Chapter 9 - Trips, Friends and Returns(EDITED)
In Ponyville
Shepard walks to the middle of the town. The Omni-tool hasn’t picked up any sign of the Twilight and her friends.
‘They must be looking at the edge of town for me,’ she thinks, inwardly smirking, ‘Too bad for them I have already scouted that area this morning.’
Also the fact that there are no guards or ponies going, “That’s her!” or “Get her!” or “That’s her Officer!” means that she is right about Twilight. 'She is the kind not to tell any of her superiors when she mucks up, least she shames herself,' Shepard thinks. She is about to walk further into town when an object falls and hits the bridge of her nose, causing her eyes to suddenly cross.
‘I hate that.’
She looks down at the offending object. It’s a letter addressed to a family called the Cakes. Another letter hits her head. She looks up to be temporary blinded by another letter landing across her eyes. After shaking it off, she finally sees the pony who is dropping the letters. It’s a female grey pegasus with a blond mane struggling with a bag full of letters. And because she’s not looking where she is going she somehow hits her head on a low flying cloud causing her and the bag to drop towards the ground. With a speed that surprises everyone watching, Shepard dashes towards the falling pony. Surrounding herself in a mass effect field and using her magic to give herself traction, she zooms across the ground. As the pegasus is about hit the ground, Shepard vaults off a convenient cart. She catches the pegasus (and her bag) on her back midair before landing perfectly on all fours. Shepard turns her head to check her passenger, who seems mildly dazed.
“Are you alright, Miss?” she asks.
The pegasus groans, “Did anypony get the number of that cloud?” she mumbles.
“Miss?” Shepard says, confused.
The Pegasus lifts her head and faces Shepard, and opens her eyes. Both sides were shocked at what they see. The pegasus has never seen such violent red eyes before, and opening her eyes to this at such a close proximity isn’t helping either. Shepard on the other hoof has never seen eyes that don’t look at her while looking at her. The pegasus's eyes were pointing in different directions, and they were an vivid amber-yellow.
“Oh, thanks for saving me,” the pegasus says, breaking the silence while still staring into Shepard’s eyes.
“You’re welcome,” replies Shepard also not breaking eye contact. After a while of staring at each other she finally asks, “Can you get off me please?”
“OH, sorry!” the pegasus says. She tries to get off Shepard but only manages to fall and land face first in the dirt. “Ow!”
“You know I caught you so you wouldn’t hit the ground,” Shepard jokes.
The pegasus just mumbles something Shepard can’t hear. Then the pegasus notices her bag on Shepard’s back. “Oh you saved my bag, thankyouthankyouthankyou!”
Shepard is surprised that the pegasus seems more thankful about her bag being saved than herself. Luckily the answer is soon fourth coming.
“If the mail got damaged again I would get in sooo much trouble,” she says happily, then a panicky expression appears on her face, “Oh no! Where are the letters that fell out?” she turns her head frantically searching for them.
“Here they are,” Shepard says holding out the three letters, “They fell on me.”
The pegasus suddenly grips Shepard in tight hug, “OHTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU!” she yells happily.
“You’re welcome again… now can I breath…. again?” Shepard says, trying very hard not throw the poor pony off her.
The pegasus lets go, “How can I ever repay you?”
“I can think of something,” Shepard answers, smiling. The pegasus suddenly looks worried, but her expression brightens when Shepard continues, “While you’re delivering the letters, could you show me around town?”
“Sure I can,” she says smiling, “Let’s go…” She pauses and looks sheepish, “Umm, what’s your name?”
“Call me Shepard.”
“Cool name! I’m Derpy Hooves.”
Shepard pauses for long enough for Derpy to feel nervous before answering, “Cute name.”
“Thanks,” she says blushing.
“Lead the way Miss Derpy Hooves,” says Shepard giving a friendly smile.
Derpy returns her smile and they set off.
Further into Ponyville
As they walk through town, Shepard happily listens to Derpy as talk about Ponyville, the ponies who live in it and her own life (Mostly about her little daughter, Dinky), Shepard is mildly annoyed with how often the conversation kept returning to Twilight and her friends. But she keeps quiet and learns quite a bit about them. From the sound of it, they’re very busy ponies. But as Derpy is going through her final letters, an annoying voice calls out.
“Hey look, it’s Derpy!”
Derpy's face darkens but she doesn’t turn around. Shepard does and sees three rather dumb looking pegasi flying above them.
“You’re right, it is Derpy,” says the tall one.
“Didn’t she get fired in Cloudsdale?” mocks the stubby one, “I wonder how she got a job here?”
“She must have told a big sob story about how she’s a single mother,” sneers the slightly more normal looking one. The three of them laugh.
Derpy has had enough, “What do you guys want and what are you doing here?” she asks angrily, wheeling around.
“We are on holiday and we heard that Ponyville is a pretty cool place,” says the tall one, “Too bad so far it sucks!” The three laugh again. Shepard rolls her eyes. It’s the kind of bullies you found everywhere - less than one brain between them.
