As they made their way following the course that Rep had given them Twilight started to think about everything she had learned thus far, and how it all seemed to tie back to some of the lessons Princess Celestia had given her. However something was nagging at her, it was about the being Rep. He was clearly another sentient and sapient being, his help would be useful, but it only took a few words and Fluttershy was alright, save for her tears, with letting him leave. Also, he didn’t give a lot of useful information and yet… Twilight elected to just ask the druid. “Fluttershy, can I ask you a few questions?”
Fluttershy turned to face Twilight as they continued their trek, Applejack leading the way. “Um, sure…” Fluttershy clearly did not know what was going in Twilight’s mind.
“It’s about that,” Twilight was not entirely sure how to refer to Rep. She took a second and elected to just use his name. “I mean, Rep. Why didn’t you pressure him to join us? He clearly knew more than he let on.”
Fluttershy paused before she answered. She took a breath and whispered to herself, “It’s just like talking to Zephyr.” She took another breath and repeated this twice before she looked Twilight in the eye. “Because I saw and treated his wounds. I realized his wings were starting to show signs of gangrene. Anyone willing to inflict those to a person will do worse to another's psyche and those are wounds that magic cannot heal unless it's a spell that completely resets a person’s mind, but they will still linger in the soul. This Catrina has clearly left such scars on him. Right now he has the courage and strength to get out of that abusive relationship, but that does not remove Catrina’s hold on him.”
Twilight heard Fluttershy's answer. Fluttershy was right, not all wounds are visible, some are deep in one's psyche. Also Twilight thought back to some of the stories her father and mother would read to her and in a few of them, the titular character never again knowing or willing confronted the villain directly after escaping the villain, unless the villain came to them having been broken by another force. There were not many cases of abusive relationships in Mystica so Twilight had no real-world comparison. But Rep’s refusal was not the only thing. “Alright, but what about everything Rep told us? Don’t you think he was holding back information?”
Fluttershy took any breath and renewed her phrase, something Twilight elected to ask about later...
Grogar looked over the river in the Everfree. With him were Bray and his surviving soldiers. “Let me see, if memory serves me correctly there should be at least one river dragon in this river,” Grogar stated as he brushed his beard. It has been nearly a millennium since the last report of his agents concerning Mystica, Celestia was not someone to underestimate, but with her dead now...
“Sire, if I may speak.” Bray started, breaking Grogar from his thoughts. However, Grogar glared at the faun in response and Bray backed down.
“Find the Dragon and guide it here. I want to exchange words and business with it.” Grogar ordered his forces.
“As you command, sir,” said Bray, “but on the record, I think it best you actually heed the counsel of those under your command this once.”
“Your concerns are noted, but otherwise of little consequence to me,” Grogar stated with no signs of emotion, much like how he stated that he did not fear death.
Just as his forces were about to actually search for the residing river dragon, Bray saw something stirring in the river, “Um, sire?” He pointed to the river as a purple-scaled serpentine dragon emerged from the river. Grogar turned to see the dragon and grinned as he saw the dragon, however, he was taken aback by the orange hair and matching mustache.
“Would you give me a moment with my crew, great dragon of Everfree River, while I do wish to speak with you. I have not expected your audience so soon.” Grogar said with a bow. To anyone not familiar with the hall of Tambelon, this was a respectful bow, but those of Tambelon knew Grogar was mocking the dragon.
“Oooh, so formal.” the dragon said. “Certainly. You can have your moment.” the dragon said as he took his left hand and gestured that it was of no consequence.
“Decions!” Grogar shouted and five of the satyrs huddled around their lord. “Bray!” Grogar also ordered and the small faun joined the huddle. “Each of you, take your decades and hide in the undergrowth. Should the Apprentice and her friends get across, make sure they get no further, come back with her body or don’t come back at all. Understood?” The five satyrs nodded. “Do whatever you want with the others, I am sure you can divide them without hassle. If not, they are all to be mine. Understood?” The five nodded again. “Bray, you are only to report back when the deed is done or everyone else has failed,” Grogar ordered the faun. Bray nodded reluctantly.
The river dragon waited until after Grogar finished. As Grogar turned back to talk with the dragon, his satyrs and fauns vanished into the wood-line. “So shall we talk?” the dragon asked.
