//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: Calm // Story: Cursed // by SkelePone //------------------------------// TODAY Princess Twilight Sparkle thoroughly studied the ancient manuscript laid on the table before her. She was in the Library of Canterlot Castle, for some anniversary of some tragedy that happened long ago. Before Princess Celestia was even born long ago. Twilight wondered why the tragedy was still commemorated, if even Princess Celestia couldn’t remember it. But the eldest of the four Alicorn Princesses insisted that they keep the anniversary; more in memory for her parents, the ones who had suffered through the tragedy, than for the actual victims themselves. The manuscript was important. Vital, even. Nopony really cared for Remembering the Day of The Plague. It had been so long ago, even Twilight was having trouble seeing how it affected ponies today, especially when all that had happened was a few disfigured Earth ponies thousands of years ago. The manuscript gave a detailed list of the various symptoms of the Plague. Buboes. Magical rot. Balding in the mane and tail. Pretty much turned ponies into painfully grotesque monsters. Twilight felt a little sorry for the poor ponies who had fallen ill to it so long ago, but she couldn’t for long as she read about how those who contracted the illness would bleed out from every orifice in their bodies. Ears, eyes, nose, mouth, anus, genitalia. Sometimes even through the pores in their skin. Twilight shuddered as she read that. Gross. She skipped ahead. She was sure those details weren’t vital to the day of honor. Twilight began to look for any indication of a cure or of an antidote. Strangely, she found none. Just a little paragraph in Middle Equestrian script about some valiant stallion (or was it a stallion named Valiant?) who was the last known victim and how since his disappearance, the Plague had simply vanished as well. But no details on how this Valiant guy found the cure. Fun fact logged into her vast mental depository, Twilight rolled up the crumbling scroll and levitated it gently back to the shelf to select another stack of manuscripts. She was jolted out of her study zone by knocking at the door to the library. “Come in!” She called. The door swung open to reveal a dark, tall unicorn stallion with a purple-striped mane. Twilight was always amused by how much the color seemed to match her own mane. Maybe they were related, but Twilight couldn’t see any more resemblance past the mane. His tall, slender frame had a dark, stormy grey coat. A glowing white ankh on his flank told her that this was indeed Ponyville’s resident necromancer, Shudderbones. And his luminescent purple eyes confirmed this. “Oh hey, Shudderbones. What are you doing in Canterlot? Shouldn’t you be back in Ponyville? I thought there was a goblin infestation.” “Here to help with the Plague Anniversary.” He said glumly. Twilight blinked several times. Why was Applejack into this stallion again? He was so… gloomy. “Is that so?” She asked, faking a grin. “Funny thing, I’m here to help, too.” “Whoopee.” Shudderbones cheered with very little enthusiasm. “I was actually ordered here by Princess Celestia to assist you. Supposedly more important than saving school-foals from goblins.” “What? Why? I mean, your help is alright and all, but why did she choose you to help me? And, well… not to be rude… but how can you help me?” Shudderbones shrugged in disinterest and began to read the titles of random manuscripts, picking up a few and then tossing them back with a grunt. Or maybe not so random. The scroll he was levitating before him was titled ‘Beginner’s Guide To Summoning Higher Imps of Tartarus’. How delightfully morbid. “Oh yeah,” he said, just as Twilight was about to return to her studies, “Celestia asked somepony else to come. Besides me. To help.” “Really? Who?” “I believe his name is-” “CARNEGIE PORTER, EVERYPONY!” A tan stallion with a black mane thundered into the room, tripping over the rug, and landing with a crash face-first into the table where Twilight had been reading moments before. The stallion lay upside-down in the table’s shattered remains. He blinked several times before righting himself, shaking his crazy mane to look even crazier. “Hallo, Princess!” Carnegie drawled cheerfully. Twilight swore she saw a small trickle of blood escape from his nose, but he either didn’t notice or didn’t care. “Mr. Porter,” Twilight grumbled, “why are you here?” The drunk rubbed his head for a moment. Whether from pain or from intense thinking, Twilight wasn’t sure. But the lavender mare was almost certain she knew why he was here. “I’m here fer an oh-fficial remembrance day. An’ Bonesy is here ta make peace with the spirits who died. I’m just here to sell beers.” “Don’t call me Bonesy.” Shudderbones growled darkly. Carnegie looked to the unicorn with a goofy smile on his face. Twilight could feel a fight or an argument or both coming on, and she had better figure out a way to divert their aggression elsewhere. Well, Shudderbones’ aggression and Carnegie’s sheer stupidity. “Why can’t I call ya Bonesy. Tha’ orange mare snoggin’ up on ya outside called ya Bonesy-” “Okay, okay. Ladies, please.” Twilight said aloud. The stallions looked to Twilight with incredulous expressions; as if they had completely forgotten she was in the room. “Good,” she gave a little cough and then drew herself up into what she hoped was a regal stance, “now. You two are my planning committee, I’m guessing. Though I don’t know why Celestia would pair me with you two. Pinkie Pie and Rarity would have been my first choices, no offense. So… planning committee.” Carnegie and Shudderbones had sat down on their haunches, side by side, waiting for her to finish. They were perfectly quiet before the drunkard raised his hoof like a colt in a classroom. Twilight resisted the urge to roll her eyes (Shudderbones didn’t) and nodded to Carnegie. “Yes, Porter?” “Can I put this on me resume?” Twilight face-hoofed. “Yes. You can.” “Wicked!” Carnegie said with a grin, smiling at Shudderbones. Shudderbones grumbled something about dead drunks and cursing into oblivion. Twilight didn’t ask for the necromancer to elaborate because she too was feeling a little tired of Carnegie’s rambunctious energy. Porter himself was oblivious to their exhaustion: “So now what?” “Nothing. The actual anniversary isn’t for a few more days. I’m going to my castle room. You two are to do your own thing.” With that, Twilight was about to exit the library. She was immediately followed by Shudderbones, who was also eager to escape the annoyance that was Carnegie Porter. “I will accompany you. I too have a room here in the castle.” Carnegie’s jaw dropped. “How come I don’t get a room?” “Probably because the last time you stayed here, you drank all of the Princesses’ mead and proceeded to urinate all over the Grand Ballroom.” Shudderbones explained. “Ohhhh… yeah. Good times.” Below the castle, in the mines that had originally provided fortune to the Equestrians of old, a darkness was stirring. Shadows danced about the ancient caverns. But those shadows were not the only things lurking in the depths. :Is it time?: :No.: :Soon, time will come.: :The Vector shall awaken. We shall awaken.: :Soon: The disturbances radiating off of the cave walls halted their vibration. And all was calm once again. For now.