“Cloud-16?”
“What the hell!! How the hell do you even play this game anyway?!” The gray stallion complained as he stared at the colorful board game that the fillies had brought with them. It was set up where each opponent was staring at different ends with a wall standing between the two, which in this case was Sweetie Belle and himself. The girl’s had helped him place the pieces on the board and preceded to try and help him understand the inner workings of the little foal’s game. “And how the hell do you keep hitting my pieces?”
“Don’t know.” Sweetie mused as she placed a peg in the spot she had called out prior. “Just lucky I guess.” Sweetie paused for a moment before saying. “Oh, and Applebloom?”
“Already on it Sweetie.” The little yellow filly replied as she bopped the stallion on the nose, causing him to yelp in surprise, “Ragna, mind your language.”
The stallion rubbed the spot the little filly had hit, glaring at her before looking back at his side of the board. He really hated the princess for tell these fricken girls to hit him every time he said a “Naughty Word”. She is most definitely going to pay for this one…
Scootaloo snickered as she watched the proceedings all the while taking the piece that Sweetie had most utterly destroyed off the board. “Ya know, I wouldn’t have taken ya for someone who shrugged off getting thrown into a building like its nothing, with you whining the way you are.”
“I’m not whining kid.” Ragna, for his part, rolled his eyes. “And that crazy bi-Ow! I didn’t even say it yet!”
“You were going ta.” Applebloom countered as she gave the stallion a smug smile.
“Anyway,” Ragna growled. “That crazy…Mare…Took me by surprise. Plus I had just woken up after crash landing in a smoldering crater.” The stallion huffed as he looked away. “Wasn’t exactly at my A-Game when she got the jump on me.” He paused to look down with a frown. “Cloud-1…”
“Miss.”
“Damnit!”
*Smack!*
“Ow!”
“Still, you came out of that pile of rubble like it was nothing at all.” Applebloom mused as she looked between both of the player’s boards. “Though you looked like ya was about to collapse soon as ya did.”
“Still! It was fricken awesome!” Scootaloo cheered as she jumped up and down on the bed, causing the stallion to near lose his balance. She stopped as she looked away, rubbing the back of her head with a hoof. “Not as awesome as Rainbow Dash mind you, but definitely up in the top 50% of awesome things I’ve seen.”
“What kind of person says top 50%?" Ragna asked.
“We’re learning about math and whatnot in Miss Cheerilee’s class. Scoot’s just looking for reasons to use some new words she’s found.” Applebloom snickered only to get a face full of a rather plump pillow for her troubles.
“We really was worried about you though mister Ragna.” Sweetie Belle reassured with a smile. “Plus you don’t have to leave Ponyville anytime soon while you’re recovering! Aren’t you happy about that?”
The stallion rolled his eyes before grunting in response. “Yeah yeah…” Ragna’s gaze fell to the window that was beside him, his emerald eye glancing over the landscape of the city of Canterlot. “Guess I have no choice anyway.”
“Something wrong Ragna?” Sweetie asked, tilting her head.
“Naw…” The stallion answered. “Just a feeling of nostalgia.”
All three girls looked to the stallion with tilted heads.
“Ugh. Nothing. Never mind.” Ragna said with a roll of his eyes. He gazed back down on his side of the board. “Sky-13.”
“Miss.”
“Sonnavabit-“
*WHAP!*
~
“How can you be so calm about him sister?!”
The white alicorn of the sun barely flinched at the loud tone of her younger sister’s voice, the mare instead taking a delicate sip of the cup of espresso that was within her magic’s grip; her sister ranting and raving in front of her. She always loved a good espresso in the morning. Steamy hot and sweet to the taste, just the way she liked it. She had always chosen chocolate powder as an additive for her coffee of choice, but today shen had decided to go wild and add in vanilla flavor. It was a rather bold and tasty choice, she had to admit.
“Tia!”