“I am ready now, just some business to attend to. I am Grogar, Lord of Tambelon and I seek your aid, Mighty…” Grogar paused as he again bowed readying his dagger, just in case.
“Oh call me Stvenmgnyt, dearie.” Stvenmgnyt requested almost dismissively.
“Well, Stvenmgnyt, I am fleeing from those that have stolen from me while I plan to take what was stolen back.” Bray silently cursed Grogar, to date that was the 1254th Grogar had used that exact same excuse to trick another into doing his bidding, Grogar’s two biggest problems were he never truly listened and was lack anything resembling creativity.
“Oh, my word.” Stvenmgnyt gasped. “How can I help someone so noble so wronged?”
“Six of the thieves are heading this way from the other side of the river, will you see that they do not cross the river?” Grogar requested
“How do you propose I do that, I mean short of killing them… You want me to kill them?”
“They are powerful and dangerous, will you not aid a displaced lord, one reduced to being a vagabond?” Grogar pleaded, he was a very convincing actor.
“I am sorry but I can not do something so… barbaric. Maybe if I was extremely miffed.” Stvenmgnyt answered.
If there was one thing Grogar was not, then that would be oblivious. “And what, pray tell, would cause one so calm and serene to become so… miffed as you said… to kill?” Grogar asked.
“Well if anything were to happen to my mustache… I am afraid I would be nothing more than a savage beast.”
Grogar grinned as he looked at the orange mustache and drew his dagger, unbeknownst to the river dragon. “May I behold a closer view of such a magnificent mustache, you must have been working on that for centuries.”
“Oh certainly, I am so glad to finally talk with someone who understands how difficult it is to care for one's hair, after having only fish to talk to for over one hundred years,” Stvenmgnyt said as he closed his eyes and lowered his head...
“Well, it boils down to what Rep actually knows and what for him was speculations. Rep told all he knew for certain anything beyond that would be speculation and he could have spent hours telling us each possible speculation and we would have lost all the time Princess Celestia’s trap would have given us.” Fluttershy answered as the six neared the first obstacle Rep informed them about; the Everfree River.
“Oh, thank heaven!” Rarity shouted as she ran to the river to soak her feet. “Ah. So much better.” Rarity gave a sigh of bliss as the cold water started to reduce the inflammation of her feet due to her walking barefoot.
“Well, I got good news.” Pinkie Pie said as she pulled out a pair of Rarity’s flats from one of her pockets. “Took me a while to find the right pocket.” Pinkie Pie then pulled out a small towel for Rarity to dry her feet.”
“Oh bless you, Darling.” Rarity said as she accepted the pair of shoes and towel.
“I got the idea to always bring a pair of your flats from Applejack. So here we are on the river, what’s next?”
“We cross...IIIITTT!!!” Rarity screamed and jumped from the riverside landing on Applejack’s arm.
“Why is it that Ah always end-up catchin’ ya?” Applejack asked as she basically dropped Rarity, “Ya’re a grown woman. Stop acting like a little girl, hay even Sweetie Belle’s less likely ta jump out of her skin.”
“The..the..re...re’s something in the river!” Rarity panicked.
“It’s a river, Sugarcube, it’s likely a fish or frog that brushed against ya.” Applejack dismissed as she walked close to and inspected the river. “I got nothing… save Nightmare Moon and whoever else is with her, but that’s a long way ahead.”
“I know how fish and frog feel, that was something more reptilian.” Rarity answered, “And if memory served you ability to detect evil did not reveal those werewolves we encountered earlier. And I’m pretty sure it wasn’t some kind of aquatic lizard.”
“Rarity now is not the time. Besides Applejack was the one that saved Twilight from those doppelgangers and all of us from those undeads.” Fluttershy scolded the enchantress as she also inspected the river. “The water is too clear for a cragodile.” Fluttershy pointed out. “We should be…” Fluttershy stopped as from the river an enraged river dragon reared and roared.
“THE WORLD WILL BOIL!!!” the dragon raged, thrashing in the river and spraying hot water all around, barely missing all six mages.
“DRAGON!” Fluttershy, Rarity, and Twilight screamed as all of them fell back towards the forest line.
