The Equestrian Odyssey - A Tale of Two Worlds

by Kamahido

Preface - Volume 32 - Nomads

In our previous volume, Twilight awakens in Luna’s hooves. Understandably unnerved she screams out in surprise. Luna awakens and convinces the Hoof Maiden that her lover suffers from nightmares. The pair rise, sit tea, and eat cookies as the other Hoof Maidens prepare the bathroom for them. Twilight and Luna shower together before getting into the bathtub. Ordering the others out of the room, Luna and Twilight soak together for a time. Stepping out of the tub, they are dried before being led to another section of the bathroom with massage tables. Several mares oil the pair before moving down to their flanks. Having no previous experience with such an intimate act, Twilight passes out for a few minutes. Awakening, their manes are done before leaving to eat breakfast in the next room. Luna explains how dream entering works, and agrees to allow Twilight to come with her in ‘delves’. Confessing that the real reason she became Nightmare Moon was due to so many ponies fantasizing about having sex with her sister, Luna admits that to be the reason for her daily cleaning rituals.

Twilight’s friends begin their journey into the forests of Equestria. Deciding to that each party should stick together, they each take a path. Meanwhile, Arc and Snowflake awaken in the barn. Finding Sunshine next to them, she asks Snowflake to head to the house for breakfast and a jar. Arc wastes no time getting her into the tub out back to help heal (and hide) her extreme sexual bruising. Later, he and Snowflake head out to forage. Asking the filly what the best ingredient for salve is, Arc is told of Equusroot. Learning it is guarded by a basilisk, he discovers a way to retrieve it by walking slowly and quietly rather than running in haphazardly. As he reaches the plant, Arc finds a basilisk spine which he shoves into his shirt for later. Carefully pulling the plant from the dirt he places it in his pack before slowly making his way back to the forest and Snowflake. Announcing his idea to harvest the plant’s seeds, the pair head for home.

Dinky and her friends reappear in the Hayseed Forest. Running into a pack of Timberwolves, they make quick work of them before taking refuge in a hollow tree trunk. After whittling away their unnecessary supplies, they decide to take a walk around the perimeter of their night’s lodgings. A snake shoots Sereb with a poison barb, disabling him as the fillies try to protect him. After Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle are hit, Dinky throws her father’s guardanium knife at it. With it’s last bit of strength, the snake shoot her with a barb as it dies. Dinky and her friends hold hooves as they lose consciousness. Meanwhile, Arc and Snowflake arrive back home with their prizes. Showing the Equusroot and basilisk spine to Shadow, he congratulates them on a job well done. Sending them up to bed, Arc helps Snowflake out the window and enters via the front door for the door. Arriving just in time to see Shadow preparing to penetrate his wife, Arc grabs the food and hurries back to the barn with it. Feeding Snowflake, he puts her to bed and listens to the sounds coming from the cottage until they die down. Returning to check on Sunshine, he finds her lying on the kitchen floor in a puddle of blood, semen, and urine. After cleaning her up a bit, he carries her to the barn for the night.

Dinky awakens in an unfamiliar room, bandaged and in extreme pain. As she cries out a mare run into the room. Identifying herself as Doctor Lighthoof, she explains that they were found by a town patrol near a dead predatory snake. After helping Dinky outside to release Sereb, they head to Apple Bloom’s room. They find her lying in bed as Sweetie Belle joins them as well. Explaining they are in a town called ‘Safe Haven’ Lighthoof returns their things that were recovered. Pulling out the sack of food, Dinky gives it to the doctor to help feed the town. She hurries out to give it to their chief. Meanwhile, Arc awakens next to Snowflake and Sunshine. Lifting the mare’s tail, he sees the damage to her genitals in the early morning light. Fetching a thermal bulb and some medicine from the cottage, he fills up the tub. Quietly picking her up, he carries the mare to the back of the barn and puts her in the hot water. Asking him and Snowflake to look for Lobelica Root, she tells Arc of her plans to put it in Shadow’s drink to preserve her backside. Reluctantly he agrees. As the sun rise, Twilight and Luna awaken. With nothing to do, Twilight convinces Luna to use her position to help make others happy. Deciding to watch Luna enter other’s dreams, Twilight happily looks forward to the new experience.

