The Weary Traveler

by The Psychopath

Sculptures are fun for bugs

Author's Note:

Tiny chapter. Made of small.

The giant, spherical metal pony wandered the 'lesser' roads of Canterlot where the middle-class lived. In contrast to the white buildings and streets above, these houses were made with more classic materials and colors while still being interconnected. Wood, brick, imitation thatch over tiled roofs. Everything was used to imitate the past of Equestria.

"Or are these actually houses being maintained in this construction state?" the metal pony wondered.

His towering stature would have made him as terrifying as the other two, but his appearing like a ball brought more confusion as to how to feel about his presence. He bounced around the streets, a smile on his face, until he happened upon several young foals playing ball in the streets. Some ponies around were sharing tales, some over a pipe smoke, but everything stopped when the giant came down to the foals playing and smiled. There was a long pause while everyone present tried to evaluate the situation.

Some twitched forward, in an attempt to try and grab the foals, but what if sudden moves would bring about the ire of the newcomer? Was it wise to judge based on appearance alone? Even the foals didn't know how to react, until a very tiny colt stumbled forward, his hooves barely the size of the round pony's ear.

"Hello?" it squeaked with a high pitched voice.

"Hello, teeny tiny pony," the metal pony responded.

"Do you want to play?" the colt asked.

"I'd love to!" The stallion stood up but became confused. "I don't know how, though." He looked to the foals then smiled. "Will you show me how?"

---

Chinch'k Kuchuk hummed pensively whilst deeply observing the statues in front of him. The store was quite large, easily able to accommodate more than sixty ponies all at once and have sufficient space for movement. Several display cases lined along the walls and corners held tiny statues made from wood of various colors -Reds and browns mainly- with various levels of detailing upon their surfaces. Some were so minutely detailed as to have miniature bits of wood carved off to simulate fur as best as it could, while other pieces of wood had just been casually cut into vague shapes of whatever it was the sculptor wanted to represent. The owner, on the other hoof, was hiding behind the counter, their hooves and eyes being the only things still sticking above their hiding spot.

Other, much larger and more elaborate works were laid on the floor as any bit of furniture would not have been enough to hold them up without consequence.

"What do you think this piece is, Scleretin? It reminds me of that one timeline where most things had become artistically representative close to the decay."

The mare was disillusioned with her whole day and weakly mumbled in response to her companion's commentary. "I don't care..."

"I can see a fountain there." Chinch'k leaned in closer with his eyes to the tiny sculpture and gasped in awe. "That's so small. How did they do this without the use of microscopes or precision technology? The magic used for a spell of this caliber would be immensely demanding and exhausting."

"Uh huh..."

The metal mare waddled about the store like a drunkard, her body refusing to stay straight and stable. Her meandering eventually got her to stand in front of a massive sculpture of wood representing Celestia standing tall with wings outstretched while a cloud of dust floated below her, ponies of all 'castes' saluting her and her sister standing above her, albeit slightly smaller. Luna stood atop her sister's raised head as though it were a balcony, and atop her back was a pony-size moon whilst the sun floated gently above, letting its wooden rays upon the saluting ponies below. The wooden rays were accentuated by white gems whilst the sun and moon were represented by a cluster of yellow and white gems respectively.

"What have you found there?" Chinch'k chittered quizzically to his colleague. He followed her gaze and was taken aback by the sight. "This view. This detail. This hard work!" He chittered loudly in excitement. "The crown jewel of this collection!" He climbed around it, taking in every detail while Scleretin stared at it wide-eyed.

Everything that Chinch'k was saying fell onto deaf ears, as a hissing noise grew in the mare's head the longer she stared at the statues. Over time, she started to twitch. The twitching turned into shaking, which became a violent vibration of her body. It didn't go unnoticed by the metal stallion who stared at her.

"Scleretin? Are you okay?"

The mare stretched into the elongated form she threatened Celestia with and started to tear away at the statue like a rabid beast. The owner of the store hid behind the counter and quivered in fear while the metal stallion covered himself with his forelegs. Wood splintered and screams resonated through the walls and spilled onto the streets, attracting the attention of passer-bys who weren't aware of whom had walked about the streets minutes prior. Chinch'k couldn't put a word in, as his comrade tore away at whatever the splinters touched and went rabid on other effigies of Celestia she could find. She eventually burst through the front of the store, throwing glass shards and broken stone onto the street and revealing her other form to the terrified populace.

There was a moment of silence while the mare breathed deeply and quickly. Said silence was broken by a piece of wood detaching from the bent support beams of metal hanging above the streets. It was the head of Celestia, and when she saw it, the mare flew into another rage and started pounding the street angrily, cracking the ground and causing some lifting of ground plating. The vibrations created were strong enough to cause anyone around and further away, to at least two blocks of distance, to lose their balance and fall. When she finally stopped, her body was steaming, both in rage and effort spent to destroy absolutely everything of Celestia that she could find.

Kuchuk, on the other hoof, looked on in horror at the devastation she had caused and could only yell in response. "WHAT DID YOU DO?!"

While the store was being destroyed by a metallic pony, tales of the saucer evaporating an adult dragon did not go unnoticed by nearby realms, namely the griffons, minotaurs, yaks, and the prench. Others were not yet privy to such information, but fears were starting to form within courts and homes. Too many variables were now available, and without more information, nothing could be removed or refined. The griffon king gnawed on his claws from jealousy and frustration, pacing about his room and mumbling wildly to himself while his court watched on, unable to stop him. The minotaurs, on the other hand, snorted anxiously. None of them had anything but neutral scruples about the ponies and enjoyed open trade and free migration between each other, but now...What were they to do? They responded by putting their military on high alert, for if they were the ones to receive such an item of technological or magic power, they would use it to conquer the lands that interest them. A ruler doesn't take unnecessary property, after all. The yaks, on the other hand, had no proper experience with this kind of instance and approached it the same way they approached the ponies: Loud and obnoxiously.

Comments

[LostArchivist]

The tales of the saucer evaporating AN adult dragon did not go unnoticed by nearby realms, namely the griffons, minotaurs, yaks, and the prench. Others were not yet privy to such information, but fears were starting to form within courts and homes. Too many variables were now available, and without more information, nothing could be removed or refined. The griffon king gnawed on his claws from jealousy and frustration, pacing about his room and mumbling wildly to himself while his court watched on, unable to stop him. The minotaurs, on the other hand, snorted anxiously. None of them had anything but neutral scruples about the ponies and enjoyed open trade and free migration between each other, but now...What were they to do? They responded by putting their military on high alert, for IF they were the ones to receive such an item of technological or magic power, they would use it to conquer the lands that interest them. A ruler doesn't take unnecessary property, after all. The yaks, on the other hand, had no proper experience with this kind of instance and approached it the same way they approached the ponies: Loud and obnoxiously.

Few typos there. Interesting so far.
Not looking good for diplomacy if that one remains around. What is her problem, anyway?
(and why do I get the impression that this one is vastly different from the other versions that the Travelers have been to so far...)

[The Psychopath]

8814766
Didn't find any other typos.

:>

[Canary In The Coal Mine]

I'm not sure I'm reading the last paragraph correctly from what came before it. Was the metal mare (in her elongated state) mistaken for a dragon when the saucer dealt with her after she caused problems after being warned about it? Or something else?

[The Psychopath]

8815836
I knew there was something off about that paragraph. I've made it clearer now.