Ch 22: Not as Planned
“Did you see how that fucker went down!?” Agni exclaimed, her mug of ale slamming down onto the table and spilling out. A massive grin was spread across her face as she looked at the everyone else. A bearded man chuckled, a glass of whiskey loosely gripped in his hand.
“Aye. Bloody bastard crumpled like paper!” He laughed loudly. The man was a recent addition to the party, but he had proven his worth so far. No one knew his real name though, they all just called him Whiskey, after his drink of choice.
“I still don’t understand what he was thinking.” Aurick commented, an arm over the back of his chair. “Sure, he was a strong mage, but to take all of us on at once?”
“You’re doing that thing again!” Agni accused, her mug pointed at him.
“I’m sorry that I try to be the sensible one.” He defended with a frown.
“Sensible my ass!” The bearded man yelled. “Ye’d be scared the earth would swallow ya if you couldn’t control it!” He chuckled, earning a smirk out of Agni. Aurick wasn’t as amused.
“So much for ‘fearless leader’, huh?” Agni commented, making Aurick roll his eyes. Luckily he didn’t have to bear the comments for long, as the tavern quickly froze around him. Long since familiar with what was happening, the elf leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.
“Hello, Luna.”
“Hello, Aurick.” The mare responded. He had noticed that he had at some point broken through the lunar mare’s tough exterior, as she had begun greeting him with some modicum of warmth. “I’ve been informed that you found Inkheart.”
“In a sense.” He stood up and turned to face her, grabbing the mug of ale out of Agni’s hand. “According to her, the persona of Inkheart is dead. She doesn’t want to be called that because she sees herself as a different person now.”
“That’s… troubling, but not wholly unexpected.” She said, a silver clad hoof tapping against her chin. “Something I’m sure a psychologist can fix.” She said with a smile.
“Allow me to be a devil’s advocate here and ask: what if she doesn’t want to be fixed?” The question seemed to take the lunar diarch by surprise. She stared at him incredulously for a moment before blinking in lowering her hoof.
“Then… I guess that’s her choice. She still has her mind about her from what you’ve told me. She just acts more like a predator.” She looked up at the ceiling with a frown. “It’s an issue for a later date.” She told herself with a shake of her head before refocusing her gaze on Aurick. “What does she wish to be called now?”
Aurick shrugged at her before taking a drink of the ale. “She doesn’t really care. I’ve decided to call her Ashwyn, seeing as I don’t know pony naming conventions. She doesn’t seem to mind.” He told her.
“Very well. I assume it’s an elven name?” The elf nodded in response to the inquiry.
“Means ashen one. Thought it somewhat appropriate, what with her current mind crawling from the ashes of the old.”
“Indeed. I believe it shall suit her.” She nodded and looked at the glass of whiskey on the table. With a shrug the mare lifted it in her magic and downed the glass. “Ah, if only alcohol could work in a dream.” She mumbled, smacking her lips. “Anyways, I’ll come to your home tomorrow to take Ashwyn to the castle.”
“Alright. She’ll probably get some better treatment there than she will with me. She’s half starved and running a fever.”
“Easily remedied, though somewhat timely. It is of no issue.” She smiled at him and nodded to herself. “Until then?”
He raised the mug and returned the smile. “Until then.”
~-~
He awoke to the sound of someone knocking on his front door. A groan escaped him as he sat up in bed and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. “Is this becoming a thing?” He grumbled to himself as he got out of the warm confines of his bed. He was quick to dress and make his way downstairs. When he opened the door, he couldn’t help but raise a brow.
“I didn’t think you’d be by so early.” He told Luna, who greeted him with a friendly smile.
“I must admit that I was also curious as to your current living arrangements. Minotaur make I believe.” She said as he allowed her in. She looked around at the decor, raising a brow at the sconces that were still on the walls. He merely shrugged at the unasked question.
“I guess a minotaur makes sense. I was wondering who was so tall.”
“Indeed.”
The elf began walking towards the kitchen, Luna following close behind. “Would you like some coffee?” He asked, earning a smirk in return.
“You act as though I don’t run on the stuff.” They shared a chuckle as the elf began to brew a pot.
“And here I thought that was a royal secret.” He joked. “I was planning to use it to bribe you into my favor.”
“Alas, your dastardly plans have been foiled yet again.” She replied, a hoof to her chest and her muzzle in the air in mock triumph.
“Oh well, I guess I’ll just have to get back at you by forcing you to drink coffee not made by the finest craftsmen in the lands.” He told her menacingly.
