Chapter 7 - Breakout
Arc and Snowflake walk toward the outbuilding. Snowflake has completely dried off and trots next to Arc happily.
“That feels much better!”
“Good. Um… I was just thinking…”
“Oh?”
“You didn’t take anything off before jumping into the tub. Won’t the water have a negative effect on your leather armor?”
“Probably over time, yes. But my mom says I’m growing fast enough that she has to make me new armor every year anyways. That and this set is already getting kinda tight on me.”
They reach the outbuilding. Shadow walks out holding the cockatrice by the legs minus the feathers. He tosses it to Arc.
“I got what I wanted from it. This thing’s all yours.”
“Thanks.”
“Help him build a fire behind the barn, Snowflake. That is unless he wants to just eat it raw.”
Arc grimaces. “No thanks. I think I’ll roast it first.”
“Better get to it if you want it to be ready by sundown. The mayor was by while you were cleaning up my daughter. He wanted to know if the town could borrow you to guard the town again tonight.”
“Can I assume you said ‘yes’?”
Shadow nods and rubs his hooves together. “I did. After we agreed upon a proper rental fee, that is.”
Snowflake groans. “Dad!”
“What? Have to earn a profit to offset the extra cost of feeding him, right?”
“So I’m back to my cage?”
“Pretty much. But it’s just for half the night. A few of the sentries are taking turns the rest of the time.”
“So when’s my shift start?”
“Sundown.”
Snowflake motions for him to follow. “Come on! Let’s get that bird cooking!”
Arc sighs and hurries after her. Reaching the back of the barn Snowflake grabs some firewood that is stacked nearby. Pulling the sparking rocks from her nearby saddlebags she gets a fire going. Arc sets up a makeshift spit as Snowflake pulls a small knife from her pack. He turns to her, confused.
“What are you doing?”
“We have to remove the head and organs before putting it over the fire.”
“Oh. I didn’t know that. Do you want me to…?”
“I can handle it.”
Snowflake deftly slices off the bird’s head and makes a long incision in its torso. Reaching inside she begins cutting. One by one the organs are put into a pile. Finishing her task, Snowflake gives the bird to Arc.
“Now you can put it on the spit.”
“Uh… thanks. But what about the organs?”
“My mom will want to render them down into soap. Waste not, want not is how we think in our village.”
“Makes sense not to waste what can be used.”
Arc puts the bird over the fire as Snowflake puts the organs in a nearby pot.
“I’ll just run these into the house real quick. Be right back.”
Nodding, Arc sits there and stares at the fire. The smell of the cockatrice cooking fills the air. Snowflake returns a few minutes later with some bottles. She walks over to the bird and pours some over it before turning to Arc.
“Seasonings.”
“Thanks. Have you done this before?”
“Kinda. My mom and I sometimes cook supper together. It isn’t meat, of course, but I can’t imagine it being much different. Sometime my dad and I make jerky too. That’s what these spices are for.”
“But I thought you didn’t eat meat.”
“We don’t. It’s used as bait for some of the larger creatures in the forest.”
“Bait?”
Snowflake nods. “My dad puts the jerky in a pile and waits in a tree overhead. When something big starts to eat, he pounces down and stabs them through the back of the neck with a spear. That way it’s over before it even starts.”
“But if you don’t eat the meat, what are the bigger creatures hunted for?”
“Teeth for weapons mostly. Hide is made into leather for armor and other things. The bones are used to reinforce parts of our armor. Meat is for more jerky for bait. Fat and organs are rendered down for soap.”
“Sounds efficient.”
“It’s a lot of work processing something as big as a manticore. But the supplies it gives us are really worth it. “
“Then why did we let that manticore from earlier go?”
“Probably because we didn’t have the element of surprise. Like I said, my dad waits overhead with his spear and catches them off guard. He says it’s a LOT easier and safer to catch them that way and kill them with one blow.”
“Makes sense. After all, the back doesn’t have claws and teeth.”
“Right.”
Sometime later Arc pulls the bird off the spit and tastes it.
“Not too bad.”
Snowflake eyes the meat. “It smells… interesting.”
“Want a bite?”
Snowflake shakes her head vehemently. “No thanks!”
Arc shrugs. “Suit yourself.”
As he eats, Shadow walks around the corner of the barn.
“Smells like someone’s eating well tonight.”
He turns to Snowflake.
“Your mother says supper will be ready in about five minutes. Go wash up.”
“Okay, dad.”
“And no sneaking out tonight or your mother will have a fit.”
Snowflake sighs. “Yes sir.”
Shadow looks to the remains of the bird as Arc finishes his meat.
“Filled up now?”
Arc nods. “Yeah. Thanks for the chicken.”
“It was a cockatrice.”
“Oh… right. Sorry, but it just tastes like chicken. Well, most of it did anyways.”
“In any case, let’s get you down to the village before it gets too dark to see. You’ll be safe in the same cage as last time.”
Arc sighs as he stands. “Great…”
They walk toward town together. Coming to the cage Shadow opens it for him and gestures for him to enter.
