Achieving Divinity: Dragon's Deception

by The Joeker

[SoL] Chapter 6: In Sorrow's Wake

As Creature and I flew toward Ponyville at a slow pace, I was thinking, looking down at the ground below me as I flew... I usually loved the feeling of rushing wind as I flew but I was distracted this time...

"Dandy fudgewaffle granules..." I mumbled.

"Master?" Asked Creature.

"... Did I go too far?" I asked.

"Master, with all due respect... Those bitches. Nay! Those whorses! They do not deserve your affection or admiration. They are not worthy of your respect. They proved that more than once." He said.

---

Back at Slayer Academy, we were taught to always treat women with respect, and if you didn't, the punishment was severe... Mostly.

"Recruit Reynfaire!" Yelled the drill instructor.

"Yes sir?!" Asked Drace, standing at attention and saluting.

"Why is Recruit Saya crying?!" He asked.

"No idea sir." Replied Drace.

"Uh huh. You best go apologise maggot." He ordered.

"Why sir? If she cannot take whatever a man says to her, she isn't Slayer material. Sir." Retorted Drace.

"You have a fair point Reynfaire. But never speak to a woman in a way that would make her cry, understood? Next time I will not be so lenient. Clear?" He said.

"Crystal. Sir." Replied Drace with a scowl as the drill instructor walked away.

---

Of course, men and women were treated mostly equally but women were still to be treated with the utmost respect. If my drill instructors saw me chewing out the Princesses I think my ear would be ringing for hours... Sure I hate the Slayer bastards, but one thing they know how to do right is breed warriors...

The lesson the drill instructor, well, drilled into Drace stuck with me. I always treated women with respect while realising they were just as capable warriors as men. I should know... I spent 15 minutes as one once... I had to reenact a play in the role of a woman, so Hermaphroditus changed me, I did the play, instantly went back to the Battle Tower and changed back to my masculine self... I still shudder at the memory of that quest...

Just to be clear, Drace Reynfaire didn't objectify women. Oh no. He objectified everyone. Everyone who was not a Slayer or some kind of respected warrior. Including his fellow recruits. His parents were great warriors, and so he thought he was one as well. This attitude of 'fuck everyone but yourself!' got him graduated while the others didn't make it. After that, he cared not for people's problems. He treated everyone he viewed as 'below him' like shit. Like they were annoying insects. Because he thought he was the bigshot. The newest upcoming Slayer.

Champion Richard of Aleroth and him got along well, they were both men who cared for themselves and their own and everyone else be damned. Tyrath Kyelinth and Drace Reynfaire are two different people, make no mistake. Hell, Ego Draconis was different to Tyrath Kyelinth! he was more sociable... He was essentially Tyrath MK II and Drace MK III.

But something in Drace changed. Back when Talana showed him a vision of the future. It wasn't anything about her that made him change, or even the vision. He didn't know what it was, something changed in him that made him see that he was wrong, that Drace Reynfaire should die. That Tyrath Kyelinth should be born...

But... What was it that made Ego Draconis like he was? That made him so good at making friends? At consoling, at being so nice? If anyone had attempted to kill him during his quest to defeat Damien, he would have slaughtered them with no quarrel! What changed? He felt like it was something in his past... But who knows?

Ego was not Drace Reynfaire, no. Because he was not evil. He cared. About people, and by extension, ponies. He cared about their problems, their feelings.

Hell, he ran around the city of Aleroth for hours! Giving an item to a person, getting a worthless item in exchange, passing that item on to someone who wanted it and this continued until he gave an item to Valeri who rewarded him with gold rather than an item, but that wasn't the point. He ran around Aleroth, reading minds to find out what could comfort people in their hour of need and went arse over teakettle to procure each item and pass them along. That was the type of person he was. The type of person I am...

"I am not evil..." I said.

"What was that Master?" Asked Creature, leaning close because of the winds up here...

"I am not Drace." I said to myself...

;Princess Celestia's POV;

As Twilight and I paced around the train car outside mine and Luna's shared sleeping carriage on the way to Ponyville, she spoke up.

"Princess Celestia, when will Luna come out? I'm worried about her..." She said.

"I... Do not know. Luna has been very sensitive ever since the Nightmare Moon incident. Everypony has been treating her as if she has a deadly disease. They avoid her. She hasn't shown it but it has upset her. I think this was the icing on the proverbial cake." I told her.

"Poor Luna... He shouldn't have said those things." Said Twilight.

