Chapter 14:Nightmares Really Do Come True
“There’s always that one stupid mistake that ruins everything.”
I’m a failure.
I’m pathetic.
I. am. worthless
These were the only thoughts that plagued my mind, as I was trapped in this dark abyss where I would await a Dream Phase to take me away. For the first time in these past ten months, since these dreams started I never so badly wanted to have a dream just to forget my problems, but I knew that was just another form of my weakness, escaping reality never brings anything good.
I could literally feel myself desiring Misery’s own voice even if she would only prolong my suffering, anything to just get my mind off the aching pain in my heart that was eating at me internally, emotionally, mentally...spiritually.
I’d never thought that my coming to this world would end up being such a horrible thing. I never thought my curiosity would drag me to another alternate world, away from my family, my friends, the people I knew and cared for just to be tossed into another form of turmoil and suffering that I ended up bringing with me to this world instead of answering and solving.
Not only had I come to care and cherish for the people that I’d come to know in this world, but I had also inadvertently worried them, with troubles I came to get answered. Troubles that were started by humans nonetheless. Troubles that followed humans for not just a few years, but centuries. Centuries.
I felt a small smile crack on my face. “Centuries” I said silently as the word echoed throughout the empty abyss.
Had it really been that long? Could grudges really last for centuries, eons almost without a dwindle or falter in them? Could someone really do something so life-changing that it not only affected everyone around them but left a mark in history, life itself, for years and years on to come?
“Is my being here, in Equestria, really going to help me get answers? Or am I just causing trouble for the people I care about?” I asked, suddenly feeling the urge to curse my curiosity. Something I knew had gotten me into trouble a few times in the past before.
A sad chuckle escaped my lips, upon my recollection of Twilight telling me how she had met her alternate counterpart weeks before my arrival in Equestria. I had learned that the Twilight in the Crystal Academy I attended, but had never met (once), nearly ripped apart the fabric between space and time solely because of her insatiable curiosity. Another chuckle escaped my lips.
“Looks like the two of us have something in common, don’t we?” I muttered as the feeling in the dark void suddenly changed, A small light making its way towards me.
“I believe I’ve done something horrible by showing Vendetta that mirror. In a way if Equestria falls, it’s my fault” the light was getting closer. My sad smile still present.
“It’s about damn time, I’ve never needed a dirt nap more than I need one now.”
<(((((O)))))>
It was dark. Very dark. It felt like I was inside a very large room, but as I said before it was too dark to see a thing. My host was being made to go in a certain direction before he hit something.
“Sit down” a rough voice ordered. Immediately my host complied, and soon after the following sound of clanking and the closing of metal doors ensued.
A light flashed in my host’s face, momentarily blinding the two of us. Then suddenly the rest of the room was illuminated. We were in a cage like small room, the only thing in that small cage like room was a seat and a desk. Blocking me off from everything else beyond these metal bars were a group of people sitting behind me in the stands. And directly in front of my host was a pegasus, his dirt brown hair styled in curls and his dark brown coat trimmed and lavish. Upon the pegasus body he wore a black cloak with a white collar.
Assuming his seat directly above and in front of my host, the pony spoke. “Slingshot.”
I felt the muscles in his throat move as Slingshot gulped. “Yes Iudex Judice?”
“You have been convicted of treachery, murder of the first degree and injury of a fellow comrade. How do you plead?” the pegasus asked.
Slingshot’s mouth went dry. His heart pounding as he felt the blood pumping through him and the pressure rising.
“Not guilty.”
2 hours ago.
Stallion Peak, Equestria’s Border Line.
“Why exactly are we doing this?” Rapid Shot asked for the fifth time since they’d assumed positions.
“Because ever since the griffins lost their sacred artifact things have been antsy between their king and the princess” a violet unicorn replied.
“The gods and Celestia know why in Equestria anypony would ever put so much faith on an artifact that would drive a small party to rebel against their leading authority like that, though” Slingshot said as he made his way towards the group.
“All it took was a push and everything went to hell” another unicorn from the platoon said.
Silence ensued.
General Slingshot and Admiral Rapid Shot had lead two squads up to Stallion’s Peak a cliff on the borders of Equestria, that pointed in the direction of Griffin Kingdom. Although far off and impossible to see by naked eye every soldier on that cliff felt like they were merely a claw away from the hostile forces miles away.
“Sir?” an officer with a gold peytral and one silver star saluted at Slingshot.
“At ease.” Dropping his hoof instantly the soldier waited for permission to speak. When Slingshot nodded the young pegasus began talking.
“Permission to know when we will be absolved of this mission of being lookout,Sir!”
Slingshot remained, silent. It had been three hours since they had to hike up to this cliff. One hour being their ascent, two hours being look out. Staring silently at the young pegasus Slingshot couldn’t help but let a small grin worm its way on his face.
