//------------------------------// // Chapter 8 (part 2) // Story: The great and powerful... Merasmus!? // by The Lutece twins //------------------------------// Sky was snoring away as she slept on Merasmus's back. "Wanna just head with us to the club house, Merasmus?" Applebloom asked. Merasmus nods. "I don't see why not." Merasmus said. "nnngh..." Sky mumbled in her sleep. She rolled over, and ended up falling to the ground. "mmpf!" She grunted as she continued to snore. "Whoops! She fell down!" Sweetie Belle said. Sky open her eyes. "Wha...?" She asked. "You ok, Sky? You fell off my back." Merasmus said. "yeah, I'm okay." Sky said, getting up and dusting herself off. "I can walk now. Unless you want me to ride on you." She said. "If you'd like to walk, then that's fine." Merasmus said. "I can walk." Sky said. She stood next to Merasmus, and hugged his leg. Merasmus smiles and lightly pats Sky. "So Applebloom, where is your tree house?" Merasmus asked. "This way!" Applebloom yelled. She began to trot towards a patch of woods, and the rest followed. Sky stops Merasmus. "Hey, did I say something before I fell asleep? I swore I said something, unless I was just hearing things..." Sky said. Merasmus looks at Sky. "You did. While you where asleep on my back, you mumbled 'night daddy'" Merasmus said. "I did that?" She said, blushing. "I'm sorry that must have been really weird for you..." Sky said "It's fine Sky. I didn't mind." Merasmus said. "But im not your daughter...and my daddy was never there for me. Mamma said he left because she had me..." Sky said, looking down. "which means i dont have parents anymore...and i dont think you want that responsibility of me..." She said, pawing at the ground, sighing softly. Merasmus kneels down. "Then I guess I will have to take that responsibility then." Merasmus said. "What are you saying? You're adopting me?" She asked. Merasmus nods. "Yes." He said. Sky smiled and hugged him tight. "Thank you so much!" She said happily. Merasmus smiles and hugs back. "Now then, we can't keep the others waiting." He said. "Okay, Daddy." Sky said, smiling and looking up at Merasmus. Merasmus nods and continues to walk. He looks at Sky. "I will make sure I will be the be-" Merasmus was cut short when he bumped into someone and falls on his flank. "Oops, sorry..." he started looking up at who he bumped into and saw a creature made up of other creatures, causing his eyes to widen. "about...that." he said. The creature looked back to who had bumped into him. "Oh, sorry about that. Must not have been paying attention where I was standing." The creature said. The creature laughed and helped Merasmus to his hooves, his face showing in the light of the moon. Sky hid behind Merasmus's leg. "It's ok Sky." Merasmus said. He looks at the creature. "If I may ask, who are you?" Merasmus asked. "Okay..." Sky said. "The name is discord." The creature said. The creature stood tall with the head of what appeared to be a goat's head, a snake like body, a dragon's tail, a donkey and pony leg, and a lions leg and paw for an arm while the other was that of a bird, with talons for fingers. "My name is Merasmus, wizard and keeper of the bombinomicon." Merasmus said. "You? I've heard tell, if put in the right hooves, it can be pretty powerful, and you say you're a wizard, huh? That's interesting. I happen to be the god of chaos! I'm sure you've heard of me. Tried to take over Equestria, until the mane six came along and foiled my plans, and I was turned to stone." Discord said, with slight distaste. "I'm not exactly from around here, so I actually don't know you. Sorry." Merasmus said. "Oh, so I see. And who might this little one be?" Discord asked, picking up Sky. "Do you know this little timber wolf?" He asked. "Yes I do, I'm taking care of her since her mother died." Merasmus said. "So you're her guardian or something?" Discord said. Sky whimpered. "Can you please put her down, your scaring her. And I am actually her father. Since I'm adopting her." Merasmus said. "Oh, isn't that sweet." Discord said, putting down Sky, who ran behind Merasmus again. "Daddy, he's scary." Sky whimpered. "Shhh, I'm here. It's ok." Merasmus said as he pat Sky. "Well, I'd love to chat more, but I am quite busy, tending to so many ponies. So, I must be on my way now. Ta-ta!" Discord said. With a wave of his fingers he vanished. Sky climbs onto Merasmus's back. "He was weird. Shall we get going again?" Sky asked. Merasmus nods and resumes walking. "Yes". He said. "So...you really wanna be my daddy?" Sky asked. Merasmus