“MOUSTACHE!” Pinkie Pie screamed as she pointed out the orange half-handlebar mustache the dragon had.
“YOU DARE TO MOCK MY..”
“Pick a card any card.” Pinkie Pie as she presented to the dragon the face side of a deck of cards cutting him off before he finished his sentence.
“Oh what sweet delights, I really do love card tricks.” The dragon squealed with glee as he carefully picked a card.
“Now remember that card and put it back. Now Applejack, here will take the deck and while Rainbow Dash blinds me and spins me around, you return the card.” Applejack and Rainbow Dash unsure of Pinkie’s plan went along. After Pinkie Pie finished spinning. “Alright, Fluttershy will shuffle the deck and Rarity will levitate the card two cards above the center.” Fluttershy and Rarity complied. And as Rarity levitated the card Pinkie Pie called, “And this is your card, the knave of cups.” Pinkie Pie said pointing to the card, her blindfold still on.
“Ooh! How did you do that? I simply must know.” the dragon asked clapping his hands as he noted Pinkie Pie’s correct guess as she removed her blindfold.
Pinkie Pie closed one of her eyes and as she waved her right index finger, “A good trickster never reveals her secrets.” she sing-sang in reply.
The dragon looked at her and gave a sign of sorrow. In an instant, he turned back to his rage and dove at the pink jester. Pinkie Pie cried in horror and terror, but all went silent with a swash of steel echoed. The sound carried far and wide and everything was still.
Everyone was agape as they saw Applejack’s sword tip was on the ground as if she quickly drew it and swung it with all her might. “BUCK!” Applejack all but cursed realizing she missed her mark.
The dragon brought his hand to his jaw and noted the absence of the other half of his mustache. Tears started to swell in the corners of each eye and within seconds he started to… “You… you… you cut...cut… my mustache. It was all I had left.” The dragon bailed in utter sorrow. After several seconds he lowered his head to lay it on the ground. “Just put me out of my misery.” The dragon said offering his neck to Applejack's blade.
“Um...ah...sorry, but Ah can’t.” Applejack answered utterly baffled at the dragon’s request as she cleaned off the hair from her sword and sheathed it.
“Why, you already destroyed my glorious handlebar. It took me centuries to grow it.” the dragon pleaded, more like cried.
“Ah am a paladin, you are not in a situation where you could not survive any other way, but your mustache will grow back.” Applejack replied still taken aback at the request of assisted suicide the dragon made.
“You’re worse than that satirical savage Grogar. He at least left me with something. Now I have… nothing.” The dragon lamented.
“Satirical? What the hay is that suppose to mean?” Applejack asked.
“It means of or like a satyr, you ruffian.” Rarity said as she strutted over and tried to shove Applejack to the side… try being the operative word. Rarity pushed and pushed throwing all her weight behind her attempt, but Applejack did not move in the slightest, and the paladin was not even resisting the enchantress.
“Um, Sugarcube, what are ya trying to do?” Applejack asked utterly at a loss at Rarity’s actions.
“I am trying… to move you… how much do you weigh? 3 tons?!” Rarity strained as she continued her attempt.
“125 pounds actually.”
“How is that I can’t budge you?” the enchantress asked as she stopped and took a step back wiping off a bead of sweat.
“Don’t blame me for how yer lack of physical strength.”
“Well just step aside while I fix …”
“Don’t yah dare blame mah for all this. He dove at Pinkie Pie trying to eat her.” Applejack said with a degree of force that had the weight of a god behind, her eyes glowing golden delicious yellow, not unlike the light that encompassed them when she turned the undead. “Now if yah want mah to move, ask.”
If Rarity was taken aback Twilight could not tell, but she had to admit Applejack was quite frightening in that instance. “Will you please step aside?” Rarity asked. Applejack did not move for a second. “I will not talk about your choice in attire.” Applejack still did not move. “Or how you care for your hair.”
“Make the promise.” Applejack stated her tone not as forceful as before.
Rarity gave a reluctant sigh, “For all that is good fashion, I shall keep my word. Or may Sweetie Belle burn down my boutique.” Applejack stepped aside and way as Rarity knelt down to the dragon. “Oh my, how could such a calamity befall such a … river dragon. Are river pearls part of your diet by any chance?”
