//------------------------------// // Bonus: Zecora // Story: Where did you come from? // by Jeweled Pen //------------------------------// “You'll LOVE Zecora!” Sweetie said with a nod, a wide grin on her face. “I... don't know,” Val said softly, a frown on his lips. “This is bringing us really close to where I came out. Where the portal was...” “Ahhh, don't worry. Twilight an' the others took care of it, remember?” Applebloom said with a big grin. “It'll be fine.” Val sighed and gave a nod, occasionally glancing back towards Nipper, who was resting on his back. “Are you sure this is okay?” “Silverbelle's mom wanted only the finest inks and stuff, right?” Sweetie asked with a shrug. “I couldn't imagine anypony would be able to get better stuff than Zecora. Besides, Miss Cheerilee said she wanted you to meet her eventually anyway, right? And we've been up here a dozen times or so.” “Yeah, and she knows all kinds of cool things. Like how to make special potions and stuff,” Sweetie said with a grin. “Maybe she knows something about your weird magic, too!” “I doubt it,” Val muttered. “She knows all kinds of weird things,” Applebloom said with a shrug. “She even knows about dragons.” “But does she know about spiders?” Val asked with a snort. “Probably,” Scootaloo said with a shrug. “Well, fine. But does she understand... THAT?” he asked, before pointing a hoof at Claw, who was in the midst of trying to eat a rose bush. “... Ah don't think anypony understands that,” Applebloom said flatly. “Exactly, so how smart could she be?” Val said with a smirk. “I-I don't know. I... I'm sure she's... really smart,” Silverbelle said softly. “If... if she gets us what we need, mommy will be happy, too.” “Exactly,” Sweetie said with a nod. “Besides, as long as we stay on the path, nothing bad will happen. We walk up here to Zecora's hut all the time.” Val nodded and frowned. “I guess.” “Ah, relax. It'll be fine,” Applebloom said. “Besides. We're... here!” she said before turning a corner and the ponies froze. Zecora's hut stood in the distance, but the sight of it made them unable to keep going. “Oh my gosh, that's so awesome!” Val yelled before galloping forward. “Why didn't you tell me?” It was covered almost completely in thick, white strands of spider webs. “Zecora!” Applebloom shrieked, before galloping forward. She pounded on the door. She was greeted by nothing but silence. “Zecora?” Val, meanwhile, moved around the tree with a great big grin on his face. He reached out and touched the webbing. A moment later the grin disappeared. “You've GOT to be kidding me!” “What? What's wrong? Is it from your home?” Scootaloo asked. “NO! This is like, so bad. This is NOTHING like our spiders.” He held up a little bit of the webbing. “This has got to be the lamest webbing I've ever seen! It's barely even sticky, and kind of weak. Also, look! It SPARKLES! What kind of web sparkles? That'd be like... a sparkling ghast or a sparkling slime monster or a sparkling vampire! It'd just be... silly! What kind of lame spiders do you have here?” He paused. “Not counting you, Nipper. You're awesome.” His spider gave a little nod. “Zecora?” Applebloom said again before looking around. Her eyes then stopped on the ground. She reached out and picked up a small note, picking it up. “Oh. Huh. I guess we just... wait.” “What? Let me see that,” Val said before walking forward and reading the note. “... Is this written in rhymes?” “It's a Zecora thing,” Scootaloo said with a shrug. “'If of me you require some boon, worry not I should be back by noon. To the princess of friendship I now head, come back later if you wish instead,'” Val read before rolling his eyes. “So... we just wait? This is boring, though.” “It'll be fine,” Applebloom said with a shrug. She then glanced to the door and gave it a light twist of the knob. It opened with ease. “Huh. Guess she left it open for guests? Jus' don't touch anythin', okay? It--” Her words were cut off when four massive creatures could be seen in the shadows. The moment the door opened, they rushed forward. The children only had a moment to realize they were massive, colorful spiders before Applebloom slammed the door shut. “Run!” she screamed. The six turned tail and ran, moments before the door opened and the creatures bolted out after them. They barely made it ten feet before Applebloom glanced back. They were all wearing cute little berets that would have been adorable. If they weren't swarming after them and