“I’m surprised that they let you keep your filly considering how clumsy you are,” taunts the normalish one, as they land.
Derpy is doing her best to just ignore them again, but Shepard can see that she is upset and to make it worse a small crowd of ponies has gathered. “One more chance is all you get,” Shepard warns under her breath.
“Did your kid get your eyes?” asks the stubby one. Derpy cringes.
‘Strike three, you’re out!’ Shepard thinks herself, steps toward the idiots.
“Careful, Shepard, it is best not to get involved,” Harbinger warns.
She ignores Harbinger, continuing to walks right up to the three.
“What do you want?” challenges the tall one.
“Hay, she’s rather petty,” says the normalish one.
“But look at those bandages, I bet she covered in scars like in the movies,” says the stubby one.
Derpy realizes that Shepard is actually wrapped in bandages. ‘Oh no, she is hurt, how could I be this stupid and not notice,’ she thinks. “Wait, Shepard, you’re hur…” she tries to she say, but Shepard halts Derpy by looking over shoulder and give a small smile, and the rest of the words just died in her mouth. The look says ‘I’ll be fine.’
“Hay, how about you spend some time with us?” says the normailish one in what he must think is a suave voice, but instead makes him sound like an douchebag, “We will be much more fun than her.”
Shepard smiles, “Sorry, I only hang out with ponies with more than two brain cells,” she says in a calm voice.
“Huh?” says the normalish one.
“It seems like that was bit too complicated for you, so let me be perfectly clear: You three are a bunch of immature idiots without an original thought between you,” she says slowly.
Derpy is surprised. The insult isn’t particularly nasty, but the way she says it makes it sound ten times worse. She says it like they aren’t worth the breath it takes to insult them, and she speaks without trepidation or fear, despite them out-numbering her and being taller and bigger than she is.
“You BITCH!!” says the tall one, finally getting the insult, raising his hoof.
“LOOK OUT SHEPARD!” calls out Derpy.
Shepard doesn’t move. The hoof comes towards her. The collar changes to red. With lightning reflexes, she parries his hoof. She grabs his head and headbutts him… hard.
Everypony present is shocked. While some stallions do headbutt when fighting, females hardly ever do, and unicorns especially so. The tall bully staggers backwards and falls onto his arse. Shepard unfazed just rolls her neck, making some satisfying cracking noises. The two others bullies rush to their fallen comrade’s side, who is holding his bloody snout.
“What the buckin...” the stubby one starts to say, but the words die in his throat when they see what only they can see: Shepard, with her back to the crowd and her face covered with scars, and her burning eyes fixed on them, all glowing with a wicked red.
Derpy and crowd cringe as Shepard goes to town on them. To a chorus of ohhhs, ahhhs, and gasps Shepard makes short work of the three bullies. It looks like Shepard isn't really trying to hurt them (badly), just make them sorry. Still looks painful though. The three soon lie in a heap, groaning. Shepard grabs the normalish one and holds him up to her face.
“Don't try to start fights with someone with over 12 years of military service,” she warns in a low voice, just loud enough for him and his friends to hear, but not loud enough for the crowd. The pony tries to lean away from the scared face with the burning eyes, “I got these bandages from fighting a large pack of Timberwolves and the only difference between them and you three right now is that you’re still alive. Now, if I see you three again bothering ponies I will shove your wings so far up your arse that you will be coughing up feathers. Got it?” she growls. The three ponies nod and she drops the one she is holding.
The dropped pony gathers up his friends and the three fly off as fast as they can. Throwing one final insult, “This town blows anyway,” and with that they disappear, with the last shreds of their pride trailing behind them.
Shepard turns around, the eyes and the scars already faded, to see a crowd of ponies in awe.
“That was amazing, Shepard,” says Derpy, “How did you learn to fight like that?”
“Years of experience,” Shepard answers, “Now lets move on, I seem to have attracted quite a crowd and don’t you need to finishes your mail run.”
“Oh ponyfeathers,” Derpy swears, before dashing off. Shepard follows leaving behind a confused crowd of ponies.
Another Part of Ponyville
Derpy and Shepard walk down the street toward Derpy’s final stop, a place called Sugarcube Corner. On the way there Shepard notices a lot of ponies looking in her direction. It seems word travels fast around here and she seemed to be building quite a reputation which wasn't her intention. It probably doesn’t help that she keeps helping anypony who needs it on her way.
“You’re quite the hero, aren’t you?” says Derpy playfully, while Shepard holds up a cart while the owner (a female pony with yellow coat and an orange mane, with three carrots for a cutie mark) fixes the cart wheel.
“Yes, Shepard, quite the hero,” Harbinger says, with what Shepard thinks is sarcasm.
‘Oh, shut up,’ Shepard thinks in response.
Soon the orange-maned pony finishes fixing her cart and Derpy and Shepard move on.
“Thanks Shepard!” the orange-maned pony calls out, “And see you at Sugarcube Corner later, Derpy.”
“Yeah, see ya later, Carrot Top,” replies Derpy.