"He had his reasons. And he was quite correct. He is not our toy to do whatever we like with, to entertain us when we are bored. And we did treat him as such. He told us he saved his world more than once, and pretty much near killed himself to do it. Luna and I have as well. But from what I can gather, compared to our world, his world is a whole plethora more deadly. We could have made a great ally, and more importantly, a great friend. But I miscalculated. I should not have suggested that prank to Luna, nor should I have almost killed him." I said, looking down in shame. "But you are right. He should not have insulted Luna like that. She didn't deserve his malice."

"You suggested it?" Asked Twilight.

"The rake part, yes. Luna contributed the paint part of the plan." I said.

"Time to raise the moon, is Luna up for-" Started Twilight before I quickly lowered the sun as Luna raised the moon.

"I think that answers that." I said to her.

"Has Luna ever been like this before?" Asked Twilight. I thought for a second.

"Once. Years ago. Back when King Sombra took over the Crystal Empire. In exchange for peace between us he wanted Luna as his bride. The first day they met, he tried something. She resisted him and he stormed out, yelling at her, telling her she was a whorse for all the nobles of Canterlot to rut as they please, among other things I shall not utter. On top of feeling as though she had somehow failed the kingdom, even though I wasn't about to let her marry that evil stallion. She let his insults and slurs get to her. For a while she acted as though nothing was wrong, until one day she just didn't come out of her room. She just stayed inside. Raising and lowering the moon from her chambers. It took a long time for me to coax her out... This is worse. This was someone who could possibly have been her friend." I said, worried for my little sister...

;Princess Luna's POV;

I walked back to bed, still sobbing and shut the window to to train car, slamming it and shutting my curtains. Laying back down on my bed...

"Am I a slut? Just a whorse? Is that why everpony hates me? Why they avoid me? They think I coax stallions to my room and rut them until they die?" I said to myself. "I have never had a stallion seduce me. I have never had a stallion that cared. I have never even brought one back to the Castle. What could possibly be the reason they think this...? Is it something I did as Nightmare Moon? Was that one of her threats? She would rut every stallion and kill them afterwards?" I asked myself. "Is our rule a joke?" I asked myself again... Suddenly I saw something from the corner of my eye... "Who goes there?" I sniffed, tears in my eyes.

I tried my best to look threatening, but with tears streaming down my face I don't think I pulled it off.

"Someone who cares, Princess Luna." Came the voice of... Ego?

;5 minutes earlier - Ego Draconis' POV;

"I am not Drace. No..." I said to myself, suddenly I pulled a sharp turn that would shear a Pegasus in two, almost sending Creature off my back and 50 stories below to the ground...

"Master? Where are we going? Ponyville is that way." Said Creature, pointing behind us.

"What's my name?" I asked.

"Huh?" Asked Creature, holding on to my scales tightly as I broke world speed records.

"What's my name?!" I asked louder with a smile.

"Tyra-" He started.

"TYRATH KYELINTH!" I roared happily, causing Creature to let go and hold his ears, almost falling off before he realised his mistake and held on for dear life...

;4 minutes later - Princess Celestia's POV;

"Twili-" I started, suddenly we heard something land heavily on the roof...

"What the...?" Asked Twilight, we looked out a window... Suddenly Ego appeared in front of us upside down, he pointed at the window, I went to... I don't know.

Throw him off? Open the window? But before I could do anything he turned left to the way the train was travelling and his eyes went wide, suddenly he pulled away to the roof as we went under a tunnel... Did we lose him? Did he jump off...?

;Luna & Celestia's carriage 1 minute later - Ego's POV;

"Why are you here? I wouldn't think you would want to be in the company of a... A... A joke." She said and began crying again.

"Please stop crying... I... I overreacted... Hang on." I said and turned to my companion. "Creature, would you?" I asked, he nodded and went back to the Battle Tower.

"But, why?" She asked.

"Care to be more specific?" I asked, sitting next to her on the bed. She flinched and I think almost really did obliterate me... But she calmed.

"Why did you say those mean things?" She asked.

"Who am I?" I asked quietly, but so she could hear me.

"Hmm?" She asked, cocking her head in question.

"Who am I... The Hero? The Villain? A God? A Demon? Good? Bad? Pure? Evil? I have asked myself this before but have never come up with an answer. What about you? What do you think?" I asked.

"I think you are a Hero. Good. Pure even. But a God? A Demon? I have no answers for you..." She said.

"I have been told before I am extremely kind. Twilight Velvet told me I must be an Angel, remember?" I asked.

"Yes. I do. I found myself agreeing. I wanted nothing more than your forgiveness at that time..." She said.