“Why yes, I have a few spots along the river and allow them to grow naturally.”
“It clearly shows Darling. Now about your recently murdered handlebar, I cannot let such an offense against good taste go uncorrected. Close your eyes. This is not going to be pretty until it is over.” Rarity said as she patted the dragon’s snout. It obeyed. Along the bank, there was a lone scale that once belonged to the dragon. Rarity levitated the towards to her. “Now I need utter silence.” There was a stillness in the air as Rarity's hand raised the scale.
Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash and Applejack gasped at what they just witness. Pinkie Pie pulled out a trumpet and began to play a dirge, as Rainbow Dash and Applejack bowed their heads with Applejack placing her right hand over her heart and Fluttershy shed silent tears in morning.
Twilight just looked on in utter confusion over the reaction of the four to what just happened. “I don’t get it, all she did was cut her hair,” she commented.
Rarity’s once long hair was reduced to less than four inches, but she remained focused on the task at hand. First, she divided her severed locks to make two even lengths and brought each to the remnants of the dragon’s once-proud handlebar, and after a few seconds, the hair merged with the stubs of the stubs and then morphed in color, texture, style, etc to match the river dragon’s original mustache. After looking over her work once more, “You may now open your eyes.” She informed the dragon as she stepped away.
The river dragon first brought his hands to his face and a smile that rivaled Pinkie Pie grew on the dragon’s face as his eyes opened. “My mustache! You restored my… OH BY CELESTIA’S HAIR CARE! My lady, your gorgeous locks! You gave them up for…” the dragon paused and kowtowed to Rarity, “Let it be known that I, Stvenmgnyt, Steven Magnus in Common, am henceforth and hereafter bound in gratitude to…” He paused as he looked back up to Rarity.
“Rarity ‘gulp’ Crumbles-Flanks…” Rarity said her family name with a bit of shiver of unpleasantness. “I prefer to just go by my given name if you don’t mind.” Rarity informed the dragon.
“Rarity, until such a time as I have rendered onto her an item or service to match the sacrifice of her hair to restore my mustache.” Stvenmgnyt finished saying as he raised his head. “With Celestia’s golden sun as my… oh, it’s still night.”
“Stvenmgnyt, darling, I appreciate the offer. But you don’t need to. It is summer after all and short hair is in. If you could just let us cross the river your debt shall be repaid.”
“You have given so much for so little? Well. Who am I..” Stvenmgnyt started but was cut short.
“By the order of Lord Grogar, in the name of Nightmare Moon, You... um... girls will die before you cross the river!” Shouted one of Grogar’s captains as he and the other satyrs jumped from the foliage and undergrowth from the other side of the river, axes, hammers, spears, clubs and other weapons at the ready.
“He said you were running from thieves,” Stvenmgnyt said in disbelief.
“He was not totally lying, these six girls are servants to the self-righteous thief, Celestia.” another satyr replied.
Twilight was about to protest but Stvenmgnyt spoke first, “YOU DARE USE ME!!!” He roared and started spraying his boiling hot water with enough force to knock all fifty of them into trees, knocking them all unconscious. Stvenmgnyt then started to pant to calm himself down. After he had calmed down, “Ladies, if I may.” he said as he made himself into a bridge. Unbeknownst to all Bray crept out from the area and ran as fast as he could back to Grogar to give the report.
Rainbow Dash just flew across, “No offense, but I am a Skyborn. Come on Flutter…” She turned to see Fluttershy was not moving. “...shy. Hey, Applejack, Fluttershy is about to root herself.”
Applejack gave a sigh as she picked up Fluttershy and put her on her shoulder. “Come on, Sugarcube, you got to work through this draconophobia sooner or later.” As she was about to step on the dragon she saw his glare at her. “Ah’ll gladly shave that off if it’s botherin’ yahr nose.” the dragon backed down as Applejack walked on, like a boss. Twilight followed, with Rarity and Pinkie Pie, who was hopping across the ridges of the dragon’s back as happy as can be, with a very distinct springing sound in her hops.
“Actually, Applejack,” said Twilight as they continued along, “the proper name for fear of dragons is just dracophobia.”
“Sugarcube, not helpin’ wid the whole alleviating ‘er fears thing Ah ‘ave goin’ on ‘ere.” Applejack pointed out.
