The mid-afternoon breeze tickled your face as you dozed against the tree line. It was boring, but there wasn’t much you could do while you waited for Amber to return from the nearby town. You had considered going with her, but knowing your luck you would have run smack into the Princess’ teahouse or some bullshit like that.
It had been a stroke of luck that you had found this town to start with, and you weren’t going to jeopardize a much-needed supply run. So Amber had gone in alone. There was that nagging question as to whether or not she’d come back, or send some strike force after you, but you had gotten better at ignoring it.
Things had calmed down considerably in the week after what you’d heroically faced down an entire army of ravenous, bloodthirsty, possible rabid Diamond Dogs. They hadn’t pursued you, and Pony Team Six were nowhere to be found. You weren’t sure if they had given up on you, or were just morons. Given your (admittedly limited) experience with the locals, you were leaning to the latter.
Not Amber, of course. She was brilliant. It had taken a bit of gently prying, but she had opened up impressively. Turns out buried beneath the fear and abuse she was adaptable, brave, and becoming more joyous by the day. She was smiling more, laughing, and didn’t seem to care she was essentially a wanted mare on the run with an interdimensional interloper. In fact, she seemed to relish in it. You couldn’t help but admire it, the way she could take all this in stride.
In the interest of keeping the smile on that adorable face, you did your best to avoid mentioning ‘Dear Ol’ Dad.’ Even though it was mostly for Amber’s sake, it was also to keep you from losing your cool. You considered yourself a mostly level-headed person, but that bastard…Suffice to say he got you heated rather quickly. To see the amazing mare that Amber truly was, and remembering the withered shell of a pony you had first met when you got here…It infuriated you. If you could just get your hand on that slimy…
No. No, you wouldn’t go down that path.
It was bad enough most ponies thought you were a demon and confirming that would only make things worse. Though it may be worth it…
No, no, focus on the positives. Like Amber. You reminded yourself.
Amber…She was the only good thing you’ve had this entire time. You felt at ease with her around, happier even. Hell, you were sleeping better with her in the woods than you had in years in your own world. Then again, rocks and dirt versus a half-moldy mattress on the floor weren’t that different. That aside, being here with Amber…felt right.
Wait.
Where you…?
“Master!” Amber announced, snapping your attention away from your thoughts. She galloped up the hill, a pair of saddlebags flopping at her sides.
“You get everything?” you asked.
Amber nodded.
“Yes. Food, water, just about everything we need for now.”
“Good, good. Oh, you get that string I asked for?”
“Um, yes I did. What did you need it for?” she replied, floating the requested string over to you
with her magic.
You didn’t answer immediately, instead, you turned your back to Amber and dug around in your pocket for something. The past few nights you had found yourself digging through the bag of gems. Sure it was equivalent to digging through a bag of change, but it felt nice. Kind of like shoving your hands in those tubs of colored rocks at cheap gift shops. During one of those digging exercises, you found something you felt deserved to be saved.
After a moment filled with fiddling, you managed to complete your project. With a grin, you presented it to Amber. Her eyes widened.
“Is that…?” she whispered.
“Yeah, it is.”
In your hand was a smooth chunk of amber. (The old tree sap, not the pony). It was about half the size of your palm, and inside was a small leaf vaguely in the shape of a heart. You had tied the string around it to make a makeshift necklace. Carefully you hung it around your companion’s neck.
“I…I don’t know what to say…” Amber said, mystified. She tore her gaze away from her namesake to look at you. She had tears in her eyes. “Thank you…”
“It…it was nothing…Just thought you’d like it.” You reply, rubbing the back of your neck.
Amber snuggled up to her usual position at your side, and you obliged her obvious request for ear scritches. For once, life was good.
“Hey…I haven’t done this for a while, but…Would like for me to use it? My talent, I mean.” She asked after a moment.
“Really? Sure, I mean, if you don’t mind. Don’t want to pressure you or anything.”
“I offered, didn’t I?” she giggled and gave you a playful tap with her hoof. The unicorn got up and stretched. “Now, I should tell you, what I get is mostly random information. I can direct it to a certain topic, but there’s no telling how much I’ll get, or even if it’ll actually happen.”
“Okay. Honestly, I’m just curious about how this works.”
Amber smiled.
“Well, you're about to find out. Any requests?”
