“An innocent child with a thorn in his heart”
<(((((O)))))>
“Have you ever felt scared? Not scared about trivial matters but you know...really scared?” a silver unicorn asked a peach colored pegasus.
“It’s been three months since this curse was put on me, Rapid Shot. Everyday I feel like I’m losing more and more of myself... Sir Starswirl and Uncle Script have gone over countless books here in the library, yet they still haven’t found the one that brought this whole ordeal to fruition.
“I’m scared, Rapid. I’m constantly waking up forgetting who I am, forgetting what I even do for a living. Forgetting my own parents. And what’s worse...my father, everyday he looks at me and each time he does. It’s like I’m watching him die a little inside” I felt a sniff escape Slingshot as he wiped a tear away.
The peach pegasus with the blonde mane said nothing and only frowned as Slingshot spoke.
“Well admiral-”
“Please Rapid...I need a friend...not a soldier” I felt a slight crack in his voice.
“Sorry..look Sling, I get it. You’re going through a rough time, and I really wish I could help” he paused looking away sadly, like the next words would hurt him more than anything. “ That’s just the thing though. I can’t. I’m not a unicorn like you folk” the pegasus said frankly.
“But” he added. “I’ll track down the guy who did this to you. It’s a pegasus’ honor” he pounded his peytral, with conviction. “Promise” he added with an encouraging smile.
Slingshot managed to crack a weak one in return. “Thanks...don’t do anything too rash though” he said getting up and heading towards the city’s direction.
“Wouldn’t dream of it” the pegasus said following after his friend.
“So you headed home now?” the peach pegasus asked as him and his friend crossed.
“Of course, care to come over? Mom always loves the extra company, I’m sure dad could do some time off the research with a few of your jokes around” I felt Slingshot say.
The peach pegasus grinned “How could I say no to that?”
Slingshot smiled in return. “Great!”
The next moment when Slingshot’s eyes opened I saw myself staring at a bunch of notes and information scattered all over the foyer like room. It was still bright from what I could tell, judging from the curtains, that shined the little light and only light source aside from a small candle that brightened the room.
At first I was confused, not sure whether I was still watching things from Slingshot’s perspective or not, what baffled me even more was that we went from walking down to the city to all of a sudden being secluded in this room. A sound of frustration quickly alerted me that I was no longer Slingshot, but Silver Caliber.
“Why can’t I find anything?” the alicorn asked the air. Once again I could clearly feel the frustration and depression that was radiating from him as he quickly gathered notes with his magic and went through the different formulas, knocking each one away he deemed unworthy.
“For the love of Celestia where is this confounded information?!” I felt a surge of magic burst from my forehead, where I knew my horn was, gathering all the notes and books that were in the room scanning each one.
Each time Silver Caliber came across something he thought was relatable he tossed it aside in frustration. Minutes passed and soon he’d went through all the books, and now I was starting to feel just as infuriated as he was and I didn’t even know why.
The door to the rather large room opened and I heard Twinkle come in.
“I still haven’t found anything dear” the defeated voice of Silver Caliber responded.
No response came, the only feeling I felt was the reassuring hoof touch of Caliber’s wife. Her hoof felt warm and so welcoming, as she gently ran a hoof through the stallion’s hair.
“Honey, you’ve been at this for weeks now. You only get a couple minutes of rest. This isn’t healthy. You need to take a break” she said sweetly.
“I can’t” I felt Silver’s throat go dry at the words. “I can’t let our son pay for my foolish actions. Vindictive was right, I never bothered to help him, though I’ll never forgive him for punishing my son with this instead of me. I have to make sure I find a solution...there’s got to be” he said gloomily as a tear started to materialize in his eyes. “There’s just got to.”
The hoof that had been gently stroking the black alicorn’s white shining silver-like hair now wrapped around him in a hug, soon I could feel the warmth of Twinkle behind the alicorn’s body as she tightened her embrace. “I understand how you feel-”
“Do you?!” the alicorn interrupted. “Do you really know how I feel?” he stated lowering his tone, gently touching his wife’s foreleg yet firmly moving it away from him as he turned to face her.
“I betrayed not only my best friend, the one who was like a brother to me but I lead you, Script, all our friends into this world, and nearly got everyone killed if it weren’t for Vindictive having some of his sanity still intact all those years ago. Put pressure on Celestia for all these years and not long after she banished her own blood, her sister! From their home. Now I’ve made the greatest mistake I had hoped would never, ever, happen. I’ve got my son involved. I got him cursed and it’s all my fault. If I’d never betrayed Vin” - a smacking sound echoed throughout the room-
I could feel the sting of a horseshoe shaped mark on the side of Silver Caliber’s right cheek, looking shocked from the sudden hit his wife had delivered. Her hoof was trembling, and whether it was from anger or her own frustration there were tears in the purple unicorn’s eyes.
“He’s not just your son. He’s our son, don’t you ever forget that” she said quietly but with every shred of severity. “And you’re right Vindictive was right about one thing. You did betray him, but that was because you were thinking about us. He didn’t understand that, and even if he did he didn’t care to factor that in. Second, don’t you think I know what you’re going through?!” her voice raised close to a shout. “I may not be able to fully understand your pain but I sure as hell know what you’re feeling now.
“We’ve raised him since he was born till he became a guard, watched him rise through the ranks to become an admiral in Celestia’s army. We’ve been with him almost every step of the way through his life. And you’re saying-” she choked up for a second, taking a deep breath before exhaling and calming herself and continuing.
“I, his mother don’t understand how you feel?” she asked tears beginning to stream down her cheeks.
Silver Caliber remained silent, I could understand why Twinkle was upset with him, granted she may fully not understand the suffering he may have endured before the curse was cast, but Slingshot is her kid as well. And it was a foolish mistake to forget that.
“Twinkle” he whispered softly. “I’m sorry I didn’t think about that, please” he reached out with his right foreleg to lift his wife’s head up, but she looked away, brushing it aside.