nods. "I do." Merasmus said. "But why, though?" She asked. Merasmus sighed. "When I was living at my castle before I came here, I was not happy. I mean, I got everything, except one thing. Someone to take care of." Merasmus said, looking down. "So I'm that someone?" Sky asked, blushing. "Aww." She said. She then hugged Merasmus and smiled. "You have me. I love you daddy." Sky said. Merasmus looks up and smiles. "I love you too, Sky." He said. Sky nuzzled Merasmus's cheek. Merasmus could see the tree house that Applebloom was talking about. "Hey, that must be the tree house they were talking about!" Sky said, watching Scootaloo disappear in the tree house. "Yep, that's it alright. Let's go!" Merasmus said, walking a bit faster. Sky jumps down from his back and trots into the house. "Hey, Sky, what took so long?" Applebloom asked. Scootaloo waved hello to Sky. Merasmus pokes his head through the door. "Boo!" He said. All three of them wave hello towards Merasmus. Sky runs up and hugs him, smiling. Merasmus smiles and hugs back. "So, what are we going to do?" Merasmus asked. "I just wanna be by you, daddy." Sky said, licking Merasmus's cheek. "Tell spooky stories and eat candy till we're full!" Sweetie Belle said. The cmc dump their bags full of candy onto the floor. "This could last us a week!" Applebloom said. Merasmus chuckles. "Kids, they never change" he said. Sky sits in Merasmus's lap. "So, who wants to tell the horror story tonight?" Diamond tiara asked in the dark. "And where is that dang flashlight!?" She yelled. "Here it is!" Scootaloo said. She tossed the silver stained flashlight over to Diamond Tiara. "Oooh, spooky stories." Merasmus said. 'I have one that will probably scare them.' He thought. "Maybe our new friend would like to tell one." Silver spoon said, smirking at Merasmus. Sky snuggled into Merasmus. "Can you hold me daddy, I dont really like scary things..." Sky said. "Sure thing, Sky." Merasmus said, petting Sky. He looks at the girls. "And are you sure?" He asked. "We' have just been telling the same stories for a while now, so maybe you have something different?" Applebloom asked. Sky smiled as Merasmus pet her. Merasmus nods. "I do have one, that's quite scary." He said. Sky hides in Merasmus's robe. Merasmus grabs the flashlight. "So our story begins years ago at a castle. A little colt was looking for a job, trying to find out what he's good at, and to help out his family. He walks along a path and finds a castle. He walks up to the castle and meets the castles owner, a zebra" Merasmus said, looking at the fillies. "Don't make it too scary, okay daddy?" Sky asked. She hid further into his robe, looking up at him with pleading eyes. Merasmus looks at Sky. "I will make sure" Merasmus said. He than continues to tell the story. The fillies listened eagerly as they munched on their chocolate and other candies. Merasmus tells the fillies about how the zebra allowed the young colt to work at his castle, but tells him not to look at a certain book in his library. Sky was sort of quivering in fear. Merasmus lightly pats Sky. "YAY a book!" Scootaloo said, giggling. "One day, the young colt was cleaning the library, he heard a voice. He looked around, but saw no pony. He ignored it and continued to work. He heard the voice again, this time calling him. He looks around, and sees a book in the middle of the library." Merasmus said. "Meh, Somebody dropped their book and was calling to him to get it?" Scootaloo asked. Diamond tiara gave a firm punch to Scootaloo's side as well as a deep glare. "Heh, sorry..." She said. "So then what happened?" Applebloom asked. "The colt walked towards the book, hearing the voice get louder. He saw what looked a book that had what looked like a bomb being held by a mouth. The title of the book, the bombinomicon." Merasmus continued. "Oooooohhhh!" Sweetie Belle said. Sky saw the very book in Merasmus's robe. 