Savior of Eternity

by Secrets and Lies

9

(9)

The night carried on for what seemed like days in the Steed household. The entirety of the family, friends, Twilight, and Zachary were nestled in the living room eating what little dinner they had salvaged from the tossed pot of boiling spaghetti. Amber and Sunny were taken back by Zachary’s outlandish appearance, but overtime they grew accustom to it and his friendly attitude. Pinkie snugged herself into Zachary’s lap, smiling sweetly with her eyes closed gently. He stroked the back of her mane with methodical fingers sweeping along her curls; she would give a delightful peep or purr when his nails raked softly against her coat below.

Zack explained many things, often going off topic on certain issues that only Twilight, Valiant, Gale, Rainbow, and Pinkie seemed interested about. The others were lost at these points, about places he mentioned and about encounters he came across. In the back of Valiant’s mind, he noticed certain changes in Zachary, changes that eluded the untrained eyes of the others. He appeared as young as the day he met him, but his eyes glimmered with a certain truth. His mood was calm and collected, his gestures and motor movements were slow but precise; not slow with age, but slow with caution and ease. He was older, and he had changed for what Valiant would describe to be better.

They talked on and on, and on all sorts of matters and questions, some of which Zachary could not answer. They talked until the light of new day shown through between the curtains of the parlor. The light washed over a piece of furniture that Zachary hadn’t seen in the dark corner of the room and his eyes lit with wonder upon noticing it. He placed the sleeping, pink pony on the rug before them, rose from his chair and approached the arched radio box, turning the dials and pressing random buttons on it.

Zachary turned and said enthusiastically, “You have radios now?” Valiant was perplexed by his knowledge of such things. He wondered how Zachary knew what a radio was. Zachary finally flipped the 'on' switch as the machine hummed to life and broke into a fuzzy melody. He turned his head and listened to the lilting voice and bouncing music being played; his foot began tapping unconsciously. His wondrous expression turned to delight.

“Oh, that’s grand.” He stepped back and marveled at the machine one last time. “It’s like the nineteen-fifties in Equestria.” His look of glee turned slowly into unexpected astonishment as his eyes met with the window across the room. He pondered what else had changed in thirty-three years. He smoothly pivoted back around, the hem of his cervian traveling tunic twirled about his hips.

“Let’s get some fresh air,” he stated without a care in the world in his tone. He exited the house and the ponies followed in confused accordance. Pinkie hopped out last with what seemed to be renewed energy in her pounce. Night had cloaked what marvels Ponyville had made out of the new steam engineering and magitechnologies, but now it was revealed before Zachary. Shining in the morning light were brass and cooper street lamps, mail tubes, housing vents, tin roofs, and metal sidings. The most fascinating object that gleamed out to Zachary were the automobiles. They were few in number and many of the residents still used stallion-drawn carriages or walked along the sidewalks, but he marveled at the ingenuity of the steam-powered vehicles. They were designed to fit the equines and were crafted to be driven by hooves, not hands. Zachary turned and his head lifted upward to see a high-rising, bronze bell tower, shining like a holy obelisk in the center of the town. It had six large view ports where the bells could be seen, and above each were the symbols of each Element of Harmony. It chimed heavenly as eight o’clock arrived, tolling eight times after a ringing melody echoed outward. Zachary turned back to the Steeds and friends, who watched the human taking in the unfamiliar sight of new Ponyville.

“Well,” Zachary shrugged his shoulders, “I have to say this is all a big change.”

“Celestia actually wanted change,” Gale remarked. “Both Ponyville and Canterlot have adopted the new steam treatments, which other neighboring cities seemed to have taken on. All of which the Elements of Harmony have accomplished in the previous years brought more revenue into both this village and the city. The population has doubled, Ponyville has grown larger, and the economy is ever rising. Soon Ponyville will be like Canterlot, and Canterlot will become like Manehattan. Celestia only knows what the larger cities will become in time. Manehatten is already a sprawling city from what I’ve heard.”

“This is all great and wonderful news, it’s just...” he thought for a moment for the appropriate response. “...it’s just the growth of this technology is a tad alarming.” He thought on how these ponies were gaining more knowledge faster than the collective of his own kind. He wondered if he would see a time when ponies surpass humans in technology.

A few stallions on the sidewalk stopped and stared at Zachary, wondering where they had seen him before. A flicker of insight sparked in them as one yelled, “Hey! There he is! That’s Zack!” They galloped over to him, flabbergasted by his appearance and bursting with joy. One of the ponies took Zachary by the hand and shook it vigorously in his hooves.

“When I was a colt, I remember you freeing us from those Changeling hives! You saved me and my family! I can’t believe we had all forgotten those terrible days thirty-three years ago! But thank you! Thank you for everything!”

As he smiled and obliged the ponies’ gratitude, more rushed from the streets and began to crowd around Zack as if they had been waiting for the right opportunity. Each pony he greeted thanked him for saving them, the town, and Equestria. In a moment’s notice, the street was filled with ponies of all kinds. Camera’s flashed and quills were raised up towards him from below. Zachary was taken back by all the commotion and craziness of the situation, and before long he found himself on a raised stage before a mass of multi-colored ponies. A marching band was playing to the side while banners and signs of all sorts were being held or hovered overhead of the crowd. He was behind another, unrecognizable stallion who adjusted a mic stand before himself. He didn’t notice who he was and wondered how he himself even arrived at this location. His head began to spin as the music ended and the crowds stamped vigorously with applause. The mysterious stallion cleared his throat as the mic rang to life.

