Memories

by HuskSummers

Getting Dizzy

I apologize to all my readers for how long it took me to write this chapter. It was much too long in getting written. I have my reasons, being very ill for a good portion of the past 6 months being the main one, but still I feel as though I need to apologize repeatedly for how long it took me to get this written. I hope that the quality of my writing has not deteriorated over this time, and that this chapter is scene as suitable by my readers.

As always, please leave comments, as the constructive criticism is something I always enjoy getting.

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As the Misfits walked beside their Lupine allies, I decided that I needed to have a talk with General Crazy Ghost. It was going to be necessary any way I looked at it, and the sooner we reached the Lupine camp the better. On the way however, I decided to get to know the white tiger, Shirotora.

“Shiro, may I ask a few questions about yourself?” I hoped he wouldn’t mind, as I needed to know him better if I were to properly utilize him in the battles that would surely come to us. His gaze fell upon my face and he smiled a large, toothy grin.

“Let’s make a deal. You ask me a question, and then I ask you one. This way we get to know each other, rather than you only knowing me, because where’s the fun in that?” I couldn’t tell if his question was rhetorical or if he really wanted an answer, so I deigned to just accept his offer.

“Okay, I agree. First question…How did you end up in Equestria?” It was a question that had to be asked. If he had been raised here, that made more sense as to his peaceful nature. Otherwise he had quite a bit of explaining to do as to his origins. As usual, the large cat smiled widely at the question as if it was one he was waiting for.

“Well, if you want the truth you’re going to get it, even if you aren’t likely to believe it,” his tone of voice showed his amusement, and for some reason it seemed to fit him. He delved into his story, “To understand how I came to be here, you must first understand my people’s past. I am the last of my kind. Our race was mighty, spanning the entirety of the southern jungles. We were devout followers of chaos magic. We encountered the ponies as we were pushing to expand our reach, yet we didn’t make contact, for, as mighty as we were, we were also wary,” his tone seemed to indicate he was speaking the truth, and I kept listening without interrupting.

“When Discord came to power, ruling over the ponies, and the rest of the species of Equestria and the surrounding nations, we supported him. He was, after all, a living embodiment of the magic we devoted our lives to. However, we were blind in our support. He used his chaos for all the wrong reasons, and yet we followed, and that proved to be our downfall. When the two sisters, one of darkness and one of light, rose to challenge Discord, we fought beside him against the pony armies that they had marshaled.” Here he paused, clearly reliving painful memories. It took him a moment, but he was soon able to speak again.

“A unicorn under Celestia and Luna learned of a disease that affected only my race, something we thought had been defeated centuries before. He took the disease, and in his desperation to turn the tides of war, for we were seemingly unstoppable, and he altered it with magic. He made it much more aggressive, and immune to the cure we had devised in the past.” The sorrow in his voice rang true, but he pushed through, “It hit our armies hard, we died by the hundreds at first, but the disease somehow made it back to our jungle villages. My entire race, brought to its knees by something we could not fight. I was sent by my people far to the North, past the mountains and forests that the Lupine call home, for one of our Farseers believed a cure could be found there.” I couldn’t imagine what it had been like, to watch as your species was wiped from the face of the planet like they had never been there.

I hoped it would end, because I could tell it was hurting him to remember, but he forged on, “There, I was climbing a mountain when suddenly the ground gave way. In my frustration, I roared. That caused the avalanche that trapped me, and my chaos magic managed to keep me alive in there. Fast forward a few millennia, my people are dead,and Discord is unleashed once more upon the land. The chaos that he unleashed upon the land stirred me from my slumber and freed me,” the tiger spoke without pause, and it was clear to me that he wasn’t lying, unbelievable as his story may be. We walked in silence for a minute, Shiro making what appeared to be a little puzzle form in front of him out of thin air. He worked on it for mere seconds before tossing it over his shoulder. Upon landing on the ground it sprouted into a very large, multi-colored tree.