'Zebra, colt? Bominomicon book?' Sky thought. She looked up at Merasmus, before muffling her scream with her paws. "The colt was warned about the book, but his curiosity got the better of him and he opened the book. The bombinomicon sent a spell at the colt, managing to hit his left eye, causing the colt to scream. That caught the attention of the zebra and he ran into the library. He saw what was happening and rushed to the colts aid. He took the colts left eye out in time, cause the bombinomicon was trying to take control of the colt. The eye turned into a giant evil eyeball. It dissappeard without a trace. The zebra tended to the colt. The colt awakened, remembering what has happened, and ran out of there screaming, never to be seen again." Merasmus finished. "Was he okay? D-does that mean there's a one eye-d colt running around." Sky asked. Merasmus looks at Sky. "Yes the colt is fine, he made a full recovery. In fact the last time I saw him, he was with eight other ponies in a mercenary team. He went by the name of Demoman." He said. "O-okay, but...are you the Zebra from the story?" Sky asked, holding up the bombinomicon. Merasmus sighs and nods. "I am. But that was many years ago." Merasmus said. Sky looked at the book. "You said the eye was evil, so...are you an evil wizard since it makes evil magic?" She asked. Merasmus sighed "Someponys called me evil because the book was. Some even called me insane. All I was was caught in the crossfire." Merasmus said. "I'm sorry daddy..." Sky said, hugging Merasmus. "I am gonna show them the bombinomicon and see their reaction." Merasmus whispered to Sky. "Okay daddy." Sky said. Merasmus looks at the fillies. "So, how did you like my story?" Merasmus asked. "Not as scary as the headless horse Dashie told, but it was good!" Scootaloo said. "Oh, let me show you something." Merasmus said, showing the fillies the bombinomicon. They all stare in amazement for a few seconds. "Is that the...?" Scootaloo asked. Sky licked Merasmus's cheek. Merasmus nods. "Indeed it is. It's the bombinomicon. " Merasmus said. "What's up?" Bombinomicon said. They all squeal, backing away. "They're pretty scared, huh, daddy?" Sky asked. Merasmus chuckles. "Indeed they are." Merasmus said. "Hey I am not gonna bite." Bombinomicon said. Sky hugs Merasmus. "Love you dad." She said, licking Merasmus's cheek. Merasmus smiles. "So, you think it's more scary now?" Merasmus asked the fillies. "Were...you the Zebra?" Silver spoon asked. Sky nods. "EEWWW! You took out that colt's eyeball!" Silver spoon yelled. Sky jumped out of the robe and tackled Silver Spoon, and began to lick her face. "Sky, that tickles!" Silver spoon said, giggling uncontrollably. Merasmus laughs at the scene. "Sky, you're tickling me!!" She yelled, continuing to giggle as Sky licked her. "That's so cute." Diamond tiara said. "Ok, Sky, I think she's had enough." Merasmus said. Sky giggles and trots back over to Merasmus, and sits in his lap. "Love you daddy!" She said. Sky licked Merasmus's cheek. Merasmus smiles. "I love you too, Sky." He said. "I love you more, though!" She said, licking Merasmus's cheek some more. Merasmus chuckles. Sky looks Merasmus in the eye with a smile. "Do you really love me?" She asked. Merasmus smiles back. "Does this answer your question?" Merasmus asked, hugging Sky. Sky nods. "You love me." Sky said, hugging him back. Merasmus could see the fillies stare at him. "Why are they staring?" Sky asked. "How is it you can talk to her?" Scootaloo asked. "To answer your question, I can understand some animal speech." Merasmus said. "Wow so you know what she's saying that is so cool!" Scootaloo said. Sky yawns. "Daddy I wanna go home, I'm sleepy..." Sky said. Merasmus nods. "Alright, Sky." He said. He stands up and places Sky on his back. "Were going to go. Sky is tired." He said to the girls. "Awwww." The girls said. As they left, Sky gave them a wave and yawns again. Merasmus walks back towards the farm house. Sky falls asleep on the way. Merasmus opens the farm house door and walks in. Applejack saw Merasmus walk in. "Oh, howdy Merasmus! " She said. She could see that Sky was asleep on Merasmus's back. "Aww she's really taken a liking to you hasn't she?" She asked. "That she has, Applejack." Merasmus said. "Ah know I let you sleep in my room before, but ah'm about to go to bed, so take the guest bedroom okay?" Applejack asked. Merasmus nods "Will do, Applejack." Merasmus said. He walks up the stairs and into the guest bedroom. Merasmus walks to the bed and places Sky on it. Sky wakes as Merasmus puts her on the bed and she let out a small, but cute yawn. "Hi daddy." She said. Merasmus smiles as he takes off his robe. "Hello, Sky." Merasmus said. "Are we going to bed?" Sky asked. Merasmus nods. "We are." He said. Sky smiled and held her forelegs out to him. Merasmus takes her and hugs her. Sky snuggled into him. "You're the best daddy ever!" Sky said happily. Merasmus smiles as he gets into the bed. "That I am." Merasmus said. As Merasmus laid on the bed, Sky laid on top of him, and closed her eyes with a slight nod. "Night daddy." She said, and was soon asleep. "Night, Sky." Merasmus said, falling asleep. TO BE CONTINUED