“Today is a special day for us in Ponyville,” began the unknown, but important stallion before him. His voice was pleasant and low, he articulated each word concisely and with pleasing emotion. For Zachary, it brought back old memories of high school where he was forced to sit and watch anti-drug films from the nineteen-fifties, narrated by a rigid, mid-atlantic voice. The authoritative stallion went on, reaching out his hoof and pointing back towards Zachary.

“Today, the hero of the Changeling War returns home!” The crowd roared for Zachary as he stood motionless, eyes darting over each face in the crowd. He turned and looked towards the human with a beaming face, his teeth seemed almost painted white. Zachary had finally gotten to see who he was and realized that he resembled a political figure.

“Is this the new mayor?” he wondered, getting a quick glimpse of his attire before he turned back towards the masses. His coat was of a dark, sandy hue, and his mane was slicked back, resembling a soft, ocean wave of sorts. His tail was trimmed short, but rounded near the end in a curl, and his eyes gleamed of a light purple, like frosty-laden lavender petals. He wore a formal tie that matched his waving hair and his cutie mark was a wisteria-colored gavel. He rose a hoof towards the villagers and the gathering quieted down to a low hush.

He retracted his hoof back and placed it on his chest saying, “It warms my heart to see you all come out here in respect to not only this savior behind me, but to your city as well. Not only I, but we—together—have built up this village into a shining beacon that welcomes all. We have faced many trials, some of which may have been avoided if someponies would have given us the necessities we needed to protect this village from harm over the many years. The Elements of Harmony have indeed protected us in our final hours, and Zachary has sacrificed so much in our most hopeless moment in Ponyville history. Though have we ever been entitled to such protection from the Princesses?” There was a moment of silence; Zachary didn’t know where the mayor was going with this topic, but was surprised to see how the masses looked before him. Most were angry at the mentioning of the Princesses, some even shouted obscenities relating to both the Sisters. His stomach turned painfully at their reactions.

As the mayor droned on, in the back of the crowds were the Steeds and the Elements of Harmony, displeased by the speech that was being presented. Fluttershy, Rarity and Applejack joined the others as they looked on.

“Why of all times!” hotly ranted Applejack, “Mayor DeBates always seems ta’ bring up our Princesses as if they did some’than wrong! What in the hay does he know!”

“Psshh” Rarity huffed unladylike, “I didn’t vote for him.”

“Same,” Rainbow dully remarked.

“Neither did I.” Fluttershy weakly added.

Rarity rolled her eyes over towards the yellow mare, “Darling, you’ve never voted for any government official in your life. You’re always too nervous to do so.”

“Oh...” the quiet mare murmured, “now I remember... I try to keep those embarrassing memories locked deep, deep away.” She shuttered a little on the thought of those frightful memories.

“He always seems to downright bash Cely and Luny,” Pinkie said. “Why did the ponies even vote for him again?”

Twilight curiously answered her, “Out of all the ponies you should remember how he came to power, Pinkie Pie. Then again...” she scratched the underside of her chin in thought, “he sort of just... came from nowhere.”

Applejack squinted her vision towards DeBates and scowled. She whispered between them, “And that’s the most puzzle’n part this pony is play’n.”

“I agree,” Valiant spoke up, breaking his silence. They had almost forgotten about him and his family watching, being silently attentive.

“He isn’t even a resident of Ponyville,” the stallion elaborated, “he comes from an upper-class family in Canterlot. He only says his family and him grew up in Canterlot, yet his family is nowhere to be found. He gained the popular vote in Ponyville because he had the most money and kept the most promises.”

“I d-don’t see what the f-fuss is about-t,” Sunny stated. His father gave him a displeasing side glance as he went on, “he seems like a ni-nice stallion to m-me. He ke-keeps his promises a-and had built this village into a-a city. The pop-population has doubled a-and the ec-onomy has never be-been b-better.”

Valiant sighed, “And that’s why most ponies voted for him.”

Rarity furthered Valiant’s remark to Sunny Days, “When you’re older, you’ll have more insight on how politics are played. We’ve all been around the block and have seen mayors come and go,” she looked back towards the current mayor and scowled, “I just wish Ponyville never chose him.”

“Without further adieu,” Debates concluded, “may I present Zachary!” The mayor moved away from the mic as Zachary stepped forward. The multitude cheered as he waved and smiled, wondering how much longer he would have to keep up his gracious act.

Twilight leaned over towards Rarity and commented, “How did we get a pony into office who uses malapropisms in speeches again?” Both the mares had a good chuckle at this remark.

As he rose the mic stand a little higher, the crowd hushed and waited for him to speak. He looked over them one last time, their expressions now beaming with delight. He was disheartened in the way they thought of the regal sisters. He assumed that DeBates had ushered in the idea that both Celestia and Luna were to blame for the lack of protection in their own kingdom, and that if he were elected he would change this. The wheels began turning in his head and he now realized what was being used by DeBates to further increase his image and possibly his power. So he took a breath and began slowly, choosing his next words with considerable delicacy.

