//------------------------------// // Chapter 12 // Story: Nex, Gladiator // by That_Random_Pony //------------------------------// "'...be back soon... more help...'" Twilight sighed as she set the letter on the table. "Well, looks like we have another week before we have a homemade meal." Her stomach growled at the thought of takeout, and she blushed lightly as she stood up and headed for the door. She redirected to the stairs and quickly climbed them, heading up to Nex by the window. He watched the streets from between the curtains, nibbling on a bone, which looked extremely creepy. "Nex." He grunted softly. "I'm gonna go buy some food, so I'll be right back." He stepped away from the window, crushing the bone between his teeth before reaching down to his plate of meat. Nex grabbed a hunk of roasted meat and held it out to her. She nervously smiled and waved her hands, internally gagging at the sight of it. "Ponies don't eat meat, Nex, remember?" she laughed, backing to the stairs. "Don't worry, I'll be back in a little while. Just stay inside, okay?" He nodded slowly, bringing the steak to his face and ripping into it with his teeth. She grimaced at the sound of it, hurrying downstairs before she got any greener. The bell for the door chimed, and she sped up to see who it was. A grey stallion warily glanced around the library, obviously looking for her. "Hello," Twilight greeted, catching his attention. "Are you looking for a book?" "As a matter of fact, yes," he nodded, his tone matching a noble's. "I've looked through most libraries and bookstores for Griffon and Dragon history texts. Would you happen to have any?" "They should be over here," she said, walking over to a far shelf and pulling the books off with her magic. "Let's see... I have these on Griffons... and some old anatomy and behavioral analysis tomes on dragons." She laid the seven books out on a counter, waiting for him to read over their titles. "Not many ponies look up these things. Are you a scholar?" "No no, I'm well past that part of my life," he chuckled, revealing his more mature voice. "It's been on a to-do list of mine. A hobby I've developed out of curiosity." She could understand that, and she even had some knowledge worth passing on. "Well there's a library in Canterlot just by the castle. There should be a few tomes that are better than these," Twilight laughed, gesturing to the books. He finished flipping through one of the tomes and nodded as he gathered those pertaining to griffons. "I don't need extensive knowledge on them," he assured her, smiling as he reshelved the rest. "But more detail on dragons would be excellent, considering we know little of them. I'll need these." A piece of parchment appeared in a flash on the counter, along with a quill. Twilight wrote down the names of each book and had him sign the bottom. "Alright, just remember to come back if you still need those books," Twilight smiled, putting the scroll away with others like it. Out of the corner of her eye she saw half of a bone, licked clean and scratched in several places. "Celestia's sun, what is that smell?" the stallion questioned, laughing softly. "I can't say I admire your cooking, princess." Nex's dinner. She was relieved to know that since it was so rare to have a carnivorous visitor around Equestria, ponies weren't familiar with the smell of seasoned and seared flesh. She laughed awkwardly and walked with him to the door, flicking the bone off to the side before he could notice. "I guess I must have burned something," she lied, opening the door for him. "I still need to take some classes before I can cook without worrying about burning my house down." He laughed as he stepped outside, nodding to her softly. "Good luck with that, princess. And thank you," he said as he walked. "I'll warn the local chefs!" Twilight feigned her smile as he walked down the road and turned, then started out for the local diner. As the stallion walked further into town, he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out his handkerchief. He unfurled it, examining the small bone he managed to snap off. There were marks on it, and pieces of roasted meat and fat. The smell was revolting, but he had smelled it before. "Why does the princess of friendship have prepared meat in her home?" he asked himself. Pony teeth weren't sharp enough to even leave the marks he was looking at, and her assistant was away, as he'd heard. "So the young mare is hiding something... but what?" He turned into a bar, which wasn't as full as it was during the night. It was better that way. Less people to see what he was up to. Actually, what they were up to. He nodded to the bartender, heading into an office beside the restrooms and locking the door behind him. He settled the books onto the desk across from the door, then sat down in a chair facing said desk. The swivel chair turned slowly, a charcoal coated stallion with a golden mane eyeing the pile of tomes. His horn lit up in a grey aura, moving the pile to him and opening them all. His eyes skipped through their contents before setting them all down again. "We need more... firsthand accounts, mythology, journals," the stallion sighed. "We can have you visit a griffon city, but you'll need to leave the day you take your sources." "In and out, yes?" The older stallion nodded and teleported the books onto another rack. "What does he have