quickly gaining. She looked around nervously, before gulping. “SCATTER!” she finally screamed. She ran to the left, Scootaloo and Sweetie following behind her as they ran off the path. Val ran off to the right, Claw and Silverbelle following after him. Two of the spiders raced after them, their massive frames stumbling awkwardly through the foliage. The crusaders raced through the bushes and under threes, but the massive spiders struggled to keep up, their legs getting tangled in the branches and forcing them to go even slower. Applebloom veered off slightly towards the right, moments before she heard a long stream of words from one of the spiders. A stream of words she knew her big sister would not want her to hear. She glanced back and saw one of the spiders completely entangled in the branches of a tree, the other trying to get it free. She grinned and kept running, leaving the spiders far behind. Soon, the three of them broke out from the tree cover and Ponyville was back in sight. A loud laugh broke from her lips. “We did it! We're out! We did--” The words froze when she looked back and saw who was following her. “Hey... girls? Where are Val, Claw and Silverbelle?” The other two glanced back and slowly the color drained from their faces. After a few moments, Sweetie said what they were all thinking. “Do... any of them... know how to get out of the forest?” “Let's go get Twilight,” Scootaloo said quickly. The three shared a nod and galloped off. “I-I'm sure it'll be fine!” Applebloom said nervously. “I mean, Val was in there almost nine hours a week ago! What's the worst that could happen?” ------ “Ha! I'm awesome! Who's the best at leading? Val is! Oh yeah!” Val said before doing a little dance. The three had come to a small clearing, having left the spiders in their dust. “Wow...” Claw said happily, before tackle glomping the unicorn. “You saved us!” “Ack! No, stop, Claw, not the face! NOT THE FACE! STOP!” Val shrieked as he tried to cover his face from the flurry of licks. After a few minutes he finally managed to shove the colt off and growled. “Ugh! Why, why is it always with the slobber with you?” “Where now?” Silverbelle asked, looking around nervously. “Huh? Well, obviously we go... ummm...” Val looked around. He suddenly realized he had no idea where they were. They couldn't go back the way they came, either, or the spiders would get them. “Err... this way! Obviously,” he said before turning in a random direction and started walking. “Are you sure?” Silverbelle asked. “Of course I'm sure. Trust me,” he said with a shrug. “Do YOU want to lead? I mean, if you think you can do a better job than me, you're welcome to try.” “W-what? No! I-I'll follow,” she said quickly before shaking her head. “Exactly. Now come on.” ------ Chad took a slow, deep breath before reaching down with a hoof, marking an X on the ground. “There.” The zebra colt across from him reached out and made a O. “I win again! Eeeee!” Chad gave a nod. “Si, senior,” he said with a nod before glancing up as an elder zebra walked into the hut. “Ahhh, enjoying games with the orphans I see. Little one, please run along. I have much to speak with this stallion about.” “Awwwww. Okay! Bye Senior Chad!” “Goodbye, little one.” The sombrero wearing pony glanced up, a smile on his face. “Yes?” “So, Chad... it... has come to my attention that you wish to face the trials of the nine monkeys. I understand why, but please, don't risk yourself. My daughter understood what she was doing when she offered herself as sacrifice. While your heart may be filled with love, you will not survive. If you--” “No, senior,” Chad said with a shake of his head. “It is not for love I do these things.” “I'm... I'm sorry?” “I will face these trials. Nopony should have to face such a beast. Let alone be sacrificed to it.” He ground his hoof into the ground. “No zebra, either. I will get this... statue that you so desperately need. And then you will be free of this curse.” “Senior Chad, please. You have done so much for us already, what with the hydra and the dam and the three legged goat. There is no need for--” “There is always a need.” Chad adjusted his sombrero and stepped forward. “Besides. After your tribe saved me, how could I ignore you now? Err, senior?” He walked out from the hut. “Please. Reconsider.” “... Never,” Chad said before walking away. The zebras of the village stopped and watched, whispering amongst themselves. ------ Val had no bucking clue where he was. He