//------------------------------// // Chapter 3: Past, Present, Ponyville // Story: The Everfree Chronicles: The Alchemist // by Roran Dreamon //------------------------------// Ponyville Outskirts, 5 Years Ago Ponyville was in its regular routine, pegasi were flying around, moving clouds into positions, unicorns and earth ponies chatting with one another as they talked about current events or trying to negotiate about prices on food or other random items that were up on the stalls for sell. Outside of the town, standing on a lone hill with a large tree on top of the hill, stands one lone pony, breathing heavily from a long march out of the Everfree Forest. This one pony, a black unicorn wearing a torn dusty black cloak, its hood covering the colt's face, making him appear to be an outsider, and all he can hear is the unintelligible chatter coming from within the town. "Ponyville...you changed a little bit...more houses...a few strange looking houses but nothing more...and the farm..." as I gaze at Sweet Apple Acres in the distant, seemingly has grown a bit. "You haven't changed at all, you are still the same as I left you...maybe I should pay my friend a visit..and give him a surprise he will never forget." my voice now has a dual tone, both my regular sounding voice mixed with my hatred and shattered self. As I trot to the farm, I realize that their was a new pony working on the farm, and by the little one's appearance, it is a small filly, an orange coat with blonde mane and tail held together by two small red bands and wearing a cowpony hat. This new filly gave me the chills just thinking about it, how did this filly get here...why is she here...and what should I do if I get caught and I get exposed. "You can always kill her if she tells on you...it is easy, just like how we killed those manticores and timber wolves back home in the forest, if we can kill beasts we can kill a pony. said the dark half. "I will not kill unless it is absolutely required...and besides those are beasts that do not speak or think like us...we can easily kill things that always wish to inflict harm upon us...we can not kill ponies that can actually think and not wish harm upon us...so shut it before I use my training to lock you in my head and I will ignore your suggestions...am I understood." I said to my self, and if any pony was looking at me at this very moment, they would think that I am talking to myself, and think that I have gone completely insane. As I keep trotting to the farm, my head slightly feels light as a feather, and I start to get the feeling that this was not a good idea. Almost on Que, I see Macintosh bucking a tree, knocking all the apples down, and when I see him, I notice that he has grown as well, but his bulk is more noticeable and that he is actually taller than me by at least a few inches. As I watch him buck the tree, he looks in my general direction, than looks away only to do a double-take, and as soon as he notices that I am right their near the entrance to the farm, he quickly gallops right to me, and from my point of view, ready to buck me a structurally superfluous new flank. I almost shut my eyes as my horn slowly glows a ghastly silver aura, bracing myself into a stable stance, creating a shield around me to stop him from bucking me into next year. But as I raise the shield, he stops his charge and actually tries to talk to me, which I was not expecting. "Nightshade...is that you? I thought that you weren't allowed back here for killen that filly back in school?" his voice has gone deeper the last time I saw him, and his words weren't as mumbled as well. "Macintosh...it has been...5...long...bloody...horrible...years...and that is all you can say to me? I thought we were friends Mac, you and me, we were friends, we had each others backs in case something happened, and guess what happened when I was getting exiled..." I said with anger and rage in my voice. "For 5 YEARS I HAVE BEEN IN THE EVERFREE FOREST! DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT IT IS LIKE TO LOSE EVERYTHING YOU HOLD DEAR IN AN INSTANT! my voice quickly rising into a full blown shout, nearly causing my hood to be taken down from the force. I stand at the entrance to the farm, my voice slowly echoing because of the trees acting like an acoustic device, and throwing my words a lot farther than I intended them to go. As I spoke, I lower the shield, allowing myself to slowly advance unto his position, making him slowly back-peddle in slow growing fear. "YOU AND ME MAC! We were friends...and on that day 5 years ago...you didn't speak up for me...you just stood there and watched it all happen...you and me, we had a pact that we would watch each others backs in case some bully or jerk would cause harm to us, and what do you do when I was on the exiled path..." my voice slowly breaking down, giving in to emotions. Macintosh kept moving back, now starting to fear that his once normal friend has now returned for vengeance against him and against everypony else that was present at his exile. "Mac...I trusted you...I trusted you with my life...and you betrayed me...do you know how much that hurts..." I said, my voice now raspy and ragged. As I took another step, I saw the small filly standing next to Macintosh, and upon closer inspection from