“I love you Caliber, but you need to remember other people’s feelings just as much as your own. You go off doing things for the good of others and sometimes it works out. But other times you forget your actions” she paused looking her husband in his emerald green eyes, with her tangerine ones. “Your actions affect others...just as much as your words” a tear slowly slid down her cheek which she brushed away.
Getting up the purple unicorn turned around and began heading out the door. “And for the record, you’re sleeping on the couch tonight” the door shut.
Ears wilted I felt Silver Caliber’s anger slowly bubbling to the surface. In a matter of seconds I was seeing red, his green magic enveloping all the books in the room the black alicorn tossed everything about in his anger, uplifting books tearing apart papers/notes alike and stomping on the ground like a child. When he was done his breath was slow, steady.
He sighed, as he heard the front door open and the familiar voice of Rapid Shot enter along with his son.
“I need a break” he stated turning around and opening the door the alicorn turned his head to take one last look at the disoriented room and frowned. It was a mess. Just like he was. Silently Caliber shut the door enveloping the destroyed room in darkness.
**** ***** ****
“How could you?” Poison Dart asked Vindictive for the twelfth time this month. “Why would you attack Admiral Slingshot? I thought your hatred was towards his father, not with the pony who had put in a good word for me with Celestia” the blue haired unicorn said sadly.
“What’s done is done?” was the only response he’d given his son every time he asked. “It cannot be changed, and I will bear it with me till I die, while I do feel sorry for the boy his father brought it upon him.”
The sound of clopping from within the room adjacent to them, had started coming in. It was Ember, and she looked furious.
From what I could tell I was now Poison Dart, watching the stallion’s mother stomp her way over to Vindictive the beautiful mare raised her hoof and quite painfully delivered a hard smack to her husband’s face. “Sometimes I wish I never let you go to that place” she said calmly, her nostrils however flared.
Vindictive rubbed his cheek. “Sometimes I wish I’d never been betrayed.”
A cold silence filled the room as husband and wife glared at each other. Ember however won the duel as Vindictive’s gaze faltered and he looked away. “What’s done is done” he repeated.
Poison Dart turned to look at his mother, who both stared at her husband in rage, and slight disgust. The crystal blue mare turned her head and trotted away without another word.
I felt a sigh escape Poison Dart’s muzzle. “I just wish this would all come to an end” the gold pony stated getting up and trotting to his room.
I blinked, Poison Dart had fallen asleep in his room and when the eyes reopened I wasn’t looking at chemical displays on a chart that had been spread out all over the place. I was looking at a book. That book, held the same design as the one Iron Clad had used the day he brought up the spell, and the one Zecora had brought to me the day of her visit. The pony I was spectatoring through looked at the one who had presented it.
There were two of them. One had a lime green coat and turquoise eyes, with orange hair, the other bright yellow eyes and a dark grey coat, he also seemed to be growing a snow white beard.
Starswirl and Script had found the dark magic used to brew the very curse placed on Slingshot. And were presenting it to Silver Caliber.
“We found it in the dark arts pile, it’d been buried deep within a number of books with a illusion spell cast over them. Luckily Starswirl here noticed the spell” Script said patting his companion on the back.
Starswirl merely gave a small smile. “It was nothing really, now Silver before we hand this book over to you I must tell you the bad news we found upon investigating it.”
There was no response. Either the alicorn had finally cracked from the pressure or was still trying to process the fact that the book was right in front of him, I couldn’t tell. After a few seconds of silence his wings folded and he cleared his throat. “Go ahead.”
Neither of the two unicorn’s spoke. Starswirl who was usually quite composed and dutiful actually looked uncomfortable after being given permission to say what he wanted, Script was no different. Their silence continued and soon enough I could feel the tension in the air starting to rise. Silver did as well, because perspiration had started gliding down his face.
“Well? C’mon out with it” he said impatiently, anxiety kicking in.
“It’s about the curse Cal” Script finally spoke up.
I felt my own fears kick in. This was not good news.
“Yes, I’m afraid it is” the bearded unicorn spoke next, his voice grave. Serious, very serious.
“I’m afraid there is no cure for this curse” Starswirl said shaking his head. “We’ve looked through every spell in the book and there simply is no cure for it” his eyes reflecting the sadness that Silver Caliber had on his face. “I’m sorry my friend.”
Caliber’s hind legs went weak, with a light thud he gave out and collapsed. Not from anxiety, but from the news he’d just been given. It was all too much for him to bare, his determination to find a cure is what had kept him going, but now that the truth was out he shut down..
Once everything went dark I was alone. I couldn’t feel my body, like I could feel the bodies of the others whenever I saw things through their eyes or simply from a different perspective. In fact right now I was sure I didn’t even have a body. I was just floating in this dark abyss till something would either pull me out of it and wake me up. Or pull me back into it so I could endure another dream phase.
How long have I even been out of it? I wondered. Whenever I went into these phases I was never truly asleep, but at the same time I was. I guess it didn’t make sense unless you were me, but I doubt it matters, because even I still didn’t fully process how it worked. I went on being this entity without a body, without anything to feel or touch, just floating in this endless void. If I were normal I probably would be hyperventilating at this point or freaking out that I could feel literally nothing, the thought that I was in space or even dead crossed my mind, but then I came to my senses as a light surrounded and encompassed me.
“Shhh he’s waking up”, I heard a voice say.
Fluttershy? Rarity? I thought, No this isn’t them it’s-
“Twinkle” the alicorn said softly as the vision of his wife came into view, her green mane partially covering her eyes. “Shhh, it’s okay” she said soothingly stroking his mane. “You passed out. Fatigue got the better of you” she said brushing a tear away with a slight smile touching her lips.
“I- what?” Silver Caliber said in a daze slowly easing himself up only to have the weight of his wife’s hoof push him back down. “You need to take it easy” she advised.
“The book...” the black alicorn said, his eyes slowly widening in realization. “Where is it?! Where’s Script and Starswirl? Do they still have it?! I need to-” he was cut off by Twinkle’s kiss, something that I had to admit seemed like the most calming action (and feeling, once I’d gotten used to the body) whenever Caliber got stressed.
When the kiss was finally broken Silver had calmed quite a bit. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome” she said smiling.
