Rise Against Equestria

by Emerald Burst

THE NEXT DAY

Birds sung sweetly, the town was busy, and the clear sky brought another lovely day in Ponyville. On the other hoof, Dusk was shunning the sun's rays from his face with the help of the pillow on his head. Something crawled onto his back and began... Jumping on him? "What in the name of...?"

He took the pillow off his head and leered at whatever was on him. It was a... White rabbit... "I'll inform them of their rodent problem later..." He turned to his side and the "rodent" fell off. "I just need five minutes..."

Everything was peaceful once again, until the rabbit somehow got its paws on an air horn. The blaring noise made the grey unicorn bolt out of the couch, heart racing and chest heaving. "You rabbit of Tartarus! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?!" He shouted with an upturned hoof on his chest.

Laughter came from the stairway. Emerald Burst was coming downstairs with Fluttershy right behind him. "I see you met our pet, Angel Bunny." Emerald said with a chuckle, but Fluttershy was more concerned. "Maybe you should have left alone... Just for a while longer..." She softly said as she passed them by and went into the kitchen.

"Shoot, I forgot to get groceries yesterday... I might not have enough for breakfast." Her voice echoed out of the kitchen. Dusk's ears perked; a chance to repay them slightly? "I can go fetch what you need." He offered, eager to get some distance form that damned rabbit, who was glaring at the stallion.

"I'll go with you." The white pegasus said with a smile, "It gives me a chance to show you around, and go see if your cloak is ready." He was already heading to the door, but the unicorn blocked his path. "My sword?" He asked as he glanced at his faithful weapon. Emerald raised an eyebrow. "What about it? You won't need it while you're here."

All he got was a nervous answer from his guest. "Call me paranoid, but I would much rather have it and not need it than the other way around... Once more he looked at the sword, speaking half to himself. "It has saved me countless times... Parting with it even for a few minutes makes me worry..."

Emerald Burst gave a heavy sigh... What is so special about this sword? He'll ask about it later. The massive stallion tried to pull the sword out, but with its strange design pulling it out was a challenging task, even with his devastating strength.

The sword was larger than the unicorn himself, it’s amazing how well hidden it was inside his cloak. It was a well-made broadsword that had only one side with an edge. About one quarter of the way down from the tip as the sharp blade curved out, then in, creating a razor sharp hook. As the blade continued, it eventually became saw like, all the way to the handle, where it curved outwards slightly to provide an improvised version of a hoof-guard.

The other side had no edge. It went straight down towards the handle, and then curved into a small hook that did have a sharp edge, until it finally became a part of the handle. The handle itself was elongated to fit the sword's size and wrapped in old cloth to improve the grip, at the butt of the handle it forms into a slightly smaller copy of the hook and hoof-guard.

Finally, on the flat side of the sword, a large hole was created between the tip and hook, followed by 7 smaller holes that evenly go towards the handle to slightly reduce the weight of it. It was well crafted and must have taken many years to finish... How did this stranger get his hooves on a weapon like this?

Pulling this sword out won't work, and Emerald was getting very annoyed. “Let’s try this then!" He set back his hoof and threw a punch into the handle, shooting the sword out of the house and eventually landing in the grass. "Perfect!" He said with a grin of satisfaction. *Twitch.* "Y-Yeah..." Dusk weakly said. *Twitch. Twitch.* "P-Perfect..."

After a moment of silence he bolted out of the door and ran, with speeds most ponies wouldn't expect him to achieve, to his sword and examined every inch of it.

"For the love of Luna, please let there be no damage!" He begged. Luck shined down him as he found none. So he managed to calm down and set it on his back, using grey aura to unwrap the cloth and use it as a strap. The real strap was a part of his cloak that he sowed in with the help of long strips of cloth.

"Are you ready yet?" The long winged pony called out from the front of the cottage, getting evermore impatient. *Twitch...* "Ready..." The ever so twitchy unicorn came to the other stallion's side and they walked in silence... Until they went back for the grocery list and then resumed their trip.

"How long do you plan on staying?" The “considerate” pegasus asked once they left cottage a second time. "Until I pay off my debt to you and Fluttershy." Came the grey one's answer, then a small smile crept upon his face. "Wait... You just want me to leave don't you? All because I interrupted your, ‘special night’?!" He continued in a dramatic manner.

Emerald's face went red and he walked ahead in silence. Dusk chuckled to himself and continued to follow as they entered into town. The streets were buzzing with life as ponies socialized and went to the assorted shops and stores. The unicorn matched his companion's pace and came up to his left.

"It’s been a while since I've seen a town as peaceful as this one." He said as he looked at the townsfolk and shops, the ones to the left of him at least. Strangely he didn’t seem to notice the curious stares he was getting back.

Questions bombarded the mind of Emerald Burst, one of which managed to escape his lips. "What happened to your eye?"

There was a moment of silence. The grey stranger was looking forward again. But it felt like his right eye, if it is even there, was staring right at the pegasus.

"I was born blind in my right eye." He admitted eventually. "The bandage stops strangers coming at me on that side from expecting me to see them. If only I had a bit for every time that happened..." He added with a chuckle.

Emerald tried to imagine it, living a life with one working eye. He even tried closing his right eye for a while to get a small idea of how it would be like. Until he spotted a cart for of apples... And the big red stallion running it.

