The Equestrian Odyssey - A Tale of Two Worlds

by Kamahido

Chapter 4 - Searching Stableton

A portal opens. Arc, Spike, and Rose step out onto a bank of the Winsome Falls. Rose turns to Spike.

“So how did mother take things last night?”

“Well, not the greatest. I could tell she didn’t want me to go.”

Arc sighs. “Sorry about this, Spike.”

“Well, Twilight was right about one thing. I do need to get out more.”

Rose giggles. “I believe she does too.”

Arc clears his throat. “Agreed. But in any case, let’s get a move on. Stableton is quite a ways from where we stand.”

He leads the way as Rose and Spike follow directly behind him into the forest. Rose turns again to Spike.

“Did you enjoy your time with mother?”

“I did! We made supper together with Auriel and then played some board games! I can’t remember the last time we did that!”

Arc chuckles. “Sounds like you two have patched things up nicely.”

“We did that a while ago. Remember?”

“Yes, well… saying everything is alright and actually being okay are two different things.”

Rose looks confused. “I don’t understand.”

“It’s a matter of the heart, Rose. You’ll understand it one day.”

She puts a hand on her chest and sighing. “I hope so. But I’m still envious of you, Spike.”

“Of me?”

“Yes. You’ve known mother longer than I have. The two of you were inseparable before, or so I’ve been told. If I may, what happened between you two?”

“She… Twilight just…”

Arc turns around. “Spike, you told me aboard the Lunar Destiny that she said a few things that made you upset. Was that true?”

“I was, but… I guess the reason I left then wasn’t so much because of what she said.”

Rose kneels down to his level. “Oh? Then why?”

“Because… she changed. Auriel was her pride and joy. Twilight didn’t need me holding her back any longer.”

Arc frowns. “Spike, I doubt Twilight thinks of Auriel as your replacement.”

“She was pretty impressed by her back then, Arc.”

“Just because you make a new friend doesn’t mean you forget about your old ones.”

“Yeah. I know Twilight didn’t mean to do what she did. But it still hurt.”

Rose appears to be thinking.

“I’d like your opinion on something, Spike.”

“What is it?”

“Do you think Auriel thinks the same of me?”

Arc looks over to Rose. “Same of you?”

“I mean… am I a replacement to her? Do you think she hates me?!”

Spike shakes his head. “No Rose. Twilight made you for Arc, remember?”

“I do remember. But BEING the replacement doesn’t feel any better.”

“Better? Than what?”

“Being replaced.”

They stand there for a moment in silence.

Arc puts his hand on Rose’s shoulder. “Twilight made you to be a companion for me originally. But you’re free to do what you want now. Remember?”

Spike raises an eyebrow. “She’s what now?”

“My directives were deleted, Spike. I’m no longer bound by my programing to remain with Arc.”

“So… how does that feel? Freedom, I mean! I bet it’s great!”

Rose sighs. “It’s actually kinda scary.”

“How?”

“Before now, if I wasn’t sure what to do, I could always turn to those around me for guidance and direction. Now I’m like a boat cut loose from a dock.”

Arc smiles at her. “Rose, you may be free, but you’ll never be alone and abandoned. Twilight and I care about you and your future. While we both know that one day you’ll probably strike out on your own, that’s just part of being a parent.”

“Is it?”

“Yes. Think about it this way. Someday Dinky will grow up, move out, meet someone special, and maybe have a family of her own. But even then I’ll never stop being her father.”

Spike smiles. “That’s a nice analogy, Arc. Do you think it’s the same for Twilight?”

“I guarantee it, Spike. She’s not perfect. No parent is. But we try our very best to take care of our children and teach them.”

“And Rose?”

Rose shakes her head. “There’s only so much that can be programed. I’ve learned much from mother and Arc since my activation.”

“Twilight designed her to replace Cherry and one day become my wife. But I don’t really see her as a potential mate or lover.”

“What then?”

Arc thinks for a moment.

“To me she’s kinda like… a younger sister.”

“I’m… not sure how I feel about that.”

“Something wrong?”

“It might just be residual programing that has yet to be purged. You see, I have this strange feeling about you, Arc.”

Spike grins. “Love?”

Rose shakes her head. “No. It is similar though. I’ve been trying to place it for some time now.”

