, his voice dripping with anxiety as sweat formed on his brow. “Plain and simple, Destructor,” Chutzpar said, turning his head to Dipper. “We’ve walked right into a trap.” ----------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------- “Jeazy peats,” Stan groaned, closing yet another door of memories with a shudder. “This guys done some seriously messed up stuff. That was, what, the eighteenth or twentieth door that was exclusively for different forms of torture?” “Twenty-second,” Bill said, phasing through the adjacent door with a notepad with one hand and a quill in the other. “I’ll give him this, he’s got an imagination. I mean, that thing with the rats, the funnel, and the blindfold... pretty decent stuff.” “Don’t tell me you’re actually enjoying this.” “Eh,” Bill said, shrugging. “Frankly I’ve seen better. Ha, I’ve done better, actually.” “Look,” Stan said rubbing his temples. “I like the pain of others as much as the next guy, but this, yeesh. If there weren't chills down my spine from the cold, there’d be from this junk.” Stan turned his attention to Discord, who at the time, was slamming the door to another set of memories with an annoyed look on his face. “Back me up here, Discord,” Stan said holding his arms out to the floating triangle. Discord looked over at the two and rolled his eyes as a frustrated snort came from his nostrils. “Yes, yes, Bill said something disturbing, big surprise.” He said, his tone oozing with sarcasm. “I suppose next you’re going to tell me that you’re cold or that the sky is blue?” “Wow,” Stan said, adopting a glare as he eyed the being. “I could do without the sass there, buddy.” “And I could do with you two picking up the pace!” Discord said, craning his neck so his head was in front of Stan’s. “The Sam Hill’s gotten into you, patch job?” Stan said, as he balled his fist. “If you got somethin’ to say, then say it.” “You want to know what’s wrong?!” Discord shouted, . “I haven’t a clue where we’re suppose to be in this snow ridden place, I can’t use my chaos magic whatsoever while I’m in here, and let’s not forget that we’re on a time limit! So you’ll have to forgive me if I’m a little tense!” “Well shouting isn’t going to help anything!” Stan said, his head pressing against Discord’s. “Well, maybe if you two would go faster, I wouldn’t have to yell!” “Um, guys?” Bill said. “We’re going as fast as we can,” Stan said, lifting his sleeve. “I don’t see you moving any faster.” “Guys?” Bill said again, his voice raising slightly. “Well, then maybe you need to get those oversized spectacles of yours looked at.” “Oversized?! That’s it, you and me, patch job, let’s go!” “GUYS!” Bill bellowed, his entire body increasing ten fold. Stan and Discord both turned, their ears ringing and their brows furrowed. “WHAT!?” They shouted back. “I think I found what we’re looking for.”