The Book of Artemis
Side Story of My Little Bionicle
By
Toa Coy
So that editor, what is his deal anyway? All will be shown here, guess the idea this came from.
~Toa Coy~
Chapter Four: Passion is not always fashion
Muck Raker has closed up his paper for the night, every one had left and only he was there to keep his livelihood safe. This night, it was the night of importance he and others have been waiting for. Walking to his home he brushed passed a well dressed unicorn, a letter found its way to the collar of the earth pony’s shirt. Neither of the equines looked at the other and kept on walking. Muck had reached his home, not rich like the ones he pass by on his way but not poor either. The two story, one bath and bed house was empty when he entered it. He was still young, not as young as he was five years ago but that happens. Walking into the kitchen he check his supplies for the week, once done he goes to the basement of the house there he opens the letter that was in his collar. It was typed by a mass produced typewriter with standard ribbons and cheap paper. On it was rune of magic under it was a dead language with the words, ‘on the moon’s light you will join us and only when the night is done will this parchment burn and blow to the wind’.
Muck has been happy to see word had gotten out. Ever since the return of Princess Luna the hidden underground of Nightmare Moon followers lived on after the war. Slowly families began to in this history of Lunar worship, Raker’s ancestors may have been among the grunts but history of this has lead to a spy network knowing what others were doing and record that. As such the Raker family becoming more archivist and spymasters keeping the history of the less ‘desirable’ part that Celestia left out and let fall into legend.
As the night began to fall, in a salt circle with the letter in the center with Muck in robes and waiting for the pale moon light of the full moon, once it was all aligned a magic portal open and Muck hopped in with it closing for his return.
----
Terik and Icarax had an enjoyable evening as a shadow portal sent the husk and once ponies to a realm where none will find them and be devoured into nothing by beings that live there. Thier hideout was nothing to write home about, but what would you expect from an abandoned home with minim creature comforts and only a single bed.
“I must say your shapeshifting ability is a useful form of hunting.” Terik said as he had grown stronger as he took the magic from the Equestrians. “Through teenage magic was a bit too sour for my taste.”
“I would thank you but we both know this is an alliance of convenience.” Icarax said his own power growing. “I know not if or when you will try and drain me and you know not what I have up my hooves.”
“I true but I know that a dishonest pony is more trustworthy than a honest pony, because I know that I will betrayed. Since we are here for the moment we will be good.” Terik said checking his older form change into a more youthful and stronger form.
----
Muck Raker entered the ancient hidden temple of Nightmare Moon with many of the heads of the spy, archival, and heads of the main heads of the families of nobles that had been loyal to Nightmare Moon. It was once the circle was complete and the leader of the group began to speak.
“Welcome fellow loyalist, tonight we begin our plans to reclaim Nightmare Moon from Luna.” The leader started with nods from the rest. “But as of two months ago Lady Nightmare Moon broke free and we can make her recall her past as the great and feared ruler of the night.”
“What if she does have the memories but has chosen not to act on them and wanted a second chance to live a normal life?” one of the other hooded ponies ask making the rest turn to them.
“Shut it Paradox, that is about as likely as terik breaking out of Tartarus.” Another said with chuckles coming from the rest.
“Order.” The leader called out stomping a hoof on the ground. “If there are no further interruptions we have much to discuss.”
----
Three months since the mane six left for Mane Nui, it was rather blaza around the town of Ponyville. No monsters, no crazy ponies coming and causing trouble, and it is now a calm town it was before Twilight came. Now while the town had only one major thing with the vines, but that was earlier while still days after the group left. After that there was nothing major.
The personal lives of the six ponies had been able to set up friends and families to cover for things that less active parts of their lives. So Twilight’s was covered by Spike as he had the authority to do most of the job, and Rainbow’s job was more or less taken care of by those on the weather team. Fluttershy has Spike to care for the animals, but it when it comes to the other three that is where things get complicated. Pinkie’s many planned parties had to be either rescheduled or group together since the Cakes would be handing them, and do you know how many parties that filly had scheduled? At least one a day but then there are the days that there were ten with only five minutes between them and completely different parts of town. Thankfully many ponies came and picked up the order, but that also caused them to not take any more orders due to this. Applejack’s farm was more or less the same given that three ponies replacing her and being less productive. Big Mac mostly just took to bucking the trees, while the young fillies set up the baskets for him. Rarity’s life caused her family to drop most of their lives to stick to her orders and business so when she got back there would be little for her to worry about. Her mother Cookie Crumbles, with both Spike and Sweetie belle’s help, was doing an okay job along with a note from Celestia that stated when Rarity got back she would change anything that the buyer wanted on it should they be unhappy with it.