Arc nods. “Can you describe it?”

“I guess it’s like… a warm, happy feeling whenever I’m with you. Like a sunny day.”

“That sounds kinda like friendship to me.”

Spike nods. “Yeah!”

“Is that bad?!”

Arc shakes his head. “I don’t think so, Rose. Whatever you’re feeling is exactly what you’re supposed to feel. But in any case we should keep moving. It’s chilly out here.”

Cherry calls out. “Arc? Shouldn’t you put on your armor? You won’t be able to call for it when we get to the village.”

Arc sighs. “I’ve been thinking about whether or not I should do that. Tempest might see it as me coming to get her.”

“I understand that. But your safety should come first!”

Spike nods. “Yeah Arc! Who knows what’s going to happen from here on out!”

“My sensors may not function properly as we go on. You’re better off staying armed and armored, Arc.”

“I suppose so.”

Arc calls forth his armor and spear. He then turns to continue walking.

“Let’s keep moving.”

“Arc?”

He turns back to look at Rose. “Yes?”

“I… it’s nothing.”

The trio keeps walking for some time. Eventually they come to the overgrown road. Spike holds open an old map.

“That’s odd. The map doesn’t show anything out here. Rose?”

Rose shakes her head. “Mother programed me with a number of maps. Even some very old ones. Nothing shows up on any of them though.”

Arc frowns. “Why would someone go to so much trouble to hide this place?”

Spike looks up nervously. “Not only that. Who?”

Rose thinks for a moment. “I don’t know who could be so affluential as to be able to do such a thing other than…”

Her words trail off.

“Rose?”

“I hate to suggest this, but… the only logical conclusion is that princesses themselves were responsible for this.”

Spike’s eyes grow wide. “What?! But what reason would they have for doing something like that?!”

“I agree with Spike. Luna would have said something back at the castle if she knew anything.”

“She may not have if the secret was important.”

Spike looks around nervously. “Then why didn’t she try to stop us from coming out here?”

“That would have made it even more enticing. Remember, she can’t force Arc not to do what he wants.”

Arc sighs. “True. But I trust Luna not to keep something THAT important from me. Especially knowing that Tempest is here. I mean, I’m a reasonable guy. She knows that if there was something that really needed to be hidden out here, I’d back off.”

“Me too!”

Rose points down the path. “I suppose there’s only one way to figure this out.”

Arc sighs. “Yup. Let’s keep moving.”

Sometime later the ruins of Stableton come into view. Spike gasps.

“There really is a town out here!”

“You thought I made it up?”

Spike shakes his head. “Not ‘made up’. But maybe hallucinated or dreamed it. Sorry, Arc.”

“Apology accepted.”

He looks around the silent ruins.

“We should probably head over to Tempest’s old house. See if she’s around.”

They begin walking down the overgrown street together. Rose looks in all directions.

“This is strange to me. Seeking out this particular pony intentionally.”

Arc nods. “I heard a saying when I was a child. It went something like ‘sometimes, the closer we are to danger, the further we are from harm’.”

Spike raises an eyebrow. “What does that mean?!”

“It means that having Tempest in sight and with us is infinitely safer than not knowing where she is.”

“Is that like ‘keep your friends close, and your enemies closer’?”

“Exactly, Rose.”

Spike looks around at the run-down buildings. “So… which one is Tempest’s?”

“It’s a small house that looks to be a bit more maintained than the others.”

Arc turns to Rose.

“You picking up anything on your scanners?”

“There is only one lifeform in town.”

Spike shudders. “One guess who THAT is!”

“Where is she?”

Rose points. “At the end of the street and to the right.”

“That’s Tempest’s house. Well, let’s get this over with.”

They walk down the street together. Arc turns to Spike.

“Stay behind me, okay?”

Spike nods nervously. “No arguments there!”

“And if she comes at us, run!”

“What?! But I…!”

Rose looks over to him. “Please, Spike. Don’t argue with Arc on this.”

Spike sighs. “Fine.”

Arc stops in front of the familiar house. As they walk toward the door Rose frowns.

“This is odd.”

“What is?”

“The lifeform’s location.”

Spike looks confused. “Why’s that? Isn’t she inside?”