The pegasus standing in front of him was called Brave Heart. A cadet that had been assigned to Slingshot’s group no more than a month ago and was a dedicated soldier. Be it through drills or tough training sessions the pegasus was not one to give up. Rapid Shot had personally made sure of it to put the young starter through some serious flight drills since the Commander of the Equestrian Guard, their superior, had assigned him to their platoon.
Platoon 25. Despite the curse still having its effects on him and the struggles he and Poison Dart had been through the two had managed to cope with their problems helping each other out as best they could. Three years had passed now since their little reconciliation and Slingshot was no longer fretting over his memory lapses, Poison Dart no longer caring about being incapable of using magic just as well.
Things were finally starting to look alright for him.
“Not much longer Private” Slingshot responded, finally coming out of his thoughts. “Just muscle it out. We’ll be out of here in no time.”
“Sir!” a unicorn said calling the attention of both the superior officers.
“We’ve got something incoming.”
Rapid Shot held out his hoof as he squinted to see the figure that was now making a hasty rush towards them. A second later a telescope was plopped into his hoof which the peach colored pegasus used to get a good view of what it was that was zooming at them.
“Hey Sling...come take a look at this?” the pegasus said from behind the telescope.
Moving over to his friend to get a good look at what he was talking about Slingshot was handed the telescope. It took a few seconds for the lens to readjust from the movement before everything came to focus and Slingshot saw what it was coming at them. “A group of Griffins. Two were flying away from a small troop of three that were in hot pursuit. One of the pursuers threw something that dazed the second flier before the pursuer quickly caught up, pulled out a knife and slit the male griffons throat.
The body went limp as the griffon grasped at his bleeding neck in a failed attempt to stop the bleeding, in the process he plummeted to his death forgetting to flap his wings.
Slingshot wasted no time. “Equestrian Guards, Battle stations!”
Immediately all 16 soldiers minus the Admiral and Slingshot himself took up their arms. Each pulling out a sword on their side as they waited for their superiors to give the order to prepare for attack.
Slingshot had resumed position on the telescope waiting for the right time where he would need to call the attack. The one griffon that was still moving away from the pursuers was now coming in with incredible speed towards the cliff. The griffon having taken notice of Slingshot and Rapid Shot’s little platoon now heading in their direction screaming at the top of his lungs: “Help me!”
His pursuers not giving up continued the chase and soon enough they were close enough to the point where the silver unicorn no longer needed the telescope to aid his vision.
“Ready!” Rapid Shot bellowed. The sound of swords slicing the air and arrows being loaded was the response he got.
“Archer's aim!” Slingshot stood waiting the griffin only 3 meters away now.
“Fir-” a shot of pain spiralled through Slingshot’s shoulder as he found an arrow imbedded within it. Looking up just in time to catch the sight of the griffin before it rammed into him, sending the two spiralling backwards as the troops parted while still maintaining formation.
“Fire!” Rapid Shot ordered in Slingshot’s steed, not even flinching when his friend was downed by the griffin. Immediately arrow after arrow was sent in the enemy’s direction, but the griffins were prepared.
Twirling, spinning and increasing their altitude in the air the mystical beasts were able to dodge most of the arrows that had been sent in their direction, only a few managing to simply scratch the skilled fliers and the rest bouncing off the silver dimentium armor as the griffins spun in between dodges.
“Slingshot!” Rapid Shot called as the platoon continued to fire a bombardment of arrows in the direction of the half-bird, half-lion beasts. “Slingshot answer me!”
The silver unicorn was in a daze, he couldn’t think clearly , his thoughts were a jumbled mess and to top it all off he was now seeing things as the griffin he had just ended up saving now rest atop his own chest, looking slightly more feminine than he recalled from the telescope. Faintly he could hear the voice of his friend calling him.
“Slingshot! Slingshot!” the voice echoed in his head. Barely managing to keep his eyes focused, I found myself struggling just as much to pay attention to the surroundings as shouts and sounds of metal clashing together soon filled the air.
Feeling the weight that had been on Slingshot’s body stir the griffon looked up at the silver stallion that had just saved its life. A look of both gratitude and joy filling his eyes. Before the griffin could open its beak to say a word though Slingshot heard his name being shouted once again.
“Sling!” Rapid shouted as he shoved the griffin aside. “Get up Sling!”
Quickly steadying himself on his hooves Slingshot immediately turned to the sound of clashing metal. Right in front of him were the three griffins each wearing battle armor. Each holding a crossbow in one of their claws, in the other a curved sword. Rapid Shot who had now assumed the position of covering Silver’s flank was immediately barking orders to his troops, as one of the griffins single handedly fought off a platoon full of First Class privates.