“Now as I was saying I need to get that book, there has to be some kind of cure for this” he said trotting towards the door only to feel a tug on his tail which then pulled him back to the bed.
Twinkle gave him a look that told him he wouldn’t be leaving this room as long as she was there.
He sighed. “Twinkle I know you’re worried but-”
“No buts!” she scolded, concern flooding into her soft voice. “You’ve been working for weeks now! Tirelessly I might add and you just collapsed from fatigue because you haven’t been getting any rest. You’re staying here!” she said accenting the demand with a stomp of her hoof.
“But-” a hoof touching his muzzle silencing him.
“Look dear... When Script and Starswirl came by, they told me, everything” I didn’t need a mirror to know what Caliber’s reaction had been to that. His hopes had been crushed.
“There’s no cure for Slingshot’s curse. There’s nothing we can do about it” her voice shaking with sadness. “I- I know you wanted to find a cure but-” the mare had started shedding tears and sniffles were getting in the way of her speech. “But-” emerald green magic wrapped itself around the mare and she was met by the strong forelegs of her husband, in a tight embrace.
“I know” he said, his voice sounding just as pained by the news as her. “I know. Don’t worry though, I know just what I’m going to do about this” he stated as he felt Twinkle’s shaking shoulders. “I promise.”
“You found a what?!” Slingshot exclaimed in surprise as the two guards made their way from Canterlot castle after their day shift had ended.
“I told ya I’d find them” Rapid Shot said tapping his peytral with pride. “Now let’s go tell you’re old man sure he’d love to hear this” the pegasus said spreading his wings and ready to take off. He was only a few feet off the ground when he was brought back down with a powerful yank.
“No!” the silver unicorn yelled in dismay. “You can’t! I don’t know what will happen if he finds out, two days ago we got some bad news and ever since then he’s only come out of the study to eat and rarely goes anywhere aside from Canterlot Library. The pony’s obsessed with his research! Mother keeps telling me that he’s been muttering some dark stuff in his sleep as well involving Vindictive, you can not give him that information!” Slingshot pleaded. “Please!”
The pegasus went silent, unsure how he felt about this. They had the chance to get the guy who did this to one of his closest friends, yet here they were actually arguing on the bastard’s well being. A grimace formed on the pegasus’ lips as he glared at his friend.
“And why should I care?” he said indignantly.
“Pardon?” Slingshot said in surprise.
“Why. Should. I. Care?!” he repeated louder. “This Vindictive guy’s nothing but a complete hopped up mongrel who deserves what’s coming to him! He didn’t give a damn about what happened to you. So why should I care what happens to him huh?” he stated.
Slingshot was silenced. He was right. Despite not even knowing him, the curse that should’ve been meant for his father. Was now on him. I knew what was coming next, but what happened instead surprised me.
Instead of being angry the unicorn was rather, placid. “Because, if dad commits a crime I’ll be the one to have to bring him in” the words doused out Rapid Shot’s anger almost instantly.
“What are you talking about?” Rapid said in defense. “You wouldn’t have to punish him when he’s bringing justice. For Celestia’s sake Sling, the guy is the one who caused you and is still causing you all this pain! Wake up and smell the sunflower!” he got up shaking his friend.
“This is madness how can you not want revenge on the one who put you through all this? Right now if I asked you to lead the way home could you do it?! Do you even remember what happened a week ago? Or what day and month your next birthday is?” his friend quipped.
Slingshot was silent.
“Answer me!”
“No” he said. “No, I don’t” he said sounding defeated. “That doesn’t mean, I can let my own father go and commit a mistake that he’ll end up regretting for the rest of his life.”
“I see” the pegasus said quietly. “I understand your concerns, I’m sorry for questioning your judgement.
Slingshot smiled, turning around. “Glad you understand now let’s-”
“I’m also sorry for this” the pegasus said, whistling Rapid took off into the air.
“Sorry for what?” the unicorn said clearly surprised by his friend’s sudden departure. The next thing he knew he saw a misty green gas surrounding him, and before he knew it he was starting to feel sleepy. “W-What in Equestria?” he said before keeling over and passing out from the gas.
Wow was the last thing I could think, before the unicorn blacked out.
“He’s where?” Silver Caliber asked the pegasus flying beside him.
“On the outer outskirts of Equestria, sir. I found a cottage out near the border of where rumors that the Crystal Empire used to be, upon having others further investigate we found that a family of three lives there. Sights have spotted in Yak Yakistan that a goldish brown alicorn lives around this particular area” he completed and as an afterthought added “Sir.”
I was once again in Silver Caliber’s shoes. And we were now flying over Equestria’s landscape with the peach pegasus leading us towards the destination. I didn’t know what was going to happen there, but all I knew was that something in the back of my mind told me this wasn’t going to end well.
“Down there” the pegasus said dragging my attention to a small cottage below. The two came in for a landing.
“What do you plan to do sir?” the (as I now believed former) friend of Slingshot asked.
“Nothing you need to worry about. Go back and tell Twinkle to get Slingshot and perform the spell we discussed on him. Do not tell her where I’ve gone” he said sternly once they’d landed.
The pegasus nodded, most likely sensing the rage that had started to radiate out of the alicorn as they neared their target. Before leaving the pegasus said one last thing “Don’t do anything that you’ll regret. Sir” Rapid Shot took off, leaving his words to linger as Silver Caliber stopped to watch him go.
“I wouldn’t dream of it” the alicorn grumbled.
Feeling the magic glowing from his horn, the alicorn had encased the door in his emerald green magic, ripping it off it’s hinges.
“What in Equestria?!” a crystal blue mare said in utter shock as she stared out the space where her door used to be. “Who are you?!” she asked trotting up to Silver Caliber and blocking his way.
“He hasn’t told you?” the alicorn asked all manner of anger dwindling.
“Hasn’t told me what, exactly?” the mare said through gritted teeth, glaring daggers up at Silver.
Silver Caliber paused watching the mare in utter disbelief before shaking his head, leaning into her very close he never broke eye contact.