my safe distance away from the two, I notice that the young filly must be her younger sister. I quickly step back, realizing that I was almost going to end his life right in front of his little sister's face. "You should be happy...friend, that you have a family to be with...never being alone...but the next time I see you...you better be stronger...for everypony in Ponyville will suffer for taking everything away from me...even you Macintosh will suffer for not standing up for me all those years ago...and little filly...grow up big and strong...he will need you." I said, my voice devoid of any emotion or life, almost mechanical. As I slowly trot away, I can hear Macintosh slowly trying to catch up to me, only to be interrupted by my magic temporarily locking him in place, making him fall over from his weight throwing him off balance. "Wait!" Mac shouted, his voice still had the hint of fear, but it also had something else, something that I can't quite put my hoof on it. "And why...should I wait for you...no pony waited for me when I left Ponyville...I am an exile...you have a NORMAL life ahead of you...while me...hehehe...I have a new life...and soon...I will return...in another 5 years...I will return." as I kept trotting away, I use an illusion spell that I learned to make myself slowly fade from sight, leaving him in the wind to ponder over the words I have spoken to him. Ponyville So...this is what has changed...a few new stalls...two new stores...and the library seems to have not changed in the slightest...this is perfect. I grin to myself, feeling better that not a single pony has noticed my presence, but than again every pony that looked at me simply trotted out of my way and stayed as far from me as physically possible. Even the little fillies and colts stayed away from me, thinking that I am some sort of evil pony that was going to put a curse on them if they got to close to me. I sigh deeply, already getting annoyed, but I know that if they know my voice, and actually remember that it was me that was standing right before them instead of a complete stranger, than I will get the hang ponies noose instead of getting kicked out a second time. And I was not planning on getting executed anytime soon, or in my case, running into an old friend of mine, or should I say an old teacher of mine. "Mrs. Cheerilee...excuse me for bumping into you." my dark self said, straining each word even though he wanted nothing more than to end her life for causing our exile. "Oh, I am sorry, but it is I that must say excuse me, I did not see you and well..I bumped into you, so sorry little one." she said, her voice still had its usual teacher authority even though school would be out at the time of day...I think. I quickly back peddle away from her, not wanting to make a scene and all, but being next to the teacher that got me exiled gave me the feeling that she will easily see right through my little disguise and blow up everything I have planned right into my face. "Erm...yea...okay...sorry about that...but..I must be off..." I stumble my words so she thinks that I am nervous, and just as quickly as I got to the town center, I gallop out and moving to the nearest fabric shop I can find, and low and behold I see the one such building, and by its appearance it looks like a carnival ride, but from what I see in the moving carriage, I see piles upon piles of fabrics, each one ranging from different hue's and textures, even a slight glance I notice a single roll of black fabric, and I knew that I had to grab it. 'So...what are you waiting for, just levitate the stupid fabric wheel out of the carriage and just make it invisible so we can get the hell out of here before we are discovered.' 'Fine than...but if I get caught, and we manage to get back to our castle in one piece than I am going to kick your ass...even if it hurts me physically.' Just as I turn around to grab the fabric wheel, I notice that their is a white unicorn levitating the fabrics out from the carriage, this one was different from the others I have seen, this mare had a pristine white coat, her mane and tail was both a purple shade, and both had a twirl fashion to it, and by my guess she was from a wealthy family by the words she is saying, almost sounding like an uptight noble in Canterlot. 'Wow...a wealthy mare living in a normal village...maybe to escape from her past that she has committed, or is just tired of living a rich life and wants a new start, we can relate to that can't we?' my mind said, but instead of the usual 'kill everything' voice, this was now normal and almost sounded like mine. 