Does Draconequus Discord Definitely Dwell Deleterious Dreams Definitively Despite Dangerously Decisive Designs?!

by Fireflower

Guns N' Roses

Author's Note:

It's Fireflower once again with my first crossover anthology fimfic, a hopeful break from all the sex and the violence making up much of my profile since several years ago; at this rate, I hope you'd enjoyed the previous chapter I'd made based on some dream in the passing years and with you–know–who cause here's another one: I bet you'll like this one as well.

As always, My Little Pony, or rather Friendship Is Magic, including its settings and characters belong to Lauren Faust and Hasbro; in addition, the characters featured from other mediums, known and unknown so far, don't belong to me so please don't sue me over them either, okay...?

Lastly, let me also say I hope you enjoy this chapter now and stay tuned for future chapters later on: after all, you're going to be taking solace in the fact the following anecdote will still serve as a nice change of pace; though, please don't expect from me to be a periodical upload like the other stories since I still don't have much of a plan in the long term either.

There was a collection of assorted lights plastered all throughout the background, each of them in a series of such light coloration: from the looks of it, one would be forgiven for assuming they were apart of some abstract project crafted for the public exhibition; however, the space thereof was far too multidimensional to be restricted by any and all broad strokes made with one utensil. At the very least, the oxygen was moving fast yet happened to be cold enough to be damp as a light drizzle merely tapering off: considering the sheer acceleration alone, a single direction had been already picked out for purposes unknown so to speak; not only that, there was almost nothing impeding the flow of time and space within themselves due to the abundant right of way. Under no circumstances therein were any and all signs of life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, or equality of opportunity brimming; at the same time, there were no signs of death, slavery, a retreat of sadness, or inequality of closure coexisting either in turn: either way, the colorful void was en route to parts unknown, the seemingly strait segment between the departure and arrival.

Suddenly and without any kind of warning whatsoever, a lonely figure had entered the mobile borderland with a screech capable of breaking the sound barrier. There were some short brown tresses held in place by a jet–black headband; however, they been showing signs of smoldering due to the smoke emanating about. At the very least, the lonely figure’s integuments were as brighter than a mere peach, yet had bore the scars of yesterdays unbecoming of said fruit in question. Buried underneath the pained visage were the starry sapphires which were both being currently assaulted by the light around their owner almost instantaneously. Singeing the lonely figure’s wings were a midnight ensemble of a shirt, vest, pads, pants, belt, and boots; considering the coloration, it’d have been hard to tell.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!” screamed out aloud voice from the very mouth of marched madness which had belonged to the speaker in question, its gruff baritones carried far away rather immediately by the speed of surround sound it was traveling alongside without any restriction.

Initially, the lonely figure traveled alone, propelled by the gravitational pull drawing forward into the finite regions already; soon enough, both ears were treated to the sounds of tearing phasing through the same area the whole entire body had entered: multiple debris consisting of boxes, crates, and other kinds of containers, in parts and whole, created with various materials. As soon as they were within the area of influence the screamer was in, the screeches were cut short as both eyes turned around: although a safe distance was being maintained, the wide gap was slowly being closed up as soon as the viewer’s mind had made; after all, even though fast travel was already established, the objects en masse were stuck in place, prepped for contact. Needless to say, the lonely figure attempted to move further away from the angular prisms with both sets of limbs still attached: although frantic yet focused, they were all still catching up to the former without any effort being made whatsoever so to speak of; from the looks of it, the space in between was bound to be closed up soon enough in every which way possible no matter what.

Sure enough, the individual’s body had rested against the surface area belonging to one of those crates, one tri–star platinum: at first, it would’ve seemed that no harm whatsoever had come about in any shape or form conceivable to its one subject; of course, this brief respite departed as soon as its arrival when it was now straying off course from the rest of its amalgamated kind. Eventually, the lonely figure’s body was nearing the edge of the pathway the other objects were traveling within so to speak of: not only that, as soon as the textiles had begun to touch it gently, it wouldn’t be long until the rest was submerged into it outright; surprisingly, both the individual and item in question were both still intact but no longer with the rest of them inside nevertheless. Although outside of the space as is, the same orbs from before were now treated to a much larger discovery in the making hereof: similar pathways of the same qualities alone were within the line of eyesight, each of them also carrying whatever contents now; whichever direction they’re all going hadn’t mattered in the slightest as far as their observer was concerned given the situation. Now, the oxygen became cold all throughout as both the lonely figure and steely box floating throughout aimlessly in the dark: the loudmouth from earlier shivered and rattled as the exhalations had become more solidified in color and concentration already; the surface area abaft remained unchanged so to speak and even then, it was only a matter of time for its own carrier.

In the meantime, the wayfarer in midnight placed a right hand up to the ear and found a round surface, turning to and fro; soon enough, one of the fingers from the very same appendage pressed on gently and was now hearing some brief ringing: it didn’t take long until another voice had garbled straightaway into the drum already, “hello…?”

“Dalton, come in: are you there…?” the lonely figure hissed about into the open air, even though there’s no one in sight to provide comfort, “answer me…!”

“Snake, is that you…?” the titular talker had answered the corporeal speaker in midnight almost instantaneously.

It didn’t take long for the eponymous individual to reply, “Dalton, can you hear me…? You’re not going to believe this: I’d been pushed into what appears to be a little wormhole created somewhere on Earth of all places; I know it sounds crazy but I’d been able to stay alive long enough to let you know about this discovery…! Even now, I’m in shock as to how little air exist in what appears to space alone; not only that, I still trying to process all of this information for myself as of this moment: just recently, a bunch of boxes were heading off into the same direction as I was not to long ago before one of them pushed me out of the way. Do you suppose it’s even possible that there are other wormholes on the planet’s surface or above; as a matter of fact, could they ever even be created on Earth by any and all means so to speak of: if that magic wand of hers could merge with some fragmented technology, then what’s to say it won’t happen again…?”