Shepard sighs, she hasn’t even introduced herself yet and yet Carrot Top already knows her name. The speed of rumour and gossip is scary.
Soon they reach the place called Sugarcube Corner. ‘It looks like a real live Ginger Bread house,’ thinks Shepard.
Shepard and Derpy go in. As Shepard enters she is welcomed with the smell of pastries and sweets, Derpy walks up to the counter, where a plump-looking pony is working.
“Morning Derpy,” says the plump pony, “Got our mail?”
“Yes, here you go, Mrs Cake,” Derpy says, handing her a letter.
“Thank you, and here’s a muffin for your trouble,” says Mrs Cake, exchanging the letter for a muffin.
“YAY, thank you,” says Derpy happily, instantly digging into her muffin.
“And who’s this?” asks Mrs Cake, noticing Shepard.
“… This *nom* is *gulp* Shepard *gobble*” says Derpy between mouthfuls of muffin.
“Not the Shepard,” says Mrs Cake surprised.
“You heard of me?” asks Shepard, raising her eyebrow.
“Only through word of mouth. Like how you taught a bunch of bullies a lesson,” Mrs Cake explains, “But mostly I have been hearing how you defeated a giant pack of Timberwolves by yourself.”
There’s a choking sound beside Shepard. “You did what!” splutters Derpy, coughing up bits of muffin. Shepard pats her on the back.
Ignoring Derpy, Shepard asks Mrs Cake, “Where did you hear that?”
“From those three. They’ve been telling everypony that will listen,” she says pointing behind Shepard.
Shepard and Derpy look around and see the three young ponies known as the Cutie Mark Crusaders sitting around a table. They notice Shepard too.
“SHEPARD!” the three yell.
“Oh, hi kids,” Shepard says, as the Cutie Mark Crusaders run over.
“Hi Shepard, my sister is lookin’ for you,” says Applebloom as she reaches Shepard.
“I will make a note on that,” Shepard replies.
“We have been telling everypony about how you defeated the Timberwolves,” states Sweetie Belle.
“I heard. Why?” questions Shepard.
“We’re trying to get our Cutie Marks for storytelling,” answers Scootaloo.
“Is it working?” Shepard asks, smiling.
“Not yet,” Sweetie Belle says disappointed, “You don’t mind, do you?”
“Knock yourselves out,” Shepard answers. ‘The damage has already been done,’ she thinks.
“Thanks Shepard,” says Scootaloo.
“What are you five talking about?” asks Carrot Top, walking in.
“Apparently Shepard defeated a large pack of Timberwolves,” states Derpy.
“Really?” asks Carrot Top, “I would like to hear about that.”
“Me too,” Derpy says, curiosity radiating off her.
As the three fillies start to explain it to them, Harbinger speaks, “Twilight and her group are converging on this location, Shepard.”
‘Ok,’ she thinks, then says out loud, “I should go.”
“Awww, but you just got here,” whines Applebloom. Everypony looks disappointed.
“Yeah, but there is a lot to see and I have to be somewhere soon,” answers Shepard. ‘Yeah, anywhere but here,’ she thinks.
Everypony says their ‘Goodbyes,’ and ‘Hope to see you again’s and Shepard heads to the door. On the way out she bumps into Thunderclap and his two cronies.
“Oh, pardon me Shepard,” he says stepping aside.
Shepard gives them an odd look as she casually walks past them, before dashing down an ally.
“Do you think we should have stopped her?” asks Whiplash.
“We don’t know she escaped yet, so no,” answers Fisher.
“But we do,” says Whiplash confused.
“No we don’t. Mendax, Laqueum and Dolus do because they are spying on her just in case He shows up. But Thunderclap, Fisher and Whiplash are blissfully ignorant,” explains Menda… Thunderclap with a smirk.
“This gets confusing sometimes,” says Dolu… Whiplash rubbing the back of his neck.
“You’ll get used to it, you’re only a weavling after all,” says Laque… Fisher, patting Whiplash’s back, “Now let’s enjoy our blissful ignorance and get something to eat.”
“Well-spoken that stallion,” says Thunderclap, heading into Sugarcube Corner with his crew.
A minute later Rainbow Dash arrives outside Sugarcube Corner, soon the rest follow.
“Anypony seen Shepard?” Twilight asks, though already guessing the answer.
Twilight’s fears are confirmed as each one of her friend shakes their heads. Until Applejack says.
“I nearly found her.”
“REALLY WHERE!” shout the rest of the group, except Fluttershy and Spike.
“She was at my family’s farm, but when I got there she had already left. I tried to track her but I couldn’t find hide or hair of her,” Applejack explains.
“Damn, she might have escaped into the forest,” curses Rainbow Dash.
“I doubt she would leave without her things,” states Twilight.
“Is your family alright?” asks Rarity worried.
“They’re fine,” replies Applejack.
“That's good,” says Twilight relived.
“How about we get something sweet to eat while we think of what to do next,” says Pinkie, as cheerful as ever.