“No. But I believe my scanners must be malfunctioning. They show her right above…”

Rose is cut short as Tempest drops down in front of Arc from above. She knocks him across the street and through a run-down building with a well-placed buck to the gut. Spike runs across the street toward the other building.

“ARC!”

Rose takes up a defensive position, angrily. “That… was a mistake!”

Tempest rolls her eyes. “Oh great. Another one of those… whatever kind of animal Arc is. Shouldn’t you be worried about him or something?”

Rose does not take her eyes off Tempest. “He’s fine.”

Tempest smiles wickedly. “A beast who understands acceptable losses? Interesting. I…”

Her words are cut short as Rose rushes forward and punches her in the face. Tempest flies into a nearby tree. She looks up, bewildered.

“That was… unexpected.”

Rose frowns. “You have no idea whom you’re dealing with.”

Tempest stands up. “Funny. I was about to say the same thing to YOU!”

Tempest rushes headlong at Rose. She sidesteps to allow Tempest to pass her. Grabbing a handful of the mare’s tail Rose pulls it taunt and slams Tempest to the ground a few times before throwing her aside.

“Give up?”

Tempest stands up. “NEVER!”

Rose smiles. “I thought you’d say that.”

Meanwhile, Spike hurries over to the building Arc hit and rushes inside.

“ARC! Where are you?!”

The slight movement of a pile of debris catches Spike’s eye. He runs over and starts digging. A few moments later the corner of Arc’s cape is found. Spike taps Arc’s armor with a claw.

“Uh… you okay?”

Arc rolls over onto his back and stares up at the ceiling.

“What… happened?”

“Tempest got the jump on you. Literally.”

Arc sits up. “I see. Where did she go?”

Spike points a claw toward the door. “Her and Rose are going at it outside.”

Arc jumps to his feet. “WHAT?! We have to help her!”

Spike runs over to Arc’s spear and picks it up. “Wait! You’ll need this!”

He tosses the Spear of Righteousness to Arc.

“Thanks! You stay here!”

“Gotcha!”

Arc steps out onto the street just in time to see Tempest and Rose charging one another. Tempest’s weapon, Light’s Bane, and Rose’s L-Blade come together above their heads as Arc holds them both back with his spear.

“Hold on just a minute! I think there’s been a bit of a misunderstanding.”

Rose steps back but keeps her blade at the ready. “I don’t believe so, Arc. Tempest clearly attacked you!”

Tempest rests Light’s Bane over her shoulder. “You came here for a fight, Arc! Didn’t you?!”

“Not really, no.”

“Says the beast in full battle armor.”

Rose frowns. “Well, we WERE visiting YOU!”

Spike pokes his head out the door. “Yeah! Your reputation isn’t the greatest, Tempest!”

Arc rolls his eyes. “Not helping, Spike!”

“Fine. Why DID you come here then?”

“I may have found something on what happened to this town.”

Tempest narrows her eyes. “Have you now? I find that very hard to believe.”

Spike hurries toward Arc. “If you don’t want to hear about it, we could go! Right Arc?!”

“I suppose so. But I certainly would like to figure this mystery out.”

Tempest nods and turns back toward her house. “Follow me.”

Arc follows Tempest with Rose and Spike behind him. They enter her small home together. A warm fire burns in the fireplace. The glow of it shows the room in complete shambles. Furniture is overturned and there are gouges in the walls. Rose looks around.

“This room bears the signs of a recent battle.”

Spike frowns. “I guess somepony like you has many enemies, Tempest.”

Tempest raises her spear to battle-ready position. “More than you know, dragon! We’re not alone!”

Arc holds up his own spear. “Whoever did this is still here?!”

“Yes! Stay alert! They’re crafty!”

No one moves as they listen intently. Suddenly Tempest’s ears prick up. She hurls her spear at a nearby cabinet effortlessly piercing it. Spike peeks out from behind Rose.

“Did she… get it?”

Tempest slowly approaches the cabinet. “Stay alert! It’s tricked me before!”

She reaches for her spear. Upon grabbing it however something leaps out and rushes at insane speed into the shadows. Tempest growls.

“ARGH! Not again!”

Arc frowns. “What was that?!”

“My scanners show it to be a ‘Tamias striatus’.”

“A what?”

Spike facepalms. “A squirrel.”

Arc turns back to Tempest who has reclaimed her spear. “You mean to tell me all this damage was done by a SQUIRREL?!”