“Magic wand… what the Hell are you even talking about, Snake: what does magic have anything to do with all of this nonsense?!” a frustrated tenor escaped into the midnight traveler’s ear, cutting throughout the static mesh the latter was currently listening to, “you just said something about a wormhole just now: what exactly are you talking about; where are you by the way?!”

“Let’s just say I’m out of this world for the lack of a better term: earlier today, I’d found myself battling a tank hiding out in Alaska before we’d found ourselves in some suburban backyard further away from here; not only that, I wasn’t alone once the travel arrangements were made…” Snake said slowly as some coldness started to take ahold of himself surely enough so to speak of.

It didn’t take much for Dalton to sigh at once before replying to the midnight traveler all the same, “besides the fact that I’m listening to what appears to be a major hoax in the making, what kind of tank was it: American, Canadian, Soviet…?”

“Neither; to be honest, I couldn’t tell if it was manufactured in North America, but it definitely wasn’t Russian, that’s for sure…” Snake had answered while his body and the box abaft himself were now heading towards another ethereal coil nearest to him now, “it’s highly unlikely that the war games were up and running, let alone so far out into the wilderness I was residing in. No one had ever dared to say that this land of opportunity was going to be easy: even before my arrival, I’ve seen horrors that would make a common soldier detest war forevermore, even without WWII; after all, the Cold War was far from a burning memory, especially for the likes of me overall…”

Before the receptive tenor could chime in, the midnight traveler found himself entering the edges of a similar thoroughfare now: on the surface, or lack thereof, the latter could see nothing much different between this one and the primordial so to speak of; however, there was a newfound yearning that was coming to terms with the newfound discovery, especially considering all this.

“Snake, are you alright: if so, then please respond; Snake… Snake… SNAKE?!” Dalton soon interceded but to no avail as the connection betwixt himself and the aforementioned caller was suddenly severed.

On the original end, the midnight traveler was being besieged by a line of metal contraptions traveling at higher velocities than the large item he was riding upon not too long ago. Though angular to a fault, there were plenty of curves to go around, especially considering their varieties of shape and coloration; most of the materials composed were diverse as is. Having said it, there were very few signs of wear and tear all throughout the very machines alone present and accounted for, having signified their overall singular usages so to speak. Illuminating the path of most persistence from the back were but large tailpipes expelling short flames, ready to unleash the rainbow at a certain layout, most of which were lonely. Their looking glasses were being hampered by the fatal inertia yet had remained unharmed all due to their tempered surface area, even with all of them on the very same fast track.

Speaking of which, Snake could see the conveyances passing him by without a second’s worth of thought to spare in the slightest: most of which had already done so almost instantaneously, with or without a turn in avoiding the lone prism he was still residing; others had started to slow down in anticipation, wary of the object alone but not of him due to being abaft, not that it’d mattered. In a matter of seconds, one of the metal contraptions was able to slip by underneath the midnight traveler at a reduced speed alone: it was of a lighter shade of azure coating with a rather triangular base as white–hot plasma shot out from all its several cylinders; not only that, he was able to notice a silhouette within the glassy confines upfront of it all down from the tip already. As Snake alone was feeling his heart skipping a beat or two, he’d noticed the machine hovering closer to his position altogether: the very shadow underneath him and the crystalline shell alone started to take shape in a matter of seconds, closing the big gap; soon enough, it wasn’t long until his eyes began to get a better glimpse of the situation at hand, in spite of the suspicions recently.

When the thin spacial layer was slowly unveiled before the midnight traveler’s sapphire orbs, he couldn’t believe what he’d seen: within the conveyance in particular was its pilot, wearing but a scarlet helmet with a goldenrod avian affixed upon its black visor; it didn’t take much for the latter to call out to the former about immediately with a wave of a thick gloved hand, “get in…!”

“Who is this man and what is he doing all of the sudden; why is he trying to save me if I don’t even know what’s going on…?” Snake had cerebrated, wary of the driver approaching him all the same but steely reminded of the recent brushstroke from earlier, “answer me, are you friend or foe?!”

“Friend; in…!” were all the pilot could say.

It didn’t take much whatsoever for the midnight wayfarer to travel on downward nearby the solo driver’s pole position anyway: given the flat surface the former was resting on, a shift in body weight was rather more or less necessary for much safer travel; in any case, a change of place took suit as the naked eyes were closer to the latter, no doubt due to a more prostrate perception. Only then did Snake crawl towards the very contraption and its pilot carefully as the former had remained aware of the environs; after all, there was absolutely no telling what was going to happen next as far as the two were concerned in this moment of time: even though those recent experiences firsthand were brief, that isn’t to say that the latter would be immune in any form. To put this mildly, the midnight traveler was in no mood to be right back out in the sheer cold as described to his receptive tenor: the past memories of all the boxes traveling in the same previous pathway as he was turned all that wonder into only weariness; additionally, his respirations were barely recovering from the thin crisp oxygen present outside of it all from that very perspective. At the very least, hitching a ride from the solo driver meant no longer needing to stay on the very object from not too long ago; considering what had happened to Snake recently, there was no need whatsoever to go and take any more chances out alone: the former’s presence happened to be enough of a motivating factor into finding a way out of the latter’s current location overall.

Soon, the midnight traveler had taken a leap of fate away from the platinum prism and into the backseat of the pilot’s machine; afterwards, the glassy confines from before had sealed itself shut above the eyewitnesses almost instantaneously, shielding both: of themselves, the former was quick to ask the latter straightforwardly so to speak, “who are you…?”

“Like I had said before, I’m a friend: name’s Captain Falcon, at least it’s what everyone at home calls me; I’m an F–Zero racer…” answered the solo driver, both eyes still focusing deeply within off the beaten track in which they themselves had been found on, “you don’t look like you’re from around these parts, much less my hometown; what’s your name, sir…?”