They all realize how hungry they are. Most of them hadn’t even had breakfast this morning, and none of them have had lunch yet.
“Yeah, some food sounds good,” agrees Twilight.
Everypony nods and they head inside. Pinkie goes to the counter to order while the rest of the girls seat themselves. Soon Pinkie returns with a large platter of food and sits down with them at their chosen table. While they eat, Rainbow Dash notices an odd group: Derpy, Carrot Top and the three Cutie Mark Crusaders sitting around a table and talking animatedly. Rainbow Dash heads over to them.
“Hey whasup?” asks Rainbow Dash.
“Oh, hi Rainbow Dash,” says Derpy, “We’re just exchanging stories.”
“Don’t interrupt!” scolds Sweetie Belle.
“Sorry,” says Derpy, smiling at the filly’s enthusiasm.
“Where was I… Oh yeah, she was surrounded by [http://31.media.tumblr.com/6e9dadf9a75844e68dbe98a1b577942b/tumblr_mz5esgjAYn1r0ckzto1_400.gif]200 Timberwolves! As they all leapt at her she just slammed her hoof into the ground, like this,” Sweetie says slamming her hoof onto the table, making Derpy grab onto her bowl of muffins, “Then they went flying through the air on fire…”
![http://31.media.tumblr.com/6e9dadf9a75844e68dbe98a1b577942b/tumblr_mz5esgjAYn1r0ckzto1_400.gif]200](http://31.media.tumblr.com/6e9dadf9a75844e68dbe98a1b577942b/tumblr_mz5esgjAYn1r0ckzto1_400.gif]200){kind=link}
“Excuse me, who are you talking about?” interrupts Rainbow Dash, getting annoyed at being ignored, “Some sort of new super hero?”
Sweetie Belle looks irritated, “No, we are talking about Shepard. Now then she…” she tries to start again.
“Wait! Shepard!?” exclaims Rainbow Dash.
“Oh, do you know her?” asks Derpy.
“Do you know where she is?” questions Rainbow Dash, urgently.
“If you’re looking for her, she left a few minutes before you girls came in,” explains Carrot Top.
Rainbow Dash's jaw drops. They had just missed her again. She rushes back to her friends, “Quick! We have to go, Shepard was just here!”
“What, did they see her?” asks Twilight getting up.
“Yeah. Those five say she just left a few minutes before we came in,” explains Rainbow Dash.
“How do you know it’s our Shepard?” asks Pinkie.
“How many Shepards have you heard of!?” questions Rainbow Dash with scowl.
“I better ask just in case,” Pinkie says standing up. She yells over at the two mares and the three fillies “Did this Shepard have red eyes, black hair, a blue coat and a really mean look on her face?”
“Yeah, besides the mean look,” Carrot Top yells back.
“Close enough,” Pinkie says to her friends.
“Alright, let's not let her get away this time,” Twilight says running to the door, followed by all her friends except Spike and Fluttershy. Pinkie rushes back in and inhales the remaining food.
“Hurry up you two! The games afoot” says Pinkie swallowing, before bolting out the door again shouting, “Allons-y!”
But instead of following, Fluttershy and Spike get up and walk over to the five confused ponies. Derpy offers them a seat.
“Thank you,” they both say, sitting down.
“You’re welcome. But what was that about?” asks Derpy.
“Oh, they just really need to find her,” says Spike, dismissively.
“But, I mean, if it’s no trouble, could you tell us about Shepard?” asks Fluttershy in her small voice, “I mean if it’s ok.”
Sweetie Belle crosses her hooves, “Well, ok, only if you don’t interrupt me again, I forgot where we were up to anyway.”
“Just make sure you don’t over exaggerate the amount of Timberwolves again and let us get some words in,” comments Applebloom.
As the three bicker, Fluttershy and Spike take an offered muffin from Derpy, and prepare to listen.
In a corner of Sugarcube Corner
“Did you see that?! We got totally ignored!,” pouts Thunderclap.
“Their loss,” says Fisher, grabbing a donut, “We could have told them which way Shepard went.”
“Lets just continue to enjoy our blissful ignorance and continue eating,” says Whiplash, getting the hang of it.
The three nod in agreement and continue talking about nothing like your average stallion.
Somewhere else in Ponyville
Shepard walks down another street, she wonders what to do next. She could head back to Twilight’s house, seeing that she has seen and heard everything she needs to for now, but then she could be waiting for hours with nothing to do. She finds her answer when she sees a female pony struggling with a cart full of musical equipment.
“Need a hoof?” Shepard asks.
“If you would be so kind,” the mare answers in a rather posh accent.
Shepard walks over and offers to take the harness from the pony, and takes the chance to look her up and down. She seems less colourful than the average pony. She has a grey coat and a charcoal mane, her only colour being her cutie mark and violet eyes. She has a very prim and proper look about her, and she wears a bow tie.
“Thank you for your help,” she says, taking off her harness and passing it to Shepard, “My roommate was supposed to be helping me, but she never showed up.”