'Getting cold feet now are we? And besides, I am sure that she is married...and to most likely another uptight noble, so if we even mess with her we might end up in jail or worse the dungeons up in Canterlot, and I rather not waste away in prison for spirits know how long, so shut it, I will quickly grab it and run...we already spent most of the day at that damn farm...with that traitor of a friend.' I quickly look around, making sure that this new mare did not see what I was going to do, and was ready to gallop at the first sign of trouble. "Excuse me sir...but where did you get that horrid cloak, it looks like a manticore has chewed on it and spat it back out." just by that mare saying that, I can already tell that this day just went from bad to worse. "Well...erm...Miss...I made this myself 5 years ago, and this cloak has lasted these 5 years, and it has been into bad situations but I am not ready yet to retire this." I said, trying to sound not like some bumpkin that was uneducated, and most certainly did not want to sound like a noble, just the thought of being one made me feel sick to my stomach. "I see, a gentlecolt that knows how to handle fabrics and a colt that has manners, why that is a rare thing to see now these days." she said, her voice sounding highly refined and sophisticated. "Yea...well...it seems that you also know how to handle your fabrics...Miss..." I start to smile shyly, knowing that the longer I speak to her, the more likely the chance that I mess up badly and blow my cover. "Oh, where are my manners, my name is Rarity, and this, my gentlecolt, is the Carousel Boutique, were everything is sheek, unique, and magnifique." she said with pride in her voice. "Wow...looks like a carnival ride..but by the looks of the fabrics...a clothing store...but most ponies do not even wear anything...so I am guessing the clothes you make are for special occasions or for just casual wear?" I said, sounding somewhat interested. "Yes! Wow, you keep amazing me my gentlecolt...you know I never really got your name..." she said, now sounding almost inquisitively. 'Oh crap she is figuring out that I am not allowed here, I am gonna to die' "Well...Miss Rarity...my name is..." 'Lie Lie Lie Lie Lie' " my name is Nightshade." 'Way to go dumbass...now we are royally fucked now...' 'Oh shut up...I highly doubt that she will even remember my name by tomorrow morning.' "Well...Mr. Nightshade...would you like to come inside and maybe." she slightly closes her eyes at me, leaving them half-open "maybe we can get you a new set of clothes, maybe something high end and maybe a little something to show off your muscles that you have...seems like you work hard." her voice going back to its professional status. 'Oh thank god...I almost bit the bullet and passed out in front of her...why am I acting like such an idiot in front of her.' "I am sorry Miss Rarity...but I must be going...I have...somewhere important to go...erm...yea...so...I will see you later...maybe tomorrow...so..yea...bye!" I quickly said as I galloped away from her, but when she turned away from me for a split second, I quickly grab the black fabric and turned it invisible and place it on my back, keeping it balanced as I ran like a bat out of hell away from Ponyville. 'It seems that you have the hots for her...and trust me, I do not blame you.' 'Shut up! I do not! And I swear if you say that to anypony else I will flay your coat and make you eat it.' 'Sheesh dude fine, and besides, I know you can not hide it.' I said nothing as I kept galloping, as soon as I reach the edge of the Everfree, I notice that their are two guards and a carriage near the last building. And almost at the same time me and my mind spoke at the same time. '' Oh you got to be fucking shitting me...how in the Seven Hells did Celestia even find us?' Just as I try to stop myself, the two guards look at me and almost immediately identify me. "HALT! IN THE NAME OF THE PRINCESS, EXILE STAY WHERE YOU ARE!" both guards shouted in unison. 'Forget that, just keep running and just throw the two out of your path, we are not going to get capture tonight' As I resumed my galloping, I notice that those two guards are pegasi, so I can not out run them, but I can put both to sleep if I must, and just as I get within spitting distance, that was when the carriage door opens, and not only to my horror, even my evil self was shocked in horror, and out steps Princess Celestia, Nightmare Moon's and my own worst nightmare. 'Just keep moving you fool, and do not stop, and if you get captured I am not helping you escape capture, I will leave you on your own, and if you live, I will be discussing your punishment for speaking to that snobbish mare.' Well at least I know that Nightmare Moon has been watching me the entire time... "WE SAID HALT!" both guards shouted again, this time standing in a defensive position. "Sorry you two...but I am not dying here tonight..." I said, my voice raspy again, as I use my magic to put both to sleep, seemingly easy, which this shouldn't be easy. I barely manage to gallop past them as I enter the forests edge, and out of reach of Celestia, or so I thought. "And...where do you think you are going my little exiled friend." said the voice that was above me. "Oh...buck me..." was all I managed to say before I to succumb to sleep. Canterlot, Canterlot Dungeons I wake up to the sounds of water dripping onto my face, as I get up slowly, I realize that I was in a cell...a prison cell no less, with a hammock and a bucket in the corner...perfect... "Well..this is just perfect...fan-bucking-tastic...prison..." I said with sarcasm. "Shut up in their you worm." said the prison guard. "Oh yea, buck you, what are you going to do, gag me?" I said, now laughing a bit. 'Well...now what...we are in prison...trapped no less and with no food or water...seems like we are going to die...any idea's on how to get out of here?' "Yea...a few idea's...but it depends...how crazy are you willing to become?"