//------------------------------// // Chapter Six // Story: Alchemist's Law // by LucidTech //------------------------------// (Well, its another short chapter. So sue me. I'm still messing around with where I want this story to go. -N64Fan) Twilight was startled from her sleep by the sound of a pained scream from the basement. Rushing blindly from her room and through the house in a panic the mare barely had enough consciousness of her mind to quaff one of the purple anti poisons that sat next to the door before she ran into the smoke filled basement. She descended the stairs several leaps at a time as she rushed to the bottom. When she arrived the librarian found the familiar form of Monochrome writhing in pain next to a line of several propped up bottles that rested mere inches from his hoof. “What is going on Monochrome?” She shouted at the collapsed stallion who merely attempted to grab a green potion that so sat so close to him and yet so far as well. Realizing his desperation Twilight grabbed the green potion with her magic and swung it through the air towards his lips. He hurriedly drained the liquid and coughed. “Now the red one please.” he said in a raspy voice as his painful movements decreased in occurrence and potency. Twilight did as asked and hoofed him the red potive as well. He downed it with the same speed as he did the green one and stood still for a moment as he looked into the empty bottle. “Thank you, that should keep me. It seems the more effects have worn off and I will be back to normal within a few hours.” Monochrome said as raised his gaze to look at Twilight with his apathetic eyes. This time Twilight didn’t react to his cold glare she merely met his eyes. “Happy to help Monochrome but would you mind telling me what exactly just happened?” Twilight said with concern in her voice. “I’m sure that the princess informed you of our... meeting last night?” The stallion questioned as he carefully placed the now empty bottles back upon their shelves. Twilight nodded. For a minute all the white ex-unicorn did was move the bottles of ingredients around the room. With a sigh to himself he spoke up again. “Delayed reaction.” “Delayed reaction?” Twilight said doubtfully, “how is that possible?” “I’m usually good at my usage of potions however, when I stopped at one particular town to get my equipment reenchanted the unicorn put a time curse on it.” The stallion said. “I suppose it was obvious enough to him that I was an alchemist so he decided to mess with my wares. Fortunately I discovered the curse for myself when I drank a potion.” The stallion paused to take a breath and move a few more ingredients. “The potion that the curse was placed upon was a mind/body healing potion. With the new addition of this alien spell the effect of the drink was changed and since then I have had my mind and nervous system out of sync with one another when it comes to extreme pain. The usual delay is about six hours and I try and prepare numbing potions in that time but it seems I was just a second to slow today.” Sudden rage filled his voice as he whirled around to face Twilight. “But why am I telling you this? What spell did you cast on me?” “I didn’t cast any spell.” “Lies!” Monochrome yelled, “You must have cast a spell on me. I’m stronger then this, I can control my emotions better than this. Why would I suddenly have the need for closure if not for a spell!” Despite the angered words Monochrome turned slowly away from the librarian and whispered something under his voice. Despite the bubbling potions around the room Twilight thought she heard him say something about failing himself. “Monochrome..?” Twilight asked as she approached the stallion. She received no response as she slowly inched nearer. Upon reaching him she had just rested her foreleg over his back with a comforting intent when he flinched and tossed the appendage off of him. “Don’t touch me.” Monochrome hissed through his clenched teeth as he turned to glare daggers at the mare. For a minute neither of them did anything until Monochrome suddenly turned off all the alchemy equipment, grabbed his pair of full saddlebags off the floor, and made his way up the stairs. After a few moments Twilight also left the basement and followed the alchemist up the stairs. When she closed the door behind her she saw Monochrome carefully examining the top hat that still rested on his head. Content with his headgear the stallion turned to look at Twilight, “I’m going out to make some reparations. I don’t know when I’ll be back.” Without waiting for the mare to talk he left the library, closing the door loudly behind himself as he did so. Outside of the library Monochrome made his way towards the house Fluttershy had escorted him to the day prior. He walked slowly through the town, all the ponies who were awake at such an early hour pointedly avoided looking at him as he maneuvered through the streets of the town. After a few twists and turns the stallion found himself in front of the door to the building that housed the gray mailmare and her young daughter. With a glance around Monochrome retrieved a basket from his right saddlebag and placed it in front of the door. With a light knock on the door he left the building and was out of sight when he heard the door open behind him. It was a basket of healing potions, each with clearly labeled instructions on the vials that contained them. With another glance around Monochrome left the confines of the tight town and approached the Everfree forest. The forest was not his actual destination but rather a cottage just outside the treeline. The stallion silently approached the building and left the second of the two baskets at the doorstep. The basket was almost completely identical to the one that Derpy had received but with a few added potions that were geared towards dealing with smaller animals. The stallion had just knocked lightly on the door when a call from behind him made him turn around. “What are you doing at Fluttershy’s home so early?” Came the brash voice. Monochrome slowly turned to look at the polar opposite of his own color scheme. “Hello Rainbow Dash, I came to give a gift. That’s all.” Monochrome said. “Oh, I see.” The cyan mare managed. “Do you have anything else to say or can I go?” the white stallion pressed as he looked toward that town that now sat a fair distance away from his own position currently. “Your just gonna leave without listening to what Fluttershy has to say about your gift?” “I’m not into looking back after I do something.” “But if you never look back then don’t you just make the same mistakes again?” Rainbow asked as she tilted her head to the sides. “That’s extremely profound of you to say Rainbow.” “I’ve been hanging out with Twilight more often recently, she’s always talking about how we study the past so we can learn from other’s mistakes.” “I don’t look because it causes me too much pain. Sometimes I don’t even look forward. I just wander.” “Well that’s dumb.” Now it was Monochrome’s turn to raise an eyebrow at the statement. “What I mean is, in all the Daring Do books she’s using something that she learned before to help her achieve the goal she has in the future. If you don’t persue a goal then life is kind of pointless isn’t it?” “And what’s your goal?” “I’m going to join the Wonder Bolts.” “Best of luck to you then, that is quite a challenging goal. I suppose I had better be off now. Say, Rainbow, could you do me a favor?” “What is it?” “Could you tell me the look on Fluttershy’s face when she sees that basket?” “Sure thing Doc.” “Call me Monochrome.” “Whatever you say Doc.” Monochrome shook his head and left the area as he headed back towards Ponyville. Something was different. He wasn’t exactly happy but he wasn’t sad either. For the first time in a long time Monochrome was content, truly content. “Crazy ponies, How do these elements of harmony have so much heart?”