to say about this?" A wicked grin grew on his face. "He isn't entirely fond of finding these creatures... but as long as only his faction holds them, he can produce endless champions for his pit," the stallion said, holding a bit in his hand. "With the information we obtain, he'll pay whatever price we set if we can in fact find them. Though I doubt he actually has them." "What exactly did he look for?" the young stallion asked. "Some old pony's tale. Around Discord's rule," he chuckled, glancing to his statue of said being. "They say his chaos put an imbalance in the fabric of space and time itself. Brought new life into our universe." "You don't believe that, do you, Keen?" Keen Wit was silent as he fully turned to his associate, giving an honest shrug. "There are things out there that make even the exploration division uncomfortable, Sly Hoof," he smiled, leaning back to look at the manticore skull on his wall. "I wouldn't be surprised if a deity of disorder and displacement managed to send a creature through dimensions or universes." "And we're looking through history books for a creature that is running around now?" Sly asked, sarcasm in his tone. Keen's expression hardened a bit, but he kept his voice level. "For all we know, there could be more than just what he has," he elaborated, gesturing to the skeleton of a cockatrice. "Nopony believed the cockatrice was alive until Brave Heart ventured into the Everfree and returned with stone hands and a dead animal. I want to know if they exist past this country's borders, and I want to know where." Sly shrugged and stood from his seat. "For gain or for science?" he questioned. Keen Wit held doctorates in almost any scientific field, most of which he earned at the same time. Apart from being well-known in both the criminal and scientific world, he was familiar with griffon royalty, minotaur politicians, and even Saddle Arabian princes. He had contacts, he was in the loop of information. And if there was one thing he couldn't stand above anything else... ...it was being out of that loop. "Why not both?" The Next Day Nex glanced around nervously, growling low enough so that nopony but Twilight heard him. They still hadn't had an incident, thankfully, but she didn't feel like jinxing herself. Today she wanted Nex to get acquainted with somepony else, considering he'd only met Rarity and Fluttershy. Teaching him had also kept her away from her friends, which she planned to change today. So, she kept up a bright smile as they made their way to Sugarcube Corner. Nex eyed the gingerbread-esque house, cringing at the sound of a small bell. A mare and her colt talked energetically as they passed, Nex moving to Twilight's side opposite the two. She shrugged off any particular reasons and opened the door. Nex gasped when he heard the bell. "It's just a bell," Twilight told him, keeping her smile up to keep him calm. He tilted his head, looking up to the small golden... thing. "Bell?" he repeated. "Right. It does this." She reached up and pushed it, a chime ringing several times until the bell came to a stop. Nex's head lifted at the high-note, reaching up and poking it. It chimed again, and again when he repeated his action. Twilight laughed awkwardly as he kept poking and flicking it until she gently nudged him inside. The eyes of all the fillies, colts and adults were on the two as they walked to the counter. Mrs. Cake looked at his daunting mask with visible discomfort, but she smiled down to Twilight, a bit forcefully. "Hello, Twilight," Mrs. Cake said, keeping her tone cheery despite the giant creature behind her. "Is this somepony new?" She nodded softly, gesturing to her leashed companion. "Mrs. Cake, this is Nex. Nex, this is Mrs. Cake." The baker looked up at him with as genuine a smile as she could. He, in turn, nodded slightly. "Is Pinkie here?" "Not right now," Mrs. Cake sighed. "She's been busy with something and no pony knows what. I'm getting worried about her. Gone all afternoon and comes back near morning. She has bags under her eyes and she still won't relax." While Pinkie was known to take time in setting up special events, she never really devoted herself to the bone. It sounded... too Pinkie. "Has she said where she's been?" Twilight asked. Mrs. Cake shook her head. "We've been wondering, but she's been so tired we didn't want to pry," she admitted, glancing up to the clock by the door. "She should be here in a few hours. Care to wait for her? It'd be better if somepony close brought her to her senses before she hurts herself." "I'll see what she's up to. I hope it isn't that serious." She looked to the side, noticing Nex wasn't with her. Glancing down at her hand, she panicked as she realized the leash had slipped from her hand. "Mrs. Cake, could I get a baker's dozen of coconut frosting covered cupcakes? I-I need them for a... party!" Mrs. Cake gladly smiled as she headed towards the back. "No problem. Just wait here." As soon as she went into the kitchen, Twilight dashed to the exit. She stuck her head outside, searching the streets for signs of him. There was a loud clang behind her, and she rushed behind the counter, heading upstairs and into the first room on the right. It was Pinkie's room, which was decorated with Pinkie's things. Twilight closed the door and went into Pumpkin and Pound's room, taking a quick peek and being as quiet as she