“It’s no problem, I wasn’t doing anything important,” Shepard replies, taking the harness and putting it on herself.
“Well since your being so helpful I might as well introduce myself, I’m Octavia, and you are?” asks Octavia.
“Call me Shepard,” replies Shepard.
“Shepard, mm,” muses Octavia. Shepard worries that Octavia may have heard some of the rumours about her and start to pester her with questions, but that is not to be. “Are you a farmer?” she asks.
“Huh?” Shepard says confused.
“I mean with a name like Shepard, I thought you must have had a background in farming. Was I incorrect?” questions Octavia.
“Yeah, I was in the military,” answer Shepard, “So where am I taking this cart?”
“Oh excuse me, I was rambling. Just follow me,” Octavia apologizes. After a while Octavia speaks again. “You’re quite strong, you didn’t even need my help to pull it.”
“Thanks, I try and keep myself fit,” answers Shepard.
The rest of the journey went without any problems and only occasional of small talk to pass the time. Soon they reach their destination, a two story house in the middle of town.
“Nice place,” says Shepard.
“Thank you. Would like to come inside and have some tea?” asks Octavia.
“Sure, but shouldn’t we unload the cart first?” asks Shepard, removing herself from the harness.
“Oh no, let’s leave it for Vinyl,” says Octavia smiling.
“Vinyl? Is she your roommate?” Shepard asks.
“Yes,” Octavia says flatly.
“Hey Tavi!” someone calls from behind Octavia.
“Speak of the devil,” says Octavia turning around.
There walking down the road toward them, eating something most likely from Sugarcube Corner, is a pony with the weirdest hairstyle Shepard has ever seen yet. She has very spiky and windswept hair, framing one side of her face. It’s colour is cobalt blue with brilliant cyan streaks in it. The weirdest part being that it looks natural. Back in her world to do a hairstyle like that would cost a lot to style and even more to maintain. Her coat is unremarkable, it’s just white. She also sports a pair of ridiculous purple shades that looked retro even by this worlds standards.
The pony known as Vinyl notices Shepard.
“Who’s the hot mare? Friend of yours?” she says without any shame.
Octavia sighs and gives Shepard an apologetic smile, Shepard smiles back, basically letting her know that it’s all right.
“Vinyl. Please do say such things to a pony you just met,” Octavia scolds.
“Hay I was just asking. I thought I knew all the good looking mares in town,” Vinyl replies.
“Actually I only just met her, she volunteered to help me move the cart that you promised to help me with this morning, if you remember,” Octavia says irritably.
“Ohhh, that was this morning, I thought it was tomorrow,” Vinyl says rubbing the back of her neck.
“Vinyl, sometimes I don’t think you listen to a word I say,” sighs Octavia.
“Hay, that not true, I listen… sometimes,” Vinyl finishes weakly.
Octavia shakes her head.
“Anyway, you still haven’t told me who she is,” Vinyl says, changing the subject and taking a bite from her snack.
“Oh, this is Shepard. Shepard this is Vinyl Scratch my roommate… and nothing else,” Octavia adds. She then notices that Vinyl has stopped eating, “Anything wrong?”
“Not the Shepard, right?” Vinyl says slowly.
‘Oh dear here we go,’ Shepard thinks.
“What do you mean?” asks Octavia.
“Well, there’s a story going around town that a mare called Shepard saved a bunch of fillies from a horde of a thousand Timberwolves and helped a another mare get rid of a bunch of marefia thugs,” explains Vinyl.
Shepard begins to laugh.
“What are you laughing at?” asks Octavia very confused.
“Oh, nothing, it just the power of rumour and gossip, eh,” says Shepard, getting herself under control.
“So you are that Shepard,” asks Octavia.
“Yes but it wasn’t marefia thugs, it was just three stupid bullies. And I severely doubt there was a thousand Timberwolves, more like around thirty,” Shepard explains.
“I thought it sounded a bit over the top,” grins Vinyl, “Still impressive. I don’t think I could take on thirty Timberwolves… well not without my Bass Cannon anyway.”
“Shepard, the colourful one is coming this way at unnatural speed and will be here soon,” warns Harbinger.
‘Thanks,’ thinks Shepard. She then asks, “May we continue are conversation inside, over that tea you offered?”
“Oh, yes. Please come in,” says Octavia, opening the front door for Shepard to trot in, followed by Vinyl and Octavia, closing the door behind her. A few seconds later Rainbow Dash speeds down the street passing the house.
Shepard learns a lot in the hour she spent having tea with the two mares. Mostly about music, they are both musicians. Vinyl is a DJ (Which explains the hair and the glasses) and Octavia is a cellist. There is a point when they make Shepard show them her Biotics, and then afterward Vinyl begs her to do special effects at one of her gigs. Shepard says that she may consider it.
“It has been a pleasure, Shepard,” says Octavia, shaking Shepard’s hoof when it is time to go.
“We should hang out again, Shep,” says Vinyl using Shepard’s new nickname, while hoof-bumping her.
“Sure, we’ll see what happens,” replies Shepard, returning the gestures.