Celestia looked up to the scowling face of her little sister, the goddess of the sun giving her a gentle smile. “Yes, sister dearest?” She had forgotten how adorable her little sister could be when she had her cheeks puffed out in anger.
“Have you not been listening to me?!” Luna asked with a sharp edge to her voice, her body shaking in uncontrollable rage. “I asked what were you thinking?! Letting that…that…Lout of a pony run free the way you are!”
Celestia blinked before taking another sip, murring in gentle pleasure. “Whatever do you mean dear sister?”
“You know exactly what I mean sister!” Luna practically yelled. “That stallion must be contained! Both him and Discord!”
“You know that Discord is on vacation right now sister.” Celestia reprimanded.
“But his aura was all over the stallion’s body!”
“Be that as it may, the stallion himself, while…colorful in both demeanor and language…Has not, in fact, done anything wrong to warrant such treatment from a princess. He is just as much as a victim as anypony else in his position, especially with the fact that his memory is gone.” Celestia placed her cup of expresso down before using her magic to pick up a small plate of cake and a fork. Gently, she forked a small chuck of the moist chocolate cake with her utensil before sticking it into her mouth, moaning in pleasure at the sweet taste each she took gave her.
“W-Well…Yes, but still,” Her sister stammered. “If Discord is behind this then-“
“He will explain himself once he returns from his vacation sister.” Celestia answered, cutting the mare off. “Besides, we have no way for us to track him ourselves, so all we can do is keep watch over the stallion and continue our lives as normally.”
“Yes, and by watch you mean letting one mare do so instead of a battalion of stallions under lock and key in the Canterlot cells?” Said the Mare of the Moon in a sarcastic tone.
“Why yes.” Celestia said with a smile. “I believe I made the most hilarious choice if I do say so myself.”
Luna looked towards her sister with a raised eyebrow. “What was that sister?”
“The most sensible choice if I do say so myself.” The alicorn of the Sun repeated without missing a beat.
“Why do you say that Tia?” Luna asked with a raised eyebrow.
“She is one of my leading explorers into the world of the unknown.” Celestia said sipping her tear once again. “When it comes to the world of the strang, I could think of no other mare better suited to the task than to find out what the stallion may or may not know.” She gave her sister a gentle smile. “I do think you for your concern though dear sister.”
Luna glared at her sister before huffing indignantly and turning towards the door. “Whatever. I tire and will retire to my room to sleep until night court.” With a glow of her magic she opened her sister’s study’s door and made her exit. Before she left however the dark alicorn turned her head back, addressing Celestia as she did so. “I will be watching the stallion closely dear sister.” The door slammed shut after Luna, leaving her sister to her cake.
With her sister’s words ringing in her ears, Celestia took a gentle sip of her sweet drink before setting it down and looking towards the closed door. “You may come in Miss Heartstrings.”
There was hesitation before the door slowly creaked open revealing the face of a mint green mare with a white and mint green mane, her expression one of hesitation. “U-Um. I’m here Princess.” She called out, smiling awkwardly. “Um…I didn’t hear anything if that’s what you’re thinking.”
“I would never think that Lyra.” Celestia said with a knowing smile. The princess gestured to a chair on the opposite side of herself. “Come. Have a seat.”
The mare gave a short bow before sat within the chair. She cooed softly, the cushions feeling wonderful to her flanks. “It’s really good to see you again Celestia. Oh wow! This is comfy!”
“Thank you.” Celestia smiled. “Had those chairs imported from Saddle Arabia. You’re familiar with that land I take it?”
“Been there once or twice with Daring Do.” Lyra mused with a smile and a shrug. “Made a few friends. Made a lot more enemies. Overall it was fun.”
“Good. Glad you can take pleasure with your work.” Celestia giggled softly at that for a few moments before calming down. “Hehe…I’m sure that it’s an amazing story. But for now let’s get down to business.” The princess of the Equestria took on a more serious tone. “I trust you know why you’re here.”
