Book 1 - The Behemoth came to Canterlot

by Equimorto

Multiple Inheritance

The customary boom woke up those last citizens who still hadn't left their beds. There was always a boom midway through the morning, and occasionally a few smaller ones in the late afternoon. At most they'd counted seven, and there were always at least three when it did happen.

"Is she still out there?" somewhat loudly asked a stallion, walking up the stairs to a balcony.

"Sure is," answered another who was already there, leaning against the railing.

The first joined him at his side, and they both stared towards the horizon. Occasionally one could see some red bolts of lightning spreading from there, but it wasn't a consistent thing.

The mare had arrived in the town preceeded by letters as formal as they were vague, but all bearing Princess Twilight's seal. That had been enough to convince the citizens to let whatever needed to happen happen. If it was for the good of Equestria, it was worth it, and it was hard to imagine the worst outcome could be any worse than what the Behemoth itself had already done.

The mare hadn't spent much time in the town. Only a few had seen her, even fewer had heard her speak those few words she'd said. She'd headed towards the horizon after picking up a set of rations, and midway through the morning after the first boom had been heard. Most had been scared by it, until the mayor had come to announce that there was nothing to worry about. That it was just the mare, acting within Princess Twilight's permissions. A few had taken on a dislike for the mare, mostly those whose sleep tended to stretch out through the morning.

The mare came back once every week. A few more had seen her the first time she'd done so, a couple more had heard her speak. But it was never a good look or a good listen that the citizens got. She always spoke quietly, and always hid her head low under her hat. A peculiarly large hat, and one that would have looked flashy had it not been covered in dirt and dust. The same went for her cape. It was the kind of dirty clothes got when passing through the dry lands near the town, the kind citizens were used to see on travellers.

The weeks passed, the mare kept up her routine of visits, and soon the town built its own habits around hers. There was always a small crowd when the mare came to get new rations. One could not blame the citizens, there were few other events worth nothing in their routines. And the crowd had murmurs running through it. About who the light blue mare could be. About whether she was an earth pony or a pegasus or a unicorn, an ongoing question that had a number of bets tied to it. And, mostly, about what exactly she was doing.

But no one ever got a chance to go check on that. Even if Princess Twilight hadn't forbidden approaching the mare when she was out of the town, which she had, the booms and the occasional flashes of light would have been enough to keep the citizens away. They weren't that bored of their lives, after all.

Comments

[FanOfMostEverything]

Most curious. Rainboom research? But for what reason? And that's assuming it's the most obvious candidate.

[Speckle]

10403460
Actually, I think that's Trixie