“I’m glad to be back, I missed Ponyville dearly, but I’m also glad I left for a time.” The crowds were eerily silent, listening with greater detail to him than DeBates could have ever achieved. The mayor himself stood near the back of the stage, watching him with a glare of intent.

“Some of you may be wondering...” Zack went on after a brief moment to catch his breath, “... you might be thinking why I returned, or better yet, why you remember me now. It’s only best if you all knew the truth. The truth about the past, and about the coming future.”

Pinkie, Rainbow, and Twilight froze up in fear. They didn’t know if what he was about to tell the masses was a good idea or a bad one, but allowed him to proceed.

“Before I begin, let me affirm to you that both Princess Celestia and Princess Luna did everything in their power to protect you, more so than I could have ever done. Without them,” he tried to think of the appropriate wording before speaking again. He restated, “... Without them... there wouldn’t be an Equestria.”

The masses talked between one another as Zachary continued, “The reason no one truly remembers those days is because we erased your memories, because each and every one of you were murdered by either Discord or the Changelings.” The crowd made hushed gasps and looked at one another. “Me, the Princesses, and a few other brave and noble ponies decided that upon restoring your lives through a means of which I cannot say at this time, that we should also remove all traces of those days for the safety and security of Equestria.” Zachary gripped the mic stand harder, it was becoming increasingly difficult for him to speak before Ponyville, but he had to continue.

“My return is not one which I chose, and my presence does not mean greater protection or prosperity. Some of you may think Equestria has no enemies, you may think that we are friends with the other nations, but you have been misled. There is an army coming, and they will be here soon.” The crowds were getting nervous as their chatter increased. “The griffins are coming to make war with us, along with an even greater threat I cannot say. We should not overlook this, for this is a reality that will soon come to be.”

“Zachary,” Twilight pleaded softly, “what are you doing?”

“Celestia, Luna, and I have done everything in our powers to usher peace for over one thousand years, but that peace is ending. Many lives have been lost to secure that amicable mentality you all have had in your lives, and there is no one pony to blame. If you wish, place this blame on me, if this action will make you feel any better, but know that this will not stop what is already in progress.”

Panic was arising within the multitude, but Zachary spoke up once more, “However, know this, Ponyville; I have come to do what I can to protect you. Equestria still has allies which will aid us. I have only come to deliver the message in advance so you may do one of the following: Leave your homes for a time being, or offer your services to help protect your homes, families, friends, and country.” Zack slowly released the mic stand and concluded, “I’m sorry it had to be this way, but this information had to be revealed.” He bowed his head and stepped away from the microphone.

One by one, ponies began to disassemble from the masses, then by the herds they slowly walked away. They deeply thought on what was said to them, and many were at a standstill on what to do. The Elements were motionless, eyes gleaming with disbelief.

Pinkie looked towards Twilight and stammered, “Is th-this true, Twi?” Their eyes met, but before she could say anything DeBates galloped towards center stage and grabbed the mic from its stand.

“My fellow Ponyvillians,” he hastily called out, trying to grab their mutual attention. “This information has yet to be confirmed by me, or your benevolent Princesses. Do not take Zachary’s word for truth just yet, we must investigate these claims further. So please, do not panic and do not flee!” He motioned towards the sound operator right of the stage and moved his hoof across his neck, signaling the operator to shut off the microphone.

He turned towards Zachary and looked up at him with a sour look of disapproval. On the flip of a bit, however, his expression swayed to a more pleasant one, an expression he used quite liberally. Zachary paused and was caught off guard by this array of expressions.

“I would like to have a meeting with you,” he said with subtle insistence in his faltering tone. “And I would like that meeting to be as soon as you are able to see me. My office, Town Hall. Don’t delay me.” He trotted past the human and off of the stage as Zachary watched him.

__________

Zack didn’t have much time to meet with the Steeds or Elements after the surprise rally before he was ushered by DeBates’ staff towards the Town Hall. After he stepped off of the stage he was lead rather forcibly towards the center of the village where the administration building was. He could have denied them and easily overpower the fellow ponies leading him to DeBates, but he wanted to meet this stallion himself. He himself had a few questions to ask the new mayor.

Upon entering the building, Zachary noticed that its interior was entirely redone from what it once was. Brass pipes and mail tubes filled the ceilings, rattling softly against one another, and the walls were hung with banners of DeBates from his political run against Mayor Mare. The once warm colors of the walls were painted over with a gray finish and the balcony seating was removed and replaced by a steam engine of sorts that hummed and pattered overhead. Ceiling fans hung low from high above, keeping the DeBates employees cool while they worked. Desks lined the once vacant halls where the auditorium was; at these desks sat studious ponies with vacant expressions on their faces, typing endlessly at each table where piles of papers and folders were set up. What they were exactly doing eluded Zachary, but he had no time stop and ask them himself.

Another pair of doors were opened before him and a curling staircase rose around the inside of the building. He made his way up and through a narrow hall with vaulted ceilings and rounded windows. Carbon bulbs lined the halls, emitting harsh yellow illumination. At the end of the hall were a new pair of doors, which then magicked opened and soon closed behind him where he found himself now.