“I really hope so,” says Octavia smiling.
“Yeah, and don’t forget about my idea,” reminds Vinyl.
“I won’t. See you around,” Shepard says, walking away and waving goodbye.
“She was pretty cool,” says Vinyl as Shepard disappears around the corner.
“A very agreeable pony,” agrees Octavia.
“Well I’m beat,” Vinyl says yawning, “I think I will take a nap.”
Vinyl starts to head back inside, but the way is blocked by Octavia.
“Oh no, you’re not, you’re going to unload the cart,” Octavia orders, pointing a hoof.
Vinyl groans, “Do I have to?”
“Yes, you promised to help me move the cart, but you forgot, so you can at least do this for me,” exclaims Octavia.
Vinyl sighs, she doesn’t really feel like arguing with Octavia. She turns around and starts to unload the cart (with Octavia helping).
About five minutes later, Rainbow Dash flies past.
“Hi Dash,” yells Vinyl.
Rainbow Dash stops, “Hi Vinyl,” she replies, out of breath.
“You look totally beat,” comments Vinyl.
“Yeah, well, you haven’t happened to see a blue pony with black hair and red eyes?” asks Rainbow Dash, changing the subject.
“Do you mean Shepard?” asks Octavia, coming around from the other side of the cart.
“Yes! Do you know where she is?” Rainbow Dash yells, shaking Octavia.
“Well she left here about five minutes ago,” explains Octavia, rocking back and forth, “And can you please stop shaking me, I’m feeling sick.”
“Buck! Which way?” Rainbow Dash swears, as she stops shaking Octavia.
“She went that way,” Vinyl says, frowning and pointing the way.
“Thanks, bye,” yells Rainbow Dash zooming around the corner.
“What do you think that was about?” asks Vinyl confused.
“I have no idea, let’s just finish unloading the cart,” Octavia says, slightly dazed.
“Hey, can I have a moment of your time?” comes a young voice.
Vinyl turns around and smiles at the young dragon, “Sure Spike, what’s up?”
Somewhere in Ponyville where Shepard isn’t
Twilight looks behind every building, every tree and every pony just in case Shepard is hiding there. But because Twilight isn’t looking where she is going she runs into somepony.
“Ouch!” yelps Twilight, falling onto her rump.
“Mind were you’re going Princess,” says a familiar voice Twilight doesn’t really want to hear. Twilight looks up to see the smiling face of Thunderclap and his two goons.
“You seem to in a rush Princess,” comments Fisher.
“Yeah, are you looking for somepony?” asks Whiplash, who is then elbowed by both his friends. Twilight doesn’t notice.
“Nope, nothing’s wrong here Thunderclap, nothing at all,” answers Twilight lying.
“Really,” Thunderclap says, not buying it. “You know, funny thing, you’re not the first pony to bump into me today,” he says jokingly.
“Mmmm,” Twilight says starting to walk away.
Thunderclap pretending to ignore this, continues, “And the funny thing is that it was Shepard…”
“WHAT!” yells Twilight rushing back, “When was this!”
“About lunch time,” replies Thunderclap, yawning.
“Why didn’t you catch her?” asks Twilight, angrily.
“I didn’t know we had too,” replies Thunderclap, looking confused, he turns to his crew. “Did you know?” They shake their head. Thunderclap turns back to Twilight and continues, “You didn’t report to us that Shepard needed to be captured?”
“But… I… argh, never mind, where did she go?” asks Twilight giving up.
“She went that way,” he says pointing vaguely to the other side of town.
Twilight rushes off.
“Do you want us to report this to Princess Celestia?” Thunderclap calls after her.
“No! Don’t do anything!” Twilight yell back, before disappearing around the corner.
Thunderclap turns to his crew smiling, “Boys, I think Twilight just gave us the rest of the day off.”
Ponyville Park
After various meanderings, detours and distractions (such as advoiding Rainbow Dash and helping yet more ponies) Shepard arrives in Ponyville park. By checking the position of the sun (and then her Omni-Tool) she finds out its 4:00pm. She should probably head back to the Library soon. She sees a half unoccupied bench and decides to go and enjoy the warm sun while she can.
“Is this taken?” she asks the bench's other occupant.
“Nah,” the pony answers, not facing Shepard.
Shepard hops onto the seat and lies down. She looks at the pony next to her. She’s a mint-green unicorn with pale greyish cyan mane with white highlights and brilliant golden eyes. She is also sitting in a way that is remarkably biped.
“Doesn’t that hurt your back?” asks Shepard.
“Huh?” says the unicorn confused, turning to face her.
“I mean sitting like that,” Shepard answers.
“What? Oh, not really,” she says shaking her head and then turns back to what she was looking at before.
Shepard follows the unicorn’s graze, and sees a pale yellow pony with cobalt blue mane with light fuchsia stripes and arctic blue eyes, who is reading a book on a blanket some distance away.
“Friend of yours?” Shepard asks.
“Yeah,” the unicorn sighs “A friend.”