Ember cringed backing her neck away from the stranger in front of her, taking a defensive step back. Silver Caliber however didn’t let her go any further as he leaned in he whispered.
“The bastard cursed my son. So I’ve come to return the favor.”
The mare’s eyes widened as she stared in horror sussing who was in front. Her legs began to shake buckling over as if they were unable to support her weight dropping her to her haunches. Silver, payed her no mind and marched right inside.
“Vinny!” he yelled. “Where are you!? Come out here you gold piece of rock so I can teach you a lesson!” Silver yelled.
If I could I would’ve shaken my head. You never announce your presence to the enemy like this, especially not when you’re in their territory. The damage had been done, because the next thing I saw was my world spinning as the gold brown striped alicorn tackled Silver Caliber and slammed him into the wall. Stunning the black winged unicorn for a few seconds.
Silver gasped, all air leaving his lungs. Vindictive scowled at his opponent. “Ember, grab PD and get out of here!” he yelled raising a hoof to strike, it was countered as Silver Caliber grabbed it with his magic and slung him across the room.
The crash that came as wood met flesh seemed to have snapped the elegant crystal blue mare from her shock. Immediately she made a dash for the door just barely managing to dodge a magical blast from Vindictive’s horn in the process as she skidded her way and slammed against the wall towards the stairs.
Luckily Silver Caliber hadn’t been blinded with rage as much as I had feared for he simply ignored Ember and focused his attention on Vindictive in front of him. He was his target, not the wife or the son, just him.
“Come to curse my son as I did yours huh? How did you find this place” the alicorn asked as he slowly leveled himself off the wall. “Who brought you here huh?!” he exclaimed shooting another blast of ruby red magic at the silver haired alicorn.
Doing a roll I thought was impossible for the equine body Silver Caliber shot his opponent with a surge of his own magic just barely clipping him. “You don’t need to know that. I’ve come to permanently end our feud. And in the process I’ve learned magic that will allow me to stop you from ever casting another harmful spell.”
“Thinking about yourself again aren’t you?” Vindictive spat as the two circled each other. “You always were a narcissist weren’t you?”
Silver stifled a cruel chuckle. “Me? What about you?” he asked raising a hoof. “You constantly say I’m a narcissist but haven’t you been acting a bit selfish lately? Just to get back at me you traveled all this way, dragging all your followers and friends with you. Even, forced your family into seclusion and then attacked my son! Now you have the gall to say I’m selfish?”
A scowl appeared across the gold alicorn’s face. “I never said I wasn’t selfish, and you know not how many times I’ve tried to get my family out in the open while I dealt with you. They decided they would stay with me so I let them. My followers and my friends Straight Forward and Iron Clad, they chose to come with me. I didn’t force them, I couldn’t have with a group of that magnitude.
“And sure you never showed it, but deep down I knew you were a selfish little prick!” he yelled his horn glowing as he tossed a shelf in his opponents direction.
Forming a shield the black alicorn watched as the shelf erupted into smaller fragments of wood. Immediately dropping the forcefield Silver Caliber shot Vindictive a pair of his own soul crunching glares. “You never really understood me did you? You say we were friends but if you really knew me then you’d know the reason I didn’t return was because I didn’t want the others involved!” he shouted shooting the alicorn with another shot of green bullets, which Vindictive managed to evade with a magical shield.
“Others!” a new form of rage taking over Vindictive’s voice. Teleporting swiftly and appearing behind Silver he landed a hoof into his left hind leg. I heard and felt a painful crunch as Caliber yelled in pain,falling to one knee.
“Now do you see what I mean! We had been together since childhood. You chose them over me! You chose people who you barely even knew over your own kin! What else is that than selfish?!” he shouted trying to land another hit to the same spot. The counter that met him was a table, smashing him into the wall.
“It’s called being smart, maybe you could try it if you could work out your anger issues!” Silver retorted limping his way over to his smushed opponent. Red light came from behind the table and then suddenly a large explosion of magic came destroying the front of the cottage, hurling Silver Caliber across the ground like a pebble skipping the surface of water. Finally skidding on the ground with a painfully stop, I could feel my own body sore from the blast as the alicorn barely managed to get on his hooves.
In the sky was Vindictive. His muzzle was bleeding and the scar that had been left across his chest years ago was once again clear, but the snort from Silver Caliber said he couldn’t care less. He was out here for blood. And he. Would. Have it.
A scream several feet away from him drew his attention as the crystal blue mare and gold stallion stood precariously at the edge of a collapsed part of the building. Both attacker’s went into a state of stand-still as the mare and her son fought to maintain the balance between the two of them. Then a piece of the floor holding Ember up collapsed.
She screamed, a scream so frightening I thought for sure I was in a horror movie, if it hadn’t been for Poison Dart saving his mom by keeping her afloat with his magic. I could tell however it was putting a strain on the stallion and he wouldn’t be able to contain it much longer.
Then just like that I felt the wings on Silver’s back spread open as he got to his hooves, feeling no pain and rushing forward, Vindictive had no doubt done the same because a golden streak of light mixed with brown and red came up right behind us soon after. The two alicorns were racing to reach the mare first as Poison Dart desperately tried to maintain hold of his mother and lower her down safely to the ground and away from any tumbling debris that would end her. Just as he was about to let her touch the ground his concentration broke, as a part of the roof collapsed on where he stood.
Ember let out a small shriek before realizing she was safely on the ground, turning her attention towards her son she watched in horror as he leaped off the edge of his standpoint and landed on the other side of his collapsed room. That soon came to collapse under his weight also, as there were no beams to support the floorboards underneath.
CRACK!
I heard as the unicorn felt the boards fall underneath him and crash into a million pieces of splinter where the kitchen used to be. All these splinters now facing upwards their new goal: make mince-meat out of anyone foolish enough to land on them. The unicorn’s face contorted in fear, his horn glowing as he focused and just barely managed to escape the death trap in time. However, this didn’t mean they were out of danger yet. The boards that had collapsed earlier supporting the unicorn’s weight for a few seconds had been the one’s that supported one of the cottage’s pillars, since those were gone then that meant.
Everything came apart.
