An Undertale of Equestria

by David Silver

13 - The Embrace of the Sun

This was one of the situations where I felt I had an advantage over my larger and stronger pony friends. Even their fancy magic wouldn't let them grab onto the wet hide of Aquator for dear life. Trixie and Sweet Tooth were sprawled out on their bellies, and we were all screaming.

He made our raft ride look sluggish with how quickly he darted down the stream. He reached the waterfall almost instantly and flowed down it faster than mere gravity could provide. The water on either side flew up in wild sprays from his passing, and he was laughing. Oh man, that laughing. Like a lunatic, he whooped and hollered. I swore he was having fun showing off for us, not that we could pay too much attention to anything but not being thrown off into the waters at any moment.

With a huge wave, he came to a sudden halt in the pool we started with. The crystal ponies there shrieked in surprise as they were drenched from mane to tail in Aquator's wave.

He laughed at their misfortune. "Fear not, pathetic crystal ponies. I have only delivered your 'champion'." He stepped from the water and sank to his belly, giving us a chance to get off. "I look forward to seeing you falter. I will be there to claim you, and our game will come to an end."

A new wail suddenly raised. It was no crystal pony, or me, or Trixie. I turned around to see Sweet Tooth shrunk into a ball, smoking and sizzling. "Trixie, get her into shade, now!"

Trixie nodded as she hopped off of Aquator and lifted Sweet with her magic, galloping swiftly to the nearest house with an overhang.

Aquator scowled at the closest of our group, who was me. "If you allow her to come to harm, I will crush you, failed or not." He turned away and jumped into the water, vanishing on contact.

"She's alright," called Trixie and I hurried over to her side. Sweet was breathing hard, but wasn't actively smoking anymore. "What do you suppose caused such a severe reaction?"

I waved a hand at her. "She's a dark pony. This is the 'poison gas' they were afraid of being in 'outer space'."

Sweet rolled to her belly and pushed on trembling legs to her haunches. "What? This?" She squinted out of her shelter at the equally confused crystal ponies that gaped at her. "This is the outer space? Why is everything so bright? I can barely see anything."

Trixie clopped her hooves and reached into her cloak, reaching around until she found a garish pair of pink sunglasses that she placed right on Sweet's black snout. "How is this?"

Sweet smiled brightly. "Much better, thank you. How can you two see?"

I remembered the lantern I had hanging at my side and turned it off with a twist. "We're sort of the opposite. We need extra light to see down there. Up here, it's normal for us."

Sweet nodded slowly. "Your... Your world is under attack?"

Trixie tilted her head. "Hmm? Yes, by shadow ponies. Have no fear, Trixie is on the case! By my calculations, we're one third complete. At this rate, we'll be done soon."

Sweet reached a hoof towards Trixie. "Let me help. I didn't save my son, or my friends, but I can help you, and your friends."

Trixie's expression went flat. "Did Trixie say she required assistance?"

I put a hand in front of her. "Despite that, we would be honored, but it will be dangerous."

"I don't care." Sweet flicked her runny tail softly. "I have to prove I'm not just a monster... to me."

Trixie shoved a hoof in front of me, returning the gesture. "My familiar is growing quite bold! Give us one moment." Her magic wrapped around me and lifted me from the ground as she walked off with me into the light, where Sweet wasn't likely to follow. "Now then, why would you want to take her? She's emotionally crippled, has no useful skills, is frightened, and a liability. There's no good reason to allow her to accompany us."

I glanced at Sweet. She was gazing at us hopefully when she wasn't looking around with wide eyes of tar. Everything was new to her. She looked so eager, and scared. "Look, I know that, but she needs this. She's the first dark pony we've really met, and possibly the only one this close to being a normal pony instead of a 'monster' as she called it. She wants to redeem herself. We should help her, and maybe she'll go back to being all a pony."

Trixie put a hoof over her face. "Familiar, you're making this more complicated than it needs to be. Very well, the Generous and Magnanimous Trixie will allow this, but you must keep an eye on her. She is your responsibility, and if you fail, it will reflect poorly on Trixie. Now, how do you intend to get her around without her lighting on fire, possibly literally?"

I pointed up at the huge crystal castle. "Maybe we should check in with Cadance. In the mean time, a nice big cloak might keep the sun off of her."

"Mmm, yes, a nic--Hey! You are not suggesting!? No! Trixie refuses." She turned her head from me.

I reached for her cloak and gave it a mild pull. "She needs it more than you right now. The Generous and Magnanimous Trixie should let her wear it a little while. It'll be the greatest moment of her life."

"As well it should be!" She stood up and sighed. "Oh very well, but if she gets tar all over Trixie's fine clothing, then it will be your responsibility to pay for any repairs." She flicked off her cape and hat with a flourish of magic, swirling the cape around and bringing it to a still, folded neatly with the hat on top. After wearing it for so long, she looked... exposed. "No laughing! You laugh even once, familiar, and I will change her mind." Her tenses were slipping, I must have been really bothering her.

"No laughing, promise. Let's get them on Sweet."

Trixie and I returned to Sweet, who smiled brightly when we came close. "What were you talking about? Why aren't you dressed anymore?"