“Want something more?” queries Shepard.
“Bwuh, whaa!? Whatever gave you that idea!” the unicorn says suddenly flustered, and giving Shepard her full attention.
“Well, mostly when someone asks someone else if they’re in a relationship and then that someone sighs like that, it means that they're most likely unsatisfied with their current relationship,” explains Shepard.
“Yeah, I guess that makes sense,” the unicorn replies slightly embarrassed, before sighing again. “Yes, I guess you could say that I am a bit unsatisfied with our current relationship.” She seems to think for a minute “Not that I’m not happy with her being a friend, she is one of the best friends I’ve ever had, and I wouldn’t trade her for anything in the world, but…” she trails off
“You like her,” Shepard says, it was more of statement, than a question.
The unicorn blushes, “Maybe…”
“What about her?” Shepard asks.
“What?” the unicorn replies, confused again.
“Does she know you like her?” Shepard clarifies.
“What? No!” the unicorn says shocked.
“So you never asked her?” asks Shepard.
“I don’t even know if she likes mares,” the unicorn says sadly.
“You really should just ask her then,” says Shepard.
“I can’t do that! What if she says no, it could get really awkward between us. It might ruin our friendship, what if…” the unicorn tries to continue, but is blocked by Shepard hoof.
“No one falls in love without being a little brave,” says Shepard, removing her hoof from the unicorns mouth and giving her an encouraging pat on the back, “If she does say no, then it will be probably awkward for a while, but if your friendship is as strong as you make it out to be, you two will be fine as long as you both persevere. But if she says yes, and how glad you will be that you asked.”
“All or nothing, eh,” says the unicorn.
“Look, I’m not forcing you to do anything, just think about it, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain,” says Shepard.
The unicorn does seem to think about for a while, staring at the ground.
“Yeah, I think you’re right, I got to mare up and asks,” says the unicorn. She gets off the bench and onto her four hooves, striking a heroic pose, “I mean what have I got lose anyway, and this will only keep eating at me until I do something about it.”
“That’s the spirit,” says Shepard patting her on the back again.
With only the faintest hint of nervousness, the unicorn walks purposefully over to the other mare before sitting down in front of her. Shepard lets her eyes wander, in order to give the two mares their privacy, but looks back when she heard the sound of approaching hooves. The unicorn comes back blushing, with a smile on her face, leaving the other mare where she was sitting, also blushing.
“Well,” asks Shepard.
“She said she would think about it,” the unicorn says smiling.
“That’s a good sign,” says Shepard, “And judging by the look on her face, she isn’t opposed to the idea.”
“Thanks for the pep talk, I don’t think I could have done that on my own” says the unicorn.
“I’m sure you could have done it eventually, I just gave you a little push, is all,” says Shepard, smiling.
“Well thanks anyway miss… I didn’t get your name, did I?” says the unicorn, rubbing the back of her neck, “Oh, and I’m Lyra Heartstrings by the way.”
“I’m Shepard.”
“Wait… not the…” Lyra tries to say.
“Goodbye,” interrupts Shepard, not wanting to do this again.
“But…” Lyra tries to starts again.
“You better not keep talking to me,” warns Shepard, “You don’t want to keep your friend waiting.”
Lyra turns to see her friend is giving her a look over her book. When she turns back Shepard has disappeared. Great, now she’ll never know whether or not that was the Shepard everypony is talking about. She shrugs. After all, it doesn’t really matter right now. There are much more important things to think about, or more important ponies. She heads back to the blanket to spend time with her hopefully soon to be marefriend.
Unbeknownst to the soon to be lovebirds and their impromptu cupid, behind a nearby bush a happy sigh can be heard.
“How romantic,” says the golden pegasus, happily.
The young dragon just gags.
“Shepard is a very nice pony, isn’t she,” says Fluttershy.
“Yeah, just like I said,” replies Spike.
“Now if only we could convince our friends,” says Fluttershy, as the duo leave the bush.
“They’ll come around eventually” says Spike, then as an afterthought “I hope.”
Spike then yawns, “I think I will head home just in case Shepard turns up.”
“Ok, I’ll tell Twilight when I see her,” says Fluttershy.
They go their separate ways.
9:00pm Ponyville
Twilight walks home through the dark. She and her friends have given up trying to find Shepard now. She guesses that she now has to report Shepard's disappearance to Celestia. She walks through the front door of her house.
“Spike! Spike!” she calls out.
“Yeah, what is it?” answers Spike, running into the room.
“I need you to send a letter to Princess Celestia at once,” replies Twilight.
“What about?” Spike asks, pulling out a quill and scroll.
“We need to tell her that Shepard has escaped and is now at large,” answers Twilight, “She is a danger to everypony and I need help finding her.”
“I guess you're one of the few people that hasn't heard today’s rumours about me,” says a familiar voice behind her.
Twilight quickly turns around and sees Shepard leaning against a bookshelf smirking at her, while holding a book.
“You!” Twilight yells lamely, “When did you come back?”
“I have been here since five,” Shepard answers.
