Shadows of the Past

by Dr Atom Discharge

Chapter Ten: Mother Nature (Unedited)

Shadows Of The Past
Chapter Ten: Mother Nature

Last Time: “Wait!” Wild Card shouted, making Atom turn around at the top of the train’s steps. “Y-you have to tell me… how did you win?” Wild Card asked desperately, to which Atom just smirked.
“Simple” Atom stated “I cheated.” He said with a wink. Wild Card stood there, completely shocked and destroyed; he could do nothing but stare forwards as the train pulled out of the station. After the strain had disappeared over the horizon he uttered a few quiet mumbled words.
“But I loved that hat…”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Meanwhile ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Twilight and Blade strolled through the woods talking, both expected this to be an easy mission, they had the location of the Conclave Member, even if they had moved since they would probably have left a trail. “It looks like Celestia found the location of the member just before Luna became Nightmare Moon, it was at the end of the records and it hasn’t been collected yet.” Blade explained to Twilight as they trotted
“Well hopefully they won’t be too much of a problem, the Conclave member of Nature has to be understanding, right?” Twilight asked hopefully, to which Blade just shrugged indecisively. They pushed through the under bush when Twilight stopped, Blade almost kept going until Twilight’s outstretched hoof stopped him from walking straight into the patch of blue flowers.

“Poison Joke, don’t touch the flowers, I don’t know how but those flowers can do some really strange things to a pony.” Twilight said cautiously, giving a warning look towards Blade
“How do you know? Have you seen someone touch it before?” Blade questioned as they skirted around the patch, Twilight froze.
“Er, let’s just say I’ve had first-hand experience.” Twilight said, Blade opened his mouth to question further but Twilight cut him off “Don’t ask, trust me...” she said quickly.

As they continued further Twilight started to get an odd feeling of familiarity as though she had been here before. She then came out from the trees into a clearing and a very familiar hut came into view. “It should be right around here according to the map” Blade said to which Twilight said, in a perplexed tone;
“B-but, that’s Zecora’s hut” Twilight stammered.

“Maybe she knows about the Conclave Member” Blade said trying to reassure Twilight as he walked past to knock on Zecora’s door, Twilight hurried to his side as Zecora opened the door and smiled to Twilight, before noticing Blade’s armour and backing away slightly.
“While it is good to see you my friend, I fear your companion may be my end.” Zecora said in her usual musical rhymes.

“Celestia’s armour does not bode well for me…” Zecora said looking at the map held by Blade “The conclave’s script I clearly see.” She said backing towards the window of her home, before leaping out and into the forest beyond just as Twilight was about to try to explain the situation, both her and Blade raced around the building to see Zecora disappear into the underbrush and gave chase, galloping after her.

Twilight and Blade ran alongside each other, only just keeping sight of Zecora’s tail as they chased her, the branches seemed to move into their way, cutting at them as they ran through, evidently chasing someone who could control nature through a forest wasn’t a particularly clever idea, but they didn’t have much of a choice any more.

through deeper and deeper woods they chased Zecora, the dense leaves blocking out the sunlight as they went deeper, until suddenly, Twilight heard a rustling and Blade had disappeared from her side as she was still galloping, but she daren’t slow, she had lost sight of Zecora but could still see her hoof prints.

Twilight galloped around the corner and skidded to a stop as Zecora was stood in front of her about one hundred metres ahead, facing her. “I’m sorry, my friend, that this has to be…” Zecora said lyrically, as Twilight heard a rustling next to her “but by helping Celestia with this, you bring harm to me.” A vine shot out of the brush and wrapped around Twilight’s throat before she could respond, quickly cutting off her air as it constricted.

Twilight’s vision started to blur as her lungs began to burn, Zecora just watched, seeming regretful, but determined. There was a sudden blur of motion and Zecora was on the ground, pinned by Blade, who was cut all along his body, as if he’d just, and most likely had, been dragged through a rose bush, a long curved dagger was held in his hoof, held firmly against Zecora’s throat. “Let. Her. Down. Or Luna help me I’ll do to you what your floral little friends just did to me.” Lade said in a rough, pained voice as his wounds bled slightly.

Twilight felt air rush into her lungs the moment the vines loosened and she had fallen to the ground, the cool air burned against her lungs making her cough and splutter as she rubbed her neck gently, When Twilight’s eyes had stopped spinning she looked up to see Blade holding onto Zecora roughly, pressing the knife to her neck still.

Twilight stood up and stumbled over, still rather dizzy. “Zacora, maybe, before running from, and almost killing your friend, you should have listened to what she had to say?” Twilight said in a rasping, very irritated and condescending tone before waving Blade’s knife wielding hoof. “Let her go, we need to talk to her properly, now she’s stopped trying to choke us.”