Coughing softly into a hoof, she presented her cape and hat. "That is because Trixie has named you honorary magician's student! Do you accept this great honor?"

Sweet's eyes widened before she began to clop her hooves excitedly. "Yes yes yes! But... I can't do magic like you can, Trixie."

Trixie waved. "It is to be expected. None can be quite as Great and Fantastic as Trixie. Go on, try them on."

Giggling nervously, Sweet grabbed the cape and threw it over herself. Trixie's magic grabbed the front of it by the cords and quickly tied it into place before placing the hat gently on her head. Sweet looked herself over, shaking herself a little. "It's gorgeous! Thank you, Trixie. Thank you, Frisk." She gave both of us soft hugs. So long as we didn't try to hug back, she was soft and furry. "Now what?"

Trixie gestured to the castle. "Have you ever met a princess before?"

She blinked softly. "N-no..."

I threw my hands wide. "Today is the day! Come on." I reached for one of her forehooves and drew her into the light. She flinched with fear, and maybe a little pain, but the cloak was doing its job and concealing most of her form from immediate burning.

"Oh, I didn't know your clothing protected from the poison gas... It still stings a little, but it isn't so bad now..." Sweet ventured past me into the light, looking around eagerly. "Can we see more?"

Trixie trotted past her. "There will be time for sight seeing later. For now, we present you to the princess. She is very kind and understanding, and will be delighted to see you."

I walked on the other side of Sweet. "I'm sure she will be. You're the first pony of your people anyone's ever met."

Sweet suddenly stopped. "R-really? I'm the only one?" She shuffled, looking awkward. "The only one?"

Trixie frowned faintly. "Be at ease, Sweet Tooth. If my familiar retains his ways, I'm certain we will find others of your people before this journey is over."

Sweet looked to me with a glimmer of hope in her eyes, but said nothing.

I smiled at her and gave a thumbs up, even if I wasn't sure ponies would understand that gesture. "Have no fear. We're going to get this done the right way. I'll find them."

"The right way..." She nodded. "Like when you... You pulled me out of that pain. True, there are other hurts behind it, but I... I want to be here. I want to see, and live." She smiled just a little. "I want to live." Her face suddenly became furry. Her eyes drew in the tar around them, becoming deep dark pools with brilliant green irises. She shuddered as she gasped, overwhelmed by the sudden change.

Trixie glanced at me. "See, my familiar has that effect. Is he not amazing?"

"He... He is..." She was crying, but they were real tears, instead of streaks of goop. "Thank you, both of you."

"Are you all normal?" I couldn't see most of her, hidden by her clothing.

She twisted on herself and flicked her tail, showing it was still made of pitch-black tar. "No, but closer... See, I need to be with you, and find myself, and prove myself, to me. Thank you for letting me stay." She leaned in and kissed me on the cheek suddenly. "Let's go."

We walked through the city, even if I was blushing a little. I was perhaps the first thing she'd kissed in, uh... "Trixie, how long has the crystal empire been here?"

Trixie frowned as she walked. "Well, it was gone for a thousand years, so longer than that. Trixie doesn't have the exact year."

A thousand years?! "What do you mean 'gone', exactly?"

Trixie tilted her head. "Did she not tell you? The shadow pony, the Umbrum, Sombra, he was being attacked by Celestia and Luna. Rather than face possible defeat, he cursed the city, ripping it out of existence for a thousand years. He almost reclaimed the city afterwards. Fortunately, they found Cadance and she was ready to activate the crystal heart."

Sweet blinked softly. "I don't understand half the things you just said. Sombra? Umbrum? What are Celestia and Luna? Crystal heart? Cadance is the princess we're going to see, right?"

One advantage of not being the newest one in the group, she asked the questions I was thinking without my having to sound like the clueless one. I just nodded at Trixie, and she began telling us what little she knew of Sombra, and the much greater amount about the Royal Sisters of Canterlot. It was a reasonable way to pass the time as we approached the castle.

Author's Note:

What will Cadance say on seeing Sweet Tooth?

Will Sweet Tooth find salvation?

How many other dark ponies are there to be found?

Will the author stop asking questions only they can answer?!

Tune in next time! The typos will miss you otherwise.

Comments

[Timmy]

6645823 Your death is the termination of your existence. Using determination, you LOAD your SAVE file, hence de-termination.

Also, remember in the True Pacifist boss battle when your soul breaks, but it re-fused?

[Emtu]

drenched from mane to tale

tail

[David Silver]

6645910 Fixed! The plot thickens, yes?

[TheShippingJR]

Dangit not first but oh well, Nice chapter as always

[David Silver]

6646091 It's okay. I read all comments, from first to last. Glad you're enjoying it!

[Bolshevik Skeleton]

Really like where this is going so far.

[Divine Path]

History needn't repeat itself. Not all that is black is forever tarnished, after all.

Bringing light to a dark existence,
inspiring warmth where there was cold;
cold, dark tunnel in which echoes heartache,
you open the gates to freedom.
Slowly,
surely,
you may earn the promise for a peace
and the audacity
of feeling love for this world.

We shall read on.

[Chimp]

Will the author stop asking questions only they can answer?!