The Wander Through Lands Unknown

by Tomas Lutwig

Chapter 53; Reply

My eyes slowly opened, blinking a few times to clear the remnants of sleep that fogged them. A hint of confused panic bit me as I looked around, the darkness morphing my surroundings even as the cold bit at my body. After a moments, recognition finally hit me allowing the frantic beating that sounded in my ear to calm, slowly fading as the sounds of others breathing took my attention.

I was laying in my bed, in the barracks. Rising to a sitting position a hand came to run down my face only to stop as it touched my damp forehead. Wiping the sweat away I looked at my hand in the low light of one of the far windows that allowed the moonlight in.

'Sweat?' I questioned silently. Wiping my hand off on my torn undershirt, I pulled myself under the sheet that I had unceremoniously flopped down on earlier. Tightening the sheet around myself futilely trying to fight off the strange chill that threatened to make me start shivering.

'How in the world could I be sweating when it's this bloody cold?' I thought, wondering if I should put the rest of my clothes on simply to stave off the chill of the night.

A different kind of chill ran up my spine as I looked back over to my pillow silently questioning it for my discomfort. I ran a hand over it's surface to find a damp spot where my head had been laying. 'Bad dream...' I concluded. Letting out a mental sigh, I was almost thankful that I didn't recall any of the nightly thoughts.

Rubbing my hands over my sheet covered shoulders I looked down to where I had dropped my boots earlier. Sleep now far from my thoughts from the mixture of below optimal temperature and the reminder of my less than awesome sleep patterns, I decided to go for a stroll.

Tying my boots back on, I slowly moved around my bed to the trunk where I had left my coat and other things the day prior. Picking up the book I had wrote to Sunset Shimmer in, I shrugged tossing it lightly onto my bed. 'Who knows, maybe I'll take me a book to read' I thought as I opened my trunk and lifted my things out, making an effort to be quite with all the sleeping ponies around.

'Least they're not as bad as Iron Arm' I thought looking around as I finished getting dressed, buckling the belt above my coat before looking back at the book.

An argument started in my head as I pondered whether it would be worth it to read through the book that had once been one of the main sources of the self banished pony's magic lessons. After a few moments of standing there I shrugged grabbing the book and tucking it under my arm deciding to take it, just in case said pony decided to grace me with her words while I was out for my walk.

Sneaking through the sleeping quarters was easy enough, Sundance had always kept a tight ship making sure the guards didn't leave a mess around with personal items or anything else for that matter. I was surprised however when as I started opening the door leading out of the sleeping quarters light shown through, making me quickly push the door back to.

'Is Sundace still up?' I wondered, again questioning what time it was. Cracking the door open, I peeked through, to see a dull light that flickered through the door leading to the office. 'Huh...' I thought, pushing the door so the light didn't shine on any of the other guards.

'I suppose the real question now is if I'd be able to sneak through without getting caught' Shrugging I scratched my chin with the corner of the book. 'Either that or she might let me go ahead and go for a walk'

Rolling my eyes at my indecision I opened the door enough to slip through before quietly closing it. Turning around, I glanced inside the office area to see my friend surrounded by paperwork wrapped in the soft aura of her magic writing on another sheet that laid on the desk in front of her. A small lantern sat on the corner of the desk providing the dull light that the mare read and wrote from.

Sundance was so engrossed in her work she didn't even notice my presence. Part of me wanted to sneak up on her, perhaps startle her or some other antic, but I shook my head proceeding to the door leading out of the barracks instead.

Taking the few quiet steps away from the door into the sleeping quarters and the sight of the studious mare at the desk I started reaching for the exit. Still hypersensitive to the rustling of paper held up by the quiet hum of my friend's magic as well as the other noises around me as I tried to tip toe along in my boots.

The large book under my arm had other ideas however. As my gloved hand touched the knob readying myself to start turning it, the book seemingly came to life buzzing and flashing with a pinkish light. In my surprise I nearly dropped it, fumbling not dissimilarly to a clown who had failed his attempt at juggling. Finally managing to catch the book I clutched it to my chest, heart beating like a drum in my ears as I let out a breath between my lips.

Turning around as the book continued to buzz against my chest, I found Sundance poking her head out of her office, her face distorted by her horn in the darkness though one could still make out the confusion written across it. With a hoof she waved me in to her office which made me cringe internally. As I followed I watched a spear make it's way back into the corner of her office propping itself up against the wall as the pony made her way back to her desk, sorting papers into a neat pile before putting them into a drawer leaving the surface of the desk empty sans the lantern that offered flickering light through the office and a small picture frame pointed away from me. As I entered the unicorn's horn ignited again causing the door to swing shut behind me.

“So, would you like to explain why you're trying to sneak out?” The unicorn's tired voice sounded in the dim of the office. As I looked closer at my friend I could see the signs of her exhaustion written all over her face, 'I suppose it's understandable, your friend nearly gets killed right in front of you, plus goes through explaining that he's actually undead' I thought, mentally shaking my head.

“Honestly I wa-a-a-a-s-” I started before dropping the vibrating book on the desk with an annoyed look, a small smile formed on my friend's face vanishing before I looked back at her. “I was going to go for a walk, check make sure everything was hunky dory in the town, and I was go-” I continued, stopping again as the book vibrated against the hardwood desk dancing across it's surface flashing it's pink light. Rolling my eyes I threw the book open before turning back to the unicorn. “I was going to bring this along in case I got a message back from my little penpal, which as you can tell I got one”

Sundance offered a raised eyebrow at my antics before seeming to accept it, “I take it you didn't sleep well?” She asked, her voice softening as she focused on me again.