could have been in the Underdark for all he knew. If the Underdark had trees. Every branch seemed to snag on his coat, every weed tried to trip him up. His frustration just got worse and worse as he walked, grinding his hooves into the ground. But worst of all, was the fact as they walked they were coming across more of the webbing. The stupid, sparkly webbing. He'd almost turned around, too, but he swore he saw one of the spiders behind them, hiding in the shadows. If the others noticed, they didn't say anything. All they could do now was push on. He struggled to mentally calm himself. After all, he was in Equestria. Land of the silly talking horses, how dangerous could their spiders even be? He'd squash them if they tried anything. Squash them like the bugs they were. He just had to keep going and avoid panicking. His heart nearly stopped when he pushed through a bush and got a face full of webbing. It took all his self control to merely wipe it off and keep walking, a low shiver going down his spine. But then relief flooded through him as the webbings seemed to disappear. In fact he was able to walk into yet another clearing without a single sign of the webs. The ground was quite rocky, though, but that didn't bother him. “See? We're almost out. Told you I knew the way.” The ground rumbled slightly under him when he walked on it. “Huh?” He looked down just before the dirt fell apart under him, sending the three shrieking down a long, dark tunnel. Val yelled as he tumbled through the darkness, bouncing off walls and jamming into rough stones. Then, when he didn't think it could get worse, it did. The tunnel disappeared under him and he was suddenly falling through open air. The three of them shrieked as they plummeted towards the ground below, the darkness making it impossible to see. Then he hit something soft and sticky, falling through it. When he plummeted through it, he fell through a few more of whatever those things were, slowing his fall. It didn't slow it enough, though, and finally he fell through one last one and slammed into the ground. Nothing felt broken, but he hurt all over. He heard a loud thump from behind. “Owwwww...” Silverbelle moaned. Val rolled over and tried to get whatever was covering him off. It felt like-- He froze in place and whimpered. Slowly his horn lit up and he sent a ball of light into the air. Revealing Silverbelle on the ground behind him, Claw up above still tangled up... and the yards of webbing they'd just fallen through. Oh, and the massive spiders the size of carts wearing berets and top hats. Including the massive red one that had a giant black and yellow shirt on and he swore was the size of a house. “Oh,” Val said softly. He leaped to his hooves and looked around nervously. Two of the spiders were already making their way down towards Claw. Silverbelle was only beginning to realize what was going on and she started backing away, babbling in broken prench. Val joined her, backing up only a few feet before he hit a wall. He glanced back and then looked around. They were in some kind of cave and the only way out he could see was a small tunnel across the room. Behind the great spider. One of the spiders tried to grab Claw and got its leg bit for its trouble. It hissed and yanked back, before both of them charged him. Claw roared and thrashed about, fire erupting from his mouth and sending the spiders scattering. The webbing around him burned away a moment later and he plummeted to the ground, landing with a loud thump before rolling up, growling and bearing his teeth. The large spider began to move forward, walking across the webbing with ease. He towered over them and Claw sent out a burst of flame into the creature's face. When the fire faded it merely looked annoyed, before reaching out suddenly and punching him hard enough to send him flying across the cave, hitting the wall with a loud thump. A moment later the spiders descended on the stunned dragon pony, binding him up as his head rolled back and forth in a daze. Val gulped and looked around as the spiders started talking amongst themselves. “So, boss, they ain't the zebra, but you think they'll do?” The big one shrugged. “Maybe. If they don't, there's other uses for a couple of ponies,” he said with a light chuckle. Silver let out a whimper, crouching low to the ground and shaking, closing her eyes and muttering softly in prench. Val gulped and reached out, tapping her on the shoulders. “It... it'll be