What Rarity forgot to tell them was of a fashion show competition she was entered months before all of this came around. Cookie wanted to decline it but Sweetie Belle knew of the set that Rarity had prepared for it. So it was decided to head to Manehattan with Sweetie Belle, Cookie, Babs for being the guide, and Artemis for using her strength and wings to help move things. This was also a chance to get out of town for a bit as since the vines attack Artemis worked on school work or spending time with Goldrax helping him adapting to Equestria.
On the train to Manehattan, Artemis’s mind had drifted to a place that she had tried to stay away from but her feelings betrayed her. Also having nothing to do lead to this thought, was she falling in love with the toa? Granted he was at least a hundred thousand years old if the Makuta’s memories were correct, and she was only a thousand years old. At this point age was not really a major, but her mother might be the second obstacle if the Toa of Twilight did not reciprocate the feeling. The farther she thought of this the more she started to like the idea.
“Hey Art,” Babs said breaking the alicorn out of the more emotional state and something best ignored for the moment. “We’re almost to the station. Sweetie Belle said she saw you staying out the windows for the past four hours and wanted me to check on you.”
“Thanks Babs, I’ve just had a lot on my mind is all.” Artemis replied not lying but not saying what she was thinking.
“I can tell.” The earth pony said hopping on the seat next to the hidden alicorn. “I can’t say I envy you, even with all the things that has happen since Cousin Applejack and her friends left you and the others have handled it like it was nothing.”
“Don’t say that we worked through all this craziness together.” Artemis said with a wing wrapping around her friend. “That includes you in this adventure, but why would you ever envy me. Pity I get but envy, why that? I’m the hybrid of a pure evil being and a mare’s fear and jealousy that only grew a moral center after being hit with magic so strong that it broke the natural darkness to let light in.”
“Wow.” Babs said as all of that came down on her. “When ya say it like that, bein’ picked on for not havin’ a cutie mark and the ignorance of my parents seem so much less.”
Hearing this Artemis just sighed. “You know this is why I don’t like opening up to my past, it makes me sound like some whiny child who just has to one up all the other’s stories to be noticed.”
“I don’t think that.” Babs shrug a bit. “I think it shows how strong you are, you know choosing to be good instead of being an evil tyrant.”
“Yeah.” Artemis nodded with a sad smile.
“Next Stop Grand Central Station.” A conductor yelled in the hall.
“Best get to the others.” Babs said getting up and going to the door.
“I’ll be right behind ya.” Artemis said following her friend.
----
So the group of six got off the train and followed Babs to the location of the show, once there they began the process of getting set up and under wraps as Rarity noted the cutthroat nature of many fashion contestants. When Cookie left to double check the paperwork before they returned to the hotel the Fillies were securing the outfits a rather fitting of the cutthroat coming into the room.
“Well Rarity must be running a sweatshop if she has fillies doing her dirty work.” The orchid earth pony said looking down on the trio. “Now why don’t you be good little rugrats and play in the filth outside while the adults do work.
“Saids a cheater.” Artemis shot back at the mare with Sweetie to the alicorn’s left and Babs to her right. “The only reason you came here is so you could steal something better so you claim it as your own.”
“Can’t prove that even if it was true you stupid pegasus.” The mare’s grin seemed to grow and an evil chuckle was hidden under her breath.
“Normally you would be right, but…” Artemis started as Sweetie Belle hopped in.
“Since my sister was concern of cheating she left instructions to keep her area secured from those that would take her ideas just to claim it as their own.” Sweetie said with a grin that mirror her sister when the elder caught the younger taking snacks out kitchen late at night. “As such any not documented as a member of Rarity’s staff will be watched by Prim Hermline.”
“If they found that pony had the same as Rarity’s design that have only been seen by a select few then that pony will be booted from the show. As well as decredited by Prim and may never work in this town again.” Babs finished keeping her accent in check.
The mare was caught off guard by this and was sure the kids were bluffing, but there was always a chance they were telling her the truth. Was one show worth her whole career? This show, no, it was just ways to show how great she was as a design while the sap of a mare does all the hard work.
“You win this round.” The mare said as she turned and walked out the door. “But I will win this show.”
That was all the trio heard as the mare left. Once they knew she was out of earshot all three let out a breath that they held. It was not a full bluff but it was true enough.