“Call me Snake, though I don’t even know whether or not it’s my real name; if anything, then I’m just a copy of someone who came before: a real–life action–adventure all–American hero…” the titular traveler talked tensely as both he and Captain Falcon were currently staring into the off–white void afore them where many similar conveyances were driving towards straightaway.

Little did either of the men know, care, and/or understand, this was only the beginning as far as they were concerned; after all, so much happened in little time, words were incomprehensible.

---

Light in and of itself was capable of traveling to and from anywhere throughout the whole wide world rather almost instantaneously; in addition, it also was accompanied by the warmth as well since it was the only way of how it’d worked out for all the aspects making up the very reality interchangeably. At the very least, its absolute presence alone had served to provide a sense of identity for all the corporeal dimensions; after all, the fact it can be seen by all of its lifeforms in general was good enough to serve as a provider for every single environment hither and yonder the entire realm so to be speaking of. Now, it’d seemed just about anything and everything could be discovered almost immediately, irregardless of whatever importance and/or lack thereof, all thanks to a wholesome slew of colors painting them all in many different hues and shades crying out with life in every single emotion known of so far. Given the very situation at hand, it was best to assume, for the most part, today had already just begun for many of them up and running about on all parts within the sphere of influence alone, already rotating upon its own axis at one set speed whilst revolving around another distant star at a different other.

If there was one thing that proved to be noticeable for many of its inhabitants already though, then it’d be that many of them were now on the lighter side as of this particular moment in time. Daylight was burning bright as a fluorescent lightbulb as the scenery below it was being bathed in its glow, providing only warmth and guidance in their entirety from high above into the sky. Within a large dream drop distance was but a mere civilization already defined in such various materials whatsoever, most of them being the ones surpassing the likes of even three little pigs. The calm gentle breeze was found to be surfing across the grassy knolls, the brilliant green surrounding it all on a solid lower plane of existence even with concrete roads laid side–by–side. In the background, there had rested a valley and ridge of mountains, raging with growth and erosion in the process of their trying times as the sun had hovered over them at the event horizon. The location bustled with utter abundance of people from various demographics: age, gender, finances, and social standing being nothing short from the standardized metallurgy of life itself.

Out of the many buildings in question, there was one which had stood proud and tall out amongst the rest: an enormous castle in dire need of some introduction. Though like a tree, it’d possessed the crystalline clash of moody blues and purple haze solidified, sturdy and strong to support itself along its contents with heat. The entrance therein was so symmetrical to a fault many potential onlookers taking a glance became aware of its branches, the support springing upwardly. Of the very castle’s structure thereof, the midpoint was a goldenrod balcony, made from the same materials found on the roof as well as the very doorway. Hung far off from the ground were a series of beads: half of which latched onto another longer veranda; the other side was far from level, if not less so as is. Numerous windowsills were carved into there, each much smaller than the openings provided by the flat platforms pointing adjacently by themselves no less. Standing atop it all was a big crystal star with more points than the similarly shaped pink polygram slathered across the violet banner hanging overhead.

Amongst the many pedestrians were but a mere trio whom were not at all alike in fair dignity at first glance and with good reason: considering the many significant differences all of them have, it’d be more than enough cause for sounding the alarm so to speak of; however, seeing that nobody was threatened by any of the three in question, not even they’d care in the very slightest. The first individual was a purple dragon with green scales matching both eyes, short and down to earth despite possessing wings; the next, a big red ginger pony sharing the primordial’s orbs with freckles so close to them both, happened to be standing nearby; the last of these was not like the others, utterly elongated and serpentine despite having an anatomy from about a dozen lifeforms.

Of the triumvirate standing up mere meters away from the castle entryway, the petit pedestrian happened to be the first to speak, “I can’t believe that a lot has changed in one month alone: first I find out about Smolder’s brother, Garble; then, Starlight becomes the school counselor; and, now I learn of Scootaloo’s family. Why didn’t I even bother to pay attention to all of this prior?”

“It basically sounds like t’ me ya had a rough patch to deal with ever since they’d announced the imminent retirement, Spike…” the middlemost subject replied deeply, putting the upper left hoof closer to the stairwell afore themselves in only mere seconds, “everyone gets one in their own lives; Ah know that Ah have: ya wouldn’t even dare t’ believe mah very first one so t’ speak…”

“Not me…!” exclaimed the far–right listener, happy as a bird on the first day of springtime.

It didn’t even take much for Spike to snigger slightly, “said the master of misrule ironically…”

“At least I’m not some shameless ghostwriter peddling derivative mind–numbing garbage disguised as a thesis statement!” the serpentine pedestrian thrummed as the yellowy talons snapped along to the response almost instantaneously, opening a door, “anyways, I could go for another round of Ogres and Oubliettes: I have a feeling the next adventure is awaiting us all…”

“Eeyup…!” the ginger stallion chimed back in, anticipatory to a fault in his own stable mind.

As soon as the purple dragon followed along, so too did their amalgamated peer immediately; soon, they were all greeted with the open space betwixt predominately equilangular ceilings and an enormous burgundy carpeting held into place by smooth pillars: in between each of them were emerald splashed windows, transparent enough to not only see the light but welcome it too. Speaking of which, the trio were greeted instantly by large shining lanterns held in place by bits of string far above themselves: all of them were flameless to a fault, their luminosity bright enough to provide safe passage from the very outside world already; out of the five types of colorations, the white was the most purest enough to do the job to their utmost as the rest no less. Here ahead of them happened to be another stairway, this time much larger and less glamorous than the entrance abaft them: the only other significant difference between the two was how it’d been split right down in the very middle with symmetry; adjacent to the flat square was a golden trimmed banner filled with shades of purple, accented by a few light asterisks and a blank book.