Lyra nodded as she pulled out a folder. “The being in red…but…” Upon opening the folder, a picture of Ragna along with a bunch of medical data could be seen. “From what this says, the one that was found was a pony. Not at all like the being that was seen ten years ago.”
Celestia nodded. “Be that as it may, I’m sure you recognize that jacket the pony is wearing I assume.”
Lyra nodded slowly, looking down at the pic in her hooves. “I do. How can I not?”
“It is because of that reason that I called you here Miss Heartstrings. Your research into the mysterious being that had appeared that day makes you vital into finding out who this stallion from the stars is.” Celestia said softly. “I need you to find out all that you can about him, any information possible is needed.”
Lyra nodded before looking away and biting her bottom lip. With a sigh she looked towards her ruler. “Do you…Do you think that he is the one that being mentioned?”
“I’m not sure. But what I do know is he is the most important pony in Equestria.” Celestia answered. “Do make sure you keep an eye on him.” At Lyra’s nod the princess moved to slip from her seat. “Then shall we go and see how he’s doing?” The princess of the sun made her way to open the door, but not before looking back to Lyra. “Oh! There’s one more thing…”
~
Ragna watched, from his room’s window, the retreating forms of Applebloom and Sweetie Belle, two of the three Cutie Mark Crusaders, along with five of those crazy six mares he had met before back in Ponyville. He looked to his side to see the last of the Crusaders pressing her face to the window, waving her hoof slowly at her friends.
“There they go.” Scootaloo said with a somber tone. The orange colored filly hopped from the window seal before making her way over to the bed that the gray stallion laid upon. “Guess it's just us three.”
“Yeah…” Ragna looked over to his side where a familiar narrow eyed rainbow maned pony stood. “Joy.”
“You’re just mad cause I kicked your sorry flank to the curb.” Rainbow taunted as she smirked.
“You F-Urk…” He paused as he looked toward the orange filly who raised a hoof up. “You...Decked me when I wasn’t looking.” He said with a growl. “Face me head on and I’ll show you just how much of a difference between us there is.”
“Yeah yeah.” Rainbow dismissed, much to the gray stallion’s annoyance. The cyan pony ignored him, as she turned to face the orange filly. “Hey kiddo, you sure you didn’t want to go with the rest of the girls? I can take you right quick to the station.”
“Naw.” Scootaloo said with a shake of her head. “Its cool Rainbow. I was told that my big sis was on her way here anyway so I’ll just go home with her.”
“Oh...Her.” Rainbow said with a discreet roll of her eyes. “So she’s coming back is she?”
“Yep!” Scootaloo cheered before looking over towards Ragna with a big smile. “Oh! You can meet her before we go! I bet she’ll love to meet you!”
Ragna raised an eyebrow before looking away. “Yeah well, if it’s anything like the way I’ve been greeted before in the past few days, I highly doubt I’ll enjoy it very much.”
Scootaloo was about to say something but the door to the room opening caused the little filly, as well as the rest within the room to turn their heads towards the noise. Standing within the doorway, was a mint green mare, whose mane was done up in the the colors of white and a darker shade of green. THe mare’s amber eyes gazed around the room. FIrst dismissing Rainbow Dash’s glare, then meeting Scootaloo’s gaze with a bright smile.
When the newcomers own gaze met Ragna’s, the mare sucked in an intake of breath, widening her eyes by degrees at the sight of him. Frankly, when Ragna saw this, he couldn’t help but shiver as a cold sense of foreboding washed over him.
The hell is her problem?
No pony said a word for quite some time, the silence only broken by the voice of the little filly. “Ragna, I would like you to meet my adopted big sister, Lyra.”
Ragna slowly raised a hoof, giving the mare a short wave. “Uh...Hey…”
“YOUR REAL!”
The stallion barely had enough time to say two words as the mare practically flew towards the him at what he believed to be lower than two hundred miles per hour.
“HOLY SH-!”
*THRUMP!!*