“Okay that was too close, if she was here any sooner she might have seen the real me.” Artemis said wiping sweat off of her forehead.
“Why do ya mean by that Art?” Babs asked the obvious question.
“As you know aside from those close to me ponies see me as a pegasus due to a spell, so when I cast magic that spell is weaken and shows the real me to the world.” Artemis answered as the three left to join Cookie back in the entrance of the building.
Before they fully left the backstage area for the show they did see the cheating mare yelling at another mare who seemed following her orders. The amberish gray mane finished the outfit and showed it to the orchid mare, who scoffed at it and yelled something about how any greenhorn could do better on their first day in college. The fillies could not do anything but be upset that they can’t do anything.
When the show began the next day it was no surprised that Rarity’s line won much to the orchid pony’s anger. After the four ponies accepted the prize for Rarity hard work and their loyalty to her be it family or friend they began to pack everything but a loud noise made them all stop.
“Your lack of trying cost me the prize and fame I deserve.” The angry pony yelled at the more sleep deprived pony. “In addition my coffee was late and was not what I ordered. IF this is how you treat someone as GENEROUS as me then you are no longer required to work for me as your FIRED!”
The amberish gray mare hung her head and slowly walked off, the trio of fillies saw this and felt rage. It was not the same rage for each of them but it all came from the same place, disenchantment. Many times two of these three have dealt with about personal image, while the alicorn’s was more of how she was once gleefully in the misery of others now made her wish to harm herself. It took less than a minute to talk to Cookie about their idea, as well as what happened while she was taking care of papers. Sweetie was the one to volunteer to ask the amberish gray mane what the trio thought of.
Sweetie was just able to catch the mare before she could leave the building. The filly began to talk to the mare, saying that with this win Rarity’s shop might turn down large orders due to none of them having Rarity’s flare but seeing what the mare had done for that slave driver made all of them want to give the mare a job of anything that was beyond the skills of rest. The amberish gray mare happily agreed, much to Sweetie’s delight.
That night Cookie and Coco, the amberish gray mare, worked out the legal details while the fillies packed up for the ride back home.
----
Spike had a knot forming in his gut as the number of letter from Twilight increased in the past month. The first one he had gotten started out hopefully, it talked about how she and their friends visited the villages on the island and studied them. A book of all the notes and histories was included after that letter, but that was before more came. These were things that he need to send to Celestia, as some more information what the ponies that were attacking the island had been doing after that month of peace. What was in those letter horrified him, machines that destroyed anything in their way and launched things that latched onto a pony’s face turning them into a zombie like state and fighting against those it was fighting with.
Spike tried to hide this fear, this old fear that always showed up in his life. This was the fear he would laugh off and act like it was nothing, it was the fear that Twilight and his friends dying as heroes. Only he knew of this out of the bearers, and what made it worst he had to lie and say these were just royal documents instead of the letters that the others sent back to their families. Celestia asked him not to show them for what it might cause some ponies to do.
The dragon took a breath, Twilight’s letters he knew could be sent after he scanned it over. But the ones from the others were tricky; AJ was more coy on the details and mostly saying how she misses her family, Rarity was the same plus a little thank you to Spike and her family for taking care of her business while away, Flutershy was sending letters for Angel and thanking Spike for caring her animals, Pinkie was...just Pinkie and that was alright, and Rainbow was the one that caused the rest of the letters to be hidden. Hers was about how combine with her new powers she was leading a charge against this new threat, but Twilight’s latest letter broke his heart and knew if anypony else saw it they might think that Dash had died when she was captured. Her being overly confident in victories lead her to underestimate the creatures and got caught like several of the villages.
Something clicked inside Spike transcribing all the letters he had gotten, it had taken courage to not only deal with this but also break a royal order. This late night with Artemis in Manehattan this was his best chance to do this. Goldrax had met Mata Nui when the former ruler came to check on how Artemis was doing, instead there was this strange Toa of shadow that had light in him. As such Spike heard the old stallion speak to the Toa and say if Goldrax was interested in mastering his light and shadow power to medita and join Mata Nui in his realm for training. So this left time for Spike to do this task, apart of him wondered if this is what comic writers thought those heroes felt.
----
Muck Raker walked to his paper while keeping an ear out for what ponies were talking bout. Right now he was passing the fashion district of Canterlot until he noticed a picture on a magazine that made him do a double take before the guards noticed the cover of it. Right there beside two unicorn and an earthpony was his mistress weak from her banishment but this is all he need to find her.