Spike soon took the lead as he’d begun to make a sudden left turn down the nearby hallway with a sigh, “now that I think about it, have any you ever got any strange dreams lately: I know for a fact that all of us in Ponyville took care of the Tantabus a few years back but this doesn’t feel like the work of it at all; what was the most poignant detail either of you could ever recall…?”

“Not since Luna came over, that’s for sure: at the very least, I can take comfort in the fact that it’ll never happening in real life…” the serpentine tenant answered confidently while hovering above the same terra firma the rest were walking upon all the same, “besides, I wasn’t even aware of this creature’s presence or its connection to her; it almost reminds me of Smooze…”

“It’s probably nothing so to speak, Discord: at least it’s no reason t’ be ashamed of it all; Ah just can’t wrap mah head around the kind of company Ah would end up finding with Applejack…” the crimson quadruped conversed as they’d found a line of doors on both sides with little to no light but made with the same material either way, each shining about freely so to speak of as is.

The purple dragon fluted about as he was nearing another entranceway at the other end no less, “now that you’d mentioned it, I’d remember that she’d been taking her sister Apple Bloom out for swim class lately in their free time; apparently, she’d said there had been some notes sent away to one of the nurses at Ponyville General Hospital recently, but nothing too serious…”

“Oh, Nurse Sweetheart…?” the ginger stallion had interceded, catching both Spike and their colleague off–guard slightly as the former started falling behind them at once, “yeah, Ah think it’s because of the nightmare she had involving a gym class gone wrong sometime ago; Ah will spare ya both the details but it wasn’t pretty t’ sum it all up so t’ speak, guys…”

“That may as well be exactly what I’d been talking about; although, since we’re on the subject, how is she, Big Mac: anything out of the ordinary at Sweet Apple Acres since the harvest…?” the purple dragon questioned the eponymous equine with little hesitation whatsoever, prompting the latter to speed it back up again, albeit slightly as far as the former was currently concerned.

Despite the suddenness of it all, the ginger stallion calmly answered, “she’s been doing fine as usually but Ah am concerned about Granny Smith: she’d said she’s been having dreams about mah parents, Bright and Buttercup, recently; apparently, she’d recalled of them going on some honeymoon out in Iori all of the sudden but something had went wrong in a matter of seconds…”

“And they call it the land of love; that Wolfgang is nothing but a thief and a liar: he hadn’t even brushed up on history classes…” Discord grumbled jubilantly as Spike made it to the end of narrow pathway, opening both of the doors before themselves speedily, “last time I’d visited them, they were doing more than just slamming rocks and making vowel sounds; not ridiculous.”

Upon doing so, they were all greeted by the centerpiece of resistance, so circular to a fault but otherwise well–rounded as is: afore the purple dragon was a crystalline tableset with a sextet of matching thrones in a harmonic convergence already in place; above them was a predominately ligneous chandelier with similar strings of luminous beads, more organic than the frames therein.

“Anyways, do ya still remember where we’d left off, Spike: Ah haven’t been able t’ stay focused since last year so t’ speak of; there must be a new campaign in the making, am Ah wrong…?” Big Mac had asked the aforementioned tenant whom had now safely scurried off towards another doorway in an instant so to speak of, almost apathetic regarding the latter’s newly formed travel.

Before leaving both the ginger stallion and their serpentine friend right to their own devices, the purple dragon had answered, “who wouldn’t…? Word on the street is they’re already planning a backwards compatible update to the classic game; still, I don’t see any purpose purchasing it in the near future, considering what’s going to happen in several fortnights from today anyway…”

“Me neither… Ah still have t’ make up for lost time with the harvest weeks ago: apparently, they had me believing Ah was it…” Big Mac said in turn while taking his seat upon one of the thrones, a stormcloud with a primary color themed thunderbolt under, “the Great Seedling of all things; Ah was too tired t’ even focus on the task at hoof: so much for the revised scheduling…”

“The Great Seedling; I haven’t even heard of such a preposterous thing, much less a cryptid: even if it were real, then there would be no way it be caught, especially by little filly like her…” Discord commented as he’d done the same, residing upon one now studded with but a trio of diamonds no less; needless to say, it was enough to catch a dirty look but nothing more than that.

Although the ginger stallion was calm on the outside, he couldn’t resist thinking about the subject at hand while speaking, “Ah agree and Applejack wasn’t the only one whom had just believed in such a thing: Ah was out there in the field looking for the thing when Ah was little colt; that was then, this is now – no need for a cash cow, a shadow of what it had used t’ be…”

“Pardon me for the intrusion but it’d almost sounded like you were about to burst into song like Fluttershy and her friends do…” the serpentine lounger commented instantaneously, catching Big Mac off–guard as the former’s ears had flopped about briefly, “come to think of it, where have you heard those lyrics; they almost sound familiar: what’s the name of the song anyway?”

“Sorry, Ah had been reading some of these graphic novels that Fluttershy had acquired a few years ago; apparently, this would explain all the drawings she’d made on Nightmare Night…” the ginger stallion answered freely as his glowing green eyes surveilled the many windowsills above themselves, each devoid of deviations from the very norms and normalities therein as is.

A long golden silence awash over Big Mac and Discord all the same, restoring the ambiance which dominated the outside world all three of them were from earlier ago until the latter said, “Nightmare Night, so that’s what you ponies have been calling it since then: I wonder what kind of holidays did they have when these prissy princesses turnt me to stone ever since that day…”

“Hey, guys, you’re not gonna believe what I had found: I was just looking for the game but I’d ended up with so much more…” a familiar tenor cut back into the fray, preventing the ginger stallion from responding: it was none other than Spike himself, “there seems to be some gadgets and stuff right where it’s supposed to be: they look like some games from the local arcade…”

“What games; I didn’t expect Twily to be a games horse of all ponies, let alone hold onto them so to speak: either way, did somepony from there gave them to you or something like that…?” the serpentine listener asked as his jaundiced rubies bore witness to the purple dragon returning with a true blue wagon of small devices and cases resting beneath a much larger cardboard box.