Vindictive was now ahead of Silver Caliber and just before a log from the roof managed to crush his wife the gold alicorn swiped her up and carried her away from the building, quickly trying to drop her off as soon as possible so he could save his son. Fate however would have it otherwise as the moment the couple shot out of the window adjacent to Ember, a group of the remaining logs, that were the ceiling came down to crush the gold unicorn as he stood in terror. With his magic spent, there would be no escape this time.
I suddenly felt Silver Caliber’s wings double over in work. Quickening his pace so he could cover the distance between himself and the young unicorn his horn began to, glow.
Everything went slow. I couldn’t see anything since Silver Caliber’s eyes were shut, his breathing heavy, I could feel his heartbeat (or maybe it was mine?) beating rapidly. Then quickly he opened them, as he came in contact with Poison Dart’s coat the alicorn’s horn quickly gained an overglow, coating that soon enveloped himself and the young unicorn in green emerald light before the two disappeared, just in the nick of time as the log’s were seconds away from crushing them.
Pain.
I remembered that every time I went into a dream phase everything I felt in my host’s body could all be felt through mine. Although as soon as I woke up that pain would gradually subside. Perhaps it was an effect of the dream, maybe it was just my overbearing imagination playing tricks on both my mind and body. Who knows, who cares. All I knew is that I could feel both my body and mind in complete and utter wreck.
Silver Caliber’s eyes slowly opened to the brightness of the world. “Are you alright?” he asked his voice hoarse and dry. The nod from the unicorn was all that assured him as he rolled off Poison Dart and layed on his back. A grunt of pain escaped his lips. His wings were sore, he’d overworked them way more than necessary and I could still feel the pain in his left hind leg.
“Why?” I heard Poison Dart say once he’d regained some composure.
“Why did you save me? I heard you say that you wanted revenge. If you wanted to get payback you could’ve just left me there to die” said, rather too bluntly for my liking.
“I’m taking revenge on your father” the battered up alicorn sighed before rolling onto his stomach and trying to stand up only to fall on a knee and try again. “You’re father cursed my son. At this moment my wife, and friends are trying to conjure up a spell that will reduce the effects of the curse Vinny placed on him” his voice growing a bit weak as the next words came out. “Even if I can’t completely cure him. I can at least try to alleviate some of his pain.”
The unicorn sat up obviously feeling greatly uncomfortable by the information. He opened his mouth to speak, but then closed it.
“I’m sorry” he finally said.
“Pardon?”
“On behalf of what my father has done I’m sorry, I didn’t think he’d do something so awful. I understand you’d be mad. If I had a son and that happened to him...well I’d probably take revenge on the stallion who hurt him” the gold unicorn smiled sheepishly, with kindness.
Silver Caliber’s lips slowly curled into a smile. He was about to respond till he saw out of the corner of his eye something rush towards them then abruptly stop.
It was Vindictive.
“What did you do to him!” the alicorn yelled as his eyes quickly scanned signs of any injury to his son..
“He’s done nothing wrong dad!” Poison Dart yelled back. “You on the other hand have done quite enough!”
The statement made Vindictive’s wings freeze before he fell to the ground with a thud. “I-I’m sorry what di-”
“I said you’ve done enough. What you did to Slingshot was horrible!” the unicorn said scolding his father. “How could you do something so cruel! Why I have half a mind to let your friend teach you a lesson” he stated firmly. Silver Caliber and Vindictive however were both too surprised to say anything.
“You sure do get it from your mother” was the only thing he could say after a few minutes of silence, this only made Poison Dart beam.
Silver Caliber watched silently as father and son bonded, then he realized. This is my chance. Focusing with some effort, the black alicorn felt perspiration form on his brows as he focused on the spell that would end all this once and for all. His horn glowing, sparks flying from the tip.
Vindictive had just turned his attention to SIlver Caliber when he saw that the black alicorns magic had shifted from green, to black. Shit! he thought, immediately trying to stand, but found his body would not listen. “Aw curse the nine hells!”
Poison Dart now also took notice of what was going on. Caliber had begun the spell wasting no time in taking advantage of this moment. He began wondering if a shield spell would be best to protect his father since he did not know that he wasn’t the target. Vindictive’s voice soon pulled the unicorn out of his thoughts.
“Son run! He wants payback for what I did! Leave, I’ll hold him off as best I can” Vindictive stated, his body shaking as he strained himself to get on to his hooves.
Poison Dart frowned at his father. He does deserve what’s coming to him he thought, but quickly shook his head. No, though what he did was wrong. I can’t forget that he’s done a lot to make me and mom happy all these years. Just as the gold unicorn wrapped his father in his magic he saw Silver Caliber straighten himself, horn slowly emitting dark sparks as it made its transition..
“Vindictive for what you’ve done, I’ve decided that I’m going to take away the thing that gave you the power to let you cast that curse. Your magic. I found this spell within the dark arts pile, under a different book than yours, but it is a curse nonetheless. This curse is going to sap every drop of magic you have that let’s you cast a spell.
“You’ll never hurt me...or anyone else again till the day you die” Silver Caliber said gravely, his eyes closed as he said the last words. Opening them again he pointed his horn at the gold alicorn in front of him.
“Move son” he said to Poison Dart. “I don’t want to hurt you. This curse isn’t meant for you. It belongs to the man you’re trying to help.”
Poison Dart lifted his father up listening to Silver’s words.
He was right. Though the man was his father, should he really stand against the one that he has wronged? Shouldn’t he just let his father take the punishment and let this all pass peacefully? the unicorn looked at his father who gave him a small encouraging smile.
“It’s okay son...I’ll accept what’s coming to me” Vindictive said doing his best to put up a front.
It didn’t fool the stallion. Because behind that brave front was a scared stallion who was probably begging for forgiveness in ways that none of them couldn’t understand, this was confirmed when he saw a tear build up in his father’s eyes which he quickly blinked away.
“Alright” the unicorn said, his decision made. He took a few steps back, and as he did so Vindictive gave his son a sad smile, a smile that said don’t worry I know what I’m doing.
The gold unicorn smiled back, just as sad. “So do I” he whispered.