Arc and Snowflake emerge from the forest with two massive dead snakes. Snowflake and her mother convince Shadow to let them craft some leather armor for Arc. As he bathes, Sunshine thanks him for keeping Snowflake in the dark regarding her parent’s sexual habits. Meanwhile, Dinky and her friends wait in the doctors quarters. She returns with five bowls of soup from the vegetables Dinky donated. Asking her about the town’s origins, the doctor only says that the inhabitants are the descendants of the settlers and therefore don’t know the story. That night, as Arc lays awake listening to the sounds of the couple in the cottage, a scream rings out. Running to the cottage, he finds Shadow thrashing frantically on top of Sunshine. Knocking the stallion out with a vase, he turns his attention to Sunshine. Taking her back to the barn with him, he puts the frightened mare to bed. Meanwhile, Dinky looks outside her hospital bed’s window. Spotting… something, she reports it to the doctor. Assuring her it is nothing and that they are safe, she puts Dinky back to bed before returning to her own room. Speaking to the village chief telepathically, she informs them of Dinky’s discovery. The chief assures her that matter has been dealt with and not to worry about it.

A few days later Arc and Snowflake bathe happily. Sunshine approaches with a new suit of armor for Arc. As he leaves Snowflake to dry, Arc enters the barn to dry and try on his armor. As he does so Sunshine reveals that she has been watching him. Asking to examine his body in greater detail, Arc refuses. Meanwhile, Dinky and her friends eat a supper of grass and leaves in Doctor Lighthoof’s quarters. They talk about doing something for the town, as food is so scarce. As they speak, Derpy, Rarity, and Applejack walk through the Foal Forest together searching for them. As they walk, Derpy asks how they’re doing in regards to the loss of Arc and the missing fillies. Applejack is convinced that Arc was killed, while Rarity still holds out hope. Spotting a statue up ahead, they run over to it and find half of Sweetie Belle’s saddlebags. The other search time, led by Rose, continues their journey through the Northern Hayseed Forest. Having found nothing but angry beasts, they speak of their future walk through the much more dangerous forest to the south with the others. As the sun sets, Twilight and Luna sit in her room, talking. Luna expresses her renewed happiness in her duties, what with Twilight by her side in the dreams. Confessing her and Arc’s intentions to form a herd, Luna informs Twilight that Celestia would not have agreed. After convincing her that she and her friends had thought the matter through a length, the pair begin their nightly duty of bringing ponies sweet dreams.

Derpy, Applejack, and Rarity arrive at the Four Seasons Hotel. The stallion at the front desk refuses to listen to them but calls Canterlot for verification. After learning that the mares are indeed on the level he orders them escorted to the Princess’ Suite. Arriving, the three bathe together in the luxurious bathroom. As the leave, the other team arrives at the room and moves to shower. As they do so, the first trio cooks a lavish lunch for everyone. Talking while they eat, the group learns of Sweetie Belle’s saddlebag being found near the strange looking statue. Describing it, Rose surmises it to be an example of a subspecies of ponies. Agreeing to venture into the Southern Hayseed Forest, they make preparations to leave the next morning. Meanwhile, Sunshine and Snowflake work together in the cottage. Snowflake asks her mother if she and Big Brother are more than just friends. Sunshine refutes, indirectly, the claims. She insists that everything she’s done is for her betterment. Confessing that she wishes her own father was more like Arc, Sunshine suggests they make a special supper. As the filly runs out the door to ask Arc if he likes potatoes, Sunshine begins hatching a plan.

One morning Ashe and Admiral Gaston meet Celestia and Decimus for breakfast in the castle. After making small talk for a time the officers leave together. Celestia turns to Ashe and expresses her desire to expand their current treaty. Meanwhile, Arc and Snowflake wake up to Sunshine standing over them. She requests that they gather some very specific reagents for a special customer. Hurrying to eat the pair leave the barn to carry out her request. The Mane Six and rest of the search party leave the Four Seasons Hotel and continue on their way. Rose is certain to inform them that their next destination will be quite dangerous. However everyone agrees that they cannot give up searching for the fillies. Decimus and Gaston reach his office together and compare notes. Assuring the admiral that everything is transpiring according to plan, Decimus tells him they need do little more than execute the plan as previously agreed upon.

Arc and Snowflake return from a hard day of foraging just as the sun goes down. Shadow tells Arc to bring the reagents directly to the shop. Arriving, he hands over the items to Sunshine. She begins mixing after taking a bit of his blood as a reagent. Explaining that it is a normal concoction of hers, he confides in Arc the fact that she needs it for Shadow to be able to impregnate her. As they leave the shop, two Crimsons fly down the road. Arc is able to stop them both, but Sunshine is accused of being a sympathizer. Defending her, Arc talks them out of the situation before escorting Sunshine home. Shadow tells them he’ll keep the show closed in retaliation for that night. Sometime later that night, Dinky awakens in her hospital bed. Hearing something outside, she and Sereb take the magic cloak outside. They witness a mare in a white cloak chastising a pair of stallions with leathery wings. Another with a crossbow, whom acted as their rescuer speaks with the mare before leaving. Dinky and Sereb return to the hospital room unsure of what exactly to do.