“Luna’s full moon! The hell is going on how are griffins this good?!” Rapid Shot cursed as he watched the griffin take off into the sky and disappear from sight.
“Who knows. Soldiers!” Slingshot called. Every soldier that was still conscious and hadn’t been knocked out by the griffins stood erect as their three targets suddenly took off into the sky disappearing from view.
“We’re retreating!” Slingshot ordered. “Fall back now! Get to lower ground, make them come to us! We’ll wipe them out from there” having finished his commands the soldiers began gathering their wounded, watching each others backs just as their superiors had taught them.
That is they had been watching each others’ backs till I watched from Slingshot’s perspective as a stray arrow sudden found itself lodged in one of the pegasi’s heads directly sticking out from the opening of where their mane was. A small spray of blood in the air and the sudden stiffness and fall of a body signaled the soldiers defeat.
Slingshot immediately ordered everyone to stop and told Rapid Shot to keep an eye on the griffon that had been sticking so closely to the two till the sudden death of their comrade was checked. Carefully trotting over while keeping his ears up the unicorn turned his fallen brother over to get a good look at who it was.
Brave Heart.
Slingshot’s expression went from dourly to grave. Turning around without another word the general walked back towards the griffon and Rapid Shot, anger clear in his eyes.
“Restrain the griffon” he ordered as he began pacing back-and-forth. Immediately two soldiers moved forward and bound the surprised griffon by tackling him/her and keeping it to the ground, each placing a hoof on its claws.
“I don’t mind saving you. But when it ends up getting one of my soldiers killed that’s a different story” the silver unicorn replied calmly. “Now tell me. Who you are before those griffons get back.”
The feminine looking griffin remained silent. Rapid Shot didn’t take that well. “Why you little-” Slingshot placed a hood on his shoulder. “Let him speak.”
The griffin cast a scowl. “Do I look like a guy you silver peace of currency” the voice replied sounding much more feminine than he had recalled. “Now I appreciate you saving me and all but I don’t appreciate getting bound like this especially since you haven’t even bought me dinner yet.”
“Name, now” Slingshot repeated his question his tone much stricter now.
The griffon blew a strand of her hair out of her magenta eyes, forming a lascivious smile. “Caela. Call me Caela.”
Minutes had passed. Rapid Shot had ordered for the soldiers that were not injured to carry the dead private’s body and bury it towards the farther side of the cliff. Leaving the poor recruit’s body as it was would be an insult to his sacrifice and their nation.
Not a single sign of the griffons that had attacked them earlier had shown in the past few minutes that went by and Slingshot was beginning to wonder why their sudden assault had come to such a quick end.
The griffon known as Caela had been released on his orders despite the slight protest of Rapid Shot and a few of the other soldiers, all of which went ignored.
“So you mind telling us why exactly those other griffons were chasing you and your friend back there?” one of the unicorns asked as they maintained watch over the sky and the surrounding perimeter.
“Who?” Caela asked confused as she rubbed her slightly sore wrists. “Oh that guy” she said as if just recalling the horrible incident that had happened moments before her crash with Slingshot.
“That guy?” Rapid Shot repeated her statement sounding slightly angry and disgusted. “Wasn’t he your friend?”
“Of course not” she replied bluntly. “I’d hardly ever known him let alone seen him till a bunch of us decided we wanted to quit the squad. Just because we were escaping together didn’t mean we were friends” she finished with a shrug.
Rapid Shot didn’t say anything but merely stared in silence at the griffon when she was done talking, the unicorn that had asked the question had a small look of surprise on her face, only for it to soon disappear as Slingshot made his way back.
“Enough chit-chat” my vision turned to face the griffon as she sat up straight when Slingshot began approaching her.
“Why did you want to quit this ‘squad’?”
“What can I say, I don’t like groups that start things and then want to involve a bunch of innocents later.”
“And what’s that supposed to mean?”
“Gotta buy me dinner first” Caela said with a slight grin as Slingshot turned away shaking his head.
Griffons. No wonder back when I was a cadet my superiors never liked the times the King would emerge with his group of guards on private royal meetings with the Princess. They always told me that the griffons were stubborn, easily angered, and constantly flirtatious to the point of where it got annoying.
“Now I’m starting to get what they meant” Slingshot sighed.
“What’s that now?” Caela’s voice chimed in, interrupting and almost making it seem like she was reading his thoughts.
“Nothing” Slingshot replied dismissively. “Alright men, carry your arms and stay alert. It’s been nearly twenty minutes now since their last assault. Their bound to come out some time. Keep your eyes peeled, your ears alert and your reflexes sharp. Move out!”
“Sir! Yes Sir!” the platoon responded. Each soldier began gathering in a group, other supporting the injured and few watching the rests backs.