Vindictive turned his head to Silver Caliber and with a shaky breath sighed. “Before you launch your spell I want to say one thing. I’m sorry about your son” he said doing his best to hide the emotion, the guilt he felt.
Silver Caliber stared at his friend for a long time his horn still emitting the dark glow, sparks still flying before breaking the silence. “I know my old friend...I know.” He fired, a blast occurred the bolt of dark magic flying towards Vindictive and just as it was a few inches away a blur ran right in front of him.
“You’ve suffered enough. We all have” the blur said before getting enveloped in the dark magic, the body falling to the ground.
Both Silver Caliber and Vindictive stared in shock by the sudden turn of events.
Poison Dart had taken the curse for his father.
I didn’t know what to say. Seeing what I just saw I felt conflicted, but there was no time for that because the next thing I knew I was staring at a mirror with four shadows in front of me, three unicorns stepping out.
Twinkle, Script and Starswirl were standing in front of the pony who looked up at the mirror Slingshot.
“Hey buddy” a familiar voice said from the shadows revealing himself. It was Rapid Shot.
“Rapid!” the unicorn said in surprise. “What am I-” he paused as his memories slowly came back. The gas. “That was you?!” the unicorn yelled scrambling to his hooves and trying to attack the pegasus in front of him only to hear a changeling sound rise from beneath his right hind leg. He was shackled.
“We had to take precautions in case you tried to well...attack” Script explained.
“Uncle Script what’s going on here?” the silver unicorn asked confused. “Why am I chained up, where’s dad and why are you all here?”
Starswirl spoke next. “Your father has gone to deal with matters.”
Slingshot’s eyes rose in horror. “What!” Twinkle yelled what he thought. “You let him go face off against Vindictive with that new spell he learned?!” she yelled clearly upset. “How could you be so-”
Starswirl interrupted. “Stupid? Yes I know, but I also know what it is like to watch somepony suffer, your husband had done enough of that” his words made the anger seep out of the purple unicorn.
“Now he’s given us his word that the spell will only touch Vindictive and as long as no unseen events occur everything should go as planned” Starswirl said now changing the subject, “We’ve come to put the protection spell on you” he said turning to Slingshot.
“What protection spell?” he asked his eyes narrowing.
“It’s a spell that will help minimize the damage of the curse. One of the strongest one’s so far, Starswirl came up with a few months ago before you were cursed” Rapid Shot responded.
“I see” the silver unicorn’s eyes narrowing. “I thought you said it couldn’t be cured though.”
“It can’t” Script answered quickly adding, “but it can be contained.”
“Contained?”
Twinkle nodded, nuzzling her son. “The spell will help minimize the effects of the curse as best it can. Though it won’t work immediately. It’ll take time, how long we’re not sure but it’s the best bet we have, and we’re willing to do it for you. That is” she said releasing Slingshot and looking into his eyes. “if you’re willing?” the pleading in her voice was clear.
With his eyes glancing side to side I suddenly felt him biting his lip. “Alright let’s do this” he said with determination. “If it’ll minimize the curse and help with my future descendants. Let’s do it.”
Everyone smiled, getting into position the three unicorns were set to cast the spell. “Now this may sting. A lot” Script added as their horns began to glow. “You sure you want to do this?”
Slingshot nodded closing his eyes.
*** ***** ***
“Poison Dart why did you take the hit for me?” Vindictive’s voice asked clearly upset by the turn of events. Silver Caliber merely trembled with both anger and grief.
Poison Dart slowly rose his mind swimming as he tried to grasp what his father had said, I was now in his body. To be honest this was all starting to make me feel dizzy with the constant body swapping.
As the gold unicorn shook his head I could suddenly tell that something was very...off. It wasn’t like before when I was in his body. It felt... almost hollow, empty like something had been ripped or taken away from him. It felt disturbing.
His mind now clear the unicorn looked up at his father and smiled sadly. “You’ve suffered enough” he said.
And you haven’t?
“We all have” he continued looking between his father and Silver Caliber who looked like grief was firmly wrapping itself around him.
I felt the unicorn’s lips curl up just a little at the corners barely forming a smile. “Don’t feel guilty Silver, I chose to take the punishment for him. I knew if I didn’t” his vision now turned to his father. “He would forever be tortured by what he’s done.”
Vindictive’s lips trembled, I could see the tears beginning to form in his eyes as his anger slowly subsided but didn’t dim, turning his head towards Silver the striped alicorn looked ready to attack, his wings spreading open.
“YOU!” he yelled. Poison Dart and I watched as the striped alicorn tackled Silver to the ground.
“You ruin everything!” he yelled putting all his weight into the tackle I watched the two struggle.
“You know I never meant to hit him! It was an accident!” Silver retorted trying to squirm free of Vindictive’s grasp..
“Lies! You must’ve known! How could you!? How could you do this to me?!” Vindictive raised a hoof and slammed it into Silver’s wing yielding a scream from the black alicorn as Poison Dart and winced at the popping sound.
“Let’s finish this” Vindictive said spitting some blood out of his mouth. “Once and for all” raising a hoof, ready to dislocate Silver’s other wing, till the a blow to the gut knocked the wind out of him. Wincing in pain the alicorn stumbled off Silver and stopped by his side looking to see who his attacker was. It was Poison Dart.
“I chose this. Enough’s enough” he said strictly. His eyes radiating the sternness he felt. Vindictive froze, the look his son was giving him made him want to stop all mannerism of retaliation.
Turning his attention to the injured alicorn on the ground Poison Dart offered a hoof to Silver Caliber, a hoof he gladly accepted.
It took a bit more effort as Silver Caliber was greatly injured his wing, limp on his side and his left hind leg lifted up so as not to apply too much weight to it. The bruises surrounding his body only made him look worse so Poison Dart had to use magic to support him.
His magic flickered on and off as I could feel his very strength draining. Finally with a jerk of his head he lifted Silver Caliber up to his hooves. The alicorn stumbled before steadying himself, gently placing his injured leg down before he breathed a sigh of relief.
“Thanks” Silver said in a low voice. “And I’m sorry about the curse. It was never meant for you.”
