My Little Pony: The Visitor

by Hopeful Soul

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Declan awoke the next day to a thoroughly peaceful morning. Sunlight was filtering radiantly through the crystalline castle's windows that cast a warm glow over every surface it touched, birds could be heard chirping atop the hills and precipices just outside, and a familiarly delicious aroma had found its way into the room.

Truly a picturesque and serene way to start one’s day. That was, at least, until Declan started panicking.

With wide eyes and a gasp, the boy shot out from under his covers as he expected to see his own room back home, but then he finally relaxed, chuckling to himself as he remembered where he was, and why.

“Earth to Declan, you’re in Equestria because of a magical family heirloom and an evil demon-witch, remember?” he muttered to himself.

His troubled expression returned a bit as he recalled as well the brief nightmare he'd had in the hours previous. The frown was short lived, however.

Sniffing at the rich smell that drifted about the air relatively unseen, Declan curiously studied the room he had slept in. Twilight had been putting him to bed and he had been quite tuckered out from the first day’s events, so he'd had little chance last night to do so. At the moment, there wasn’t much of note to see, anyhow. Like some of the other rooms Declan had seen glimpses of yesterday, this one was sparsely furnished.

Besides his bed, there was a small chest of drawers

The whole castle itself was apparently quite new if the absence of furnishings was any indication. Declan nodded to himself thoughtfully as he recollected everything Princess Twilight had told him about during their journey yesterday. He still had a bit of difficulty believing that all this amazing architecture had simply sprouted up from the ground, and yet here the castle was.

With a final whiff of it, the enticing aroma of food finally prompted Declan to slip on his green shoes and pad his way out into the hall. He rubbed at his eyes with one hand and felt the texture of the wall with the other, arching his brow in wonder to find that the crystal surface, which he expected to be quite cold like the polished violet floors underfoot, actually pulsated warmly with some kind of energy like sand on a sun-drenched beach.

“I’m really starting to love magic,” he remarked to himself, before continuing onward in search of either Twilight and Spike, or the kitchen.

---

Declan soon found himself in more familiar territory as he beheld the large space of the castle’s throne room.

“Hello?” he called out, his voice echoed the long and empty hallways throughout the castle.

The six gemstone thrones were in their usual pride of place, inlaid with their owners' cutie marks and accompanied by Spike’s smaller seventh throne. They formed a precision-perfect circle around the very spot that had heralded Declan’s arrival in the strange new land, and the boy's curiosity only soared as he stepped upon the amber dais to inspect its features.

A great sigil the color of silver and in the shape of a star, similar to Twilight’s cutie mark but with eight points, sat in the center. Declan rubbed it a bit and whistled. Just then the seal subtly glowed in reaction to the presence of the Emperor’s Gem on Declan as he slowly stepped onto its surface. Something about the area just seemed to be alive with magical energy, and Declan was now wide awake as his body reacted to it.

“Whoa boy…” Declan said, nervously.

Five seconds past, then a moment of wonder turned to one of shock as the ambient magic flared out into a surge of dark magic right in the heart of the star, forcing Declan to stumble backwards and crabwalk away in terror. A portal had just opened up and wasted no time materializing something large and almost crab like in a swirling vortex of black and red mist.

Declan was wordless as he stared wide-eyed at the humongous newcomer, eyes darting about to evaluate its full form. Seemingly crab-like at first, the boy quickly found the monster to actually be a massive scorpion, as denoted by a signature stinger tail springing out from the arthropod’s rear.

It carried a strong semblance to a giant desert hairy scorpion, but that fact was easily lost on Declan as he furthered the distance between him and the arthropod as a matter of principle. The scorpion was idle for a moment and didn’t seem to register the human, waving and clacking its pincers about experimentally as it took stock of its new surroundings, before growing alert as the Emperor’s Gem started to glow.

Two pairs of beady little black eyes glared at Declan, and the boy felt his hairs stand on end.