Twilight turns to Spike, “Why didn't you come to tell me Spike?!”
“I didn't know where to find you,” he says defensively.
Twilight sighs and slumps her head and walks slowly up the stairs.
“Where are you going?” asks Shepard.
“I'm going to bed!” Twilight yells, “And tomorrow we talk about this!”
“Oh goodie,” replies Shepard.
Twilight glares at Shepard then enters her room. She closes her window(making sure to lock it!), she sends some letters to her friends with magic telling them that Shepard has returned, walks over to her bed, falls into it and goes into a deep sleep.
Back in the main room Shepard goes back to her reading and Spike goes and cleans up the kitchen.
“Shepard, I have finished my calculations,” Harbinger says suddenly.
'What calculations again?' Shepard thinks back.
“About how long we have to live.”
'Oh yeah,' she thinks, her mood darking, 'How long?'
“Around two weeks.”
'That long, huh,' she replies.
“We must move forward with your plan.”
'Don't worry, tomorrow I will be out of here. With my things,' she thinks smiling.
Morning
Twilight wakes up. Luckily she had no nightmares this time, but now she has to deal with Shepard. She leaves her bedroom and sees Shepard and Spike talking with each other, which she thinks is bit odd, but she doesn't have time right now to think about that.
“Spike, do you have some shopping you could do?” asks Twilight.
“Yeah, but...” Spike tries to answers.
“Could you go do that? I wish to talk to Shepard alone,” explains Twilight.
Spike looks worried, but nods his head and grabs his shopping bag. He walks to the door, giving them one final worried look and leaves.
“What do you want to talk about?” Shepard asks smirking.
“You know very well what!” retorts Twilight angrily, “Your escape!”
“It's not really an escape if I come back,” replies Shepard.
“It doesn't matter, I have strengthened the spell and also I won't leave any windows open anymore, so you can’t escape again!” Twilight says triumphantly.
“It is pointless though, I could escape any time I want… even now,” Shepard says smiling.
“What?” Twilight says.
“You could never hold me to begin with, not while I could still use my powers,” Shepard says approaching Twilight, “Yesterday was just recon to check out the lay of land. But I always had another way out.”
“What? I don't understand!” Twilight says backing off, now scared.
“You have no idea what else I can do,” Shepard says, getting closer to Twilight, “You have only seen the top of the iceberg, as it were. I have powers that you can’t imagine.”
Twilight’s back hits the bookshelf behind her, she is trapped and now Shepard is inches away from her face. Shepard's eyes start to glow red.
“NO! KEEP AWAY!” Twilight screams, and swigs her hoof at Shepard.
Shepard catches it, looking slightly surprised, and then she smiles as her collar starts to glows red.
“Nothing like extra security, right,” Shepard smiles wickedly.
She places her hoof on top of the terrified alicorn’s forehead.
“Now, Assuming Control! [1]”
Twilight’s world went black.
*Edit: Ok my editor finally got around to looking at it and now should read a lot clearer.*
Seriously I wrote this back in February.
It then took a month for my Co-writer to look at it and help rewrite some of it(Which he never finished by the way).
And also my editor was always busy.
So I edited myself and got my proof reader to read it and here it is (although I am going to get it edited... hopefully soon).
This chapter has been a long time coming and I hope it was worth the wait(Most likely not
).
Also I suggest you follow this link for it has some important stuff about the future of this story. Like how there is not going to be an act 3 and 4, also the reason for it.
Also I have started another story called 'A Deal with the Pale Pony' it is about Death. I write it when I need a break from this story.
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Why do so many people dislike this?
5957701
THANK YOU!
I WISH PEOPLE WOULD TELL ME WHY!
God this story is badly written, your co-writer must be a total ass.
5957710
That's you... jackass
5957711 Spoilsport
5957707 Atleast there are more likes then dislikes...
#I'dSayTheyDislikeBecauseTheyAreWorseThanYou
5958114
Yeah I guess but I sometimes I wish I knew why I was disliked... but sometimes I don't care, as long as people like it I'm happy
5958124 Like it? LOVE IT!
Reaper + Pony + Badass = perfect
5960413
In most case, my editors are the only ones who will put up with me
And I really don't want to talk to editors over the internet, because that can be really annoying.
My editors also help me learn to fix the problem myself, so in the future I won't need them.
Nice Chapter! I like where this is going. Just needs a little polish.
How very...descriptive.
5957707
you have a good hook and a decent pacing all things considered but you kinda seem to short your research in the mass effect universe and how everything works within it at times, (rainbow dash knocking off Shepard's helmet without destroying her forelegs being a good example.) there is also the fact that at this point twilight kinda qualifies for unlawfully imprisoning Shepard as she was never charged by the princess and in truth is not an equestrian citizen and thus not under there rule or laws. you having celestia and luna allow twilight to perform warcrimes left right and center for the sake of the story and in the end it weakens your storytelling. can't say fully thats the reason for so many dislikes but it is what i can see.
don't despair though the story has a lot of saving points.