XII
Both Baen and Cheerilee sat in the library’s chairs, just staring. Nopony, not even the girls, spoke or made a sound. Baen scratched the back of his head awkwardly as Cheerilee coughed; one could feel the awkwardness levels rising higher to levels one could not even perceive. The book that the school teacher had in her possession had long since been removed and was sitting atop the front counter.
Rarity cleared her throat, “Well this has been rather….informative. Say girls, why don’t we go over to Sugercube corner for one of Pinkie’s newest creations,” she leaned over to her pink comrade, “What were they called again darling?”
Pinkie nodded in understanding at the signal and spoke excitedly, “OH! You mean the Gelato’s? I’ve actually been meaning to give them a field test before I pitched them to Mr & Mrs. Cake to add to the menu.”
Twilight mulled the word in her head as she ushered her friends out the door, “Gelato….Pinkie, where did you think of that word? For that matter, what IS a Gelato?”
Pinkie beamed, “You’ll see! If we’re lucky, other writers might use it if the concept is appealing!”
Twilight and the girls stopped for an instant, but shrugged it off before exiting.
Twilight glanced back and softly said, “Just say what you have to say.”
The door shut.
*
Baen nodded after Twilight and sighed to steady himself, “Well I have to say…I was not expecting this.”
Cheerilee gave a nervous chuckle, “That makes two of us….”
Baen glanced to the side and shook his head, “You know in truth,” he looked down at the floor, “I was expecting myself to be happy to know that perhaps that I wasn’t alone in this world…family wise.”
Cheerilee gave a small smile, “Well I suppose I wasn’t what you were expecting hm?”
“No,” he laughed slightly but ceased, “But that’s not a bad thing mind you. In truth, I don’t think you would make a decent warrior in this age.”
Cheerilee didn’t know whether to be offended or slightly complemented but she decided on the latter, “Well I’ve never been one for violence. I prefer to talk things out and solve issues with my words.”
Baen gave an affirmative nod, “Another reason you wouldn’t cut it, though I know why you looked familiar now.”
Cheerilee blinked in interest, “Hm?”
Baen gave a half smile, “Even though she was alive during my time, you have her eyes.”
Cheerilee smiled at the compliment, “Well it’s odd really. Some of the mares and even stallions on my father’s side have green eyes. They skip generations most of the time.”
Baen rubbed his chin in intrigue, “Hm.”
Cheerilee nodded, “Yeah, but there is one thing early in my life I wish I never got.”
Baen raised an eyebrow.
“Well it’s kind of embarrassing,” she looked away for a moment, “I…have a really bad temper.”
Baen was surprised at the statement, “You? Miss smiles all the time and is sweet as honey?”
Cheerilee rolled her eyes, “Yeah yeah, Miss Cheerilee has a temper, that’s impossible. Trust me, I used to be a bit of a firecracker when I was younger.”
Baen tilted his head, “How so?”
Cheerilee thought back…
*
The small earthpony filly that was known as Cheerilee was happily scribbling in her coloring book at school. However, a cruel twist of fate caused her colored pencil head to snap and ruin her hard work. The small filly trembled, then let loose scream of rage and broke the desk she was at in two with a swift hoof chop.
*
Cheerilee shivered at the memory, “I’d rather not get into it. Let’s just say that when I graduated school that I sought out ponies to help with my anger and the exercises I was taught helped greatly. Now I’m in complete control.”
Baen nodded, “It seems that you might have inherited something from me even if you are distant in relation.”
Cheerilee blinked a few times, “What, you mean my temper?”
Baen shrugged lifting his front legs, “Well the skill of Wrath is a skill that once learned, a pony doesn’t really lose. It might have something to do with your temper, let me ask you, whenever you’ve lapsed and lost control. Did you ever have a bout of incredible strength?”
Cheerilee gasped, “Actually…yes. How did you?”
Baen gave a small smile, “The same thing is common in young barbarian foals back where I hailed from. It’s a sign that you’ve inherited Wrath and that you don’t have to train and learn it. Though this is a great gift that most parents see as their child being a prodigy, to the child, it’s the biggest crutch. The Wrath aura can cause swift bouts of anger if incurred and naturally powers them,” he pointed at her, “If you allowed me to teach you to master it, you would be quite the formidable opponent.”