okay. It'll be okay,” he said nervously before looking up at the spiders. They were barely even looking at the two of them, two just focused on keeping Claw stuck now that he'd come to. But Silverbelle and he were just minor prey. His mind traveled back to home and what the spiders like that were back. But these spiders weren't like them. They weren't like anything he had back home. They just laughed and talked and were probably going to kill the three of them for whatever reason it was they had. He felt a light trembling on his flank and glanced back towards Nipper, who was shaking against him. He then glanced back up to Claw, then Silverbelle one last time. He took a deep breath before reaching out and tapping the filly on the withers. She looked up and he gave her the most confident smile he could muster. “It's going to be okay, I promise.” “V-Val?” she asked softly. He turned and started walking towards the big spider. ------ The great spider laughed as he looked down at the three little ponies. The fire breathing one was a little troubling, but the other two weren't anything. Just two little frightened unicorns. He'd like to see the zebra deny their demands now. He then cocked an eye as the tiny black one started to step forward and walk towards them. He made a gesture and two of his boys started walking towards the little pony. Three black orbs formed above his horn and then shot out. Two of them shot out at his boys and they got hit in the chests. They froze and then raced back, yiping and whimpering. He snorted and lifted a hand to swipe at the orb. These silly unicorns, did they really think their pitiful magic could hurt-- The orb glided around his arm and slammed into his chest. He let out a soft gasp when the orb connected and the magic flowed into him. It felt unlike anything he'd ever suffered before, as if a part of his very being had been torn away. He stopped laughing and his boys quickly followed suit. They looked between the little pony and their leader, before nervously backing up. "Do I have your attention?" the boy asked asked, his voice shaky as he moved closer. "You're not spiders," he said softly, though in the chamber it seemed to echo out. "I've seen spiders. I've lived my entire life with spiders. I've seen spiders that spit acid. I've watched as my kin dragged other members of my kin off, forced rings of protection against acid, then made them endure days or even a week of torture, the spider's poison slowly eating them from the inside out. Those are spiders. You? You are giant, pony like spiders. Frail. Delicate. Squashable. Your webbing sparkles for pony's sake." The pony tore a bit off himself. The great spider looked annoyed now, glaring down at the pitiful pony that dared to talk to him in such a way. But there was something about that spell. Something else about this pony. He'd been hit by magic before, but nothing like that. Judging by his two boys who were cowering behind him, neither had they. "I've seen horrors you can't begin to imagine. I've seen experiments. I've seen horrendous tortures. I've... endured a few. From those who were my family. From those I now realize were supposed to keep me safe." He was up to the spider's web now and he stopped, staring up at him defiantly. It would have been easy to squash him, the pony was almost smaller than the great spider's fist. But he didn't. Instead he just watched. "I have a new family now. A family that.... a family that saved me. A family that cares about me. A family that... that loves me. Even when I don't think I deserve it. When I know I don't. Even when I don't feel anything could. They do." He grit his teeth. "And I will be damned if you think for even one second I'll just let you take even the smallest part of them from me. Even the parts I find annoying." The little pony stood up as tall as he could, as meager as it was. Fire burned in his eyes and he yelled out. "I swear this now. You'd best let us go. Because if you don't, I swear you will regret it. You can kill us now, fine. But I will come for you. I will crawl my way out of Lolth's very web if I have to, but I will find you. I will destroy you and everything you care about. In a hundred years from now, the things I will wreak upon your clan and web will be the things that ponies only say in the quietest corners and the brightest light." His eyes narrowed. "Then, when there is nothing left of your web, no kin, no family, nothing. I'll come for you." He leaned up