Tempest’s eyes dart around the room. “Yes! Now let me concentrate on locating and defeating my foe!”

Rose points toward the Kitchen. “It’s under the sink.”

Tempest runs toward the sink and slashes at it. “Take that!”

Again the squirrel runs to the other side of the room to find another hiding place.

“Behind the bookshelf.”

Tempest knocks the shelf over. Books fall to the floor randomly. Spike jumps back at such a sight.

“WOAH!”

The squirrel again flees. Tempest looks to Rose.

“Did you see where it went?!”

“Certainly. Now it’s…”

Arc shakes his head. “Rose, stop!”

“Huh?”

Spike frowns as he crosses his arms over his chest. “Yeah! She’ll destroy the whole place!”

“It has to be stopped!”

Arc sighs. “Uh… why don’t you leave this to me, Tempest?”

Tempest scoffs. “Are you joking?! You don’t have the same fighting spirit I do!”

“Well then, you can watch me fail.”

Tempest shakes her head. “By all means. I could use some entertainment.”

Spike turns to Arc. “Can I help?”

“You know a lot about animals?”

“Sure! I help Fluttershy care for her friends all the time!”

Tempest rolls her eyes. “This is not ‘caring for’, whelp. It’s HUNTING!”

“So you have an idea, Spike?”

“I do! Can everyone go stand over there please?”

Spike points a claw toward the Kitchen. Arc and Rose do so as Tempest follows, sighing.

“Waste of time.”

“Give him a chance, Tempest.”

“Fine. Whatever.”

Spike looks to Rose. “Where’s the squirrel?”

“Behind the couch.”

“I’ll handle this.”

Spike slowly walks around the couch. He quickly spots the frightened squirrel.

“Hey there little guy. I won’t hurt you. “

The squirrel slowly walks toward Spike as he extends a claw.

“See? We’re friends here.”

A few minutes later Spike walks toward the door. The squirrel follows him closely. Spike opens the door to let his new friend out.

“There you go. I’m glad we had this talk.”

The squirrel nods and scurries out the door. Spike closes it and walks back to the others.

“There you go!”

“Impressive, I suppose.”

Rose nods. “That really was quite interesting, Spike. What did you do?”

“I just had a talk with him. Turns out him and his family have lived in this town for generations!”

Arc raises an eyebrow. “You got all that from a squirrel?”

“Yup.”

Rose appears confused. “How?!”

You just have to speak their language.”

Tempest frowns as she puts away her weapon. “My spear can translate.”

Arc looks around. “Well, you see how well that went.”

Tempest sighs. “Darn squirrel.”

Rose glares at her. “YOU did all this! Not the squirrel!”

Tempest sets the table upright. “That’s what happens to those who cross me.”

Arc shakes his head. “Really? Look around you Tempest? This fight was more than just between the two of you.”

Spike picks up a broken picture frame. “Yeah. Your furniture paid the price for…”

Tempest gallops over to Spike and grabs the picture from him.

“Give me that!”

“He’s right, you know. Justify your actions in your head any way you want to, but the truth is all around you.”

Tempest is silent for a time as she sets up an end table and put the picture inside.

“You going to help me clean this mess up?”

Arc nods. “I suppose we can.”

“I’ll lend a hand.”

Spike sighs. “So will I.”

A short time later the house is put back into order. Arc looks around.

“That’s better.”

Tempest turns to Arc. “Good. Now let’s have a little chat, shall we?”

She gestures to her kitchen table.

“Have a seat, everypony.”

They do so. Tempest glares at Arc.

“Alright. Start talking! What did you learn?!”

Rose reaches into her pocket and pulls out the rock. Arc takes it from her and sets it in the middle of the table. Tempest narrows her eyes as she looks at Arc.

“I do hope you realize wasting my time makes me quite angry.”

“We took this from a temple far to the south of Equestria.”

“And…?”

“And it seals magic.”

Tempest picks up the stone and frowns. “This little thing couldn’t seal anything! Do you take me for a fool, Arc?!”

Spike looks confused. “Why not?”

“For one thing, it’s far too small. For the effects to take hold would require significantly more mass than you have here.”

Rose nods. “The entire temple was made of this.”

Tempest’s pupils shrink as she drops the rock onto the table.