The room Zack was in now was a crescent shaped room with high ceilings and arched windows. Curtains draped over the windows allowing little sunlight to enter the vast, chill room. Expensive couches and recliners were placed in the center of the room while towards the edges were vases, medals, pictures, bookcases, and an empty fireplace. Towards the far end of the room was a large, masterfully crafted desk of dark oak. Behind this bureau was DeBates himself, watching the human fiercely. He had donned a pair of reading glasses before Zachary entered, making him look much older than he seemed to be.

Zack looked over at him and gave an earnest smile. He wasn’t going to judge or assume the worst out of him, he decided this upon seeing him the first time. He had his doubts, but kept his assumptions high. He grabbed the head of a posh, velvet colored chair, spun it on a single leg around, and finally took a seat in it before the desk. The armchair surprisingly fit his size, seeing as how most furniture in Ponyville accommodated pony sizes; this notion made his mood a bit lighter in the dark atmosphere.

“So, Zachary...” DeBates rose up a little from his hunched position on the table, “May I call you Zachary? Or do you prefer to go by another name?”

“Zachary or Zack, both are fine by me. No one knows my surname and I’d like to keep it that way. Besides, surnames here aren’t used in the same manner as they are on Earth.”

“Earth, is that where you’re from?” He leaned in closer, placing the elbows of his forearms upon the desk.

“Yes, and before you ask, Earth is not a country.” He was having fun with this conversation already. He liked talking about Earth and his past life, but DeBates began on a new subject.

“So, this war you spoke of, this army that’s coming, is this true and not some way to test my power?” This question concerned Zachary, and his high-spirited attitude began lessening by the minute.

“What I spoke of was the truth.”

“How do you know?”

“I’ve seen it, I’ve been told, and I’ve returned here to warn others.”

“The Princesses could have done so. Why did they not inform the masses themselves?”

The human leaned back a little, straightening is posture. “I’m sure they will soon enough, I wanted to give my hometown an early warning, but you seemed to persuade many of them to stay.” DeBates looked away and towards the table. He reached over and began toying with a brass coin on his desk that Zachary hadn’t noticed. He fumbled the coin in his hoof with delicacy, it wasn’t a bit or currency that Zachary was familiar with.

“What you and the Princesses are hiding unsettles me greatly. What you said about our security is known, but scarcely known among Equestrians. How do you know of this and who-” he turned his gaze up towards Zachary, “-exactly are you?”

Zachary leaned forward to match the stallion’s position, “I told you enough, I told everyone enough. I’ve been protecting Equestria longer than you know, Celestia has used me to help keep this village and country safe from invaders and demigods. But who exactly are you? You don’t seem like a candidate a small country town would elect.”

Debates gave a wry grin and stated, “You’ve been gone for quite some time. Things change, Zachary. Change is healthy, change is inevitable in a growing society.”

“Not this quickly.” He retorted, his eyes locked as if he were in battle. “How you talk about the Princesses is absurd and twisted. They’ve been keeping this country safe for years. How could you fool these ponies into thinking they’re Equestria’s enemies?”

DeBates slapped the coin on the table and aggressively replied with burgeoning intensity, “The Princess have lied to us. For one thousand years Celestia has sent her ponies to die in secret to protect Equestria.”

“She did not force anyone to help defend Equestria, they offered their allegiance to her. They knew what they were getting into and they died for a good reason. And she did not lie to anyone, she withheld the truth for the sole reason of keeping peace and nurturing Equestria.” DeBates took a breath, adjusting the coin on the table where he spun it slowly against his hoof and the tabletop. He looked up and crooked a simple simper on his darkened face. His thoughts were churning, Zachary could tell by his looks alone.

“You say she didn’t force anyone to help defend Equestria,” he went on slowly, enunciating each word in a low tone, “yet you also say Celestia has used you to protect Equestria. How could you be so blind? The Princess saw an opportunity and took advantage of you, she taught you, trained you. You are nothing more than a weapon to her that she can use to crush the enemy with. Your means of reason are folly against mine, you are nearsighted, mentally weakened by her words. I am trying to show the public the real face of Celestia and Luna. To me, that is protection beyond all means, a step towards reforming this country of secrets and lies.”

“I could have denied her,” Zack responded almost automatically, “I could have lived elsewhere, but I wanted to help Equestria. I saw the ponies and how fragile they were, I wanted to befriend them and help them, and I knew I could gain their trust if I helped them, so I did what I could. I’m not aiding Celestia, I’m aiding the ponies of Equestria.”

Zachary glanced down at the coin as it glimmered for a moment in the sliver of sunlight between the burgundy curtains. In that fading moment, he noticed a strange insignia on the brass medallion. It resembled two adjacent branches he thought, a single, solid curved branch and another curved, narrow branch with a few outstretching, smaller branches. The coin was flopped back down on the table and underneath the stallion’s hoof before he could get a better look at it.

DeBates leaned forward, eyes vibrant with ill will. “I think she has spun her lies deep within you,” he almost hissed out. “And those lies she has spun resemble logic and reasoning to you so well that you cannot decipher the truth from deceit. This nurturing of Equestria you said she aimed to do was only a growth of power, power to destroy this army and to expand Equestria. She is immortal and has immense power; and power only hungers for more power.” He arose from his seat and looked away from Zachary, taking the coin in hoof. He held the drape to his side as he looked out the window in Ponyville’s main street.

“She’s trying to stop an imminent threat,” Zack said. “The Griffons are a threat that should be dealt with. I’ve seen their armies and know their size. Who knows what their capable of with such a force?”