closer to the spider's face. "And I swear. I swear with every fiber of my being. I will find you. And I will drag you down to the very pits I end up, even if I have to spend a thousand years doing it." He exhaled slowly. "You think we're just ponies? That I'm just a pony? You're wrong. I am no pony. I am drow. And you have no idea what wrath I can bring down upon you. The monsters I have endured and treatments I have suffered. And I will not let you harm me or those I care about." The spider stared down at the little pony. It was a colt, nothing more. There was no way he should worry. Yet he felt a chill down to his core. It burned like ice. There was a solidness to the boy's words, even with his mild shaking and the beginning of tears around his eyes. He was terrified, not that it could be blamed. Who wouldn't? Grown ponies would be. But there was something else to his words. A subtle thing. He couldn't say for certain if the pony meant what he said he'd do. But something instinctively told the spider, whatever this little pony was, truly wasn't pony. At least, not one like he'd ever met. Worst of all, it was telling him that these threats weren't just idle. That they were possible. His eyes then glanced to the little pony's flank. He then burst into laughter. “You talk well, for a little pony.” He waved a hand into the air. His boys just stared in stunned silence, before one spoke up. "What? But boss--" "Do it," the spider snapped. Slowly the spiders holding Claw grumbled, but tore open the webbing before skittering up the wall. "For this amusement, I will give you this one time, pony. Never return to our caves." He then slowly moved aside, allowing them to pass. “But if you fall into our traps again, I won't be so amused.” Val nodded, before turning to Silver. "Come on." He then started walking back out the exit, Claw following close behind, trying to scratch off the lingering webbing. ------ Silver couldn't believe it when they walked out of the tunnel and back into the outside world. Val had been so awesome! He'd just, wow. He was the most awesome pony she'd ever seen. The way he'd stood up to that spider, he wasn't even scared. Even now, he just kept-- She froze when he stopped in place the moment they were no longer in sight of the cave. "Val?" she asked softly and walked around to see him. She stopped when she saw he was crying. Tears flowed down his face and he lifted his hooves to cover his eyes. "I... I want my m-mommy... I want... I want m-mommy..." He said weakly, giving a little whimper. Silver lunged forward, hugging him around the neck. A moment later Claw joined them, holding the colt as he sobbed in their little group hug. Soon enough, the tears stopped and he sniffled, nodding. "T-thanks... g-guys. Don't uhhh... don't tell the o-others about that, okay? I... I didn't cry." "Nope, no tears," Claw said with a nod, before licking his face. "GAHHHH! CLAW! BAD!" ------ Chad shrieked and dodged around pits of fire, ducked under flurries of arrows and read a small story book to some sleepy cobras, before finally leaping across the spiked pit. He then blinked and stared across the room before he realized every trap was triggered by walking over them. He face hoofed. “MOTHER BU--” ------ Val yiped when the bushes ahead of them nearly exploded as Rarity, Precious and Cheerilee came barreling out of the woods, nearly tackling the three of them, responding to their yells. The three were scooped up and hugged, Val letting out a whimper. “M-mom, too... too tight,” he wheezed. “Oh my little precious girl I am so so sorry I didn't, I never should have let you out of my sight!” Precious said while she hugged Silverbelle so tight she squeaked. Twilight galloped up, before letting out a sigh of relief. “Oh thank the stars, you're all okay. After Zecora talked to us and... well...” “M-mom!” Val squeaked, trying to escape the grip. Claw just hugged his mom back. “R-right,” Cheerilee said before slowly loosening her grip. “Val, you never should have come out here, when we--” Her eyes widened. “Y-you're covered in webbings! Did they hurt you? Did they find you, did they--” Then she froze in place. “VAL!” Sweetie shrieked as she and the other two crusaders finally caught up. “Huh?” “You got your cutie mark!” Scootaloo yelled. Val blinked and then looked back at his flank. True to their words, across his flank was a big web and in the very center was a big, black spider surrounded by other, smaller spiders. His mouth fell