As the gem continued to glow, Declan looked down at the amulet and then back to the scorpion with confused befuddlement, he quickly realized he was in trouble. “Oh, crud…”

The Emperor’s Gem casted its magic just as the scorpion reared itself for a forward charge, stinger at the ready. Declan cringed as the stinger made contact with a barrier of solid green light that was around him, producing an audible and forceful ping, followed by a subtle ringing as the rest of the shield absorbed the attack.

Declan’s mind began racing as he braced himself beneath the protective magical barrier, barely keeping his mounting fear from taking hold and inducing panic.

By now, Twilight and Spike had surely heard the commotion and were coming to investigate.

“Come on Declan, you're too close in here! Now’s your chance! Declan shouted to himself in his mind. “Get the heck outside before we’re breakfast for creepy crawly, here!”

Without delay, the boy’s legs promptly obeyed as he sprinted out of the throne room, through the castle foyer, and straight outside, screaming while doing so. The shield quickly vanished as soon as he started running and the scorpion continued to pursue its target.

“Oh… why does this always happen to me!?” Declan proclaimed as he ran.

Eight segmented and towering legs shook the ground beneath them as they moved forward, and the front entrance gave way to its oversized form, creating a scorpion-shaped hole where the front door had been. Pedestrians on the nearby street fled in terror almost instantly, and Declan was one of them.

“Run! Everybody get out of here!” he told them all.

He kept on running with them, until unknown he saw a lone little filly sitting in the middle of the road crying while the scorpion approached her.

It roared and raised its stinger as it prepared to attack. But Declan acted quickly by running out towards the filly and scooping her up and out of the way before the stinger could strike her, instead it stuck the ground beneath it. It roared in aggravation.

Declan carried the filly as far away from the scorpion as he could before setting her down. “Get to Mom! Go!” he told her. The shaken filly nodded and ran off while Declan turned his attention back to the scorpion monster, who had just noticed him.

“Oh… this is not good!” Declan muttered, afraid. He yelped once the monster’s pincer’s tried to strike him, but the magic shield generated by the gem quickly shielded him from harm again and kept on protecting him while the scorpion continued to try and get to him. Declan was amazed by the gem’s power. “Wow… I didn’t even do anything and yet… this shield came up. Man… it’s almost like this gem has a mind of its own. So unless their my friend… this gem won’t let anything hurt me!”

The now eleven year-old boy then spotted a rock and picked it up. “Get back!” he cried as he tossed the rock at the monster, but it merely bounced off it’s hard hide and caused it to roar louder. Declan gulped, fearfully. “And I’ve made you mad… haven’t I?”

Declan then decided to book it while the Scorpion monster scraped the ground with it’s claw like a equine pawing at the ground before charging and then began to use all eight of its legs to chase after the little boy.

As Declan ran he panted feverishly and out of breath while the scorpion struck the ground to the left and right of him with its tail, creating a small hole in the road each time it did so. Eventually Declan tripped and fell flat on his face and as he turned around he noticed the scorpion closing in on him and screamed with fear.

Declan then rolled out of the way before the giant scorpion could hit him with its pincers, which it did multiple times as he rolled around before he kicked it squarely in the face. This seemed to have little effect and greatly anger it as it tried to slams its claws down on him, Declan raised his arms and as he did so his magical shield appeared, blocked the scorpion’s attack and knocked it back.

The kid let out a small laugh as he stared at the gem, which had just dropped its shield. “Man, I love this thing!” he said, as he got up and saw that the scorpion had just recovered and was roaring at him again before it noticed a family cowering inside a house near it. It got closer to the house and looked through the window while the pony family held each other close while shaking in fear. Seeing this angered Declan and made his eyes glow green.

Before the scorpion could do anything, it felt two more rocks hitting and turned to see Declan throwing rock after rock at it.

“You leave them alone, ya meanie! It’s me you want!” The kid shouted while continuing to toss each and every pebble he could throw at it, which just harmlessly bounced off its shell and made it even more mad, evident by its growling. Though as Declan continued the force of his throws seemed to be growing and the Gem was glowing the whole time. “I won’t be just… a little kid in the way… ever again!”

Declan attempted to grab another rock but ended up scraping the ground. He had completely run out of rocks. His face fell and his eyes, as well as the Gem, stop glowing.

“Uh-oh…” he muttered.