“Do you think they’re attacking because they want to, or because they have to?” DeBates did not turn around but remained looking down at the street below. “I want to reveal the secrets that she has hidden. I firmly desire to protect my ponies, but I do not desire to terrify them.” He turned back towards Zack and stated, “You shall not talk about this ‘war’ until Celestia announces it herself. Only she and I are in control of our ponies. You are a forgotten relic that should not have been remembered.”

“Hypothetically,” Zack tartly premised, “what if I told them all about the coming griffons... What could you do?”

DeBates lowered the curtain and turned slowly towards Zachary. His expression was cold, however his eyes burned like an increasing fire; the pony himself brought into the room a chill that even Zachary could feel in his chest. He shifted uncomfortable in his chair; he didn’t know if he himself caused this anxiety within or if some form of magic was affecting his well being.

“There is much I can do to your friends and your family. I have eyes and ears all throughout Ponyville. At this moment I know more about you then you would believe.”

Zachary crossed his arms, “Is that so?” He then raised an eyebrow of curious intent towards the stallion, doubtful and sensing that he maybe bluffing. A chilling grasp crept over Zack slowly, and for an odd reason he felt that he had felt this feeling before a long time ago.

DeBates went on, “Pinkie Pie, I know where she lives and sleeps, I know you and Rainbow Dash are a couple, I know you’re dealings with the Cervians, I know your past... I know how you murdered that pony in the streets of Canterlot those many years ago.” A cold sweat began to perspire on Zachary’s brow.

“How in the world does this stallion know these things?” he mentally questioned himself. It satisfied DeBates upon seeing the human falter in worry.

“Oh yes, I know much about you, yet still I know so little. You asked who I was, yet I didn’t answer, so let me tell you a little about myself. I know of practices you do not understand, I have been given knowledge from a powerful source, and I am a devoted follower to the purifying ways this universe came to be. Do not toy with me, do not test me. Keep your thoughts to yourself and neither you nor your loved ones shall be in harm’s way.” He turned and concluded, “Leave my office at once, human.”

__________

By the time Zachary left the confines of the Town Hall, he realized how slowly time had passed for him. It had felt like hours since stepping into DeBate’s office, Zachary expected it to be in the late afternoon when he exited, though it was only midday. The paved streets around the hub of the town were busy with hungry ponies looking for a quick bite to eat on their lunch breaks. Zack began to maneuver through the crowd with surprisingly little effort involved. Nearly each who passed the human pushed themselves into the crowd and further away from Zachary. They seemed to float around him as he walked further down the street, it was as if he had an invisible barrier that slid them around him. He was a mountain among a sea of equines. Their eyes and expressions made it clear to him that they feared the human and what he had said; no longer did they admire him and his brave acts so long ago, and so easily their opinions had swayed from trust to suspicion.

The paved street turned to a hard, dirt path that entwined to another, less busy district of Ponyville. Here is where he spotted the Golden Oak Library, still the same in appearance as it always had been. He approached it cautiously, feeling as though it was staring down at Zachary. He reached the door that stood chest-high to him, and on the door was a notice pinned on a single nail. It read in dark red ink, “CLOSED — NO ADMITTANCE”.

Zack knocked thrice and called out, “Hello?”

“For the last time,” shouted a muffled, unpleasant voice from inside, “the library is closed! Princess Twilight will not be receiving any visitors of any kind! No long lost relatives! No foreign diplomats! No demigods bent on ruling Equestria! No one!”

Zachary smiled and asked, “And what about old friends?”

He heard the voice from inside sigh as its pace neared the entryway. In a quick motion it swung the door inward, and who was revealed was Spike, now a dragon that matched Zachary’s height. He was lean and muscular, and his spikes were jagged and sharp. He was adorning a white apron which he wore when cleaning, and perched on his shoulder was Twilight’s pet owl, Owlicious, who tilted her head in curiosity at the human. Spike was first looking down, where he usually made eye contact with ponies, but in a confused manner, his vision glided upward and finally upon Zachary’s beaming face. Spike let out a startled murmur and then his perplexed emotion ebbed to joy.

“Zachary! It’s been so long!” He threw his arms around him and brought him close into a hug. Zack could feel that the dragon’s strength out matched his own, Spike could have more than likely crushed Zachary in that moment.

Zack used his free arm and patted Spike on the back as he exhaled with a wheeze, “You too, buddy.” Spike heard the discomfort in his friend’s voice and released him. He didn’t realize his own strength.

“Oh, I’m so sorry!” He said sympathetically, trying to excuse himself for his recklessness.

Zachary took a breath and replied, “No, no, you’re fine.” He laughed it off and continued, “I’ve come to see Twilight, I need to ask her a few things.”

“Ah, about that. She isn’t here. You would think she would have stuck around and relaxed after her long trip, but-”

“Do you know where she went?” Zack interrupted.

“She’s gone to Canterlot to speak with the Princesses.” The dragon rolled his eyes and wondered, “Celestia knows what she could be doing there instead of being here with you! Does she know you’re here?” Zack looked at him with the utmost bemusement. He thought surely she would have told Spike of his return to Ponyville.

“Of course,” Zack answered vaguely. “Everyone in Ponyville knows I’m here, and everyone remembers me now that they see me again.”