“…what?!”

“It’s true. It didn’t take long for those of us who entered to figure out that our magic was gone.”

“So nopony could cast even a simple spell there?!”

Arc shakes his head. “No. Not even a Light Spell worked.”

“Just like here! But what does that have to do with my parents and the other villagers?”

“I believe there may be another structure around here like the southern temple.”

Rose nods. “Ahuizotl did say there were other storehouses around the land. You think one of them is here, Arc?”

“It makes sense.”

Tempest frowns. “Do you think I’d miss something as large as TEMPLE?!”

Arc shrugs. “Um… everyone makes mistakes.”

Spike smiles nervously. “Maybe we should look around the town! There might be something you missed!”

Tempest rolls her eyes. “Search if you want. But if you could find anything, I’d be most impressed.”

Arc stands up. “It’s worth a shot. Let’s go.”

Tempest shakes her head as they head for the door.

“All you’ll find out there is a cold!”

Arc shrugs as he closes the door behind them. “Maybe. But we’ll leave no stone unturned.”

The trio spend the rest of the day searching each building carefully. Spike looks around yet another house with Arc and Rose.

“This is creepy!”

Arc calls out from an adjoining room. “How so?”

“All these houses. It’s clear nopony planned to disappear! I mean, there’s no evidence of any kind of a struggle, breaking and entering, or hurried packing!”

Rose nods. “Yes. No one has set foot in any of these dwellings for many years.”

Cherry sighs. It’s an odd feeling. Us being here going through other’s homes.”

Arc shuts the bedroom door. “Agreed. I’m sure Tempest has searched these rooms numerous times herself.”

Spike looks confused. “Then what are we doing here?!”

“In the off chance she missed anything.”

“Doesn’t look like she did.”

Arc nods. “Right.”

He turns to Rose.

“Do your scanners show anything?”

“They show many things. Can you be more specific?”

“Any clues as to how the victims were taken?”

Rose shakes her head. “No. However as this event took place many years ago, that is to be expected. Sorry.”

Arc sighs. “It’s not your fault.”

Cherry calls out. “The sun is beginning to set, Arc. We should get back to the Winsome Falls.”

Spike looks around nervously. “Yeah! Or at least put some distance between ourselves and this place!”

Arc looks back toward the front door. “Well, let’s go back to Tempest’s house and tell her of our failure.”

Rose frowns. “Why? So she can rub it in our faces?”

“No. But I want to talk to her again.”

Spike raises an eyebrow. “Why?”

“I still think she knows something.”

“Like what?”

“A clue that could help us. Maybe she knows something without KNOWING she knows it.”

“Huh?”

Arc sighs. “Sorry. I can’t think of any other way to say it. Let’s get moving.”

Spike nods nervously. “Y-yeah.”

Rose turns to the baby dragon as they step onto the street. “Scared of Tempest?”

“A little.”

Rose extends a hand. “Come on, Spike. If she comes after us, I’ll hit her again.”

Spike looks relieved as he takes Rose’s hand. “Thanks.”

Arc looks back. “You did pretty well against her earlier. At least I think you did.”

Cherry giggles. “How could you tell, Arc. We were blown into the Saloon!”

“Rose hadn’t taken any major hits that I could see.”

Rose nods. “She never laid a hoof on me.”

“Yes, well… let’s not start any fights now.”

“Understood, Arc. But if she starts one, I’ll certainly finish it!”

“Fine. Just remember she’s unkillable.”

Rose narrows her eyes. “Nothing is truly immortal, Arc.”

Spike shudders. “That may be. But she’s darn close!”

Arc nods. “Agreed, Spike. But one day I’ll have to find a way to stop her permanently.”

“How?”

“I have no idea.”

Comments

[Kamahido]

10333063
Ember was fine in the temple, other than the loss of her magic. It would stand to reason that Spike would be too. However... whose to say there aren't other dangers in Stableton.

[Booster Spice]

People dont look up a lot less than they look down, but then, they can often miss things that are far too large than they expected as well.

They cant see the temple the town is built on, because the town is built On the temple?

As for Tempest Immortal, can always give her to the Pyramids.

Causal loop.

[Kamahido]

10336432
Not quite. But you are close.

Have no fear, as you'll have your answer in a few days.