You thought for a moment. What should you ask for? If you were being honest, there was really one thing you wanted to know.
“Will I ever go home? Or will I stay here forever waiting to axed by a horsey hit squad?”
Amber paused and looked at you with sad eyes. She didn’t say a word, but slowly nodded.
Closing her eyes, she focused her magic on the amber, raising it to her face. The orange light dancing off the stone like fire. Amber’s eyes snapped open, her orange eyes blazing like two pools of molten copper. She stood there motionless, her magic dancing around her nose and cheeks.
You felt…odd sitting there, waiting. Where you supposed to do something here? Or just wait? How long would this-
“GAH!” Amber yelled as she stumbled back, and almost fell over. You scrambled to help her keep her balance.
“Are you okay?” you question.
“Y-Yes, I think so…” She answered, massaging her temple. “That was…more intense than I thought it would…”
“Intense? How so?”
Amber looked away.
“I-it…it’s nothing. Probably wrong, anyway.” She whispered.
“What did you see?” you asked.
“Nothing!” Amber yelled.
“Amber.”
“NO! Forget it!”
“Amber.”
“NO!”
“…Amber…”
She met your gaze. Fear and worry-filled those copper eyes, obscured by her shimmering tears.
“Please don’t make me say it. It might come true…”
You sweep her up in a tight hug.
“Amber, I told you, we’re in this together. Whatever you saw, we’ll face it head-on. Do you believe that?”
“…yes…” she mumbled as she dried her tears on your shirt.
“Besides, you said it yourself: Whatever you saw may not even happen, right?”
She managed a weak smile.
“I did say that, didn’t I?” she frowned. “But what I saw…what if it does…?”
“We’ll get to that when, and if, it comes. So why don’t you tell me what you saw, and we’ll go from there. Deal?”
“…Okay…”
She pulled away and cleared her throat.
“It was…fragmented, but what made out was not good. I saw you…surrounded by the Elements of Harmony. I saw the Princesses too. They fired, you didn’t have time to move…You were…gone…I don’t what happened to you after that.”
You took a moment to process that.
“Okay, that’s not good. Although, they could have just sent me home.”
Amber nodded.
“There’s more. There were flashes, in between. Lightning, teeth flashing, rain, and…
“…Blood.”
You didn’t know what to say. But you had to say some-
“I wasn’t there! When you were surrounded, I didn’t see myself there! Something happened to me!”
“I-…I’m sure you’re fine…” you try to reassure her as you reached out to her.
“That’s not the point! I WASN’T THERE WHEN YOU NEEDED ME!”
Silence.
“Amber…”
“We…we’re supposed to be together in this but…where was I? What happened to me? Why couldn’t I help you…?” she sobbed.
“Amber. I’m more concerned about you. I don’t want anything to happen to you. And I don't want you to think that you don't matter.”
She wiped her eyes with the back of her foreleg.
“But…I still want to be able to help you…”
You ruffled up her mane.
“Well, how about why look out for each other, then? After everything we’ve faced together, what’s stopping us from defying fate itself?” you joke with a grin.
Amber chirped a short laugh.
“Nothing, I guess.”
I think the fact that this guy shows Amber such kindness, despite his not so ideal situation, should prove to everypony he isn't evil.
The fact that the Elements of Harmony don't work on him should suffice.
Bookhorse: remember that whole thing about learning not to judge a book by it's cover?
The rest of the Rainbow Bombardment Crew: yup
Bookhorse: yeah f*ck that thing, FIRE UP THE ARGENT ACUMELATOR AND OPEN A RIFT TO HELL!
There's no fate but what we make ourselves.
-John Connor
Push through the present, make each decision yours, and you will see the future you crafted.
I could be wrong but I think both the Princesses and Discord not only know that he is neither a demon nor evil, but the element bearers thing he is considering how gulllible ponies can be. Again, I could be wrong.
So, is he going to ever actually break her from this idiotic Master/Demon shit? Because tolerating it from her is just going to give people a reason to hate him, which they are doubtlessly looking for. Plus her refusing to acknowledge that he is not her iwner or a demon speaks of her ultimately not caring about him,and just for her iwn delusions.
Also Discord really has no ethical highground to insulting Anon here and calling humans evil. For one, he knows the EoH are convinced he us evil and want to kill him, but he defends them when he knows they are wrong and doesn't correct them.