“What are you talking about,” Spike smiled fondly, “Why would everyone forget you?”

Zack questioned him, “Spike, did you remember me before opening that door?”

“Of course! Why-” his happy, simple expression dissipated into bewilderment. His eyes searched the ground and then the sky, thinking deeply and desperately on if he remembered Zachary or not. His lips began to move, but no words were coming out at first. He looked back up at Zack, regained his composure and asked, “How... what... I can’t seem to...” He scratched his head and tapped his foot, utterly lost in thought. He made a few frustrated grunts and moans before stating in an offhanded, but controlled manner, “This is starting to scare me now.”

“Nothing to be scared of, Spike.” He put his hand on the dragon’s rigid, scaled shoulder and proceeded, “Allow me to explain...” He gave a quick rendition of his story and explained the events that happened thirty-three years ago. He gave Spike a little more information than he did with the crowd, but thoroughly described Spike’s main questions in a matter of minutes.

“Now, does that make sense?” Zachary asked with concern.

The dragon nodded in affirmation, “Yeah, yeah it does.”

“Good!” Zack patted the young adult on the back, “Let’s go inside, shall we? I’m getting tired of standing.” The two entered one by one, seeing as how both could not fit through the pony-sized door at once.

The two found a seat at a nearby table, cut like a large stump near the edge of the library. A few stray towers of literature crowded the table as Spike hastily moved them onto a few dollies he had wheeled over. Zachary took in the smell of the old books and arrangement of wood scents; throughout his time in Concordia, nothing matched the unique atmosphere and aroma of the Ponyville Library. Perhaps it was the sentimental attachment he had with this place, where in the past he had spent many hours with Twilight learning and reading. Something inside of him brought back memories of times when the afternoon sunlight softly lit the library in a warm, peach glow. The feeling of that warm sunlight on his skin while he read in quiet peace was one he did not want to forget.

As he was taking in the nostalgia, Spike excused himself again saying, “Sorry about the mess, I’ve been rearranging the main collections, again!”

Zack blinked and snapped out of his mood. “You’re quite fine, Spike,” he responded in a level tone. “No need to blame yourself. I know you wouldn’t do it if you had to.”

The green and purple dragon chuckled, “You’re darn right. You would think after so many years she would have her library sorted. Ponies are always complaining about how they can’t find such-and-such book, and I’m always the one rummaging around for it.” Spike pushed a cart away carelessly and turned back towards the human asking, “Would you like some tea, coffee, cider?”

“Just tea, thank you.”

Spike nodded and added, “And one tea for me too. Ha-ha!” He then scurried towards the kitchen behind him. Spike lit a small, green fire under the stove top with his breath and began speaking aloud into the other room saying, “I think I’m going to make myself a little something to eat too if you don’t mind. Would you like something to snack on as well?”

Zack replied back above a regular, inside voice level, “No thank you, I’m fine.”

“Suit yourself!” Spike went on, “Now that you’ve mentioned the Changeling War and the real Discord, it makes me wonder where all the Changelings went off to? Ever think of that? We stopped Queen Chrysalis at the Canterlot Wedding—haven’t seen her since—so it makes me think that maybe they’ve all disbanded. Heck, they could be living right here in Ponyville since they can shapeshift and all...” Spike went on, but Zachary didn’t say a word as he sat in the other room.

The human stood up slowly from his seat after taking notice of a few moveable chalkboards on the other side of the room. They were draped over with beige sheets, and next to the boards was a table with numerous, thick tomes on spells and mathematics beyond his knowledge. Bookmarks and mismatched papers filled the insides of them; Zack took note that this was an oddity, knowing how Twilight Sparkle was much neater and well organized than this.

He tugged at one of the sheets and removed it from the board, revealing a crammed space of jumbled writings, swirling trigonometric formulas and diagrams resembling multiple planes, vector graphs, and a single, complicated tesseract. Numbers and foreign characters dotted the board where blank spaces would be; it was as if she had a pail of stray letters and symbols and splashed them onto the chalkboard. He could only take in so much information, so he zoomed his vision onto different parts of the board, looking over areas his mind could make sense of.

He whispered softly to himself as he read Twilight’s notes, “Broken magical mechanics within the Lay Lines, this doesn’t make sense... Hyper-versatile fundamentals does not explain how euclidean systems cooperate within equine-base laws of magisisity... Ley routes should not be guided in such channels throughout the planet. Must look further into... Orbit alignment and paths... Square torus fluctuation patterns suggest hyperspace AND spacetime lapse. What could cause this?... Micro organics within equine basis of magic perhaps? Shiftable and always changing, never the same. Cannot be studied. Free choice or bendable at will?...”

Spike was still speaking as he entered back into the main room with a tray of edibles and two tea cups saying, “...And I told him if he knew what a libertarian oligarchy could accomplish he would have one right thing coming to him and it wouldn’t be good on his half!” He stopped in front of the empty table, realizing Zack had left his seat. He looked around for a moment with a blank expression, wondering where he might have gone. His vision passed by the draped chalkboard where Zachary was originally.

“Zachary?” He softly called out in the supposedly vacant library.

“Oh, is the tea done?” Spike turned and noticed the human at a bookshelf near the entrance of the kitchen.

“My word,” Spike inwardly laughed, “I must have passed right by you on the way out of the kitchen. I can’t believe I didn’t see you!”