If looks could kill, the look Big Macintosh was giving just might do the trick. "L-Lets go to the market later... To Rarity's!" Emerald stuttered as he dragged Dusk down another street so he could avoid the only slightly smaller stallion. Once the unicorn was freed from the pegasus' grip and finally walking beside him he couldn’t resist but to ask.

"What was that about?" He came to his companion’s right side to look up at his long winged companion. "He sort of had a crush on Fluttershy before I came along." The pure white pony answered. "And he never let it go once you two were together." The half blind pony guessed, receiving a nod to acknowledge he was right.

After a few more minutes the two came up to the place, the Carousel Boutique. Before the sword-wielding stallion could admire its outer design he was almost shoved into the door. *Knock knock knock!* “Hey, Rarity!”

The pegasus was getting impatient. A deep growl came from Emerald’s throat, demanding them to hurry just as Dusk started to ask about his rushing. There was a moment of silence, except for the growling, until a beautiful white mare with a wondrous curled mane and tail opened the door.

“Emerald, darling!” She said in delight, “You came earlier than I expected.” She giggled, and Emerald blushed. “Please, come in.” She stepped aside, allowing the stallions to enter.

“I almost stayed up ALL night working on that old cloak, but I couldn’t get all of those awful stains out! Not to mention that it nearly feel apart while sowing it all together.” She dramatically rested a hoof on her forehead before continuing. “I had to make an entirely new one from scratch!”

Dust rested his sword by the door and scanned the room, worried at the highest level. “Did you keep the old cloak? I have some things inside it that I’d like back.” His first reply from the mare was a giggle, followed with a wink.

“But of course, darling…” She began getting close to Dusk… Really close. “First we need to discuss payment.” Rarity’s pelt began brushing against his; their muzzles a mere inch away. The unicorn’s cheeks became a deep shade of red and he was almost afraid to even speak.

Emerald rolled his eyes. “One, he’s broke. And two, he’s new. We all know that you get better business from the stallions already here anyways. We AAAALLLL see Big Mac shuffling out of here at night. Now……”

*CRASH!!!*

Big Macintosh barreled into the boutique, he smashed aside the door and came to a stop a few feet from Emerald. Obviously drunk, he pointed a wavering hoof at the other stallion. “Emerald Bursht. I haz a boon to pick wish you!”
He stood there tottering on three legs for a few seconds, before falling in a heap on the floor. They all stood in silence, until an orange pony wearing a Stetson sidled through the, now empty, doorway.

“Sorry everypony, ah’ll get this big lug back home. Evenin’ Emerald.” She said to….. Well, Emerald. “And to you, Applejack.” Came the reply.

With the help of the mass confusion between the unicorns, Dusk found his chance and escaped Rarity’s clutches, standing on the other side of the room. “”If we can return to the means of payment…” He said, trying to regain some composure.

“I would be more than happy to work something out with you. But.” His blush became more intense, “I’d like to set some boundaries first.” Rarity gave a dismissive wave of her hoof at his offer. “Oh, it’s quite alright. I suppose I can offer the cloak as a token of apology for my recent actions.”

She gave him a smile and went up to the stallion. “I don’t think we’ve been properly introduced. My name is Rarity.” “Dusk.” He smiled as well. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Rarity.”

Rarity whisked away upstairs a moment after. Then shortly came back down and presented the new cloak. Dusk silently thanked Luna that it was free now…

The cloak was an elegant dark shade of purple with a golden trim. Unlike the old cloak it had a hood, splitting in the middle so that the horn wouldn’t get in the way. Inside was black with a strap for his sword sowed in, along with a small array of pockets.

“That is the finest cloak I have ever laid eyes on…” He said breathlessly. Gratefully he accepted it and put it on. “It fits perfectly as well!” With a second glance at its amazing design, his pupils suddenly became pinpricks. “Wait… You based it off of…”

“That dashing book you had in one of the pockets!” Rarity finished for him. “I thought it would be a perfect thing to base this cloak off of!” Dusk slowly pulled out the book from his new inner pockets. It matched the cloak perfectly.

“D-Did you read inside of it…?” He asked, still staring at the book. Rarity was taken aback. “Of course not!” She stated, “I wouldn’t just invade somepony’s privacy like that. Now, let’s see how you look without those bandages.” With only good intentions, she tried unwrapping the half blind unicorn’s bandages.

“W-Wait!” Dusk nearly fell over trying to get away from the fashionable mare, but in the process he dropped the book and it opened on a page with a list of names sorted in a strange matter. Emerald Burst’s curiosity drove him to pick up the book and read the names.

There was a long moment of silence… Time was at its slowest as he scanned the names twice… Three times… No mistaking it… He looked at Dusk. “We need to talk…”

Comments

[Cookietheif]

Hope you ponies enjoy reading it as much as we did making it!

I would say something like "Expect another chapter soon!" Buuut... I got a special story of mine that I need to finish. My very first story, and my best one. The Crimson Smile is now on my "Must finish now" list. sorry everypony.

Anyways, tell us what you think so far! Comments are always good to see!

[Cookietheif]

Sorry we took so bucking long Writing this, and my grimdark, and having other things such as the most simplist distractions were killing us. I'll have the next chapter typed, proofread by Emerald, and it'll posted around next week.

Get ready for some awsomeness, folks.