Arc and Snowflake return home after a hard day of foraging. After bathing, Sunshine asks Arc to retrieve the potion she left at the shop the other day. Doing so, he brings it back to the cottage just as the food finishes cooking. Over supper they talk about reopening the shop the next day. As Shadow pours himself a tankard, Arc takes Snowflake upstairs to sleep. Declining to go to the barn, she falls asleep in her bed as Arc lies on the floor. Not hearing the normal sounds from downstairs, Arc muses on the matter as Sunshine comes upstairs. Asking for Arc’s help in putting Shadow to bed, he carries the stallion to his room before returning to the main room with Sunshine. Finding the tankard full, the mare confesses that she put a sleeping potion in her husband’s food as well as Snowflake. Informing him that she drank from the fertility potion, Sunshine tells Arc that she also put some in his food to make him more fertile as well. Running to the barn, Arc secures the door as Sunshine gets in through a window. Insane with heat from the potion, she attempts to force herself on Arc before he calls out loudly for her to stop. Coming back to her senses momentarily, Sunshine tells Arc to tie and gag her for the night. Doing so, Arc holds her tight as she muddles through the intense heat.

Awakening the next morning, Arc unties Sunshine and puts her in the bathtub to wash off they smell of last night. She apologizes for her actions and volunteers to keep quiet about whom the father of her foal is. Arc explains that he didn’t ravish her the previous night, which confuses her. Offering to allow him to mate with her later, Arc refuses on the grounds of general principal. Meanwhile, Dinky and her friends awaken. She tells them of what happened last night and their need to leave at once. Returning to Light’s Hope via sigil, Dinky visits her father’s memorial to ‘speak’ with him. Asking for a lead on where to go next she spots the fragment of Eidolon’s Ward on the memorial. Nodding, she returns to the others. They head for the kitchen and begin removing food from the pantry. As they do so Arc’s squad enters the kitchen. Telling the stallions of their intentions, they agree to allow their food to be taken. Dinky and her friends head to Derpy’s house where the filly finds a note from her mother. Reading the words of encouragement, Dinky picks up a pencil and writes her own letter to leave for Derpy.

Returning to Light’s Hope via sigil, the fillies knock over all the food when they return. Restacking it with the aid of Arc’s squad, Dinky hops up on the pile and activates the sigil. As she reappears back in the hospital room, the pile shift and she crashes to the floor, again. Hearing the crash Doctor Lighthoof hurries in. Surprised at all the food before her, she is more surprised when Dinky opens a portal and her friends walk out of it. Telling the mare that she’s donating the food to the town, Dinky and company leave town via portal as Lighthoof leaves to tell their chief about the new development. Meanwhile, Dinky steps out of the portal with her friends at the Winsome Falls. Heading to Stableton, they make their way to Tempest’s house together. Arriving, Tempest angrily greets them before inviting everyone inside to talk. Telling her of their intentions, Tempest leaves via dark portal. Returning a short time later with a sack, she tosses it to Dinky. Opening it she finds her father’s helmet. Speaking with Cherry, she confirms that Arc was indeed murdered by Celestia. Intrigued, Tempest agrees to accompany the group on their mission in an effort to repay Arc for his past actions.

Tempest leads Dinky and her friends through the forest. Eventually they arrive at the Nightborn Citadel. Announcing them, they are approached by the Speaker, second in command to the Listener. Explaining their need to use an artifact known as the All-Seeing Eye, Cherry (through Dinky) is able to strike a bargain to secure a meeting with the Listener. Arriving, the stallion orders everyone out of the room other than Dinky and the helmet. Dinky, calling out her biological father, lies and tells him that she has told no one of his identity. Offering to give him all the credit of their future mission, he agrees to lend them the artifact on the condition that he comes along to safeguard it. Dinky begrudgingly agrees and the bargain in struck. The trio spend the next several hours there as Moonlit Dusk interviews Cherry.