The Scorpion monster roared at him again and began to make its way over but was sent flying after a blue streak suddenly slammed into its side, making it roll and crash into another building.

Declan looked and saw that it was Rainbow who rammed it. She smiled proudly.

“Yeah, slam dunk!” she said.

Just then, Declan noticed all the other ponies rushing over to him.

“Declan!” Twilight cried. She held him close once they all reached him. “Are you alright?”

“We came as soon as we heard.” Fluttershy informed.

“No! You guys have to stay away! It’s after me, not you guys!” Declan told them.

“Sorry sport, no can do.” Applejack said, firmly.

“Yeah, we can’t let you have all the fun!” Pinkie added.

“And we especially can’t let this monstrosity destroy our town!” Rarity stated, glaring at the creature.

“I don’t want anyone to get hurt because of me!” Declan said.

Rainbow then zipped over and looked him in the eye. “Oh, and you think we want to see you getting hurt!?”

“Well I…” Declan muttered, unsure of how to respond.

“Then stop trying to be the hero and let us help you out!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. “Besides, this battle is too dangerous for a little kid like you.”

Twilight stepped forward. “She’s right, we can do this; but we have to do it together,” she said.

“Yeah!” They all said, determined.

Declan looked at them all stunned as they stood in front of him, pawed their hoofs on the ground before charging towards the Scorpion, which roared at them before charging as well. It stopped when Rarity and Twilight used their magic to pull forth two large cloths from a stand nearby and wrap its pincers closed. Rainbow and Fluttershy grabbed another and flew around it over and over, wrapping its legs together. Applejack knocked it over by bucking it in the side and Pinkie took a big piece of tape from out nowhere and put it over its mouth.

“There! Problem solved!” she said, proudly.

But Declan could tell by its growling that it wasn’t.

“I don’t think so…” he warned.

A shadow behind him suddenly rose up and red, glowing eyes appeared on it, everypony seemed unaware of it at the time. It then spoke, with Sibrella’s voice, though no one could hear.

“How right you are my boy.” Sibrella hissed. “Rise up my faithful servant! Rise up! And bring me the Emperor’s Gem!”

Just then the giant Scorpion’s eyes became wide and glowed brightly, much to their surprise. It suddenly stood up and burst out of its restrains with a mighty roar that sent everypony flying back, they all landed near Declan, apparently knocked out.

“No! Girls!” he cried. He then noticed the Scorpion taking a deep breath and suddenly unleashing a giant gust of fire from his mouth, which was aimed straight for them. Declan yelped and held up his arms and at that moment the gem glowed brightly again and generated a shield over all of them, not just him, protecting them from the flames. The girls then regained consciousness and noticed the shield, and the fire as well.

“Oh, come on! Fire too? Seriously!?” Rainbow complained in dismay.

Twilight then observed the shield. “Another force field…” she mused before turning to Declan. “Declan… did you do this?”

“What? Me? No! It-It’s the gem!” Declan stuttered.

“The gem?” Rarity echoed.

“Yeah, whenever something tries to hurt me it creates this around me…” Declan said.

“So that means it’s automatic…” Twilight realized.

“Automatic?” Fluttershy questioned, surprised.

“Yes. It’s like the gem’s protecting him of its own accord, it’ll come to his defense without his doing anything.” Twilight deduced.

“Like it has a mind of its own…” Declan muttered a bit quietly.

“Exactly!” Twilight nodded. “And it also looks like it can protect anypony that’s near Declan also.”

“How solid is it?” Rainbow inquired.

“Well, it hasn’t broken yet so… I’d say pretty solid.” Declan said. Then it hit him. “That’s it! Girls, I need you all to try and sent that thing flying towards me!”

“Towards you?” Applejack repeated, shocked.

“Are you nuts!?” Rainbow questioned, equally stunned.

Declan simply adjusted his glasses. “Trust me, I have a plan,” he told them. “Watch this!”

Declan then ran past them and began to make a mad dash towards the giant scorpion.

“Declan!” They cried.

Declan let out a battle cry as he closed his eyes and continued to run towards the scorpion, which began to make its way towards him as well.