“Now it’s my turn to ask you a question. Where are you from? And don’t give me a bullish answer, I want the truth.” He gave me a knowing look, so I knew the background I had made up wouldn’t pass with him. I would have to give him the truth and quietly, but that didn’t mean I had to give him the whole truth.

“Okay…Like you warned me, the truth isn’t very believable. I don’t know where I came from. I awoke not too long ago to see the Elements standing over me. I had no memories that made any sense. I knew only my name,” I spoke softly so none of the others would hear, as the only other one to know the truth present was Quicksilver. I also refused to tell him what I refused to tell everypony else. My dreams were mine, but they seemed so real that I had started to regard them as memory. I was a wolf in pony clothing, and that bothered me. Shiro seemed to notice I was holding back, but he didn’t push it.

“Well then, while that is different, it’s not totally unheard of. So then, what is your next question?” His quick acceptance of my story told me a lot about him. He trusted me, maybe not fully, but he trusted me quite a bit to take my word for fact. Plus he had that Chaos magic that probably helped him in many aspects including sniffing out lies.

“Okay…” I was surprised at my lack of being ready with a question, but I quickly thought of one, “Why did you live in Ponyville?”

“A good question. I believe there were multiple reasons for me being allowed to stay in Ponyville. One was that I think the Princesses felt that if the Elements could handle my special brand of chaos, they could handle much of what came to them. After seeing the devastation that Discord had wrought upon the land, the suffering, I realized my people had been wrong to side with him, and so I changed. I proved early on that I was a good by saving a couple ponies from a manticore, and the added protection for the Elements let Celestia breathe a bit easier. Then again, I also think that my devilishly good looks and brilliant mind were contributing factors,“ he spoke in a contemplative tone of voice. Throughout his answer he kept a straight face, but he punctuated his final reasons with a wiggle of his eyebrows and a sly grin on his face. I rolled my eyes at his antics, they just didn’t seem to fit with a warrior of his skill. Everything about them clashed with this, but at the same time they seemed completely natural to him. He had been right. He sure was frustrating me, and every attempt I made at understanding him only frustrated me further.

“Okay, I guess those reasons make sense. That means it’s your turn to ask me something.” I was completely in the dark as to what he might ask. There was absolutely nothing I could think of that he could ask, but then I saw the wicked grin he had and I knew what was coming. We were far enough behind the group at this point that we wouldn’t be overheard, and for that I was thankful.

“So…about you and that mare…” He started to ask his question but I had to cut him off on principle of keeping up appearances.

“What mare?” I tried to parry his initial question, but it was clear I was outmatched from the get go.

“The one that tackled you upon seeing you were still alive.” He was prepared for my block as he took another quick stab. I had to act quickly to deflect this statement.

“Quicksilver? He’s a very loyal Pegasus. He was just happy to see that he wouldn’t have to explain why the leader of his new team had died so quickly,” I explained, but I knew there was no way I could keep up this dance, Shiro was much too good.

“Really now? It sure seemed she was happy that you were alive, but the way she was blushing says it was for different reasons.” This disarmed me, and Shiro knew he had me. I simply chuckled and shook my head. I refused to give him a straight answer, and I’d stick by that to the very end.

“I have no clue what you’re talking about Shiro. You seem to be quite gender confused.” My statements were the obvious dying gasps of my side of the argument. As if by a miracle, a sight ahead breathed new life into my argument. We had reached the Lupine encampment. I ended the conversation by saying, “We are here. I must leave you now to go speak with General Crazy Ghost. You should follow the others, and get to know them better.” The large tiger looked down on me, and the mirth in his eyes told me that our conversation was not over by a longshot. Thankfully, he nodded and moved off as I broke from the group to follow Crazy Ghost.

As I followed him, I glanced around the camp. If the wolves had all been in their shelters, it would have been hard to distinguish this place from any other in the woods. The camouflage was done so well that it barely looked like the forest scenery was broken at all. The only obvious structure was a large ring of rocks in the middle of the camp. Around this circle stood many Lupine warriors, and inside it, two fought in one on one combat. I didn’t watch long however as Crazy Ghost walked into a tent and I followed right behind, the guards watching me warily.
When we were both inside, the General motioned for me to join him at a large rock, flattened rock. It was set up as a table, and upon it a map had been stretched out.