It didn’t take much for Spike to answer as Big Mac and Discord both set their gazes onto the contents in question instantly, “not at all: now that you’d mention it, it kind of reminds of that Power Ponies comic we’d been sucked into since that Summer Sun Celebration years ago…”

---

A similar environment was found to be basking underneath the gilded firmament, thanks to the sun resting on the event horizon: the materials found to be making up the area of influence were more solid from top to bottom, especially at the expense of trees; not only that, although there were horses spotted, they were unlike the ginger stallion – darker, simpler, and pulling carriages. In addition, there had seemed to be people much like Snake and Captain Falcon in any and all the aspects, known and unknown; however, their fashions were far more elaborate and much looser around their integuments, so much one could differentiate as is: while there were plenty of men hither and yon, the women were walking about too, all with various materials for modesty.

One person in particular had stood out and about amongst the rest: though predominately dressed in green, there were some other shades and hues from the fabrics which had failed to match their wearer’s irises. The tresses were black as the timeless and timely nights were spiked up in all directions, despite being all kept short; it was all shiny enough to match both two belts and undershirt found upon the skin at once. To keep up with a theme the denizen was going with, an ensemble of brown gloves and tassets were also discovered in the meantime, pelted much like the pants and mantle keeping the cold air at bay no less. Of course, there was also some metal slathered about its wearer instantaneously: a breastplate, several chains all throughout the limbs, and toecaps of leather boots; as solid as they were, they didn’t restrict.

It was at this moment in time the denizen in green was walking along the rocky road with a straight–laced demeanor anyway: on the surface, the bright visage was calm and ready to drop bomb, remembering each and every detail in advance so to speak of; however, hostility was at an all–time low, a mutual feeling between the individual and the rest of society in the meantime.

“It’s been at least a month since that certain Witch had been dealt with; in all fairness, I wish I hadn’t seen what he’d done here…” the ruminations took formation, safely away from big pitchers and catchers alike whilst on a stroll throughout the community, “even though that crystal had been dealt with, I seem to be having worser nightmares than the one before the big trial. Come to think of it, apparently the first one I had since the Queen had returned was how I’d want their heads to rolls as they should; that Trash and his daughter have caused me nothing but problems ever since I’d arrived in this world, all due to this strange being: ever since the first wave, all I could do was punch enemies into dust and restore anything and anyone but myself. Even though I admit it’s a pretty cool power, at the same time, it has been more than enough to make me some enemies anyway: I’d never even imagined how far the institutions were willing to go just to have me wiped off the face of the earth so to speak of; not only that, I didn’t even believe they’d go so far as to get rid the Crown just because of what they’d been doing before. Perhaps a nice walk to the blacksmith would help me clear my mind off of those things, at least for the time being until then: not only it’d convince me to keep helping Melromarc and the rest of the world safe, it’d give me something to focus on therein; the timer may have been frozen but I can’t let myself go lazy or else the world will be endangered again and we’d barely recovered. Of all the stupid things these Cardinal Stooges have done, this one made Larry, Moe, and Curly Joe more suitable to their tasks: months ago, I would’ve been fine with letting them all rot for this had it not been for that promise, especially Motoyasu; he had more than plenty of chances to grow some brainstem but Witch was so persuasive even after she’d been disowned altogether. Preparations should be in order all the same, including the safe recovery of the other heroes, that’s for sure if I do say so: seeing Ren and Itsuki this way has made me feel more pity than I had to spare, all thanks to that wretched excuse of a woman; if it weren’t for my status, then rotting in prison would be the least of my worries, especially given how it’d all started out here. Soon, all of this will be a burning memory for the lack of a better term, especially now that she’s gone for good all the very same: she’d been nothing more than a bane on this country more than she was to me ever since and now here’s but only just desserts; despite this, I feel sorry for her father anyway, even though he’d blamed me for everything underneath the kingdom’s sunlight.”

“Hey, Naofumi…” a stray voice had called out to the lone pedestrian almost instantaneously, breaking the latter’s train of thought.

It didn’t take much for the titular traveler to spot the origin of said greeting altogether already: nearby was a slightly taller man waving briefly as a signal to the former in question to witness. Unlike the denizen in green, the greeter was lacking in tresses onto his very head so to speak of; nevertheless, a short pointed beard was found, brown as the latter’s waist bag over the apron. Like Naofumi, the tall man also had worn gloves, except they were jet–black like the former’s hair, matching the latter’s baggy pants as they were lacking in pelts all the very same no less. Additionally, the greeter’s off–white undershirt had been latched onto his bright muscular body, also riddled with the scars of yesterday as the midnight traveler, but much older as the gray eyes.

The tall man was standing against a stony house with a green roof, his big boots supporting their wearer already as the denizen in green spoke to the former almost immediately, “Elhart, hello; how was your day…?”

“Same–old, same–old: at least that’s how a blacksmith’s life should be; still, seems the firstborn Whore’s changed spite her end…” the eponymous greeter answered Naofumi rather instantly, smiling big for the latter to see plain and clearly so to speak of as is, “I had to start over from scratch since some of the weapons were destroyed either during or after the uprising no less…”

“Not a big surprise, the Queen had to make sure no traces of their presence could ever be found; no telling what would’ve happened if Witch had ever succeeded in getting what she’d wanted…” the denizen in green had said as he’d presented the tall man an enormous pouch from underneath the former’s cloak gently.