Hearing a sudden thud, Slingshot’s vision immediately turned me towards his right. There on the ground, ready to stab his hooked knife into Rapid Shot's neck was the male griffon, that had been leading the onslaught.
Two more thuds, came a few inches from either side of Slingshot as he turned to see another griffon wrestling with Caela and the third having tackled a first-class private. Instantly as one of the griffons wrestled with their target an arrow was shot, sent hurtling straight towards Slingshot.
But the general was prepared.
His horn glowing I felt Slingshot quickly jump back with reflexes I thought were much faster in comparison to my own, as the arrow glowed caked in his own magic and spun around away from his chest, around his shoulder, over his body and went straight into the arm of Rapid Shot’s assailant, forcing the griffon to let out a eagle piercing scream, dropping the knife.
Rapid Shot took the chance and flipped his opponent right off of him, before extending his wings grabbing the fallen knife and going after his target. From the corner of his eye I could see that Caela was starting to have a bit of trouble with the male on top of her, wasting no time the silver unicorn immediately braced himself and used all of his weight to knock the griffon off the girl and on to the ground. A tussle occurred between the two till the iron clad tail of the male griffon struck Slingshot on the face dazing him. Caela quickly finished her opponent from there seeing her chance.
Slightly dazed, Slingshot was able to make out the scene of the other female griffon assailant that had managed to land another killing blow on one of his soldiers.
Almost instantly the general’s head began to ache, as he watched his troops fight off the griffon each either getting knocked down or seriously injured. The last thing Slingshot remembered was one word that kept repeating itself in the back of his mind:Kill the enemy.
Then everything else went blank.
The next thing the general had recalled was coming out of his memory lapse finding one of his soldiers dead at his hooves, another seriously wounded no doubt his own doing thanks to the horn shaped hole in the soldier’s leg, a both shocked and confused Rapid Shot as he killed off the last attacker, and the soldiers under his own command giving their leader a look of both confusion and eyes that seemed to be full of contempt. Caela herself had said nothing to him when he had come out of his memory lapse when it was all over.
Once they had returned to Canterlot all of them caked in blood, bruises and injuries Rapid Shot had apologized and then suddenly placed him under arrest for murder, treason and attempted murder.
“I don’t understand Rapid, what did I do? What went wrong back there?” he had asked but Rapid Shot simply shook his head with a sad look.
“I can’t tell you. Because not even I know. One minute you were fine, the next you suddenly just snapped, killed the griffon and in the process killed one of your soldiers then suddenly tried killing another one, had Caela not clobbered you back there I’m afraid things would have turned out differently.”
Is what Rapid had said, but up to this very moment at his trial as Slingshot thought all of this through, as he was being questioned not a single thing came to mind of why he would ever do such a thing. The only thing he could think of was the curse. But only his family, Princess Celestia, Starswirl who was now called “Starswirl the Bearded” and Rapid Shot knew about it. It wasn’t public and it’s not like anyone would believe him if he said it now.
*** ***** ***
Iudex Judice stared at the unicorn silently from his seat. When he had been told that today’s top trial was the decision of what to do with General Slingshot, he had tallied it off as nothing more than a bad joke. But now sitting in his courtroom was the worst joke he’d ever seen.
For everything he was worth the judge wanted to believe the unicorn with all his might. He knew Silver Caliber, he knew his son and granted being at the age of thirty-two, he had come to consider the young stallion as a friend, so seeing his friend sitting here pained him, more than anything. Like he was punishing his own son for a crime he desperately wanted to believe he didn’t do.
But the iudex knew he couldn’t do that, he couldn’t grant free leave based on personal feelings. He would need to hear the evidence before justice could be carried out.
A sudden slam of the doors signalled someone’s arrival, followed by the familiar voice of Silver Caliber echoing through the corridor as the court’s audience turned their heads to watch the black alicorn make his way to the cage of where his son stood.
“What is the meaning of this?!” Silver Caliber asked, looking just a bit older yet still vain now despite the twenty year addition since his arrival in Equestria.
“Why are you accusing my son of such accusations Judice?” the black alicorn demanded, on either of his side was Slingshot’s best friend Rapid and the griffon who had informed the stallion upon insistence, Caela.
“These accusations were made by soldiers fighting on duty. I have no choice but to keep him in confinement till we can serve out a righteous punishment.”
“Punishment? What in the blue blazes for?” Silver Caliber snarled.
“The murder of a fellow soldier, treachery and attempted murder of a cadet.”
Silver Caliber remained silent, looking at his son through those cold solid gold bars that now separated his son from a life of imprisonment or punishment and his freedom.
“Bull” the alicorn said after a few moments of silence, everyone in the courtroom gasped.