“Happens to the best of us.” Zack said, closing a book he was looking at.

“What did you find over there,” the dragon said, placing the tray of edibles onto the table.

“Just an album of colonial Ponyville.” The hand that held the album glowed red with a wavering aura, which engulfed the book and levitated it back into place on the high shelf.

__________

Time passed a bit slower for Zack and soon it was around four in the afternoon. Spike and Zachary talked on many sorts of issues and stories long after the edibles and tea were consumed. Over their course of conversation, Spike swayed the topic towards the army that was coming and he grew gravely concerned. Zack spoke his mind, telling him that he too was afraid, but he assured him that with the coming reinforcements of Equestria’s allies, that there should be lower casualties then if he had not gone out and established such connections. Fewer victims of this war is what he inwardly hoped for, though he didn’t allow that insight to be given to Spike. There was still much information he did not inform Spike on, as well as Twilight, such as the dragon or Tirek’s return. These secrets he would leave unknown until the tide of war reached Equestria’s borders. Spike had asked if Zachary was going to fight in the war, and if he had any plans on stopping the armies by using incredible magic or a tactical plan; Zack tried to avoid answering it directly in his response.

He didn’t want to fight anymore, he didn’t want to kill anymore. Even though the Cervians, the ones who taught him to be at peace with the world, were going to war, he himself did not want to partake in it. In the end, he knew he would have no choice in the manner, as in such cases involving calamity in Equestria. He would try to find a way out of murder or killing, but his odds of accomplishing such a feat would be almost impossible. He had decided long ago that he had done enough killing for a lifetime, but such promises he had made to himself in the past were ones he could hardly keep. This is what haunted him the most during his time in Equestria.

Zachary ended the conversation at an appropriate spot and asked where he would find Pinkie Pie at this time. Spike suggested Sugarcube Corner, he should have known. The two gave their farewells and Zachary proceeded to head towards the bakery. There, he did discover Pinkie Pie working at the counter. She was recommending specially designed éclairs to a customer when he noticed her. Without calling out, she seemed to have sensed his presence and turned around to see him. She then dashed away from the customer to promptly greet her human with a flying hug around the shoulders. After receiving a few sloppy kisses on his cheeks, Zack asked if she could ditch work, and she proceeded to without clocking out or informing the Cakes. In hindsight it was a terrible decision, but at the time it was worth it.

The two headed towards Whitetail Woods, a place where many a times they had spent together in the lovely past. It was vacant and the trails were increasingly unkept the further they ventured. Their target was a lone hill where the forest had a bald spot, from that viewpoint they could look out into the valley and see far distances well beyond the valley Ponyville was cradled in. They spent a great deal of time here in the past, a place that was off the nature trails and hidden from many locals’ knowing. They came to name this spot, ‘Pinkie’s Hill’.

They lied down in the soft grass, looking up at the yellowing sky and narrow clouds gliding slowly in the stratosphere. The human and mare were close together, her hoof nestled into his gentle hand which brought immense delight within both of them. They chatted about whatever came to mind, such as how the grass here didn’t leave them itchy, or how birds migrate during the colder months, to even each other’s recent or reoccurring dreams and what they might mean. To Zachary, Pinkie had matured in some ways, but still she was as silly and spontaneous as she was when she was a filly. Her focus was keener and her knowledge more vast; these were things that came with age however. Her tone was level (most of the time) and her words were more carefully chosen; he didn’t know if she was trying to impress him or not. He wondered if she thought differently of him, or saw something in him that he himself couldn’t see or know of. Her expressions and words said no, but he could sense that perhaps she did think of him differently.

“Zachary,” Pinkie said as soft as the falling leaf between them fell.

“Yes?” He looked over at her, but her eyes were upon the periwinkle and jasmine sky.

“I’m afraid...”

“Afraid of what?” he asked sweetly. “Afraid of this coming war?”

“Actually, no. I feel that in the end everything will work out as it always does. I’m afraid...” she took a moment to breathe, “... of losing you again.” The wind blew by and played with their hair in the moment they shared.

Zachary looked up again, “I’m afraid of leaving too. I don’t want to.”

“Do you still feel... away from Equestria? Do you feel that you don’t belong here?” He thought for an instant before saying anything. He was surprised that question came out of Pinkie’s mind.

“I honestly don’t know.” he finally answered. She turned towards him, as did he, and they met. Once again, Zack was lost in her cerulean eyes. Floating away, drifting in her twin pools of crystal vision.

“You know,” she said gently, looking deeply at Zachary. “You have changed, but not exactly in appearance.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s like...” she tilted her head as if to get a better look. “Like looking deep into your eyes, you seem older than me. Even though you look the same as the day you found me, you’re older somehow. Fragile perhaps?”

“I feel that way... I feel older...” he looked away and rose up towards the horizon. He looked west and said, “To me, I can’t feel outwardly old, I can’t see the changes, but I can feel them. And it’s not like I have new pains or aches, but mentally I ache sometimes. I can feel it in my... my spirit, I suppose. My perspective of time is different as well. What use to feel like a day seems like a shorter time. I really don’t have the words to describe it. I guess...” Zack looked down at his chest and towards the grass, “I’m floating further away from reality, that what I once felt secure to is now a little ways under my feet. Slowly, I feel I won’t be a part of this world anymore, that I’ll think of it as something I can no longer be a part of. I can’t seem to tether myself to it and I really don’t want to end up feeling so disconnected from this magical place we take for granted.”