This made Elhart raised a brow in the process as he’d replied to Naofumi, “I agree and from the looks of it, she wouldn’t have stopped at taking over the kingdom after getting rid of her own family: Siltvelt and Shieldfreeden wouldn’t be the only one going to war against Melromarc and I highly doubt the bond between this land and Faubley. It seems apparently that fighting and more fighting is all that the two countries have been good at before Trash was on the throne: they’re like water and oil, they don’t mix, no matter how high of a temperature you set them in upfront to watch it all no less…”

“That’s for damn sure, old man: speaking of which, I think he’s been unable to eat or sleep since his firstborn had been sent away…” the denizen in green had said as he’d begun to give this round and flexible container over to the tall man anyway so to speak of, “besides, here’s the money for shields I’d copied off earlier ago; there should be more along the way in the future…”

“I’m sorry but I can’t take your money anyway: you’re doing more than well enough as it is; besides, I still feel bad about the second time we’d met…” Elhart protested almost immediately, catching Naofumi off–guard already with a but slight frown upon the jaded visage for the former to see.

The denizen in green still pressed on all the same, “understood, but I insist all the same; after all, I’d almost came close to dying in the first battle against the Three Cardinal Heroes heretics if it weren’t for her: having to see Trash and Whore lose their heads was one thing but seeing double was more than enough…”

“Seeing double: you’re not making any sense, kid; just what are you talking about…?” Elhart asked Naofumi whom was looking away briefly before looking the former in the eyes again, “it seems to me you must be coming down with something already; you want to find a doctor now…?”

“Not at all, the Queen’s royal medics have been taking care of me since then: I’d seen this as the first step she has taken to make up for all the shit her husband and their firstborn daughter did…” the denizen in green said as he’d started walking past the tall man and into the building the latter was resting against altogether much prior ago.

In doing so, Naofumi was confronted by a sight in which to behold for those unlike himself and Elhart instantaneously overall: armors and weapons of all kinds, known and unknown, were up on display, found either against the wall or atop wooden desks; adjacent of the former was a predominately green carpet with a white edge matching the center and two golden rhombi inside.

It didn’t take long for the denizen in green to set the pouch onto the surface area of a small desk, text plastered in his view surrounding a gray curtain with a gentle clink as the tall man abaft said, “no point in changing your mind about all this, am I right: I was already aware of your promotion and status as one of the biggest landowners in all the land; why even dare bother…?”

“Insurance: it’s only a matter of time until I find my way out of this world, if I could, but only when the waves are all over…” Naofumi responded as he’d turnt to face Elhart almost immediately so to speak of, sighing as both men stared at the opening, “besides, I’d made a promise with a certain someone I had met on the way and without her, who know then what…?”

“You mean Queen Mirellia…?” the tall man peeped.

The denizen in green shook his head full of hair sideways and replied all the while no less, “not quite because it was a different Queen to be accurate; I’d met her after facing off against a Tyrant Dragon Rex recently; apparently, it was let loose from an obelisk after one of the noblemen in town had released it sometime after escaping from the Three Heroes’ party…”

“Tyrant Dragon Rex… you mean the Tyrant Dragon Rex… the Tyrant Dragon Rex from sometime in the distant past?!” Elhart stammered profusely, catching Naofumi off–guard as the former was sweating and panting about near chaotically, “I’d heard that all the past four Heroes had to seal it away together; what in the hell could possess someone to do something so crazy?!”

“Ask Idol Rabier: he’s the reason why; apparently, it wasn’t enough that he’d been bested, the fat fuck had to summon it just to get rid of me so bad, I wonder what could she’d done instead…” the denizen in green huffed as he’d walked toward the leftmost windowpane with but a stern look, clenching the right hand into a fist briefly.

The tall man was now shivering about to and fro as he was staring at the round container shown to him not too long ago before finding the time to regain his composure instantaneously and said, “you don’t even want to get me started and here I was thinking that she was going to be your girlfriend; well so much for that royal discount and a best foot forward if at all…”

“That’s funny, this wasn’t here before: the first time I’d fought in here, there was an hourglass; now, there’s just a sundial…” Naofumi said, confusing Elhart almost immediately as the latter started to walk towards the former slowly but surely here, “not only that, it seems like it’s on fire or something; could this be an aftereffect from when I’d traveled to Glass’ country earlier…”

“Sundial… Melromarc has them in and out of museums all around; where have you found this one: what’s all this being on fire all of the sudden and how could that ever even be possible…?” the tall man has exclaimed almost quietly as the denizen in green was now backing away from the glass surface and steel framing afore the latter already.

It didn’t take much for Naofumi’s right hand to revert back to an open palm as his eyes were treated to the monochrome stencil on the upper left corner so to speak as he’d thought clearly, “there’s no way that could be right: the waves came about because the Spirit Tortoise was initially sealed off by our predecessors; now, it seems that we’re dealing with a new threat…? The invasion plan was called off the second Witch was married off to the king of Faubley following her rebellion’s end; I’d even seen the crystal with them together, gruesome as it was, especially with what kind of man he was altogether no less: even though Trash is his brother, even Mirellia admitted to having memories of dreading that brother–in–law in her own youth. This must be some sort of joke, right: if anything, there wouldn’t any spies from Houou or Q’ten Lo trying to thwart Melromarc’s plans in advance all of the sudden like they’ve done before; besides, the latter’s already better off getting reeled in by Siltvelt since they have so many Demi–Humans and Beastmen compared to actual humans like us Heroes…!”

“Naofumi, is something the matter; what’s going on?!” Elhart cried as both eyes were treated to the sight of his aforementioned target now slowly becoming enveloped in particles of white, “tell me this isn’t one of those waves happening already… Naofumi, answer me… NAOFUMI…!”

“What the…?” was all that the denizen in green could ever say as he’d watched the skies above themselves become a bright shade of hot pink in a matter of seconds; before long, he was becoming engulfed in a cloud of a rather ethereal substances without warning, swirling about into a spiral for the tall man to bear witness almost instantaneously so to speak of.