“Order! Order!” the pegasus instructed lifting his hammer up and repeatedly hitting it for silence. Eventually the room quieted down as Silver Caliber looked up at the judge with cold eyes awaiting his response to his comment.
“Now Mr.Caliber, this is a courtroom, if you cannot behave politely-”
“I have no reason to behave politely to a person I thought was my friend, and would watch over my son for me when I was busy dealing with diplomatic matters in other countries, between the other creatures of this world.”
A frown formed on the dark brown pegasi’s face. “You know that isn’t fair Silver.”
“I’ve come to realize a long time ago that life isn’t fair. Now explain to me why these accusations are being pushed upon my son.”
“Why don’t you ask the pegasus who arrested and turned him into the Royal Court?” the pegasus said pointing his hammer at Rapid Shot.
Silver Caliber’s cold emerald green eyes turned on the peach colored pegasus, holding one question in them: “Why?”
Rapid Shot cringed, back a bit but soon tried his best to muster what little courage he had and said, “It was my duty. If I had been in his shoes there’s not a doubt in my mind that Sling wouldn’t have done the same to me.”
Just as Silver Caliber was about to retort, Slingshot responded with “It’s true. I would have.”
“Son?”
“Dad, I don’t know what happened. Rapid only did it because he knew if no action was taken then it would cause trouble, and things would only get worse don’t blame him” the unicorn said turning carefully so his shackles didn’t trip him.
Silver Caliber stared at his son in silence, looking both shocked and disturbed. Caela who didn’t understand the context of what was happening simply remained silent and watched, as did the rest of the courtroom.
Silently I watched him whisper from Slingshot’s eyes into Rapid’s ear. “Memory Lapse?”
The peach pegasus nodded, and Silver Caliber let out an exasperated groan. “Damn that curse to hell!”
The courtroom doors flew open for a second time, and this time standing in the doorway was the regal figure of a princess. Princess Celestia.
“I heard what happened and came as quickly as I could” she said trotting in as each row bowing as she passed by.
Iudex Judice was at a loss for words. He hadn’t expected things to escalate this quickly, with the arrival of his friend and now the face of Equestria standing so graciously before him he wasn’t sure what to say.
“Everypony not related to this case leave, immediately” Celestia said in her normal tone, but the strictness of her words were tacit.
Almost instantly the room was empty, all except for Silver Caliber, Rapid and Caela remaining at their previous positions.
“Admiral” Celestia replied her eyes shut, her very presence radiating nothing but peace and calmness.
“Yes?” Rapid Shot asked bowing as he approached.
Celestia smiled, now looking at the peach pegasus. “Please raise your head” the pegasus did as he was told. “I want you to gather the rest of your platoon. I know you and your troops along with the general here were mourning the loss of a soldier a bit before his arrest but please. I have something to tell them. This is important, can you do that for me?” she asked kindly.
The pegasus nodded with a salute and sped off to gather his along with Slingshot’s troops.
When he was gone Celestia turned her attention to the judge. “Iudex, I hope you haven’t delivered any punishments yet?”
“Not yet Your Majesty.” The princess smiled sadly. “That is both good and bad, perhaps your punishment may have been less of pain than what I am about to do.”
“Wait wait wait. What are you about to do?” Caela asked, before quickly adding “princess” to the end of her sentence. Celestia once again smiled completely ignoring the rudeness that she had just received.
“You must be Caela, the griffon that helped my subjects during their fight. I thank you for your support. But do not worry nothing dangerous will come of Slingshot, since I know he did not do anything wrong. At the very least it’s the thing bothering him that’s to blame.”
Iudex raised an arched brow as did Caela, both confused by the princess’s statement.
“Wait and you will understand” was all she said in response.
It took a few minutes of patience before the entire entourage of Platoon 25 filled the rows and spaces of the very large mezzanine, cobblestone floored courtroom.
“I’m glad you’re all here. Now I’m sure today has been rough for all of you. You are all recovering from your injuries and the loss of one of our own, saddens me deeply, but I must make this completely clear to you what happened today as Admiral Rapid Shot and Ambassador Silver Caliber know, was not Slingshot’s fault. At least a majority of it wasn’t.”
Her horn glowing, the gate of the cage clicked, then the door slowly swung open before the shackles clicked and fell to the ground with a clank. Motioning for the stallion to come forward Celestia watched a bold Slingshot stand beside her after releasing a sigh. He looked at her and she nodded.
“Like the Princess has said this isn’t entirely my fault. But-”
“That’s a load of horse radish we saw you try to kill Clicker here hours ago, you can’t tell us you weren’t at fault for that" one of the soldiers shouted from the stands.Only one or two agreed the rest remained silent before Celestia clicked her golden shoe on the ground ordering silence to resume its rightful spot, in the room.
“Continue Slingshot” she said gently. Slingshot nodded and continued.
“I have a curse.”