could, since the two were sound asleep. There was another loud banging down the hall, and she rushed to the next set of doors. She could hear what sounded like... chewing. "Nex?" The noise stopped, then the door to her right opened. "...so... you like those?" A muffin was stuffed into his mouth, the paper still wrapped around the bottom. He bit down on the top, dropping it with a couple dozen other half eaten muffins. Twilight pulled him out, kicking the other muffins back in and dragging him downstairs. "If you wanted muffins, you could've asked me," she said, anxiety building as she imagined Mrs. Cake finding all of the unfinished treats. "What.... muff-in?" Twilight took the one he was still holding and held it up for him to see. He looked from the muffin to Twilight, unfazed by her upset glare. "Muffin... nice." He tried biting it, but Twilight jerked her arm away. "Nex, you can't have this," she told him. "If Mrs. Cake finds out-!" "Finds out what?" Twilight's voice caught as she turned to look at Mr. Cake. "Twilight, what're you and SWEET CELESTIA!" Nex saw the fear. It's all he ever saw from them. He was ready to make the fear in his eyes evolve into terror. His fist clenched as he readied to fight. But... it vanished... like it had never been there. "Who's yer friend?" Twilight weakly laughed and hid the leash behind her back. "This is Nex! He's new in town so I'm just showing him around and he got lost but I found him so now we should get going!" She hurried past him with Nex in tow, who kept staring at Mr. Cake. "Hope you enjoy Ponyville!" Mr. Cake chimed, heading upstairs to check on his foals. "Didn't know Twilight liked big stallions... or whatever he is." She rushed them to the exit, pushing Nex from behind as he haphazardly stumbled. "Twilight, your cupcakes!" Mrs. Cake called. Twilight teleported the bits onto the counter and the box above her as she and Nex hurried out. "That girl's always bringing something through town." Twilight eased up when they were on the path to the library. Nex wasn't being stubborn, so it made getting back home easier. When they reached the library, he stood by the door while she walked to a couch. She groaned and set the box of sweets down on the floor, while Nex stared off into space. "You can't wander off, Nex," she told him, rubbing her head with her fingers. "Somepony might frighten you... well, maybe the other way around. But if you get into trouble, you won't have anypony seeing you like a normal pony." Her words were lost on him, and she could tell. "Nex. Nex? Nex!" He grunted in surprise and looked down at her. "What's wrong... is something bothering you?" He tilted his head, sitting down in front of her to wait for an explanation. "Is something not okay?" He nodded slowly, thinking to Sugarcube Corner. "Mr.... Cake?" She nodded. "He... I see afraid... but... it go away... he no afraid... only for little." He traced the contours of his mask, which she recognized as a habitual thing. "Why... why he no afraid?" The question honestly hadn't come up in her mind. Mr. Cake had been to so many different nations with Mrs. Cake to show off their amazing pastries and baked goods that he'd seen nearly every type of creature. Except changelings. But he wasn't slightly disturbed by Nex himself, only by his size. Now that she thought a bit more, Twilight could see a comparison between Nex and a minotaur. They were both huge, and very aggressive. But that wasn't enough to explain all of his differences, like the lack of hooves, and his furless body. Not to mention he was missing any bull like characteristics. Nex sniffed the box, opening it sloppily and grunting in delight. He stuffed a cupcake in his mouth whole, then another, and another until only three were left. He stumbled around, a sickening feeling climbing up his stomach and into his throat. Twilight heard him gag, almost like an animal, and stood up when he collapsed to help him stand. "How many did you eat?!" Twilight shouted, glancing down to the box. "Up up up! Come on! Nex, you're not throwing up down here!" She tried lifting him, but be weighed more than anything she'd ever lifted. He fell onto the stairs, but she kept pulling him, forcing him to crawl or else risking a hit to the head. She practically dragged him into the bathroom as he grunted and choked. Her fingers struggled to unhook his leash, and she placed him over the toilet. He hurled up varying colors of vomit, from bright reds to murky browns to muddled greys. It took an hour of dry heaving, gagging and spitting to empty his stomach and finish. Twilight waited outside after a bit, unable to stand the stench of his regurgitated desserts and stomach acid. The water in the sink began to run, then his heavy breathing replaced it. The door opened and Nex walked out in a daze, leaning against the wall for support. "Feel better?" Twilight weakly giggled, carefully guiding him to bed. Nex burped a sickly belch, then groaned as the taste washed over his tongue. She helped lay him down, opting to leave the blankets off so he wouldn't suffocate. "Twi...light." Her ears perked up and she looked down at him, unsure if she heard right. "Muffins... no nice." A smile formed on her face as she looked down at him, and she laughed softly before heading to bed. "Next time only one. Only Pinkie can have so many sweets," she giggled. And speaking of Pinkie, what is she up to?