//------------------------------// // Episode 1 - "The Alpha to Stopping the Omega" - Chapter 1 // Story: Equestria Dark // by InkSlinger //------------------------------// He didn’t want to be here. No. He’d rather be travelling the roads and have the problem come to him. But nope; the voices had told him to come here and, to be fair, he was bored out of his mind anyway. “So, remind me exactly what you wanted me to be doing here again?” The slightly annoyed, yet more so curious voice asked. To nopony in particular. “And none of that vague, dramatic bull, either; it’s frustrating.” He added, moving his talons around as though it strengthened the statement. “You’ll see…” A deep, gruff male voice responded, “When it happens…” The figure sighed, a frustrated outlet of exasperation. “Well, I’m going in...” Stepping out of the night’s shadows, and into the flickering candle-laden space of a saloon, Grimack set about looking for whatever it was “he’d see”. And five minutes later, he did. The glass seemed to be stained by something other than the liquor in it, and said liquor tasted like sawdust in his mouth, he was getting bored when he heard it. The shout. An almost insane, maniacal, and triumphant (?) bellow sounding the room, with the declaration of “There’s nowhere to run now, sinner!” A stallion, whom should not have been imposing in anyway, garbed in (albeit frayed and torn) office attire, black tie, pressed trousers and even completing the look, a badge with the words “Hi, my name is Brady”, stood over a cowering elderly mare, regardless; attached to his right forehoof was blade, held in place by the gauntlet it was attached to and the buckles that held that down. “I’ve got you now! You’re sick!” He pressed the blade harshly up against her neck. Most of the crowd backed away, some looking as though they wanted to help, but thinking was as far as they would get. The elderly lady said nothing, but looked down and shut her eyes, not crying, but quivering violently. Grimack tapped the barkeeper on the shoulder to garner his attention, he, like anypony else that wasn’t drunk unconscious or Grimack, caught up in the unfolding events. “Whiskey.” “Whiskey?” The barkeep was flabbergasted. “Aren’t you seeing what’s happen-“He protested, his eyes ready to trail back to the scene. “So get me a Whiskey, bottled.” The barkeep’s sight had drifted back to the crazed pony and the cowering mare, but he absentmindedly complied, years behind the bar allowing him to concoct requests without even the aid of sight. He passed the drink over to Grimack, bottled. Back at the scene, the maniac of a stallion was still preaching on the idea of exorcising the “demons within” the old mare and any of the gathered crowd that had actually moved, did so only in direction of the exit. “…and we’ll be safe…from them and you; you won’t take Equestria, you won’t!! You-!” The sound of a smashing glass reverberated around the currently dead-silenced room. The stallion stopped; he swayed for a second, before he fell, revealing the figure behind him. A snarling Hippogryph. “Crazy bastard.” The hippogryph, whose muted blue equine face still donned a frown of disgust, turned to the trembling mare who still had her eyes shut tight. “Are you okay, ma’am?” Suddenly her eyes shot open and she stared into Grimack’s rich-brown eyes; for more than a minute, it seemed, she studied him…and smiled. “I-I’ll be fine…now…” A full smirk. “Sweet Celestia, she’s not one of those mares is she? She’s old enough to be Grammie!” Grimack thought mentally. The elderly mare slowly rose to her feet, nodded at Grimack, the smirk never dissipating, and headed for the exit. “Thank the Sisters!” Grimack took one last look around him; more of the crowd has left, those still standing stunned and many stallions baring internal shame. Grimack grimaced and headed for the exit. “Well, that was interesting.” Grimack spoke out loud, normally he knew ponies would look at him weird if he talked to himself, but with what had just happened, his statement didn’t seem too far-fetched. “Indeed.” The voice replied, this time a lot softer, feminine almost. “Oh, hello Ember,” The hippogryph chuckled, “Where’s Grumpy-Tone? Wasn’t aware voices could sleep.” “Well you can give voices a rest, can’t you?” And despite her being just a voice, Grimack could tell she was grinning slyly. “Coy, Ember, you’re real coy.” “I’m sure, Grim;” Not once did the grinning voice falter “and you know he doesn’t like you calling him that.” “It’s not my fault!” Grimack almost whinnied, “He never introduced himself, even after all these years!” “Oh, you know how he is.” “Eeyup; now…” Grimack decided to turn his attention to the matter in his talons. “…What was that about?” “How d’you mean?” Ember asked, nonplussed. “He called her a sinner and talked of demons…now at first glance he’s just a crazy-pony, but you know how I feel about first glances.” “Just do what needs to be done.” Grimack, raised his eyebrows up, forgetting to keep everything mental “Ah, you’re back.” “I never left” The low voice grumbled. “I just did something you can’t and kept quiet for a while.” “See, Embs – Grumpy-Tone.” The mare voice giggled. “Going to ignore that for the time being…” The male grunted, “…Now, what I’m going tell to you probably won’t be comprehended straight away.” Grimack stopped “Eh, what?” The low voiced sighed “See?” “No, what are you talking about?” “If you don’t do exactly as is instructed, the world will be plunged into a terrible, terrible fate.” Even more confused, “What?” Grimack asked. “You’re going to help a group; for now all you need to know about the group is that they are the key to keeping this whole existence as exactly that.” “Okay…” Grim’s mind was registering what had been said. “Do you understand?” The low voice sounded almost patronising; Grim shook his head and focused on the voices in his head once again. “Sorry Grumpy, I kinda zoned out….” Grim trailed off; obviously still trying to process exactly what had been said. “Hippogryph!” The male snapped, trying to garner the young hybrid’s attention. “De-” Ember began, but then stopped for a second “I don’t think-” “No, Ember, we need to make sure he gets it.” He stated coldly. “I get it; what do I need to do first?” Grim shot back, partly annoyed that he was being treated like a foal but mostly because he was defending Ember. “I’m not convinced.” The masculine voice said. “Deus, he’s not ready for that.” Ember sounded worried; and Deus, was that the ol’ grump’s name? “Ready doesn’t play into this.” Deus replied. “What’s Ember talking about,” Grimack paused for a second, “Deus?” Deus sighed, whether or not that was because Grimack had finally uncovered his name or because he still didn’t understand, Grimack was not sure. “Brace yourself.” “Wait, wha-!?” Grim’s mind was suddenly filled with images. Some he had full context of, others, minor background information and some, no understanding of at all; but all the images were filled with death, destruction, fear and a changed world; and the images scared him, they really, really scared him; truly. “…Grimack….Grimack….Grimack!” Ember’s voice resonated through Grim’s head to which he shook it violently. “I told you Deus, I told you.” Ember sounded angry, concerned…Grim was still standing, mouth open, eyes wide, still digesting what he’d seen. “It had to be done – He knows what he’s up against now...” “That can’t happen!” Grim had finally snapped back to reality. “That…That future…” “Exactly.” Deus replied. “So you need to aid the Cult in succeeding.” “And what exactly are they aiming to do?” Grim always liked to know what he was getting involved in, if he could help it. Deus responded “Their work will prevent that future.” Silence; Grim knew what that meant. “That’s all I’m getting, isn’t it?” Silence. He sighed. “Fine, where to next?” “She’ll find you.” Deus replied. “Who?” Grim asked. Silence. He grumbled and kicked a stone that had the unfortunate luck of being the closest thing to him; “I guess I’ll just have to see.”