“Oh my, surely you jest? Such a thing would be tantamount to torture!” She complained, unable to hide her mirth.
“I am a man of no mercy.” He informed the mare, handing her a cup of coffee. “Now taste my wrath.” That one earned a full blown laugh and snort out of the normally dignified mare.
“That was a good one.” She said between laughs. As she came to the end of it, she took a sip of the coffee with a smile, smacking her lips. “Wrath has never tasted so good.” Aurick shook his head with a snort before taking a sip of his own coffee. “I guess the question must be asked, where is… Ashwyn, you called her?” He nodded.
“She’s up in the guest bedroom. Now that I think about it, she’d probably freaking out. She’d probably be able to smell you.” He muttered the last bit to himself, though the lunar diarch heard this and raised a brow.
“Is her sense of smell that good?”
“When I said she helped me find the foals, she smelled them from half the forest away and led me to them.” He told her and took a sip of his coffee as he led Luna out of the kitchen. “I’m gonna make sure she’s not doing anything rash. If you’d be so kind…?” He gestured towards the couch.
“Of course. That mare has gone through enough, no need to scar her further.” The pair shared a nod before splitting up. Aurick was quick to ascend the stairs and make his way to the room he had placed Ashwyn in. Upon opening the door, he was met with an unexpected sight.
Ashwyn was not awake, but the bed was a mess. The covers were half off and the sheets were practically shredded. She was curled up in a ball, shivering, though it wasn't from the cold. Tears were clearly present on her face and stained what remained of his ruined bedsheets. With a frown he approached cautiously, his mind torn on the matter. He wanted wake her up from what was surely a nightmare, but he felt she was likely to lash out at him when she woke up. At the same time, he really didn’t want to leave her like this.
Swallowing the ball in his throat, he got closer and gently laid a hand on the mare’s shoulder. “Ash.” He called, shaking her slightly. Her reaction was instant. She lunged at him, her claws digging into his flesh. It wasn’t an attack, however. The mare held him close, probably not registering who it was as she hid her face in his chest. Wincing in pain, Aurick did what he had always done in these situations.
He began to pet the killer pony.
~-~
“No talk.” Ashwyn demanded after she regained her senses. A deep scowl on her face as she glared at him. She would not have this creature spread rumors. She would not let others take advantage of her temporary weakness.
“Yeah, yeah.” He relented, wincing as he used his magic to make the holes in his chest scab over. Her glare faltered as she looked at the blood staining his shirt, her scowl deepening. A hint of remorse played through her. She could only hope he wouldn’t toss her out for injuring him. “Won't matter much anyways. Luna will-” He stopped when she flung herself behind the bed. It wasn’t a pretty move, as she managed to plant her face into the floor again, but she succeeded in her mission. “She’s not gonna hurt you.”
“No!” She replied with a growl, her head raising above the bed to deliver a glare at the creature on the other end. She would not allow herself to be taken in by them. She refused to let them finish.
“They just want to help you return to what you were.” He told her calmly, but she was having none of it, her growl depening.
“Lies.” She said, a low rumble entering her voice. The creature seemed to have a modicum of self preservation instincts, because he took a step back and raised a brow. They glared at each other for a moment before the creature sighed and rubbed his temples.
“Fucking… fine. Can I at least make sure you don’t die?” He groaned in annoyance.
“No Luna.” She demanded.
“Yeah, I got that part.” He sighed and hung his head as he made his way to the door. He paused as he grabbed the door handle and turned back with a frown on his face. “We will have to discuss the rules after.” He told her, before looking back at the bed, his frown deepening. “And you owe me new bedsheets.” With that he exited the room, leaving Ashwyn to her thoughts.
~-~
“So I’ve got good news and I’ve got bad news.” Aurick said with a groan as he descended the stairs. Luna looked at him with a raised brow, and nearly dropped her coffee when she noticed the blood on his shirt. She was on her hooves in an instant and moved closer to the injured elf.
“What happened!?” She asked with wide eyes.
“She was having a nightmare and I woke her up. She didn’t take too kindly to that.” Luna frowned at that and used her magic to lift his shirt and look at the wounds.
“Well, it looks like they’ve already scabbed over.” She commented to herself.
“Yeah, I only know a little bit of healing magic, so I can’t heal it fully. Had to deal with this once before.” He lifted the shirt higher and pointed to the discoloured marks on his shoulders. “She wasn’t too friendly during the first meeting either, but at least she didn’t try to eat me this time.”
“A small victory, I guess.” She mumbled and let his shirt drop back down.