I let out a tired sigh walking over to a filing cabinet and leaning against it, “Not really.” Scratching the back of my neck I tried again to remember what the dream had been about only to find that even the faint vestiges of it had faded, all but the feeling of discomfort. “One of those dreams where you can't think of what the dream was, but are kinda glad because you know it wasn't good”

Sundance gave me a sympathetic look before letting out a sigh. “Are you sure that you don't want to go talk to a psychiatrist? I understand that the one living here is actually quite talented working with victims of changeling capture.”

I shook my head. “We all have bad dreams once a while Sundance, we can't go to the head doctor every time we have one. It'll take a bit of time, but I'll be fine” I said trying to offer the mare a reassuring smile. “Besides we have a more pressing matter to attend to” I walked back over and picked up the book which had stopped it's magical convulsions. She didn't seem convinced, but for the moment seemed willing to let the topic drop.

Flipping through the book's pages until I came across the most recent entry, I blinked when I saw the words were glowing with a soft pink light before slowly fading as my eyes came across them. 'Huh, if Celestia enchanted this then she didn't put any stops that's for sure' I thought before reading over the words of my possibly newest friend.

Interested Observer,

While I do question the sincerity of your message, as well as the means by which you came by the sister copy to my book, I would be willing to discuss the means by which my return to Equestria could be formed. I assume that you are an agent of my old mentor, and as such it is her wish for my return. I can only guess that her newest pet has either rebelled or failed her expectations so that she wishes for the former, and vastly superior, of the two.

I rolled my eyes letting out an annoyed puff of breath from between my lips. 'I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, I knew this probably wasn't going to be easy to deal with.' I thought. A small part of me had hoped that the pony turned human had been taught at least some of the lessons she would need if she was going to be coming back here.

I would however require a few things from the Princess if I were to be returning. These are as follows; My rightful crown as Princess of Equestria, the sole and only one. A castle fit for to be my seat of power, to show the glory and power of Sunset Shimmer. And of course that Princess Celestia bow her head in servility to me.

Those are my terms of my return, I expect a message of acceptance within the week. Giving you enough time to bring them before 'her highness'.

Your Better,
Sunset Shimmer.

“Oy vey...” I muttered under my breath shutting the book and pinching the bridge of my nose. “When did Celestia say she was going to be coming down here?”

“That bad huh?” Sundance asked making me look over my hand at her and nod. “I remember hearing that Sunset Shimmer was one of the... oh how did they put it? 'Proudest and most pompous ponies they had ever met'. The old guards that remember dealing with her were never very fond of her.” She shifted through some of the papers on her desk for a moment before continuing. “I remember reading that we would need to increase patrols and prepare for the Princess' arrival soon buuu~t...” She trailed off continuing her search before a sheet of paper levitated in front of her face as she read it over. “Ah, you're in luck! She'll be here the day after tomorrow.”

I nodded fiddling with my beard as I reread over the message my newest acquaintance had relayed. 'The question now is if I should bother Celestia with this, or figure out a means of dealing with it myself.' I thought, biting at the inside of my lip. 'On one hand, I suppose Celestia and I could always fake it, trying instead to pull a similar stunt to what occurred with Discord. Reformation would be much better than her turning into a demoness, though I suppose the catalyst for that is gone or at least for all intents and purposes.'

Licking my rather dry lips I swallowed. 'Of course, I could always lie to her, though that would probably go over like a fart in church knowing the girl.' Blowing an annoyed breath out my nose at the thought of the unicorn attempting either to return to her self appointed exile and polluting that universe more with her presence, or even better attacking myself and the princess along with whomever else her highness brought along to welcome us back.

'The princess it is...' I thought offering myself a defeated shake of the head before closing the book and looking back to Sundance. The unicorn was reading over another of her reports and writing down something on another sheet with a quill, once again oblivious to my presence. Clearing my throat the mare glanced back up at me questioningly as the quill finished it's scribbling.

“Ah sorry, some of the townsfolk had reported to the guards some strange figures in the forest, turns out the guards I had sent in to investigate offer similar reports, though the figures in question did little more than observe the guards and flee before they could get too close.” She said, answering the unasked question that my curious glance had offered. My brow furrowed, “Is it more of the changelings?” The mare shook her head looking again at the report. “Not as far as my guards could tell. They said the build was more of a minotuar, though they didn't see much in the darkness of the forest. I was going to assign some extra guards to the area to see if they can find out anything more.”

I look away nodding. “Sounds like a good idea to me. From what, admittedly little, I know about the forest there aren't any vagrant Minotuar living there. If you can, be sure to let me know if they find anything.” I offered a smile as I turned back to her. “I'd rather not have a repeat of what happened earlier with the bloat heads”

Sundance blew air between pursed lips shaking her head. “Yea, let's not have another of those, from both what the princesses reported on that and the...” she stopped an unsure look on her face, “interesting version of the story you told me, I think Equestria could go without dealing with anything from that 'Lordran' place of yours.”

Chuckling I nodded. “I think pretty much anywhere could go without dealing with that place if I'm honest. Kinda sucks there” I said offering a smile which Sundance returned, with a hint of worry in her eyes.

Author's Note:

I apologize for the shortness of this chapter, as well as it's lateness. Both of which can be blamed on my sudden move from one side of the burning hells to a slightly less concreted, but vastly more dry and arid side.
With any luck after the move I'll be back up to my slightly less infrequent updates.

Sincerely,
Tomas Lutwig