"Now it is I who is seeking your forgiveness." I said, I took my gauntlets off and rubbed her ear with my finger so she could feel that I am just a person. That we are not so different. She leaned into my hand as I did and purred in happiness. "I want to live up to my name. I am known for being kind generous and always willing to help." I said.

"That is... Very nice... What is it?" She asked.

"This is a hand." I said as I began rubbing behind her ear. And she started rubbing her head into my hand.

"And what is that you are doing?" She asked questioningly.

"I'm petting you. It's what we do the ponies in or land. Although they are not as intelligent... Or as benevolent as you... Am I doing something wrong? Something bad? I'm sorr-" I started to stop.

"Did I say stop? Continue." she ordered, glaring at me and I continued. "No, you didn't do something *yawn* bad... Not at all... Not... At... All... it is simply I have never felt something as soothing as this..." She mumbled.

"Am I forgiven?" I asked.

"Of course... Just don't stop." She mumbled, laying her head on my shoulder as I rubbed her ear in between my fingers, I wrapped the arm she was laying on around her, rubbing her foreleg with my hand.

Suddenly I felt her breathing slow and she was lightly snoring...

"Sleep well Princess..." I said. Suddenly the carriage door opened... To quote a Demon named Zagan's famous last words... Oh bugger...

It was none other than Sunny Side Up...

"Lulu, are you Ok? do you need-" She stared before seeing me and her eyes narrowed... She shut the door quietly.

"Bald bunghole wankers..." I cursed.

"Did you hurt my sister?" She whispered angrily just in case she really was asleep.

"Unfortunately so... I also hurt you, and I-" I started before she pointed her horn at my exposed neck and a ring of fire surrounded my throat...

"Well? How did you hurt us?" She asked threateningly.

"Look, this isn't what you think..." I said... I put my hands up, making me stop stroking the sleeping Princess's ear.

"I thought I told you not to stop... Oh, sister. What are you doing here? How long was I out? Is it time to lower the *yawn* moon?" Asked Princess Luna before seeing my hands up and Sunny Side Up pointing her horn at my neck.

"Can't go 20 minutes without an Alicorn trying to toast me..." I mumbled.

"Sister, why are you about to fry him inside out?" Asked Princess Luna, as if this was a regular occurrence...

"I thought..." She started before pulling away and shaking her head, I cracked my neck. "I thought he had done something to you, that you were in danger Lulu... I couldn't bear the thought of losing you. Not again." Said Sunny Side Up.

"Thank you dear sister. That means a lot to me." She said and they hugged.

"I love mushy moments like this, it's what I live for, but I'm getting a little hot under my collar here, you know?" I asked.

"Of course! I wish to apologise for my earlier actions." Said Princess Celestia and took away the fire...

"And I." Said Princess Luna.

"It's fine, as long as you forgive me, I forgive you, and we're good." I said, Princess Luna sat next to me again and I began to stroke her ear.

"Mmm... Sister, you must try this... hand of his... It is simply divine..." Moaned Princess Luna.

"I don't know..." Said Princess Celestia hesitantly. I took my gauntlet off and held my hand out.

"Come, I'm made of flesh and bone, just like you but without the fur." I said.

"Very well sister, I will take your advice..." Said Princess Celestia and sat on the other side of me on the bed and I began to scratch her ear as well. Before I knew it both Princesses were asleep on my shoulders... Which must have been uncomfortable with my armor on... Suddenly Twilight walked in.

"Princess is there anything you-" She started before seeing me and them.

"Hey Twilight." I whispered.

"Sorry, I wasn't aware you were in the middle of... Whatever this is." Said said and began to back out.

"Wait wha-" I started before she shut the carriage door... "Crunching douchewaffle badger blenders." I cursed. Knowing rumours would spread like plague if she told anypony... I summoned Creature but told him through the skull to be quiet upon entry.

"Yes Maste- Oh Master, looks like you have accquired two pets." He chuckled quietly. Lighthearted humour or a genuine insult? I couldn't tell, I'm guessing it was the latter.

"Har har har. Outside. Guard duty." I said.

"At once." He said, bowing out the door with a smirk. Maybe the former then...

Author's Note:

From now on, updates will be 2 weeks apart.

Comments

[Skye787]

What is up with Tia being so edgy? Geez. Loved this chapter big guy hope the next one is just as good.

[XxadvengerxX25]

Yay shorter waiting for chapters and I find this part. d'awwww so cute that he knocked them out with an ear rub.

[The Joeker]

7709790 Actually, longer waiting. It's usually a week apart each but now 2 weeks due to work piling up. Sorry to burst your bubble.