He looked over at Pinkie and chuckled, “I’m sorry, you must be totally lost. Even I don’t know what I’m saying. That just sort of... came out. And I really don’t know where it came from.”

Pinkie closed her eyes and smiled. She laid her head upon his lap and he began stroking her pink and silvered mane.

“It’s okay,” she said in almost a whisper. “We’re both getting old. Change is good, but I don’t want moments like these to change. I’m afraid that one day we won’t be able to do this, that you’ll be gone or I’ll be gone. And when one of us is gone that things won’t be the same.” A tear rolled down her cheek that Zack didn’t notice, the human was looking away—into the horizon—fastened in deep thought and listening intently to what Pinkie was saying. She rose her head up from his lap, somewhat startling Zachary.

She looked up at him with face twisted with emotion saying, “Don’t you care? Do you know what it’s been like for me?” Her gentle voice soon rose to a greater tone, Zack didn’t expect this sudden outburst from her and he was distraught by it.

“You can’t just leave me like that! You can’t just hug me and go away forever and ever!” She brought herself closer to Zachary and pushed him back on the ground with both of her front hooves. She stood on his chest, he didn’t know what to do or what to say, so he allowed her to speak her mind. He could tell that she had been meaning to for a long time.

“So many restless nights, so many smiles I had to fake! I filled myself with so many lies, and told so many more to make it seem like everything was okay, but deep down-” her voice began to quiver with long subsided misery, “deep down I was in so much pain! I fought with it day and night, and for thirty-three years it never softened up. I couldn’t let go of those feelings! I couldn’t let go of you as easily as you let go of me.”

She fell upon him and began loudly weeping into his chest. Zachary was beyond shocked, his stomach and wrenched with agony and pity towards the mare. The amount of regret that welled inside of him, for all the years he could have visited her in disguise was wasted for his own selfish desires.

In a muffled voice, Pinkie puled, “It all seems too fake, Zacky... It’s like a dream I don’t want to wake up from... And I feel like soon I’ll have to wake up and go another day without you.”

He clasped the back of her head and wrapped his other arm around her waist.

“I’m sorry,” he mewled softly. He gripped her tighter as he noticed his vision turning watery. He shut his eyes firmly, trying hard to press back his tears. “Pinkie, I’m so sorry! I thought I could find purpose in myself or try and protect Equestria by being away from it. I tried and wasted that time, and I can’t feel more disgusted with myself.”

He gently brought her head up with his hands to force her to look at him. “I promise you, Pinkie Pie, I promise to never leave you again like that.” Her cries softened, but she said nothing. He wiped the tears from his eyes and looked out towards the western sun over the treetops of the hill. They sat there for a long time in harmonized silence. Pinkie was still, as was Zachary. She kept her head buried in his chest for almost half an hour before revealing her reddened face. She turned and looked towards the setting sun. Zack looked at both the horizon and Pinkie, her mane matched the warm and blended sky.

“Pinkie,” Zack softly called. She slowly met eyes with him. “Change is good, but to me, change can be a terrible, inevitable thing sometimes. I can’t stop inevitable changes, I’m immortal and the world is not. You...” he couldn’t bear to say it. Not in front of her or anyone who will have the same fate. All the faces he saw in the crowd this morning, all the young and old, the friends and strangers, they would all meet at that same fate. It only takes time, and time was all he had left. What Nabeleen had told him long ago in the Firelight Woods was right, time was his true enemy.

“Please,” she hushed him with a sincere smile. “We’ve lost enough time,” the pony breathed. “Tell me a story, please. A good one.”

Zack relaxed; he smiled and nodded saying, “Very well. Once upon a time there was a boy named Zack who ended up in a place called Equestria. He was scared, because he didn’t know where he was or how he got there. He was scared until he met a little pony who taught him there was nothing to be scared of. He went on many adventures, sometimes with the pony and sometimes without the pony. Whenever the boy would get afraid of things on his many adventures, things that seemed very scary or terrifying, he would remember the pink pony. He would remember not to be afraid.”

He drug his hands across her fur in a meticulous motion as he went on, “She brought him courage and strength no matter how far apart they were. He was the reason he kept going. Without her, his story would have ended a long time ago. He is still very thankful that he and the pony met those many, distant years ago. He knows that no matter where he may go next, that that little, scared pony he met in the woods will always give him strength.”

After he stopped, Pinkie said, “Is that it? What’s the ending, what’s the moral of the story?”

Zack gave a small simper and replied, “The story hasn’t ended yet, silly. Give it time. Good stories will always end appropriately.”

As the red sun set below the horizon, above them glimmered a faint, blue star. Like a falling sapphire in a beam of sunlight, it twinkled and disappeared into the coming night.

Comments

[GalacticTNT]

Love it!

[tk4]

Well, something sure is fishy with that DeBate guy...

[Silzek]

Zachary smiled and asked, “And what about old friends?”

Lord of the Rings or the Hobbit I forgot :)

[Spartan-066]

5294725 No Debates sounds like a totally loyal equestrian not a mad devoted pawn of Tirek.

10/10 Would vote for.