“Quick! Do something!” Rarity proclaimed to Rainbow Dash. “Stop him before it’s too late!”

Dash then flew fast and began to catch up to Declan, but before she could reach him he and the scorpion were just about to hit each other. But as Declan started to make contact with the monster, the gem glowed and put up its shield around him at the last second, causing the scorpion to hit it instead as well as bounce off it. This sent it flying into the distance again.

The ponies couldn’t believe their eyes.

“Whoa! How’d you do that?” Rainbow asked, surprised.

“Easy; I just took advantage of this thing’s automatic shielded.” Declan explained, proudly.

Twilight then got what he meant. “Of course! The gem only reacts when he’s about to be harmed so by purposely charging towards something that will obviously harm him he can use the shield to knock back anything he tries to ram into, since the shield is unbreakable.”

“Exactly! Now I want all of you to do what you can to send that thing flying at me, my shield will do the rest!” Declan instructed.

“Sounds like a plan!” Applejack nodded, tipping her hat at Declan respectively.

“Let’s do this!” Pinkie exclaimed as they all rushed forward towards the Scorpion while Declan folded his arms and waited, while also taking out a lollipop.

“Meanwhile, I’m gonna enjoy this candy,” he said as he stuck the lollipop in his mouth and watched.

At the same time, the Scorpion growled and roared at the approaching ponies but was distracted when Pinkie started to bounce all around it.

“Hey, Scorpy! Look at me! Look at me!” she said over and over while Dash and AJ went over to its side.

“AJ! You and me! Combo attack! Go!” Rainbow cried.

“Right!” Applejack nodded as they both raised their hind legs and kicked the Scorpion in the side, the force of their combined kick sent it flying a bit and Declan ran over until he was under it, closing the gap.

Before it could crush him the Gem’s shield appeared around him and bounced the giant Scorpion back again. It flew high up into the air and that’s when Declan got another idea.

“Hey! Twilight! Rarity! Use your magic and pull it down! Hard!” Declan cried.

The two aforementioned ponies looked at each other and quickly got the idea, they smiled and nodded.

“Right!” They said as they looked up and lit up their horns, causing the Scorpion to be wrapped in both of their magical auras. They then pulled the beast straight down by pointing their horns to the ground, thus increasing the speed of its descent. Declan backed up a little and watched it crash into the ground in front of him.

After waiting a bit Declan finally saw one of the Scorpion’s massive claws emerge from the Scorpion shaped hole in the ground and then the other as it began to pull itself out, very weakened but still deviant. But before it could do any more Fluttershy appeared in front of it and widened her eyes, the look she was giving it seemed to make it very scared and entranced by her.

“Ooh! The stare!” Pinkie Pie gasped, covering her eyes.

“The what?” Declan asked, surprised.

“It’s articular ability Fluttershy employs when dealing with misbehaving animals.” Twilight explained. “It’s very powerful so she doesn’t use it often…”

“I see…” Declan said, adjusting his glasses. “Pretty cool I must say…”

“Kid… you have no idea.” Rainbow said, smiling proudly.

“Don’t call me that.” Declan said, a bit irked.

Fluttershy continued to use her ‘stare’ until finally the Scorpion sunk back into its hole and finally stayed there.

“There, he won’t be bothering anypony again,” she told them.

“Nice one, Fluttershy!” Declan congratulated.

“Why thank you.” The yellow Pegasus said, bashfully.

“And I thought the rock troll attack was bad, but this was too close for comfort.” Twilight stated.

“That’s what I was thinking.” Declan noted.

“So what should we do?” Rainbow Dash questioned.

“We have to learn more about this Sibrella and stop her before she launches another attack on Ponyville.” Twilight said, firmly.

“And I agree.” Rarity nodded.

“Me three!” Pinkie chirped.

“Alright, so what do we know so far?” Applejack inquired.

“Well, we know she wants me…” Declan began before making a ‘cutting throat’ gesture. “Question is why?”

“I don’t know…” Twilight mused before gazing at the Emperor’s Gem around Declan’s neck. “But I know it has something to do with that gem… it’s what brought you here and started all of this!”