“Your office.”
Rolling his eyes Arc steps inside. Shadow closes the door behind him and locks it.
“Be sure to call out if you see anything. I’ll get a bonus if you do.”
“I’ll see what I can do.”
Shadow nods and walks back the way he came. Arc sits down in the pile of hay and sighs.
“It’s going to be a long night without Snowflake here to talk to.”
He turns and watches the sun slowly setting.
“So this is my life now. Seems kinda simple, I guess. But I can’t help but think I left others behind somewhere.”
Before long ponies begin lighting torches all around the village. They slowly head inside for the evening as Arc looks around.
“And so starts my vigil.”
Sometime later the moon rises and the stars come out. Arc hears a rustling of leaves nearby. Turning, he seen nothing.
“Guess I’m just getting paranoid.”
Looking all around he listens intently, but hears nothing more. Shrugging, Arc continues his shift for some time. Eventually he spots some movement near one of the buildings.
“What… is that?”
Squinting, he gets as close to the bars as he is able. A small figure in a dark robe walks the deserted streets.
“Snowflake? What’s she doing out here?”
Watching intently Arc sees her pull out a key and open a door into what appears to be a shop of some kind.
“That must be the family store she keeps mentioning.”
A few minutes later the door bursts open and the Crimson from the other day runs out. Arc gasps.
“Oh no… CRIMSON! CRIMSON!!!”
Stallions rush out of nearby houses and look to the cage. Arc points a finger at the creature as it spreads its wings and takes off. Several townsponies throw spears at it, but to no avail. Shadow comes running down the path and over to the cage.
“What’d you see?!”
“A Crimson ran out of that building over there!”
“OUT?!”
“Right!”
“Did you see it go in?!”
Arc shakes his head. “No. But I did see someone a lot… smaller poking around the shop a few moment before the Crimson ran out.”
Shadow runs toward the building, pausing only briefly to draw his knife before cautiously entering. A few minutes later he slowly emerges with an unconscious Snowflake on his back. The mayor walks over and looks at the filly.
“Do you think she intentionally let it out, Shadow?”
“I don’t see how else it could have escaped. That and my daughter was supposed to be in bed.”
“The Crimson’s hold on her seems to be tightening! Perhaps it would be wise to…”
Shadow grits his teeth. “Don’t say it.”
“This can’t go on. You know it… I know it… we all know it. They’ve somehow infected her. Perhaps your wife…”
“Leave her out of this! I’m taking Snowflake home now!”
“Back to her bed?”
“Where else would I put her?”
“How about in there?”
The mayor points a hoof at Arc’s cage. Shadow frowns.
“You can’t be serious.”
“It’s for the good of the town. She and your wife either need to leave the village, or she needs to be locked up.”
“What if there was somepony watching her all the time? Someone we knew for sure wasn’t corrupted?”
“That would probably be for the best. But you can’t foalsit her all the time, what with having a full-time foraging job to think about.”
“I could have Sunrise keep her in the shop when I’m gone.”
“For all we know your wife is the culprit!”
“I keep telling you, she…!”
Shadow calms himself before glancing at the cage and looking to the mayor.
“What about that beast?”
The mayor rolls his eyes. “What about him?”
“He’s called out two Crimson sightings now.”
“What’s your point?”
“That he hasn’t been influenced by them. And if Snowflake were to be controlled again he’s strong enough to subdue her.”
“I suppose that’s true. Will he do it?”
“He belongs to me and will do whatever I tell him to.”
“Very well. But I’d like them both locked up together tonight… just in case.”
Shadow sighs. “…fine.”
He walks over to the cage and unlocks it. Opening the door he motions for Arc to follow him before looking to the mayor.
“I’ll lock them in my barn tonight. Is that high enough security for you?”
“Yes, that will do.”
With a nod, Shadow and Arc head down the path toward the cottage. Shadow grunts angrily.
“I can’t believe they suspect HER of doing this!”
Arc purses his lips. “Well, she did go in there.”
“Yes, but… the Crimsons have some kind of hold on… certain ponies in town.”
“Oh?”
“Snowflake at least. We’re assuming they have others, of course. But this is the first time there’s been any real proof.”
“So they were controlling her?”
“Yeah.”
“Is there any way to break the hold?”
Shadow shakes his head. “Other than to kill whoever’s doing it. And no we can’t just walk over to the Crimsons and ask.”
“So what happens now?”
“Like I said back there, you’re going to be Snowflake’s… keeper. I don’t want you to leave her alone. Wherever she goes, you go. Understand?”
“I think so.”
They arrive back at the homestead. Shadow leads Arc over to the barn and opens the door for him.
“Make her comfortable in there. Like I told the mayor, I’m locking you two in there for the night.”
Arc nods as he picks Snowflake up off her father’s back. “I’ll take care of her.”
“You do that.”
Arc enters the barn as Shadow closes and locks the door behind them. Walking carefully through the darkness, Arc comes to the makeshift bed. Carefully laying Snowflake down he pulls back her hood and puts two fingers on the side of her small neck.