“I know” Poison Dart said sadly, as his ears twitched to the sound of clicking hooves behind him.
Watching Silver turn around and slowly trot away was surprisingly more painful to watch. That is at least till I would later realize that Poison Dart would be the one to suffer a more fatal destiny in the following days to come.
“Ready?” Script repeated.
The unicorn nodded. And I was back in Slingshot’s body.
A flash of yellow light encompassed Starswirl’s horn, tangerine with Twinkle and bluish-green for Script. Together the three unicorns blasted Slingshot with their magic. And in the process it combined strangely enough to form a pink spectrum.
Script screamed, in response and I was sure I did as well. The magic felt like it was attacking our body rather than doing anything to stop the curse, but maybe that’s where it was. Maybe it had become part of the body? My thoughts soon became a jumbled mess as an electrifying wave of pain surged through Slingshot then into me.
I could vaguely hear Twinkle say “Should we stop?” Starswirl’s voiced replied with a firm “No” the rest was just a buzz as I felt a ringing in Slingshot’s ears.
The pain, was unbearable, it was like I had several horrible wounds scattered around my body and salt had been poured, sprinkled all over them. With lemon juice for good measure.
I soon came to regret this analogy.
Suddenly I could feel a horrible burning tingling sensation coming from my hooves, wrapping around the rest of my body. Slingshot gritted his teeth, the burning felt like alcohol on a wound, it burnt at first, then went numb then burnt some more. The sensation getting worse by the second.
Just when I thought I was sure to pass out from the pain Silver was experiencing it stopped. The pink spectrum still around his body till it slowly faded into nothing. Silver Caliber entered just as the process was over.
Starswirl turned to look at the alicorn and said “It is done.” The silver unicorn fell back on to his hooves, smoke cascading from his body, then he passed out. And I woke up.
<(((((O)))))>
*** ***** ***
I gasped lurching forward and feeling like my entire body had been dumped into a truck full of itching powder that had been lit on fire I fell off the bed and panted, my breathing was heavy and I felt sticky with sweat. My forelegs were the ones that especially burnt the most along with my forehead, and the sides of my jaw. Like there were markings on them. In fact everything felt like it was on fire. When I tried to move, my muscles would only scream at me to stop, forcing me to to freeze. Suddenly I felt nauseous and had the urge to throw up.
Luckily somepony around me levitated a trash can next to me which I gladly barfed into. My sight now blurry, my nostrils were flaring as I felt the same burning sensation on my body fill them. Every breath I took was like a punch to the face. I wheezed, coughed then lurched forward pulling the trash bin next to me as I barfed up the contents of the meal I had eaten the entire day.
Once I was done vomiting and had calmed down a bit, I suddenly noticed the entire room was silent. Looking around I was met with the terrified stares of everypony, except Discord who simply looked worried. Princess Luna had now trotted over to my side and was gently rubbing a hoof against my back as I coughed once again.
Princess Celestia had brought a bottle of water that I could use to rinse my mouth of the bile I now tasted. Twilight, Spike and the rest were either all still in too much shock to even move or were still digesting what had just occurred.
“Can you move?” Princess Celestia asked me kindly, her voice full of unconditional concern and care that only a mother would have for her child. If I weren’t feeling so ill, I would’ve made a perverted joke out of it, but in the state I was it was impossible.
“Here let us help you up” Luna said gently wrapping me in her magic and lifting me back up on the bed.
With my mouth now dry I felt slightly better after barfing up the contents of my breakfast. The entire room went silent, not even Discord would make a joke after what just happened. I felt...uncomfortable almost immediately.
It was Rarity who broke the silence next, as I hopped off the bed and landed on my shaky hooves. “Hailstorm...you are feeling a bit better now yes?” she asked with concern.
If I weren’t feeling to bad and so sticky, gross and probably smelly I would’ve hugged her. “I’m fine thanks” I replied warmly.
“Well that’s great sugar” Applejack said with a warm smile of her own, though it barely counted for one since the corners of her lips didn’t really curl.
Rainbow Dash spoke next. “We’re glad you’re awake now you had us terrified when you started screaming in pain and then suddenly woke up like that” she said bluntly. Everyone fixed her a stare.
“What?” she said. “I was worried for the guy is that wrong?”
Applejack shook her head. “It wasn’t because ya were wrong, it’s just maybe ya could’ve phrased it a little better” she said.
Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “Fine” she whispered the last bit so no one could hear. “I was scared for you alright?” she said with crossed hooves. Everyone went silent as they waited for her to speak up. A slight flush came over her face as she quickly changed the subject.
“Hey what’s that?!” she yelled pointing to my flank, which I immediately covered up with my tail involuntarily.
Everyone’s eyes widened as they stared at my rather beautiful rump. “Hailstorm” Twilight said her eyes glued to it. “Y-You have a cutie mark!”
“Say what now?”
Discord suddenly snapping his claw made a mirror appear out of thin air. “Take a look” he offered holding it up.
Rushing over to the mirror I placed my (rather handsome) flank in its range, my eyes widening in exasperation. They were right. On both my flanks (or at least the side I could see) was a cutie mark . Four swords; two on one side were silver the other two opposite of it it black, each touching at the hilts to form a diamond like shape around a shield that protruded from underneath. Inscribed on the shield in giant blue letters:
B
A
directly crossing it, in a vertical line accordingly. There it was my cutie mark. And I had no idea why or when I’d gotten it during my dream phase. Although that wasn’t what currently preoccupied my mind at the moment.
Staring at my flank and the rather cool looking tattoo on my butt, I couldn’t help but grin.
“Bad Ass” I chuckled at the irony. “Heh...that’s awesome” I mused more to myself than any of the others that had been staring at my new found cutie-mark. The humor however soon died as something clicked in my brain.
Why did I suddenly get the cutie mark now? Then another thought occurred to me. All that pain I went through was exactly around the same time that protection spell had been placed on Slingshot.
A memory regarding something that Iron Clad said began to surface.