Soon enough, Naofumi had disappeared without a trace whatsoever, no rhyme or reason if at all.

---

At long last, an open field was in full view, filled to the brim with blades which would’ve been called the green grass of home; however, it was devoid of a heart and the walls to surround it as there were but a mere abundance of organisms taking formation: the skies were littered with numerous bats in various sizes and colors whilst the ground was trampled by skeleton warriors. Of course, they weren’t alone as grounded whirlwinds of white began appearing all throughout the encroaching environment: each of them were lacking in variation on the surface compared to the lifeforms cluttering them all up without a care thereof; however, the moment they’d all begun to disintegrate, it was clear the contents in question weren’t as uniform as the veils from before. In what had seemed to be such a stunning surprise, the denizen in green was found within the winds of change in question as is: seeing this abundance of lifeforms, it was clear to the likes of him alone that conflict was rather imminent, his shield still glowing; despite the overwhelming odds, by and large, something within had sent a message that loneliness was to be short–lived

He was indeed with allies in a matter of seconds as more faces emerged from the very same whirlwinds he’d arrived inside: there was a brunette with red eyes, a blue–eyed blonde in white, and a blue haired girl with eyes and attire to match them no less; despite looking alike, they had their own differences to take note of, especially considering the fact the first wore ears overhead. In any case, the primordial was wearing a long dress with a tricolor palette compared to the rest, most of which darker than eyes: there were also some white textiles underneath it all, covering up the wearer’s forearms down from both of the shoulders as is; additionally, the brown found onto it all consisted of a leathery breastplate matching the thick gloves and long boots altogether.

Of course, they weren’t the only maidens whom had made an appearance onto the battlefield as two more also attended as well: much like the trio in question, they were alike to each other all the same, especially considering how tall they both were no less; having said it, they, too, had their own differences as far as Naofumi was concerned so to speak, especially with all that too. First of all, the woman was similar to the shieldbearer altogether due to having eyes and clothing dyed in a green, albeit with hair: though her tresses were long, they were thinner compared to the brunette in question, especially considering the blue bows found; much like the latter, the former was wearing some armor as well, except they were far more numerous around the upper regions. The second one shared the same eye color as the tertiary girl, except they were much brighter by comparison as far as he’d seen it: the former’s hair was thicker with the sight and smells of strawberry at the waistline, unbound compared to the rest altogether; a full set of armor was had covered much of its wearer’s body, moreso compared to females like the primordial in question.

Anyways, it wasn’t long until the maidens and the like were finding more males other than the likes of Naofumi all the same: as far as he could see all clearly, they were alike to him by virtue of appearance, especially considering their colorizations; as such, they were more different to each other and themselves, unlike the ones whom had first appeared alongside the eyewitness. The first of the men had been predominately dressed in black, matching their wearer’s tresses as they were accented with azure: much of his longcoat was white, just like the sword resting firmly within the owner’s right hand as it’d failed to touch the earth; additionally, both eyes were hollow but far from emptied as they were staring at the creatures afore themselves all the same. Secondment, the next man was a dirty blond like the middlemost girl earlier, mostly adorned in brownish gold matching eyes: whilst his left side had armor protecting his shoulder, breast, hipbone, and hand, the right had only consisted of a green cape; in any case, his left hand had held a steely longbow, quickly prepped to fire due to the opposing forces he’d stumbled upon. Thirdly of all, another blond man appeared, his hair held back into a ponytail with bangs hanging on the left side of his forehead; though he’d donned more armor compared to the rest of his peers, he fell short abaft of the pink tressed woman with all the red: another major attribute of great acknowledgment was his spear, longer than his cape but with a shiny sphere near the edge.

It didn’t take long for any of the maidens to responded to the shieldbearer nearby him, the one in white running fast towards him barefoot with a cry, “Master Naofumi…!”

“Filo, did you and the others ended getting caught up in the fog all of the sudden like I have…?” the titular traveler asked the young blonde immediately as she’d stopped short by a mere yard, “I had a feeling something like this was going to happen; come to think of it, are Raphtalia and Melty okay…?”

“Mm–hmm, we were honing our skills at the village together when we seen the skies turn pink: next thing we knew, something took us away like we’d found ourselves fighting the next Wave; you don’t even suppose it’s all due to the Spirit Tortoise because we all fought it earlier ago…?” the maiden in white had replied to the tallest man in green almost without hesitation in her voice.

Naofumi still paid attention to the slowly advancing horde all the same as he’d spoken softly, “most unlikely: without it, the waves wouldn’t have been able to keep going, at least before then; come to think of it, I don’t think it’s a wave at all, let alone one as far as I can remember – the Dragon’s Hourglass had stopped counting altogether, despite its defeat…”

“Master, should we engage all the same: I have a bad feeling about this anyway, don’t you, sir…?” the brunette asked as she and the tertiary girl regrouped fearlessly so to speak, also aware of the creatures as is, “it almost reminds me of the dream you had of them at their execution; are they enemies…?”

“They have to be, given our prior experiences together: zombies, honeybees, wolves, goblins, lizardmen, you name it; they’re nothing to us, not even the bats from before the Spirit Tortoise were a joke to us…” the man in green answered freely as his line of sight became clouded with letters, numbers, and symbols alike all the while, legible and otherwise coexist side–by–side.

The maiden in blue wasted no time in outstretching her hands, the air around them becoming moist and accumulative as she’d stated, “well, let’s not waste any more time: last time, I’d fought in a wave with you all, I’d almost been pulled down to my watery grave; this time, I can’t afford to take any more chances all the same…”

“Me neither: after what that Witch has done, we can’t afford to slack off now that we’re here, Melty; in any case, let’s go…!” Naofumi had replied as his right hand also produced an open palm, the overlaying shield glowing up afore its user’s very eyes, “Crazy Diamond, come on out…!”