After everyone was one was on the other side, Rarity turned back to Stvenmgnyt, “Mutilated by such a devious and savage being, you’re the second person we came across. Thank you for your help.”
“It is the least I can do, dearest. But I have one request.” Stvenmgnyt then received the discarded scale. “Will you execute justice for…” He stopped as he handed the scale to Rarity.
“Describe this Grogar.” Rarity said, there was a fire in her eyes that could not be unnoticed as she accepted the scale.
“He has blue fur, he looks like a large mountain goat, except for the human-like torso. Which if you ask me, makes him look like an over-exercised brute. He has a bizarre thing for bells.” Stvenmgnyt said as he recalled the satyr that deceived him.
“Dread not, I shall retrieve justice for the horrendous deed that has befallen you, or I will let Sweetie Belle burn down my boutique.” Rarity vowed. “Well, we must be going.” Rarity said as she regrouped with the others and starts towards their destination again. “Charity and agape, darling. Express your love for your fellow sentient beings and everything for everyone gets easier.”
Twilight thought about that. Charity and agape, she did show both. And while both she and Stvenmgnyt will grow their hair back, it was a generous action on Rarity’s part. At the moment her tome glowed for the third time. She opened the tome and read it. The top of the page was a fluorine and the element in question was generosity. Much like with Laughter and Loyalty the entry gave a description of the element and its bearers. For some reason, Twilight could not place the bearer, but much like the previous two, the last sentence was not punctuated with a period, but with a kite or rhombus. Twilight finished reading much faster than before. She needed to talk with Rarity, it was about the magic she witnessed. It was not powerful magic, but it was a magic she had never seen before and Twilight was one to consume any and all knowledge she could.
“And unlike Catrina, I had put my fall-back in order then and there, with the condition to only have one of them report back in either case,” Grogar said as he genuflected to the Tantabus as both of them were in the old throne room. It was clearly not a position the satyr lord enjoyed being in.
The Tantabus just stared blankly into the void in between him and the satyr. After a minute he spoke, “So let me get this straight you cut the mustache of a river dragon and tasked your forces with the cleanup.” Grogar nodded. “Yet you didn’t stay to make sure the job was done.”
At that moment Bray arrived and was panting, “My Lord....’pant’ ‘pant’... they placated the river dragon. They have an enchantress, dressed in white… she made a new mustache and he knocked out the others.”
The Tantabus looked to the faun, “That will be all, Bray. You are dismissed. Grogar, you have failed me and Her Grace. And unlike Hydia and Catrina, you have seen two failures before yours, as such Her Majesty would be less inclined to show mercy to you. In other words, our deal is now in jeopardy and I am actually in a debate with myself over whether or not it is a good idea to give you another chance.” The Tantabus then walked past the humiliated satyr. After walking past where Catrina and the Diamond Dogs had set-up a series of traps on the floor of the old courtyard before the throne room, and after walking past the gate where Hydia staged herself and several bewitched residences of Magiville at the old entrance to the castle, he walked near the old drawbridge which was currently still lowered. There Nightshade had taken up a new roost away from the others. “AHHHHHH!!!! That’s it, that’s it, that’s it. It’s like Holder always said, ‘If you want to move the mountain, you’ll have to do it yourself’.” Tantabus shouted throwing up his arms giving up with the hired hands.
“You sure you don’t want me to try?” Nightshade asked feigning concern.
“No. Three strikes, you hired hands are out. I have had enough of all your failures!” Tantabus shouted as he vanished into the shadows.
Nightshade only smiled to herself, “Jumping the gun, old man. Well, he’ll be back.” She then looked up and saw storm clouds starting to form. “Well, this should be interesting.” She mused.
Rep was not far from the wreckage of the Charun, well what survived the explosion. He stopped and looked at it. “They are willing to die to save people they don’t even know and here I am running away.” He said to himself. “I could help them and yet I am wallowing in self…” He stopped as he saw a phoenix preached nearby.
Do you wish to fly? Rep thought he heard.
“What? Who said that? Where are you?” He asked as he turned around frantically until he saw something else. “By Zacherle and Faust.” He muttered in utter awe and his mouth hung open.