“Pathfinder, I can tell you honestly that it relieves me and my wolves to know you arrived safely. Though, if it were not for your own skill and that of your tiger friend, we may have lost you,” the Lupine Commander spoke from his heart. That much was evident in his tone and at the same time, he was not as tense as the first time I had seen him. He continued with, “I see that you have brought together a unit to assist you in your duties. This is good. I hope that they are up to the task of fighting beside my wolves, because we shall strike swiftly and fight fiercely.”

I simply nodded at his comments before I answered, “They are ready. We are well equipped, and I chose this group specifically because they seemed to fit my conventions of fighting the best. The addition of Shirotora was simply one of good luck and mutual benefit. His potential is endless. Though, at five we are an odd number.” I paused for a minute as a thought formulated in my mind. Before I could voice my idea, Nuda Asgina cut in.

“I could afford you one of my wolves. You would have your pick of any of my warriors, the finest fighters in all of the Den Forest.” His proposition was one that I was thankful for, and as such I expressed my gratitude.

“Thank you very much General. I will need a short while to decide whom to choose, but I think I have a good idea of which wolf would fit well in my unit. The one named Atsosestanv,” I stated my request boldly, because I was almost positive that he was the wolf I needed. Obviously Crazy Ghost did not follow my line of logic, for he raised a furry brow.

“The same Atsosestanv whose pride is still very tender at having been beaten by a pony? I am unsure of this, but I trust you. For some reason, I feel the same qualities in you that I once felt in my dear friend Elawei Waya. He had a talent for seeing what others could not, and making that which seemed impossible blossom into life. I hope, for the sake of the inhabitants of these lands that you are much the same, for we will have sore need of those like you in the coming war.” His long speech came to an end, and I was honored that he felt that way about me. Then again, this just furthered the idea that I was, in fact, the missing Prince.

“Thank you very much. Your kind words really are too much praise for someone who is, as of yet, untested in battle. I assure you that I will not let you down,” I answered with confidence. I felt the weight of what he said press down upon me, but I didn’t let my worry break through. The look he gave me said that he approved, and his words only acted to bolster that perception.

“Good. A leader’s confidence is infectious, but so is despair. You may feel despair at times throughout your battles, but never let your warriors see it. If they see their leader has given up, they themselves will give in, and the battle has already been lost. Never lose the battle without having given it your all,” he finished solemnly. I could tell he had learned this lesson from someone close to him, because it was clear he held it as scripture. Luckily I didn’t have time to dwell on it as he added, “And with that final lesson for the night, I must tell you to go and find your sixth member. He will most likely be among the warriors at the Circle of Equals. You will likely have to defeat him again before he will submit to your rule, so I recommend you appear there, and learn what it means to fight as equals.”

I saluted to him upon what was a clear dismissal, and after his return salute, I turned out of the tent. It took no more than a minute for me to trot to what he had named the Circle of Equals. Once there, I saw that many Lupine warriors were pressed close around the Circle, jeering and cheering at the two combatants fighting. It was eerily similar to the situation I had been in back in the Iron Pony training room with the boxing ring. Except here there were no referees, there were no gloves, and there was no headgear. I watched a few fights before I figured out the premise behind them.

Any warrior could challenge any fighter, and rank disappeared once they were within the Circle, making them Equals. The fight had to be approved by a majority of the warriors in attendance, but in the time I was there none were denied. The reasons for the fights were many, ranging from small slights to major insults, and anything in between. I knew that if I was to gain Dizzy for my unit I’d have to beat him in the eyes of all his peers. So, having spotted him quickly upon reaching the Circle, I waited until I had the chance to speak up. I pounced upon the opportunity when it was presented.

“I challenge Atsosestanv(Dizzy)!” My voice rang out over the din of the Lupine warriors. This caused them to quiet, and turn my way.

“And what right do you claim to fight in the Circle?” The question came from off to my right. Its owner padded through the crowd, and I was not surprised to find it to be Dizzy. I looked at him and snorted.