Once Twilight had recovered well enough to talk after wetting her throat with what tasted like whisky, from Blade’s flask, they were ready to talk, Zecora was sat on a tree stump looking down, an ashamed look on her face as she pondered her brash response after the situation had been explained by Blade. Twilight approached Zecora, sitting on the grass opposite Zecora.

“Twilight, I do so hope you can forgive me.” Zecora said apologetically “The Royal guard’s armour was rather a shock to see.”
“Zecora, it’s okay, I can understand that” Twilight said, though she was thoroughly miffed she couldn’t afford to hold a grudge right now “We need your help calming Celestia and reinstating the Conclave. The more old members we can get on our side the more likely it is that she will listen to us.” Twilight explained, hoping she would agree.

Zecora sat there, thinking and considering Twilight’s proposition. After a while Zecora nodded. “My help I shall lend, and now my friend, your throat we must mend. “ Zecora said lyrically, her mood improved slightly, she sprung up and lead the two inured ponies back to her hut to mix up the potions needed to fix their aches and pains. Twilight and Blade were in significantly worse moods, Twilight rubbing her throat as she walked, and blade examining a particularly deep cut on his left foreleg.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ An Hour later ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Twilight and blade were now feeling significantly better as their wounds were now healed and they were heading back to the camp, traveling with Zecora was definitely easier as the bushes and trees parted for them as they passed, evidently having control over nature itself was very handy, especially for a potions expert.

As Twilight walked pondering what she had seen at Zecora’s hut, the apparently ancient Zebra had simply spawned the ingredients from the ground making them grow at speeds not even she could have done with magic. It was incredible, Twilight couldn’t help but wonder what other types of magic were out there other than what she had been taught ‘Maybe I can ask Discord, he’d know about that kind of thing, wouldn’t he?’ she thought to herself.

Zecora knew all of the shortcuts through the forest, leading them to the camp very quickly, the guard on top spotted them and opened the gates quickly, shutting them as soon as the group was inside the camp, the group soon made their way to the command tent. The soldiers evidently nervous of their new guest, muttering amongst themselves.

As soon as they entered the tent Discord commented on the new arrival “Ah, Zecora, as beautiful as ever I see, how are you?” He said, offering his hawk like claw to shake, to which Zecora responded with a deadpan look.
“Ah, Discord, as always the horny swine.” she said in an irritated tone, continuing “Evidently your manner has not improved with time.” Swatting Discord’s claw aside, he grumbled and turned back to the map.

While this was happening Atom had already come over, hugging twilight and giving her a light kiss on the lips. “I see we have a new member of our little rebellion, did she give you much trouble?” he said in a slightly concerned tone, she could tell he’d seen the bruises on her neck, but was trying not to mention it.
“Ah, I’ll tell you later when we’re alone, what’s with the hat?” Twilight asked Atom, as he was still wearing Wild Card’s hat.
“I won it in a game of dice, along with that.” He said pointing out the old page laid on the table.”

“Ah, of course, the page of the book.” Zecora said pulling out her own page and laying it out next to the other. “And only one more needed, what luck.” She said with a smile, but Twilight frowned, concerned.
“Wait, Luna and Sabre haven’t returned yet? But they set off before us!” Twilight exclaimed, Atom nodded.

“Discord and I were discussing this just before you arrived, we actually expected it to be them, and Discord has an uneasy feeling about it.” Atom explained, pointing to Discord, who’d taken, or apparently returned to, pacing about the tent uneasily.
“Damn it, that’s it, I’m going to look for them!” Discord exclaimed a few moments later and flew out of the tent in a dash.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Several Miles Away ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Luna woke with a start, and tried to gasp, but no air would fill her lungs, only thick ooze, making her cough, or attempt to, but no matter how she tried the fluid would not budge. She tried to open her eyes but was met with green blur and a stinging sensation, which continued even after she had shut them again. After a few moments the pain subsided and she opened her eye, once they had focused her heart sank as she saw, through a green haze, Sabre, unconscious in a green pod hanging upside down, until she finally she realised she too was in a pod. Her eyes darted about in panic, until they came to rest on the sight bellow her; hundreds and thousands of changlings all scurrying along the floor. Luna let out a soundless scream into the green ooze surrounding her, holding her, trapping her.

Comments

[Shiro]

Thanks for the new chapter Atom. Was worth the wait, as always looking forward to the next one.

[Dr Atom Discharge]

1049726 Thank you very much I'll try and get it done soon, promise :P