open before he looked up at his mom. “Err... is that good?” “I want to know EVERYTHING that happened,” Cheerilee said firmly, before glancing to the girls. “And you three are still in big trouble.” The crusaders sighed. Val nodded before being slowly pulled along with his mother. He didn't even mind that she held him really close as they walked, or that she occasionally hugged him. “We uhhh... just... fell into a pit of spiders and they let us go. They were just... big.” Silverbelle's eyes widened. “T-that's not all! They tied up Claw and then--” She started talking rapidly in Prench, her words spilling out so quickly each word bled into the next. After a few minutes Precious gasped and looked to Val. “Is... is that true?” “I don't know. She talked in weird gibberish,” Val said flatly. “Oh, right. She said you... stood up to the spider and convinced it to let you go?” Val blinked and then looked down. “Yeah... I... I guess I did that,” he said softly, inching a little closer to Cheerilee. “Girls, I wish you had come to talk to me before doing any of this,” Twilight said before looking to the crusaders. “If you had, I could have warned you that Zecora was staying at the castle for the moment. Those spiders have been causing all kinds of trouble. Who knows what could have happened?” “You took on one of those spiders by yourself?” Sweetie asked, her eyes wide. “A little bit,” Val muttered. “It was as big as a house!” Claw said helpfully. “W-wow,” Scootaloo said, her mouth hanging open. “Even bigger than the one that chased us?” “Loads bigger!” Silverbelle said excitedly. “Really? Val? Ah mean, yah did it all on your lonesome?” Applebloom asked. “Can... can we talk about something else? Please?” Val asked. Silence reigned for a few moments and Cheerilee looked down at Val. She then coughed. “Well... you... I guess you have your cutie mark now. You know what that means? It's time to celebrate your cutie cen--” “I don't want to celebrate it!” Val screamed, before freezing in place, tears starting to form in his eyes. Everypony stopped, all of them staring at her. Cheerilee stared down at him before looking around. “Let's... just get to Ponyville. We can talk when we're all safe, okay?” There were solemn nods from the group, though every eye occasionally found its way wandering back to the young colt. ------ Chad collapsed in front of the small monkey statue, his flank still slightly on fire. He licked his hoof and then put it out, creating a light sizzling sound. He heard the door grind closed behind him. He then glanced up at the statue, before licking his lips. He could do this. Slowly, shakily, he got to his hooves and trotted forward. He looked up at the small hole above, simple and easy to escape out of. He smirked and then leaned forward, grabbing the statue in his mouth. Instantly the place began to shake, but he started to rise up... before the window above collapsed. “Oh! COME ON!” he yelled, dropping the statue and cringing. He plucked it back up and ran, narrowly avoiding a falling rock. ------ Cheerilee slowly put a mug of hot cocoa in front of Val, who gingerly reached out to take a sip, spilling a little on himself. She couldn't help but notice his hooves were shaking. “Val? What's wrong?” “Nothings wrong...” “Something obviously is. You got your cutie mark and aren't bragging about it. You don't want a party for it. You managed to take down a giant spider all by yourself and yet you let the others talk about it?” Val sipped his cocoa, just nodding. “Why? Val, what's wrong? Really?” The colt stared at his drink before, slowly, looking up. “Mommy?” “Yes?” “Am... am I a bad pony?” She blinked a few more times, her mouth falling open. “W-what?” “Am I a bad pony?” She stepped forward and put a hoof around him. “Oh. Oh Val. You make mistakes and you're sometimes naughty, but you're not bad. Is that what's upsetting you? It's okay, the girls didn't know Zecora wasn't home...” He stared at his cocoa. “I'm... a bad drow.” “What?” “I'm a drow. I... I got this cutie mark for being a drow. For acting like a drow. For... for... being... me...” he said weakly, tears starting to form in his eyes. “But... but I'm a bad drow. I'm a very bad drow. If... if I was home, I'd be sacrificed to Lolth.” Cheerilee blinked a few more times. “I... I see. But you're not home, you're--” “And do you know what happens to bad drows?” he asked softly. She blinked. “I... don't?” “They suffer. They die and then they suffer.” He closed