“Oh now that’s just hogwash” someone said but one quick glare from Silver Caliber and any mannerism of rebuttal was silenced.
“Prove it” all eyes turned to Caela who’d spoken for the second time since her arrival in the courtroom.
“How?”
“You’re smart you’ll think of something” she said replied with a wave of her claw.
Sighing Slingshot dismissed this concept and instead began explaining how the curse works and how it affects his memories in random intervals at any given point, at any given time. As he was explaining Slingshot made sure to check the faces of his comrades to see if they were following. While some looked skeptical he could tell there were a few that believed what he was saying but still had a few minor doubts.
“Now do you guys understand” Silver Caliber asked once Slingshot was done explaining.
Someone from within the platoon called out “Permission to speak?”
“Granted.”
“Sir, you are saying that this incident merely occured because you had a memory lapse?”
“Affirmative.”
“If that’s true sir why did you remember that one task, which was to kill.”
Slingshot’s throat went dry, Rapid Shot jumped in to save his friend though. “That’s not a just reasoning, like Sling said the lapses of his memory are random. They can be anything or involve anyone, it’s not his fault he lost everything in that instant and only remembered that one thing he had against the enemy”, some murmuring occurred before the screeching sound of nails on a rough surface drew everyone’s attention to Caela.
“Now that I have you’re attention,” she said with that dark smile of hers. “I’d say you guys have no trust in your superior officer.”
“And what makes you say that griffon?” called a voice from within the crowd.
Caela’s wings immediately spread open before she took off inches into the ground and in a quick flap was suddenly standing on the stomach of a stallion as the force she hit him with dragged him across the ground, as the group parted.
“Because it’s clear to me, you guys have been questioning him this entire time just because of that one small mistake. If you were true followers you wouldn’t doubt your superior so much now would you?” she asked pressing the stallion’’s throat with her hand.
“Enough Caela!” Slingshot ordered, and immediately she withdrew returning back to the princess’s side just as quickly as she had left.
“She’s right though. We have been questioning your reasoning even if it doesn’t really make sense it’s the only sensible thing we can make off of this. I’ve served under General Slingshot for a good three years and he would never attack his brothers and sisters in arms like the way he did today. We’re just letting what happened today get the better of us, this is our general we’re talking about here” said a unicorn called Starlight.
The rest of the platoon got quiet on Starlight’s words and each member soon bowed their heads in shame.
“Ready, hut!”
“Apologies for our lack of respect and trust Sir! We promise it will never happen again!” the troops bellowed.
Slingshot couldn’t help but feel a small smile form at his soldier’s acceptance of this slightly unbelievable situation.
Iudex however was still wary on the matter.
“This is good and all, but Princess” the pegasus said leaving his seat and joining the rest on the audience level. “The people who’ve heard of this won’t let Slingshot go easily. We can’t just let him go scot free for what happened. His soldiers understand because they serve with him, others well... they won’t be as forgiving” he said as he nervously tapped his hooves together.
The small smile that had been on Celestia’s face soon disappeared. “I know, which is why this makes it so much harder for me on what I’m about to do.”
“Celestia” I heard Silver Caliber say from her right. “Celestia what are you doing?” he asked in a slightly panicked voice.
“I’m sorry Silver, but it is my duty as Equestria’s ruler. I cannot ignore what I must do, even if it pains me greatly to do so.” With those words the regal presence of beauty I had come to know in reality and through these dreams slowly trotted in front of Slingshot, right in between him, his platoon and now the center of attention in this courtroom.
I felt both nervous and uneasy, whether it was due to Slingshot’s own emotions or due to the fact I was starting to feel scared for my own ancestor was beyond me. Al I knew was that this entire ordeal had been just one giant nightmare, as we waited for Celestia’s verdict.
A bead of sweat slowly slid down Slingshot’s forehead as we all tentatively waited. Celestia’s eyes were closed now that she stood before us and after a few seconds of silence they reopened. And I found my very being shudder with what stared at me now.
It was not the eyes of a friend, nor was it the warm look she gave off every so often. What stared at me now, was a ruler.
Celestia let out a breath of air before speaking. “Slingshot, though your crimes were never intended or intentional, the people of Canterlot will not be so forgiving if I allow a general who could attack his own go free. You understand this yes?” she asked her brows slightly furrowed.
Slingshot nodded.
“Good, she said. Before taking in another breath and exhaling again. “Then as your superior monarchy, and ruler of Equestria. I strip you of both your status in the Equestrian Guard, and hereby exile you from Canterlot...forever” she said and when she was done the ruler closed her eyes and looked away, pain written all over her face.
Without another word I watched in horror and shock, as the princess that could revoke this indignation walked out of the courtroom and the doors shut behind her.