“It can be passed down from generation to generation, the only downside is it skips one generation after its leeched onto a host, then goes to the generation after the second one. A curse that’s been rumored to last forever. The End of Time curse.”
I gulped there’s no way, I denied the fact internally. Slingshot had amnesia, all I have is...this whatever this even is, but then another image of what the grey unicorn had said floated to mind.
“What’s even more entertaining is that it can be modified, to change its effects on each new host after time, growing worse as time passes.”
There was no denying it now. My mind began fitting in all the pieces like a puzzle.
The curse that had been placed on Slingshot over a thousand years ago, had now transferred to me. Because I was his descendant, that curse had now fixated itself on to me, having skipped either my father or mother, and went through multiple transfigurations as each new host was affected. And now it was my turn.
“You’re a descendant of Silver Caliber...aren’t you?” Princess Celestia asked tearing me away from my shocked state of mind.
I stayed silent my throat still dry and my body still shaking, feeling weak from the recent events I needed to sit down, so that’s exactly what I did. I sat my flank right on the ground, Discord now teleporting the mirror away since I no longer needed it. Everyone remained silent, waiting for me to say something.
“Y-yes” I said absentmindedly, my mind still factoring everything in. “I suppose I am...”
Another thought hit me as I stared absently into nothing, this thought wrenched a feeling of fear in me.
“If Vindictive’s curse has affected my family up till now...then that means” my eyes widened in horror.
Oh my-- Poison Dart’s descendants were also affected by Silver Caliber’s curse!
I suddenly felt a flash of anger rise in me. Anger and sorrow, this was like history repeating itself all over again, only this time it was between two friends, one who meant to harm another, the other who wanted justice. And now us, the descendants of those two, were paying for it.
There was an eery silence in the room once again.
“Hailstorm?” Applejack asked with concern, approaching me slowly I felt her foreleg wrap around my back comfortingly, as my face’s stunned expression remained vigilant. “What’s wrong?”
I wanted to snap, shout that everything was wrong. But I couldn’t, not at Applejack, not at any of them. This was something that humans had brought on themselves, just like many other horrid things happening in the world for either no reason or reasons we don’t understand.
Without moving, without turning my head to the orange country pony I continued to stare blankly at the floor, almost in a daze.
“Everything...” I intoned biting my lip as my heart fell with ambivalent feelings.
“Everything’s wrong” I whispered.
It was now night, after bathing at Fluttershy’s cottage Twilight asked Celestia and Luna to give me sometime to process everything.A smart move just like always. Now we were back in the castle, I didn’t say goodbye to anyone when we left, not after everything I had went through that afternoon. It felt unnecessary.
Now I was laying on the floor as Twilight was for the twelfth time reading her books. I knew she’d read them all, about a month before I came to this world since I had seen her say that she was so bored and wanted something to do.
Yet here she was, reading one of the books she’d finished so many other times before. Every once in awhile I’d catch her glancing at me, like she had something she wanted to say, but felt like she couldn’t say it. I just ignored it, I was in no mood to entertain the young princess’s curiosity.
Spike had returned from the kitchen with a bowl of milk, as I had requested.
“Here you go” he said lowering the bowl in front of me with a smile.
“Thanks” I said glumly lowering my head and sipping the ice cold liquid.
It’s been almost two months since I came to Equestria approximately estimating five weeks, and I still was incapable of grasping anything with my hooves. The way the others did it sometimes still left my mind boggled and confused as I constantly tried to apply all manners of logic to the issue, which would ultimately result in a headache. Eventually I just got used to the fact I’d never be able to use my hooves for anything and resorted in using my teeth instead.
Finishing the rest of the milk I licked my lips, trying to get at the stache on it. A napkin clad in lavender magic however touched my lips dabbing it gently, once done I looked up to see Twilight looking up at me from her book. I gave her a weak smile, which she returned just as weak.
“So” she started closing her book and facing me.
Here we go I thought turning my head in her direction an eyebrow raised ever so slightly in question.
“About what happened today” she continued, being extremely cautious about the issue knowing how clearly shaken up I was.
“What happened back there?”
“I don’t know what you mean” I answered turning my head away from her.
She frowned, ears dropping. “That’s not an answer Hailstorm”, I heard the clicking of her hooves as she got closer to me. “Quit being so stubborn and talk to me.”
Scoffing I continued to ignore her.
“Hailstorm” Twilight said. My ears twitched but I didn’t respond.
She grinned. Suddenly in a swift movement I hadn’t sensed, I felt her warm breath near my ear, I could feel my cheeks growing slightly warmer. And I swear I thought I felt her nibble it.
“Hailstorm” she whispered against my ear her warm breath sending a slight shiver down my spine. “Tell me your secrets” she cooed gently.
My eyes shot open looking around quickly, I saw Twilight still reading her book. The bowl of milk Spike had brought me nearly finished. I sighed with relief. “It was just a dream.”
A normal one though? my conscience inquired, I ignored it now was not the time for me to be thinking up reasons why I’d have a normal dream at this moment. Especially since I actually liked where that one had been going too bad you woke up the inner me stated.
“Hailstorm” Twilight said her voice pulling me out of my inner conflict. Looking at me with her book now closed, she paused like she had something of extreme importance to say.
Deja vu much?
“About what happened back there...you don’t have to talk about it with anypony if you don’t want to.” I remained mute as she continued “What happened back there really shook you up, so just talk to us when you’re ready okay?” she said with an encouraging smile.
I nodded, feeling some comfort from her words. “Thanks, pressures the last thing I need right now.”
My body almost immediately lost all feelings tenseness as it had been since I’d gained my cutie mark, I relaxed. For the first I’d also noticed how sore my entire body was since everything that had happened. At least this time I might actually get the chance to relax a bit even if it lasted only a few minutes.
A few seconds and all elation and serenity I felt melted away when I could faintly hear words begin to echo in the back of my mind.
“Torture...Pain...Suffering .Forever yours, as long as we are one”
The rest of the night I spent with Twilight and Spike as they did their research watching them. Even after they went to bed I stayed in the library, not daring to go up to my own room.
Once again, I didn’t sleep, because this curse...wouldn’t let me.
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