Cheerilee waved it off, “Thank you, but as I’ve said. After all violence isn’t always the answer.”
Baen smirked, “Yet you’re friends with me.”
Cheerilee pointed at the stallion with a smirk of her own, “Because maybe if I am, you’ll learn that lesson as well.”
Baen shook his head as he stood and holstered his axe, “Don’t hold your breath,” he smiled at his friend, “well I best be off. Why don’t you go and feast on this thing known as a Gelato?”
Cheerilee thought on it, “Hm, well it does sound delicious.”
Baen nodded and clapped his hooves together as he held open the door, “Well then go! Be merry,” he turned toward the Everfree, “I on the other hoof.”
The barbarian was nothing more than a blur with a smoke outline of himself in the blink of an eye.
Cheerilee glanced around and shrugged, “Odd stallion...,” she then ventured forth for Gelato’s.
*
Baen smiled as the wind rushed past him, his mane whipping in the breeze. He was already on the trail he had taken once before. The path itself was not a winding or difficult one, but it was far from pleasant. Slick mud, rocks, and sticks littered the way. Baen could faintly hear the sound of creatures in the brush moving about and plotting, plotting how they might do the stallion in. Baen continued on for quite some time until he saw his target in sight. But when he did, he couldn’t help but give a small chuckle. A work table with plans as well as many tapestries lingered outside the ancient structure. He had long since heard that Twilight and her band had been fixing up the place. Regardless of this, he had his doubts due to the fact that it didn’t look any different exterior wise.
Baen whistled when he noticed stairs leading downwards to the canyon floor below. Steeling himself, he trotted down the stairs, his armor clinking on the stone as he went. The warrior glanced around when he reached the bottom noticing a small cave like opening to his right. Approaching and soon entering it, he could only stare in awe at the thing before him. The tree was like something from a fable. The bark and leaves crystalline white and giving off a glow that was otherworldly. But what surprised him most was that fixed in different points on the tree were crystals that resembled six certain mares cutie marks.
Baen tilted his head and approached the tree and was soon standing before it, “So you’re the Tree of Harmony eh? Hm…interesting.”
Baen glanced at the tree and slowly removed one of his armored boots. Slowly raising the uncovered hoof, he touched the bark. Upon doing so, his Wrath aura flared to life and became much larger than it had ever been before. Like a raging inferno it churned and burned bright, the barbarian’s eyes became white as the bark and glowed bright as images and voices flashed before his eyes. But they were images and voices he knew far too well.
Honey smiled kindly, “Thank you so much kind warrior.”
A mare clad in falcon like armor sighed, “Baen stop being a fool and pick up the pace, you’re falling behind.”
“So brother,” a slightly deep voice from a stallion clad in armor stated, “let’s end it here.”
The barbarian glared at his foe within the bowls of the temple as a pair of burning amber eyes glared back at him. The shadow’s looming figure dwarfed him. The menacing horns atop it’s head as sharp as a blade, and the creature advancing with killer intent in each step.
Baen shook his head and yelled at the tree, “STOP THIS BLAST YOU!”
The gems burned brightly as his Wrath aura transitioned to Rainbow and then he saw images and memories that were not his. He saw familiar faces, new, and old. But what was the norm with this vision was that in each, one or more of those six mares were involved. Baen was then hurled from his hooves and smashed to the ground as his aura returned to normal and faded.
He shook the stars from his eyes, “What was,” he glared at the tree, “right, old magic…how irritating.”
Baen then turned his head sharply and noticed somepony staring at him from above. The pony was a good foot taller than him and had a slightly larger build. He was garbed in a black cloak; the cloaked pony turned its attention to something in the distance before it rushed to the castle. Baen quickly stood and gave chase up the stairs. He halted on the first step and glanced at the tree before continuing up. Upon treading on the topmost step, he found himself once more at the front door of the old castle.
“BAEN! There you are!”
Baen glanced behind him and noticed the six mares, “How did…oh,” he noticed Twilight, “right.”
Without missing a beat he bolted into the castle. The mares followed him inside immediately but froze when the doors slammed shut behind them. Baen stood stoically and faced the pony that was looking at them from atop the main stairs in the lobby. The cloaked pony glanced at each of them in turn but stood rooted to the spot.