Everyone was silenced. All Slingshot could do was look at everyone in the room, Caela was shocked, Rapid Shot shocked, troops shocked, Judice dumbfounded. And then that’s when I could feel the burning liquid slowly trickling down Slingshot’s face; his tears.
Immediately Silver Caliber galloped towards the door, knocked on it and as soon as it opened the stallion rushed out, screaming for the first friend he had made upon his arrival. “Celestia! Celestia! Come back!”
From shock to feelings of slight rage, every soldier immediately left their rows following after Silver Caliber and calling out for their princess to return, to stop this outrage, this unfair treatment. It actually managed to make the heartbroken unicorn smile a bit through the tears that were involuntarily flowing from his eyes.
He heard a choked grunt, followed by flesh on wood. Turning around Rapid and Slingshot found Caela pinning the judge to the ground so he couldn’t move, her other hand ready to strike while she made sure the stallion didn’t move away.
“Happy now judge?” she said with a voice that poured only anger.
“Caela!” the fist stopped inches from the judges muzzle as he trembled with fear. Slingshot and Rapid Shot moved towards her where she’d frozen, her magenta eyes still piercing daggers into the pegasus before her.
“It’s enough Caela, this isn’t something we can override by beating someone up. Let him go” Rapid Shot said placing a gentle hoof on the griffon’s shaking arm. A tense moment occurred with Caela’s shaking fist, and the judge sweating profusely. With a hmph the griffon dropped the pegasus and moved away, as she passed the two the griffon whispered something into Slingshot’s ear.
“Sorry. If you need me I’ll be outside. Let me know when you’re packing up” she said in a low pained voice, before exiting the courtroom as well.
The only three left in the room now being Slingshot, Rapid Shot and Iudex Judice who was still coughing from the pressure that had been applied to his throat.
“Well judge are you happy now?” Rapid Shot asked his gaze still fixated on the door, that had become increasingly louder since Princess Celestia’s arrival.
It took a second before he could properly answer. “Of course not. You know...as well as I never wanted this. I would’ve simply had him just spent jail time that at least would have sufficed at le-”
“Too late for that now is it?” Rapid Shot said coldly his pear colored eyes now fixed on the judge, the two stared in silence. And just as Rapid Shot was about to release some of his own fury on the judge Slingshot’s voice drew his attention away.
“Stop” he ordered. Rapid Shot did exactly as he was told, not even caring that his friend’s military status had been stripped. “I’m not a soldier anymore Rapid.”
“Always be one in my book, Sir” the pegasus said with a slightly weakened voice. Trotting up to Slingshot the admiral gave his best friend a hug. A tight one, showing he cared. “Look, ...you don’t have to go through this alone. I’ll quit. Come with ya. I ain’t leaving my friend to suffer for something he didn’t mean to do. I almost goofed up once just now, not willing to let that happen again.”
Slingshot shook his head patting his good friend on the back. “Sorry old friend. Can’t let you do that. You’ve got a whole life ahead of you remember?” the silver unicorn responded with a weak smile, tears that had stopped begun welling in his eyes again.
Rapid sighed, his body now starting to tremble. “If it weren’t for this damn curse you wouldn’t have gone through this” the pegasus said in a now completely broken voice.
Slingshot smiled, wiping away whatever trace of tears were left as they broke the hug. “I’ll...I’ll do my best to manage” he said with a weak smile that only earned his friend’s frown. Iudex had left during the moment and soon returned.
“Admiral, the press is outside. They want to know what’s going on”
“Tell them to shove it up-” a hoof rested on his shoulder as Slingshot shook his head. Taking in a deep breath the unicorn got up to his hooves and began walking towards the bright light that would lead him outside the courthouse and into the noise that lay ahead.
Rapid Shot immediately got on his hooves and swiftly followed by his friends side. The two stopped at the door, looked at each other and nodded. A shout from outside said.
“Come out here and face retribution traitor!” the light hit Slingshot’s eyes as reporters everywhere began to swarm him and Rapid Shot along with the judge. Mics were shoved in the unicorn’s face and then, everything went out.
<(((((O)))))>
Back in the abyss, I felt awful. I now knew why I hadn’t seen or heard much about my ancestor Slingshot. It was because he was excommunicated and mostly likely his records were altered or burnt.
“Damn” was the only thing I could say. That one mistake and everything went to hell. Just like me. This curse did one good thing, and that was firmly make sure that we related to our ancestors in the most painful ways possible.
I felt angry, furious would have been an understatement and at the same time my heartache for the unicorn that had lost everything due to this wretched curse.
“Aw don’t be like that Hailstorm” I heard Misery’s voice coo around me.
I sighed. “I don’t need this right now Misery. Leave me alone to wallow.”
“But you’re so cute when you’re wallowing in pain” she said with a unfavored cute giggle.