Pinkie Pie gasped, sharply. “Maybe she wants the gem!” she guessed. Everypony looked at her a bit stunned by her flawlessly logical answer.

“Maybe… but for what?” Declan wondered, as he looked at it.

“Ooh! I know! Maybe she wants it complete an extravagant outfit!” Pinkie guessed again. This time she was met with flat stares.

“Or…” Declan added.

“I think we might get better answers if we look take a look in the Library of the Castle of the Two Sisters.” Twilight suggested.

“Celestia and Luna’s old castle?” Declan inquired.

“That’d be the one.” Rainbow nodded.

“You mean… we have to go through the Everfree Forest again?” Fluttershy asked, a bit worried.

“Hey, why not? Sounds like fun!” Declan said, smiling.

“Are you crazy!?” Most of them exclaimed, stunned that anypony would think that going into the Everfree Forest was ‘fun’.

“Sorry girls, but we don’t have any other choice.” Twilight told them. “We need answers on Sibrella, and we need them now.”

“Alright!” Declan cheered. Most of them stared at him, still stunned by his excitement. “Sorry… just… super excited.”

Just then, Spike popped up near them, seemingly from out of nowhere.

“Hey, is it over now?” Spike asked, curiously

Everypony turned to Spike, looking surprised.

“Oh, hi Spike!” Pinkie chirped.

“Why Spikey-poo, where in Equestria have you been this whole time?” Rarity asked.

“I thought it best to lay low,” he replied.

Declan glared at him, annoyed. “Hey! You didn’t think about maybe helping us out!?”

“Oh, no way!” Spike proclaimed. “I may be a dragon but I’m just a baby dragon, I can’t be fighting something as big as that, it’s bad for my health!”

Declan growled with a funny angry expression on his face and his body shaking like an earthquake. Twilight could easily see where things were headed and turned to Spike.

“Uh… Spike? Now would be a good time to run…” Twilight warned.

Spike saw the angry expression on Declan’s face, screamed and bolted out of there while Declan did a karate pose and cry before he started running also and soon started chasing the little dragon all over town while the girls laughed in amusement.

“Oh, those silly boys,” Twilight said giggling.

---

Around the same time, Sibrella was still inside her metal prison, this time with her eyes closed. When she opened them again, she seemed pleased, apparently aware of the events that occurred above her.

“So my Mega Scorpion failed… but it did its job. Now they’ll be coming straight to me.” Sibrella said, smiling evilly. “The human was very lucky. But next time, there won’t be a bunch of namby pamby ponies getting in the way of me and my quarry.”

She raised one of her clawed hands which glowed with a red aura, her evil grin then grew bigger. “My power is growing… I can feel it! Soon all the fear and chaos I’ve absorbed from the inhabitants will give me the power to escape… from this prison! And once I have the Gem in my hands… things are going to start popping!” she hissed with an evil chuckle.

Comments

[Hopeful Soul]

6036093 Whoops, error, sorry

[Wildcard25]

Excellent job

[Sensei Wu Wei]

Another "Toby" in this chapter. Good work so far.

[Hopeful Soul]

6036592 Where?

[Hopeful Soul]

6036592 Oh, never mind

[The Mysterious Lombax]

This is a reference to MLP Season 1 The Human Chronicles! Is this a reboot?

[annonymus]

Is Sibrella speciesist towards ponies? Is she a human before she became a demon? Oh my gosh, this is like The Witcher all over again!

[Luckyfanisaac]

“ Come on Declan, you're too close in here! Now’s your chance!”(—— Declan shouted to himself in his mind. “ Get the heck outside before we’re breakfast for creepy crawly, here !”

The shield quickly vanished as soon as he started running and the scorpion continued to pursue its target.

“Oh… why does this always happen to me!?” Declan proclaimed as he ran.

0:46

The kid let out a small laugh as he stared at the gem, which had just dropped it’s shield. “Man, I love this thing!”

“There, he won’t be bothering anypony again,” she told them.

“Ooh! I know! Maybe she wants it to complete an extravagant outfit!” Pinkie guessed again. This time she was met with flat stares.