Ah yes. We are about half way done with the shop building. All we need is to add a few decks. Maybe a break room. This is gonna be a big one boys!
I really love the dynamic between the two.
So many ways that could be taken, especially with polymorphs and changelings?
Tell her that you are fine with her coming back with you to your world if she wants, if the time comes.
That was really sweet
Is it okay if I make a story similar to this, the opening gave me a good idea for a crossover fan-fiction
Man I love this story
We still haven’t gotten any solid evidence he isn’t a demon.
10460792
I totally agree that Amber really ought to stop calling him Master/ Demon, but mostly because that could cause some serious problems for him if she calls him that in town.
She's lived a big part of her life basically being a slave to her abusive father who used to be her "master," so she has a damaged mindset now. Instead of her thinking, "Awesome! My father is in prison and I'm free!" she thinks, "Awesome! My father is in prison and I have a much better master!"
I hope she stops calling him that eventually, but it seems like something that the two of them will have to work through to deal with her traumas.
Never heard of Elements of Harmony can be used as a dimension teleportation, because it has nothing to do with harmony and balance. So far, I haven't seen anything non-harmony in our protagonist.
I ship this so hard. Like, I am the captain of this ship. These two will be together forever!
10461228
Something, something, being in the the wrong universe could upset some sort of multiversal balance/harmony and therefore using the EoH while acknowledging this could fix it?
Sure mate, I'll ship it.
I am 100% on this ship.
Anon and Amber... this is no longer simply a ship.
It's an armada.
10461354
Just being in the wrong universe does not qualify as imbalance. Otherwise, Sunset would have been sent back to Equestria the moment she use the Geodes.
Geez, for some reason I'm getting order 66 vibes
Granted, I'm listening to the Jedi Temple march lmao
10461054
i mean by ponie standards a human would be demonic
It'll be fiiiiiiiine. What's the worst that could happen?
...
10461054
I mean demon is short for dimensional traveler anyway, at least in the Myth Adventures series by Robert Asprin
Daaaw... They will face doom together
10461568
You've doomed us all!
. . .
10461444
10461354
Both good points
10461492
Well, when you put it like that, kinda changes that mood, doesn't it?
10461054
Well he's too lazy to be a Khornite, too dumb to be with T'zneetch, not oozing puss and death so he ain't one of Papa Nurgle's, and Slaanesh doesn't seem his style. So I'd say probably not a daemon.
10460775
10460767
but the is a possibility element barriers (mane six) would be blind to the truth. the would reject it and condemn him.
if that were to happen, then they (being the mane six plus the princess,) would fail, completely and utterly.
...or at least, that's what Kreia would think.
10460790
but let's say you are correct for a second. what will happen when anon finds out? would play his role that he was forced to play? or will he defy expectations? and... well, make peace with princesses? and will discord getaway for his transgressions?
how many questions of which I don't know the answer to.
STOP. MAKING. ME. SHIP. THOSE. TWO !!!!
10461714
See my man Murphy over there? <º'º>
Oh yeah. These stories.
All right, I'm very interested to see where this goes enjoying it so far
I'll offer my contributions even if its late. Tar and feathers! Let him ride in shame!
And i do mean Father!
Oof, as an abuse survivor this strikes a bit close. The worst visible signs go away quick but the scars deep inside fade slowly, if at all. I think you did a good job with Amber's recovery to functional. You can tell she's got the weight of the programing the abuse left in her. How she handles it will be interesting to see.
Turn him into 4 tails Kyubi or something in the future.
it would be hilarios after the the whole "im not a demon".
10472172
Can't think of one its been too long. But recomendations yes please ^w^
10460792
I see it as a coping mechanism.
Her calling him Master is her way of coping with the betrayal of her father.
She knows he is not a demon, and that she is not his slave.
Is say it is also part friendly jesting.
Amber: "Good morning o' vile Demon Master!"
The road to recovery takes many small steps.
Ah, so she's got Raven Symone brand future sight. Undirected, and always manages to leave out important context clues that would completely reframe the meaning of the vision.
Not her fault. Besides, not like visions have always been the most helpful...
NOOOOOO!!! Why, why would you say that you fool!?!
10518400
Murphy would like to KNOW YOUR LOCATION
Amber and human forever?