“You have one to many screws loose you know that” I fumed at the bodiless voice.
“A girl’s got to have her kinks every now and then.”
I shook my head until another light appeared illuminating the spot where I sat. Then the feral voice I hadn’t heard in quite some time now spoke.
“Did you like that dream?” it asked. I said nothing and only got a cold callous laugh from it. “I thought you would.”
“Why are you showing me this?” I asked the abyss and another laugh occurred.
“Why does anyone do anything?”
I felt the anger I’d been feeling bubbling to a surface as I rose on to my hooves.
“You think this is a joke!?!”
“Yes”
“You think I won’t try and stop you?!”
“Many have tried. All have failed, you are no different. You’re simply stronger than the rest” the feral voice answered, making me freeze.
“What do you mean?” I asked with confusion on my face. Another callous laugh echoed and reverberated back into my ears as the voice seemed to get closer.
“You’ll find out soon enough” it said right in front of me. Then I felt a claw lift my head up and staring at me directly in the eyes was a blood red pupil dragon. “Hello Hailstorm. I’m Anguish, and this is our first time meeting isn't it?” his claws tightened when I tried to yank my head away.
“You’re going to wake up any second now but before you do. Let me tell you something” the dragon-like being leaned in his razor sharp teeth inches from my ear, which he licked before saying, in a quiet, playful menacing tone.
“You’re going to kill everyone you know. Because you can’t stop what’s going to happen. I’ll. See. To it, I assure you.”
A shake occurred, my eyes shot open with horror, and then I was awake.
*** ***** ***
“NO!” I screamed lurching forward from the spot I had been since Vendetta had knocked me out on his return.
“Take it easy there!” Applejack said holding me back as I frantically turned my head looking around.
“What happened to you?” Pinkie Pie’s voice asked from behind me.
“Twilight said she’d found you here unconscious and you looked like you were in extreme pain. Did you fall asleeep here?”
“I- I uh...” my eyes widened. I couldn’t remember what I had been doing before passing out.
“I don’t remember” I said in a broken voice. The group of mares looked at each other worried.
“Well don’t do that ya had all of us here plum scared sugar” Applejack said.
I simply nodded trying to recollect what had happened before I passed out. That’s when Fluttershy spoke up next.
“Discord’ back. He wants to tell you something. It’s about the curse.”
Getting up slowly still shaken by the nightmare I had experienced with Slingshot I made my way to where Discord was, waiting outside. The master of chaos waiting patiently, looking serious and grave. I couldn’t help but feel anxious as I approached him.
“Yes?”
Discord snapped his fingers and a chair appeared immediately under me and himself. “Girls please leave us. I want to speak with Hailstorm in private” another snap of his claws and a small room appeared around us.
“W-What’s this about Discord?” I asked my voice feeling weak, my throat feeling dry.
“That curse Hailstorm. That’s no curse. You’re facing much worse than that” Discord said not even bothering to cut around corners, his red eyes staring at me with great stress on what he was saying.
“What is it then?” I asked.
“In a short way of saying it. It’s doom..”
“I don’t understand.”
“You wouldn’t understand. Because that curse isn’t just going to make your life a living hell. But unless you find some way to beat it, things are going to get a lot worse. Especially since the curse was placed on those two and meant as a form of punishment” the draconequus snarled.
“Discord.” I said feeling even more anxious now. “Speak English.”
“I believe you mean Equestrian and the two beings trapped in that curse that torture you now. One is a dragon right?”
My body froze and that was all Discord needed. “The other is a female right” again he got the reaction he wanted. And began running a paw through his hair.
“Damn it, I can’t believe this.”
“Discord tell me what you’re saying. I’m still not following.”
“Those two in your head aren’t a curse. One of them was a powerful dragon Celestia’s father and my own punished for his horrendous actions. Anguish. The female is a draconequus, one of my own. Also punished both trapped in the same seal, forever to cause each other pain. But now they’re doing it in your head.”
I swallowed. “This is a joke.”
“Do I look happy right now?” he asked with a slight scowl.
I tilted my head back silently, letting it rest on the chair and merely stared at the ceiling for a few minutes of silence.
“How do I stop this?”
“Not a clue.”
“Then why tell me?”
“You said you wanted to know. And after I felt that magic I had to be sure.”
Pounding a hoof on the table I glared at the master of chaos. “Fine then. One way or another. I’l stop this curse.”
“And how do you plan to do that? Your ancestors couldn’t do it what makes you think you can?”
A sad smile formed on my face. “Because I can’t keep living this nightmare anymore. And if this curse means I'm hurting everyone in the process, well then I'll die trying to get rid of it.”
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Is there a sequel to this?
9968064
as of right now no, can't say I have any definitive follow-ups to this particular series