“Asleep. I just hope she won’t freak out when she wakes up.”
Sitting with his back against the wall, Arc lays a hand on Snowflake’s robe as she shivers slightly.
“It’s okay. You’re not alone.”
Eventually Arc falls asleep. He dreams of bits and pieces of Ponyville and his friends. At some point his thoughts turn to a familiar light purple unicorn filly and her gray coated mother. Gasping, he opens his eyes. The sound of rain falling on the tin roof above rings out heavily and a peal of thunder rumbles in the darkness. Snowflake moans and sits up groggily.
“Ugh… what happened? Where…?”
“In the barn.”
“How…?”
“Your dad carried you home.”
Snowflake sounds confused. “What are you talking about? I walked to bed myself.”
“What’s the last thing you remember?”
“Going to sleep.”
“You don’t remember leaving the house?”
“No. Hey! Aren’t you supposed to be guarding the town!”
“I did.”
“But it’s still nighttime!”
“Yeah… about that… I saw you go into your parent’s store. The next thing I knew that Crimson your dad took the other day ran out.”
“What?! But who let it out?!”
“You did apparently.”
“No, I didn’t!”
“Well, the whole town thinks you did after your dad went inside to investigate and found you.”
Snowflake puts a hoof to her head. “This… this doesn’t make any sense! All I did was go to sleep in my own bed! The next thing I knew I was in here!”
She quickly stands up and walks toward the door.
“I’m going to go ask my dad what happened! There has to be a logical explanation to this!”
She pushes on the door, but it doesn’t budge.
“Must be stuck. Wanna give me a hoof?”
“It’s locked.”
“Why?!”
“You dad put the padlock on when he put us in here.”
“WHAT?!”
“The mayor insisted on it.”
“But… but I didn’t do anything WRONG!”
“Your dad said something about you being… controlled by a Crimson, or something. So I guess he thinks you’re innocent too.”
“Okay, that’s something. Did he say anything else?”
“Yeah… um… he ordered me to… watch you.”
“Watch… me?”
“If you get possessed again he said I’d be strong enough to stop you.”
Snowflake sighs and lays down in front of the barn door.
“So I’m a slave now too, huh?”
“No way! He just wants to make sure you don’t do anything that will make the villagers any more angry than they already are!”
“Really?”
“Right. They looked really upset back there. But I’ll do my best to see to it you’re safe at all times.”
“…thanks.”
“But we should probably get some sleep now. Nothing more to be done tonight.”
Snowflake stands and slowly walks back toward the makeshift bed. “Right. I… I’m just… really nervous about what’s going to happen to me now.”
“Like I said, I’ll watch out for you.”
“Against what?”
“Anything.”
“Even the villagers?”
Arc nods. “Sure. After all, you and I are the same now.”
“We are?”
“Right. Both of us have now done things we can’t remember.”
“I guess that’s true. Um… could you… stay by me tonight?”
“If you want me to, sure.”
Snowflake lies down on the makeshift bed next to Arc. He pats her head before leaning back against the wall
“Aren’t you going to lie down?”
“I think I’ll sit up a little while. Got some thinking to do.”
“Oh… okay.”
They are silent for a time. Eventually Snowflake sits up and turns to Arc.
“Hey, um…”
“Something wrong?”
“Not… exactly. I was just thinking about… what to name you. Any ideas?”
Arc shakes his head. “Nope. You?”
“Actually, yes. Now feel free to tell me this is a bad idea if you want, but… I was kinda thinking…”
She takes a deep breath before continuing.
“…Big Brother.”
“Oh? Why’s that?”
“Well, I’m an only foal. Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to have an older sibling. I know it sounds stupid, but…”
“I don’t think it’s stupid at all. We’re both feeling kinda alone right now. Let’s stick together through this, okay?”
Snowflake giggles. “Okay! We’ll do everything together!”
“That’s exactly what your dad told me to do. Stick with you and make sure you’re safe from the Crimsons and whatever else is out there.”
“Thanks! It’s going to be great having a big brother!”
“And I rather like the idea of having a little sister. But right now you need to get some sleep.”
“Aw… do I have to?”
Arc nods. “Yes, Snowflake. I’m sure tomorrow’s going to be a busy day after all.”
Snowflake yawns. “Okay. Good night, Big Brother.”
She puts her head down and closes her eyes. A short time later Arc hears her breathing slow and become more rhythmic. Sighing, he muses to himself.
“I wonder what really happened back there. None of this makes any sense. Snowflake had no reason to release that Crimson, but I know I saw her go in there. Like her dad said, she must’ve been controlled by someone. However, if there really is someone out the who can do that, aren’t we all at risk?”
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Control, or willing.
Control.
the plot thickens, this is turning in to a new mystery adventure :D
11004058
I wanted to take the story in a different direction. Meet some new characters, make new friends, and new enemies.
Buy magic or by Normal hypnosis?
11004213
It's a bit more complicated that that. You'll have to wait and see.