Chapter Eight
Thanquol sneered. His powerful intellect was undoubtable yet this...this pony-thing was somehow finding it in its foolish being to do exactly that! Doubt him! His teeth, still shiny from the work of the spa ponies, ground together furiously.
"So he just appeared in your house, in the middle of the night no less, and you're suddenly looking after him?" Twilight's voice spoke of her lack of surprise at Fluttershy's actions and her weary opinion of them. It also spoke words which is terribly convenient when there aren't any mind readers handy.
Fluttershy nodded, biting her lip uncertainly. "H-he is awfully unwell. Oh Twilight, you should have seen him when I found him. I'm certain if nopony had been there to clean his wounds they would have gotten infected. He was, uh, a bit dirty." She confided with a glance at Thanquol to make sure he wasn't offended.
Judging by the look he was giving Twilight it was doubtful he had even heard her. Clearly he took the accusation of being imaginary seriously. Twilight had levelled the charge after getting up but before the coffee Spike had reluctantly gotten her had reaches her system.
Looking at the hostile rat Twilight thought longingly of another cup of coffee, one she knew Spike would never let her have.
"And, um, after being so mean to Zecora because she was a little scary looking I thought..." Fluttershy continued, trailing off awkwardly.
Twilight sighed tiredly. "Right, pathological kindness and not being racist, pretty much what I expected." She pressed a hoof to her forehead. "So other than being something called a 'skaven' what do you know about him?"
"Well he has said something about being a priest. He worships the, uh, Horned Rat I-I think." Fluttershy glanced at Thanquol but he was distracted by Spike. She smiled, thinking he was making a friend. Spike could do with some more male friends.
Thanquol poked the little purple lizard curiously. The ungrateful runt batted his paw away and he briefly considered how hard he should hit it. He reached for his Staff, pausing only when he saw Fluttershy smiling at him. With great effort of will Thanquol forced his hand down and smiled back. After she seemed to have enough mutual smiling the pony-thing turned away.
Spike meanwhile shot Thanquol a suspicious look. He looked pretty shifty and maybe it was just Spike but the rat's beady red eyes seemed to have a...predatory feeling to them. Like he was looking at Spike and wondering what he would taste like.
A hoot drew the little dragon's eyes up to Owlicious. Looking at the avian he was reminded of his previous overreaction. This was like his fears back then and that nightmare last week he had where The (significant pause) Machine became sentient and trying to overthrow the Princesses. There was no way Thanquol would want to eat him.
"So, you're living with Fluttershy...Angel Bunny given you much trouble?" Spike asked as casually as he could. As ice-breakers go it was a good guess. He was living with Fluttershy, of course Angel Bunny was giving him trouble.
Distracted from his musing about what the lizard might taste like Thanquol glared at it suspiciously. It was spying on him! He showed his teeth in a silent snarl before it threw its claws up defensively.
Something about the straggly rat's expression conveyed sufficient anger that Spike threw his hands up defensively. "Hey, calm down. It was just a guess. Angel can be difficult. Well 'can' is a bit unfair. He's always difficult."
Thanquol looked at the lizard anew. Lacking his usual power Thanquol's ability to properly probe its magical presence was gone, leaving him to analyse it with his formidable intellect alone. Just as he had always suspected; the lizard-thing could be of some use to him. It also displayed enimity towards the Angel Bunny beast. Perfect.
"Yes, the bunny-thing is...difficult." He agreed. "It kicks and steals my possessions. Lizard-thing! How can it be tamed?" He demanded.
Spike snorted. "Rude. You can't tame Angel Bunny. He's, like, pure evil in bunny form."
Gnashing his teeth Thanquol nearly struck the lizard-thing then and there for daring to doubt him. He restrained himself, the knowledge it couldn't know the brilliance that was Thanquol only just placating him. It would learn in time.
"Then another path must be divined. Yes-yes, another way!” He rubbed his paws together, certain his unknown brilliance could divine a plan of suitable...brilliance. Yes, brilliant!
His chance to plot was ruined by something grey and fast zooming through a window and slamming him into a bookcase. A shrill squeal of terror and pain filled the room as books tumbled down on them. Several smacked against Thanquol’s horns and head. He fended them off as they rained down, striking them aside with his staff. Each bang, as books bounced off the floor or from his staff, elicited a low moan of pain from Twilight.
Just as the book storm seemed to come to an end, Thanquol squealing angrily next to a pony sized pile of books, the pile exploded. One large tome, Equestrian Encyclopaedia Volume XIV, flew right into his snout and sent the sorcerer-rat reeling back. He flailed in front of him with his staff, his other paw clutching his nose.
The blonde pegasus who had emerged from the book cocoon rubbed her head. One eye focused on Thanquol while the other drifted off lazily. “Oh, no, not again! I’m sorry, I just don’t-”
Her apology was cut off by a thwack on the head from Thanquol. Her head swayed from side to side after the heavy wood holy symbol of the Horned Rat had smacked her right on the middle of the head. She blinked as she focused, staring at Thanquol with two perfectly aligned eyes.
“Ouchie.” She said, promptly losing consciousness.
All was silent for the following few seconds in the library as the angered skaven held his nose and glared daggers at the knocked out mare. The only sound was very ominous drip from below, but none of them heard it through the solid wood floor.
The (significant pause) Machine heard them though.
“Why did you hit Ditsy?” Twilight demanded, running over to the downed mare. She levitated the many books away, feeling somewhat guilty that she was doing so more to keep any blood from getting on them than for Ditsy Doo’s sake. Fortunately for the first edition A Sing-Along of Ice and Fire collection she had brought down on her, Ditsy didn’t seem to be bleeding. It was also quite fortunate for the pegasus too, Twilight would be willing to concede.