“Yeah. By the way, can’t you do anything about those nightmares? Isn’t that your job or something?” Aurick asked as he walked over to the couch and sat down.
“It is. Believe me, I have attempted numerous times to find Ashwyn within the dream realm, but each time I have failed.” The mare sighed as she sat down next to the elf. “It is truly irritating.” Aurick put a hand to his chin as he thought about it for a moment. An idea coming to him.
“Can you only enter the dreams of ponies?” The mare looked at him with a deadpan gaze.
“Really?” It took a moment for Aurick to actually realize what was wrong.
“Oh. Right.”
“Indeed. Though the dream realm is divided by species. Your dreams are on a separate plane within the realm. Like how gryphons are on a different plane than ponies.” She informed him and took a sip of her coffee.
“Okay, what if because of the experiments, she is on a different plane like me?” He asked, an arm resting on the back of the couch as he crossed a leg over the other.
“... I guess that’s possible. I had only been searching for her amongst the ponies, but if it is as you say…” Luna thought for a moment longer before shaking her head. “Something to think about tonight, I guess.”
“Yup. Anyways, like I said earlier, I’ve got good news and I’ve got bad news.” Aurick told her, lifting a finger. “First is that she seems to be flat out terrified by the thought of anything to do with you. So going to the castle is out of the question.” Luna frowned at that, but said nothing as Aurick lifted another finger. “The good thing is that she’ll let me continue to look after her. So I guess that’s a good thing.”
“Indeed. As much as I hate to ask, can I trust you to take care of her? I know you’ve done far more than I had asked of you initially, but…” Luna didn’t finish as she simply sighed. A sigh which Aurick echoed.
“Yeah. I can handle this. Maybe when she feels better I can make her pull her weight around here.” Luna nodded before snorting, making Aurick raise a brow.
“I couldn’t help but imagine her as a maid.” The princess giggled behind a hoof as Aurick snorted as well.
“As adorable as it would be, I’m pretty sure she’d tear up the uniform.”
“Oh, I’m sure you could make it last.”
“Perhaps.” A wicked grin came across his face as he thought about it. “I might buy one just to hang over her head as a punishment.”
“Truly, you are a dastardly elf.” Luna chuckled.
“Only the cruelest.” The pair talked for a couple more minutes before Luna had to depart. A princess never rests, it would seem. Waving goodbye to the lunar diarch, he returned inside with a sigh.
Now he had to deal with a killer mare living with him for the foreseeable future.
This is the best you're gonna get for now, Shadow Wolf. Maybe you can convince me otherwise? 
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Taking inspiration from the commenters can lead to ruin; or to glory.
Boi you think being at drill for the Marines will stop me form reading?! Never!!
Also I love you so much. I know I can't control how the story goes cause that's your job. I'm just along for the ride but the fact that you gave me this is way more then I had hoped. Now that isn't gonna stop me from my ultimate goal of having Ash in a maid outfit but I'll give you the weekend. I'll be back on monday.
9399592
I won't lie. The idea is bloody adorable. I've just been infected by your love of the idea.
9399560
I can only hope I bring glory to my people. Can't hurt to show some appreciation for my readers every now and then. My purpose is to entertain after all.
9399612
let it happen we all want it!:
9399592
One of the best HIEs I've ever come across Article 2 is written by an active duty Marine, Muppetz.
The gaps in posting are because he can't post from the desert, so we writes and saves up chapters for when he's on leave.
If deployment can't stop ponies. Drill hath no hope.
9399757
That fic is really good.
If anyone reading this hasn't had the chance to read Article 2, then do so. It deserves your time far more than mine.
9399792
Yours and his serve different purposes.
Yours is a daily happiness. Like getting home from work and putting on your favorite record.
His is a one in a while unexpected extravagant amazingness, like the blue angles performing at your birthday party.
We need stories likes Enchanted to keep us in the community in the spaces between the big hitters' updates.
There's no resisting, Aurick. You've been friendshiped
9399986
Thanks for letting me know, I'll take care of it when I can.
Edit: The instance has been fixed.
It's nice to see Luna letting her mane down, as it were. The jesting between Aurick and Luna is wonderful.
I wonder why Ashwyn is so adamant against seeing Luna...could the experiment have been to build her into a weapon to kill the lunar diarch? If that is the case, maybe she has some attack-on-sight mental override in her head but she knows about it?
9399792
Don't sell yourself short. Yours is just another flavor, and spice is the variety of life.
What about draconequus? Since he is the only member of his species, won't he practically own the plane?
I wonder if that Whiskey fellow that joined Aurick's group is the author's personal dnd character or simply his cameo