Meanwhile, Arc and Snowflake walk through the forest toward home. Arc questions Snowflake about her family life. She confesses that she knows what her parents are doing and disagrees with how her father treats her mother. Asking how she would like things to be different, Arc realizes that all the filly wants is to be in a loving family. Returning to the house, Arc and Snowflake find it empty. Heading to the shop alone, Arc gives Sunshine the reagents. Agreeing to help her leave her abusive husband and the town behind, the mare gathers enough ingredients to make sleeping potions and whatnot. Arriving, she tells Arc to rest and prepare himself for the journey as she heads to the house. Snowflake enters and tells him that her father needs something from the shop. They head out to fetch it, but Snowflake accidently knocks over a couple jars. Volunteering to clean it up, he sends the filly home with the item needed. However when she arrives, Snowflake hears her parents arguing. Seeing Sunshine slap her father, he bucks her into a shelf before pushing it over onto her. Running inside the filly tries to help her mother, but is not strong enough. Telling Snowflake to find Arc, she runs out the door and back to town. Stopping only briefly to ask others for help, they turn away. Reaching the store, Snowflake tells Arc hurriedly of what happened before the pair run out the door together.

Passing an unconscious Shadow, Arc hurries into the cottage with Snowflake. Carefully lifting the shelves off of the mare, he frees her from its grasp. Only then do they notice the copious amounts of blood snaking away from her. Picking Sunshine up, Arc rushes her to the hospital. The doctor immediately sends her to surgery, but is unable to save her. Informing Arc and Snowflake that Sunshine had been paralyzed and several major arteries cut, the pair go to see the mare. Finding her in the bed, Snowflake talks to her as she is unable to process her mother’s death. As the orderlies come to take her away, Snowflake runs out of the room. Arc follows her back to the scene of the crime. Putting her to bed, they are awakened by the guards and mayor pounding at the door. Informing them that Shadow has escaped the cage, they notice that the barn is now ablaze. Snowflake runs inside to save Arc’s armor… the last her mother had made. Spotting Shadow on the roof of the house, they call for him to come down. Revealing himself to be a Crimson as he transforms, the stallion flies off into the woods. Arc and Snowflake give chase on the orders of the mayor. Catching up to the stallion in the clearing some distance away, he confesses that his true reason for buying Arc, and training Snowflake, was to give himself a real challenge in battle. Arc and Shadow trade blows for a time before Shadow gains the upper hand and stabs Arc in the gut. Hitting him over and over again, Snowflake finally attacks her father, knocking him away. Arc looks up just in time to warn her of her father’s counter-attack. He goes back to beating Arc as Snowflake spots the knife nearby. Raising his own blade, Shadow prepares to finish off Arc.

As Shadow prepares to kill Arc, Snowflake slides her friend’s dropped knife to him through the grass. Grabbing it, Arc stabs Shadow in the chest before losing consciousness himself. Shadow berates his daughter for not being able to kill him herself before dying. As she mourns her father’s death Arc calls out to her weakly as he himself clings to life. Telling her to run to safety, Arc passes out yet again. Wanting to save her friend, Snowflake looks up at the moon and transforms into a Crimson. Kneeling down over Arc, she bites his neck to inject a toxin into his body. As she finishes the mayor along with the Town Guard burst into the clearing and tackle her. Finding Shadow dead and Arc slowly regenerating, they attempt to take Snowflake back to the village as a prisoner. Arc awakens and stops them before being escorted back to the mayor’s office with Snowflake. The mayor tells them or the New Beginnings Orphanage in Vanhoover and asks Arc to take her there. Snowflake attempts to order Arc to stay with her as his mistress. However, as she is significantly weaker mentally Arc is not only able to resist her, but overpower he will to make her his thrall instead. After promising to leave the village forever that night Arc and Scootaloo return to the cottage and find Shadow’s traveling gear. After gathering their own things they hold a private funeral in her parent’s bedroom as the dead mare and stallion are tucked into bed by their daughter for the final time. After saying a few words to them, the pair leave the cottage together. Scootaloo takes the familiar lantern and throws it into the building, effectively setting it ablaze. Hoping up on a rock, she stands next to Arc as they watch it burn. Telling him of her birth name, Snowflake reveals that she was originally known as… ‘Scootaloo’.

However, many questions yet remain. Was Luna really that bothered that no one fantasized about her? Why is Sunshine such a masochist? No, seriously… that’s just an obscene amount of sexual punishment. Will Twilight and Luna become something more than fake lovers? What kind of potion is Sunshine asking for? Have Decimus and Gaston really won? What are the citizens of Safe Haven really up to? Was Sunshine really that desperate to have another foal? What is the squad doing back at Light’s Hope? What’s Tempest’s angle? How the heck did Moonlit Dusk get so high up in the Nightborn hierarchy? Why did Shadow DO that?! Did Shadow really just want to die? What adventures lie in store out there for Arc and his new thrall?

Time will tell. Sooner of later… time will tell.

Comments

[KiTarn]

Saw a small error at the start of one paragraph.
Arc and Snowball return home after a hard day of foraging.
Snowflake turned into Snowball? 😁

[Kamahido]

11063898
Thanks. I've fixed it.