Thanquol glared right at Twilight and her disgusting display of magic. How dare she have magic while he did not? It was an insult, plain and simple, one that he had to repay in kind. Perhaps sending her the way of his assailant was the way to go?
Yet again the universe seemed to pre-empt his attempts to bring justice and the skaven-way to this world. Fluttershy appeared his side, reaching up to gently move aside the paw over his nose.
“Twilight, he’s hurt.” Fluttershy pointed out, focusing on where the heavy collection of knowledge had struck him. “I’m sure he didn’t mean to hit her, he was just confused. Ditsy has been through a lot worse.”
To be touched so casually by Flutter-pony was yet another insult heaped upon him but with the great dignity and generosity that were so characteristic of him Thanquol allowed her to care for his battle wound. She didn’t seem to do much but lightly tap something back into place.
“All better. Your nose will be a little tender but if you leave it for the rest of the day you’ll feel fine.” Fluttershy sighed in relief and smiled at him. Her smile withered slightly in the face of the look in his eyes but she marshalled her optimism like a general tightening a flank that threatened to break under the pressure of enemy assault. In this metaphor her soldiers were likely armed with sticks they weren’t entirely willing to use in case they hurt someone.
Twilight put Ditsy’s head back on the ground, gently resting it on the ground. That seemed a little rude and probably uncomfortable so she chose a book to use as a pillow. Staring down, Twilight removed it a moment later. She didn’t believe sleeping on books imparted you with the knowledge they contained, but she wanted to be safe. Honestly, vamponies that sparkled in the daylight? She made a mental note to have Spike burn it later and find out what malicious pony put it on the book order list.
“I think Ditsy will be fine as well.” Twilight said, turning back to Fluttershy and her guest. The large rat glowered at Twilight, his eyes darting to her horn every few seconds. “Is something wrong? Did my magic surprise you?”
He hrrmphed at her insolence. “No magic has the power to cause mighty Thanquol to cower! I was merely observing your usage. Your horn, it is the conduit of your magics?” His tone finally dropped to something other than hostile, suspicious or defensive and he seemed truly curious.
Still, something about him kept Twilight from fully trusting him. “You don’t use your horns? I assumed you did. Deer wizards use their antlers, unicorns use their horns, it’s just how magic works in a lot of species.”
Thanquol stared at her, unsure if this was some clever deception meant to trick him. The pony-mage seemed honest. Such big, stupid eyes were not for concealing truths. They were too open.
“Horns...no-no, skaven magic calls upon the power of the Warp! Energy bent through symbols and willpower!” The exact method of drawing magical energy was mostly through force of willpower and whatever little foibles different spellcasters used. Sigils helped in rituals to channel the power in specific patterns.
“Fascinating...can you show me?” Twilight asked curiously, her attention split between levitating books back onto the shelves and watching Thanquol.
He scratched his tender nose as he considered the idea. “Mighty-great skaven magic that it is, I seem unable to call forth the power of the Horned Rat here.” He admittedly grudgingly. Thanquol had no desire to make his powerlessness known but if she pressed for an example of magic he would have nothing to show. What little power was left in his warpstone, he decided, would be kept secret.
Yes, a secret weapon! If they ever turned on him Thanquol’s mighty warp-sorcery would tear them apart. He would reduce their organs to pulp and use their hides to craft a new robe, anointed with holy symbols of the Horned Rat in liquids made from their eye-juices.
He nearly cackled aloud. It was only ‘nearly’ because Twilight spoke before he could. “Really?” She felt unaccountably suspicious but with Fluttershy’s reminder about what happened to Zecora in mind she forced it away. “Maybe I could help you work out how to use your magic here? There must be a solution and I think it would be fascinating to examine a new form of magic.” Her tiredness, forced back by coffee and the giant crazy rat, began to exert its toil upon her.
Fluttershy came over and supported her friend as she swayed. She patted the unicorn on the shoulder reassuringly.
“Yes-yes, a good plan.” Thanquol readily agreed, rubbing his paws together eagerly. His staff nearly hit the unconscious Ditsy and made her Derpy again. "Explain-talk to Thanquol the secrets of your magic."
“I...will, yes, but...I need to sleep for a bit though. Tomorrow. Tomorrow we can start.” Twilight shook her head, her mane coming free in various worryingly frizzy locks. “Until then...next time somepony surprises you, please don’t hit them with your staff, okay?”
He considered this. “Far-seeing Greyseer that I am, wise Thanquol makes no promises.” He said, concealing his displeasure at the delay. Not that he required the aid of some foolish pony, but he supposed it was best to work with an assistant. As Fluttershy led her friend up to her bed with Spike’s help, Thanquol eyed Twilight’s horn thoughtfully. He wondered...
...what effect would powdered unicorn horn have?
The grey pegasus stirred and lifted its head. He absently thwacked it on the head for interrupted his musings and it slumped back in unconsciousness.
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Not to be hatting on the story........but he'll no on picture it down right disturbing.
2470089 'but he'll no on picture it down right disturbing' what? I have no idea what you're saying there sorry. Did you mean "hell no, the picture is down right disturbing"? Is that your only comment? Nothing relevant to the actual story? I don't much care if you don't like the story, that's up to you, but please comment when its actually related to the story rather than just the cover image. Any picture of a skaven is likely to be disturbing. It is a Warhammer crossover.
2470104 yes I meant that .
Hey Autocharth when's the rat on evil crack going to run out and go through the withdrawal. I hope it's in front of Celestia.
Hmmm, Derpybuse huh. He shall pay for this. Oh yes, he shall pay....
Uh-oh... Powdered Horn?
This won't end well (for Thanquol, anyway, given at how many accidents he's had so far).
I giggle with anticipation. I don't care if Rat-i-tooly fails or not, it'll be funny