“I claim the right by virtue of being in command of a unit that is to fight alongside you. I operate under my own command, yet I take orders from both General Gale Force and General Crazy Ghost. If you deny me, you might as well call yourself a yellow tail!” I knew that yellow tail was a common name for coward among the Lupine, and my harsh words had the intended effect, as the large wolf snarled at me while baring his fangs. However, before he could do anything, a voice rose up in the deathly silent night.

“Ayv gohiyudodi(I approve)!” A gray wolf with very dark markings stepped forward. He carried himself with an air of command, and I could tell he was respected among his fellows, for many soon followed his example, and soon the entire group joined. Dizzy was stunned, and he turned on the instigator of the approval.

“Usvi Alisgisgi! Nehi galonuhesgi!(Night Dancer! You traitor!)” Dizzy was clearly unhappy with the situation, and his words to his companion made that apparent.

“Let us speak not the language of our ancestors so that our guest may understand as well. You call me traitor? Are we not all traitors? Now get into the Circle, or disgrace is yours,” Night Dancer’s response was swift, and thoughtful. The perfectly executed rebuttal was enough to silence Dizzy, and he made his way to the Circle.

I turned to Night Dancer to thank him, but what happened surprised both of us, “Wado ayastigi. (Thank you warrior.)” My eyes opened wide. I hadn’t meant to speak in their language, but it had come out as clear as day. After his initial surprise, a flash of mirth settled upon the wolf’s face. The rest of those gathered however were too stunned to speak.

“Well, I guess I won’t have to worry if I switch between languages. This is a good thing,” Night Dancer said. He turned to the rest of the wolves and continued, “He honors us by speaking in the language we have spoken for millennia!” This seemed to bring the other wolves out of their trance, and they, without warning started a short howl. I took this as a good thing, and I thanked Night Dancer once again before trotting into the circle.

Dizzy stood at the far end, so I took up a position opposite him. As soon as I stepped into the circle, the mass of wolves closed behind me, and the stone circle was completed by a mass of bodies. This arena was unforgiving, and the anticipation rose within me.

Night Dancer stood on all fours on the edge of the ring, perfectly in the middle. “There are no rules here, but remember to carry yourselves honorably, and Luna will look favorably upon you. With that in your minds you may now go to war.” Luna’s name was spoken with reverence, and every warrior assembled tensed seemed to send a silent prayer to the Night Princess.

Upon his command Dizzy and I started to circle. I could see the muscles ripple through his fur as he took slow, tensed steps. I watched him, hoping to find an opening to use, and I quickly found one. As we circled, we drew slowly closer to one another, and I put my plan in action when I knew I could close the distance in a single bound. I waited for him to start his step, and I pounced.

He was ready for this tactic, and he managed to push off of his right legs and into me. He had the size advantage, and that was no more evident than when his body crashed into mine. The pine-needle strewn ground rushed up to meet us. My head made quick acquaintance with the dirt, and multi-colored lights danced in front of my eyes. I tried to stand as my vision cleared, but Dizzy’s weight was still on me, and I couldn’t move an inch. He realized that he had me, and I felt the burn of one of his claws raking my side. I started to panic. This wasn’t going the way it was supposed to, and if I didn’t do something quickly it would end very badly for me.

I finally thought of something, and I waited for the right moment, right as he brought his left paw back for a strike, and I stopped defending myself. I lashed out at his face, completely unprotected due to all his concentration being on his own offensive. My hoof met his muzzle, and his head snapped to the side, taking his body with it just enough to let me roll out from under him. Standing up, I noticed I was bleeding in several places on my body and face, but I ignored them to focus on the fight.

My attack had done its job and more, as I could tell Dizzy wasn’t all there when he stood up. This evened the playing field, and I quickly sprang into action to maintain my momentum. I landed three quick strikes to his midsection, and then I rolled off to the right and swept his legs. He moved faster than I expected he could, and my leg sweep only managed to send me off balance with my back to my opponent. He used this as he jumped onto my back, forcing me to the ground again, but this time I knew what to expect, and I was able to use our forward momentum to roll.