Fluttershy trembled slightly, “Is that the S-Shadow Pony?”
Twilight narrowed her eyes, “I don’t think so, it seems too solid to be a ghost.”
Baen snorted, “Ghost or not, I’ll bury him,” he pointed at the cloaked pony, “why have you been following me ever since I’ve gotten to Ponyville?”
The Pony seemed slightly surprised.
Baen smirked, “I’m no foal, I know when I’m being watched by somepony. Now,” he pulled off his axe, “who are you?!”
The Pony then spoke in a voice that was calm yet held a metallic edge to it, “I am known as Kriger Kongen. You are Baen of the Northern Tribes of Tieg.”
Baen blinked in surprised but regained himself as he advanced, “How do you know who I am?”
Kriger glanced to the side, “That is none of your concern. I have neither inkling nor obligation to explain myself to the likes of you.”
Baen growled as his jaw tightened on his axe handle, “Don’t talk down to me!”
Kriger glanced at the other ponies in the room and tilted his head, “Hm. It seems you have brought allies with you. How…unusual.”
Baen glanced at the six mares and then spat back, “Now you’re starting to bug me!”
Baen leapt across the room toward Kriger with his axe on high to strike. The pony below Baen glanced up and fixed his stance, and then in a flash, Baen was stopped in mid-swing. The barbarian looked on in shock as the hood fell from his opponents head. Underneath was an armored helmet, but one that sent a shiver through the barbarian’s spirit. The pony, nay, the creature known as Kriger Kongen wore a helm made of a dark chrome steel shaped to that of an equine skull. Around the top of the helm in a ring were small spines that almost gave the appearance of a crown. Dead center of the helmets forehead was a curved and nasty looking unicorn horn made of the same steel. Baen noticed the thing that had stopped him was in fact a broad sword. The blade of it was silvery white and the blade itself was wavy, like that of a flamberge. The cross guard resembled the claw of some form of predator and the blade seemed to be coming from its palm. The handle was somehow clutched in the mouth of the helmet which was open.
“Impossible,” Baen gazed into the empty holes of the helmet, “nopony…no weapon of steel can stop an orachulum blade!”
Kriger gave a chuckle that sounded like a metallic thundering, “How little you know.”
The pony then sent the barbarian across the room with a powerful swing. Baen smashed into the front doors and rolled across the dirt before coming to rest. The girls quickly came to his aid as Kriger appeared on the front steps of the castle.
“Mark this day well little ponies,” Kriger’s deep and metallic voice boomed, “For this is the eve of battle.”
Twilight glared at the armored stallion, “What are you talking about!”
Kriger threw his cloak aside to reveal that though his armor resembled a pony skeleton, black chainmail filled in the gaps and sinister spines adorned the spine and shoulder pads, “Simple, I have come for the barbarian. I have come to test his metal,” he pointed at the rising barbarian in question, “his resolve, courage, and power. To see if he is indeed worthy to call himself a warrior, but I am an honorable warrior, therefore I offer you this Baen.”
Baen glared at his adversary, “And what’s that?”
Kriger stood tall, “I shall remain in this forest. Seek me out and call my name should you wish to test your skill. It shall be this way until one falls, call me as much as you like,” the warrior turned from them then added coldly, “But do not be a fool when doing so, that you shall regret dearly.”
Baen narrowed his eyes, “When I fight Kriger Kongen, I tend not to lose.”
Kriger glanced back for an instance as orbs of burning indigo light lit within the sockets of his helm, “We shall see.”
Baen snorted and gathered his axe before departing for home. Whomever this pony was, he wouldn’t lose to him…that much was for certain.
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While 'metal' is indeed a valid word, I think the word you were looking for is 'mettle'.
4190711
Thank you good sir!
Kriger kongen can be danish as well :)
4190860
Oh. Didn't notice that
Something tells me this is going to end up with Baen needing to rely on the girls to help him.
I love the flashback with Cherilee.
Why would they be odd? Did you mean "old"?
yeah still dont buy it...
green eyes and temper passed down over 1000 years... it made sense in Harry potter... what I am i ranting about!?!? This is the land of talking technicolored magical pones who raise and love the sun and moon 
of course he would only have 1 decedent that just so happens to have her eyes and his temper silly me... 
rant aside im really enjoying this story