“DORA…!” cried a life sized figure of a humanoid form appearing from within the item, flesh as pink as bubblegum armored in cobalt: unlike any of the witnesses afore, muscles were all out and about in broad daylight, in a state of dishabille but otherwise modest; in addition, there were cables joining the headgear’s back with the upper torso with spikes from shoulders and ankles.

As Crazy Diamond was hovering off the ground by a mere foot, both midnight orbs had been more closer to the skeletons here: although calm on the outside, thoughts were circling about as they were within the line of eyesight much like everyone else; at long last, the man in green had bellowed in a heartbeat no less, “change form, Spirit Tortoise Heart Blast…!”

It was at this point the humanoid figure gave off a glow shared by the armament from which had been summoned from altogether: the armor worn thereof became golden much like the blonds present and accounted for while its wearer’s flesh turned jaded as is; not only that, wings had appeared abaft of Naofumi as daggers were pointed at the opposition the former was facing off. Adding to this were a series of crosshairs appearing onto the skeletons’ dingy armor, each of them bearing a quartet of yellowy triangles too rounded off to have straight edges whatsoever; either way, the man in green could tell that Crazy Diamond was making preparations for what would come next, especially considering the abundance of eyewitnesses out and about with him. Naofumi couldn’t resist taking a breath even from where he was still standing so to speak of no less, all the oxygen exchanged: he couldn’t do much besides closing his eyes before reopening them in a matter of seconds, playing out the prognosis here; after all, considering what had happened to him, the conclusions, if any, were already drawn out since he’d been taken away.

“DORA…!” the humanoid figure exhaled before charging off into the advancing army almost instantaneously no less, a mouth open wide as both fists were making first contact with them; soon enough, there were holes being embedded into the enemies’ armor and the bones underneath them as they’d started to collapse, “DORARARARARARARARARARARARA…!”

“I’m still surprised that he’s the one whom was chosen to be a Cardinal Hero: all the power at his fingertips and Trash had to be a jerk to him; it’s no wonder why we have to clean the mess up…” said the armored woman as she’d started drawing her own sword out into the open air at once, an act which was being repeated by two of her younger peers in question.

In any case, it didn’t take much for the skeletons Crazy Diamond had punched to start exploding, figuratively and literally no less; even though there were some which were still standing up and at them, they weren’t immune to the aftereffects left behind as is: adding to the fact is a few of the winged hostiles were getting impaled by the fragments of bone and metal from underneath. Of course, there were still some hanger–ons whom were unwilling to be even deterred by the rather preemptive strike made up: the bats in question were nevertheless swooping in as if they were birds of prey, albeit without a fantabulous emancipation herein; the man in green had still remained aware of their hypothetically destructive powers, both individually and collectively.

Despite everything, Naofumi wasn’t alone, something he can see clearly as everyone else, male and female, joined into the fray: the similar maiden also prepared her attack, even with the skin becoming moist with perspiration at the sight of the flying beasts; as she was whimpering about, she’d taken her first strike of her knives against one of them approaching dangerously, “FUE…!”

Sure enough, the counteroffensive was successful in the observer’s jaded eyes, incisions being made into an orange bat’s body: it’d screamed out a powerful frequency as blood had escaped from the newly made wounds by her ethereal blades all the same; still, it wasn’t down or out as far as she was concerned, especially considering how persistent the wingspan was being utilized. Either way, the emerald maiden held firm as a pair of blades had appeared within her left hand firmly as they were so to speak: they were nothing like the ones which had been embedded into the creature for the implements were clean as the wet whistles; anyways, she was more than ready to ensure that it was going to be defeated, especially considering how much her peer did. As the jaded orbs had locked onto the orange bat singled out by the ordeal in question, her body became still like a crystal lake: a stock exchange of substances took place as she’d maintained focus on her target without bias or fear like the times before as is; afterwards, the new projectiles were launched into its general direction, faster than the initial attack, but otherwise less precise.

“DORA…!” roared the same humanoid figure from before as it’d still confronted the remaining opposition as the others have; however, it was besieged by the latter’s reinforcements arriving abaft of the remaining creatures the former had been fighting: giant rats and life–sized zombies were found to be crawling out of the ground underneath instantly, “DORARARARARARA…!”

“Dammit, there’s too many of them: there’s no way it’d be the work of some beast like the Spirit Tortoise; still, we have to keep fighting them off or all of Melromarc will be going to pieces…!” panted Naofumi as Crazy Diamond fell back into his shield before it’d suddenly reverted to the same simplistic shape as it were not too long ago so to speak of.

The man in green noticed how much effort was being made in repelling the invasion they were all confronted with immediately: his peers had their own weapons cast against them directly whilst avoiding a closer range as the enemy’s numbers shrunken afore; as for the maidens, the aura from them was converted into energy to be used as well all the same, much to their relief.

Before long, Naofumi saw some more whirlwinds appear behind them, eyes widened with shock but otherwise filled with caution: from what had happened, he couldn’t resist thinking about who and/or what would be unveiled underneath the fragile layers as is; after all, if it’d been something which sent him off, then what was to be expected from him and other like–minded individuals? Eventually, the man in green found numerous people emerge from there already, more pleasant to the eyes by comparison herein: most of them were basically human to a fault, especially considering how many of which were bearing the same skin coloration; others were out of this world, by and large, especially considering the possibility of being far from native to the terrain.

Out of the newcomers in question, Naofumi had noticed a trio of which in the midst so to speak: there was a diminutively bearded purple dragon in green holding a predominately wooden staff, a stubbly red unicorn in jet–black armor armed with a sword and shield held by an orange aura, and a serpentine archer with tresses blond like a set of parsnips making up the left hand already.

Discord couldn’t resist having something to say about all of this, “wasn’t enough I had to suffer: now, it seems they’ve to come along…!”

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[Swordfighter125]

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