his eyes and shook. “Mom... mom told me all the time. Bad drow... unimportant drow. They... they die. They end up in Lolth's web. Then... then they suffer forever. They get eaten by her. They get hurt by her.” “Die and then they su--” Her eyes went wide with alarm. He was talking about an after life? Just what the buck had his mom been telling him? “Val. I don't know what your mom told you but... I'm sure this... think she said isn't real. You aren't going anywhere like that.” “It is real, though,” he said softly. “We can go there. Stronger wizards can... can shift there. My sister saw it, too. She talked to Lolth. They can go there. They can... see those who suffer. And... and now I'm going to end up there and I and I don't want to go there I don't want to be there I-I don't want to be a bad drow I want to be a good pony a-and go where ever ponies go but I am a drow and I got this mark now and it says I'm a drow and I--” He was silenced by her hug. She held him as close as she could, gently leaning down and kissing his forehead. “Val, darling. You will never, ever go anywhere like that.” “B-but... but I'm a drow and--” “You're a pony now. This... Lolth can't hurt you. She won't hurt you.” She took a slow, deep breath. “I don't know how things work where you're from, and I can't tell you where ponies go. There are a lot of theories. But I can tell you that you're going there too,” she said softly, hugging him. “That cutie mark doesn't mean you're a drow.” “It's a spider, though...” “How did you get it?” “I threatened a big spider. I... I was a drow.” “No, you weren't. Tell me, why did you threaten it?” “Why? Why does that matter?” “Tell me. Why did you threaten it?” “Because... because it was going to hurt us. It was going to... it was going to hurt all of us. I...” He chewed on his lower lip. “I didn't want it to hurt anypony.” Cheerilee nodded softly, hugging him tighter. “You got it by standing up to something bigger and stronger than you. You got it for protecting your friends. You got it for stopping things from hurting those you care about. Those who couldn't protect themselves. You were a pony. That is what a pony does.” “But... but I...” “That's what your cutie mark means,” she said softly, gazing down at him. “It means you are a special pony. You may have been a drow once, but you aren't now. Now you're a little pony who keeps other ponies safe. Who makes sure that others can't hurt them, even if they're bigger than you. Or scary.” She paused and smiled down at him. “Does that sound like a drow to you?” “Well... no, not really,” he said with a small smile. “So... I... I'm a pony?” “Yes, you are. A very brave, very strong, very good pony.” He closed his eyes and nuzzled her chest. “Promise?” “I swear. You're going where ever we go when you die, I promise.” She leaned down and gave him a kiss on the forehead. “Now... how about you tell me what happened? I want to know all about how awesome you were, taking on that big, bad spider.” He blinked and slowly smiled. “Welllll... I guess I was a liiiiiiittle awesome. So, there we were, fell into the cave through this pit fall. I think it was made by a big trap spider. Oh, if you know what those are they...” ------ Chad collapsed into the dirt, holding the statue out. “H-here,” he squeaked softly, panting with exertion and covered in burns. The zebras stared with wide eyes and the sphinx gasped. “Can... can it be? That statue was... I never thought...” “I... I have found it,” Chad said before slowly getting to his hooves. “Now... as... as per the agreement...” He slid it over. “Will you uphold your end of the bargain?” The sphinx leaned down and sniffed it, finally he nodded and looked away, blushing. “I... I see. O-of course... I... I had no idea you cared so.” “Si, senior.” “Then it is decided. You shall be my bride and the mare will be released.” “Si, se-- errr, what?” “Prepare the wedding!” the sphinx roared, lifting a paw into the air. Chad wilted, even his sombrero went limp as he stared. “I... I thought the sacrifice was... I thought you were going to eat the sacrifice!” The sphinx looked affronted. “You'd think I'd eat a pony? Ew! Now, prepare to be measured for the dress!” Brad looked down at the statue, the zebras, then the sphinx. He then turned and ran for his life. After a few moments he heard the sphinx racing after him. “Wait! My bride! Come back! We have so much to talk about!” Maybe the demon that walked on four tiny legs wasn't so bad after all.