This time luck was on my side and I ended up on top, I gave him two fast shots to the head before he could recover. With him being clearly dazed, I used the claw blades that Steelhoof had designed. I quickly slid the claws out, and placed them against his throat. I pressed them just hard enough to draw a bit of blood, but not hard enough to seriously injure him. As I did these things, I let out a growl that even the Lupine would be proud of.

“Aleswidodi! Stop!” The voice of Night Dancer called out. I looked to him, and without a word I sheathed the blades as I stood. Dizzy however, was not as content with the decision to end the fight. He, after regaining his balance, stood up and protested.

“He used a weapon! He is a disgrace!” His shouts were filled with anger and hatred. I had, once again, beaten him in front of his comrades. This was one too many blows to his ego. Before Night Dancer had a chance to respond, I spoke up.

“Weapon?” I asked coyly. “I have no clue what you are talking about. I merely used my claws! Just as Lupine are born with claws, so are all ponies! Would you like to see mine again?” My display brought the warriors around us to tears with laughter. Even Night Dancer let himself have a little smirk at my words. I turned once again to face Dizzy, and I assumed an air of command, “You are under my command from now on. Do not try to refuse these orders, for they come directly from General Crazy Ghost. You are officially a member of the Misfits, I expect you to report to my tent at daybreak tomorrow. You are dismissed.” There was complete silence around the ring; no soul dared speak after me.

The murderous look I was given by the newest member of my team made it clear I had crossed a line. I knew I was going to, and I shouldn’t have done it in front of the rest of his comrades, but it had been done. There was nothing I could do now to change that fact, and the consequences would have to be accepted, for there would be consequences. Without another look, I turned from the Circle and walked through the group of wolves.

Once I was out of the group, I could feel someone, or something, watching me. I turned towards the feeling and saw Shiro leaning against a tree, standing on his hind legs. He regarded me with a curious look, and so I went to him.

“That was poorly handled,” he said flatly. This tone surprised me, after his joking nature previously, I had not been ready for him to be serious. This seemed to fade quickly though, as he added, “Now that mutt will be after your tail instead of his own!” I couldn’t help but smile at this comment, as the image it brought to mind seemed absolutely ridiculous. I just shook my head at the large grin that had plastered itself on his face.

“You know one of these days, both of us are going to get in way over our heads because of the things we say,” I told him, and this just made him smile wider.

“Who says I haven’t done so already?”

Comments

[MC BR0N3]

So Quicksilver's a girl?
My shipping senses are tingling!

[Blue Streak]

Even if it's late it's Still a good chapter

[HuskSummers]

2057415

You didn't notice that in the chapter named Or Rumps and Rebellions?

Yes....that chapter name is a tribute to an author that I follow and have made art for haha

[HuskSummers]

2057461

I'm glad to know that it was at least good. I really wanted to flesh out Shiro's backstory in this one, just to quell the questions everyone seemed to be having after his entrance into the fic.

[shirotora]

2057480 And a good back story it is, but... MY PEOPLE!!! I like how you used the disease, too. I wasn't expecting that. I can't wait for the next chapter.

[HuskSummers]

2057710

Yeah I needed a reason for why he was the only one of his kind left...And the disease...it fit the bill perfectly. Plus having them back Discord as the Lupine had backed Nightmare Moon only seemed fitting. I mean, even Discord needs an army.

I'm glad you enjoyed his history though haha

[Symphony]

Memories updated?
Yeeesssssss......

[HuskSummers]

2998239

hmmm...I thought I'd changed that to the paw print..I'll go do that this instant so I don't forget this time...haha

Glad you liked it!

[Midnight Spark]

2998251
You have me utterly enthralled thus far. I can only hope this will be updated again soon, and that my imagination might possibly come close to what you have written. Well, I've been up for far too long as it is.

Until next time,
~Sparky

[HuskSummers]

2999008

I'm so glad you have liked it so far! I'll be working on the next chapter a little tonight, and hopefully a lot this weekend...no definite timeline though.