Chapter 14: The Plan in Motion & The Next Night
U'val kept his eye narrowed on Chrysalis as she sputtered and choked, his magic squeezing down even harder around her throat. For a split second his eye wandered, locking onto her subjects. He saw the distraught and fear written on their faces. He saw them staring at their Queen with pleading eyes, praying for her survival. His eye widened, then quickly returned to Chrysalis.
"Feh." he suddenly said, dropping her to the ground and releasing his grip around her neck. He turned away from her as her subjects were similarly released. They quickly ran to her side, helping her pull herself up. U'val took a step away from her and stopped, just at the edge of the clearing.
"I'm going to forgive this little overstep of yours, on one condition." He said, slowly turning over his shoulder to stare her down.
"And... that is?" Chrysalis wheezed, grabbing at her throat.
"Work with me. I still have need of your services." He said as he walked into the underbrush. Chrysalis hesitated, her eyes following after him, then she looked to her subjects, before finally she sighed, stood up, and followed after him.
Derek scratched the side of his head as he stood in the front yard of Twilight's castle, the cheering of people and laughing of party-goers constantly acting like a lure to take his attention away from his thoughts.
After 'he' had saved the town, a victory party had been in order, but with the arrival of Celestia and Luna's army, alongside that of Twilight's brother and sister in law not long after, the castle was a little too small for everyone, so the front yard had been (literally within an eyeblink) converted into a barbeque like outdoor party by Pinkie. It had actually been kinda scary. While he appreciated the celebration, he didn't appreciate the sound, especially now when he was trying to think.
He also didn't appreciate everyone coming up to thank him for saving the town. Of course, he liked being thanked for his hard work as much as the next guy, it just that he didn't like being credited for other people's work. He didn't actually do anything. It was all this 'Auream' character.
Derek sighed when a crash rang out, turning to see that some guy had just dive-bombed a table like this was a frat party. He turned and shook his head preparing to leave for someplace quieter before he was stopped by three ponies. The Princesses.
He recognized two of them, Celestia and Luna, from earlier that day and quickly gave a bow, but the third one he had only seen from a distance and heard mentioned now and then. Cadance was her name.
"No need to bow on our account, especially considering you're one of us," Luna said with a slight chuckle, gesturing to his wings.
Derek smiled and straightened up, a devious look on his face. "Does that mean I'm technically a prince now?"
"I wouldn't go that far yet." Cadance laughed. "But in order to become an Alicorn, you have to do something extraordinary, so no doubt you might become one eventually."
Derek rubbed the back of his neck. "Urrr... to be honest, I haven't really done anything to earn it, I just sorta... came like this."
Cadance smiled. "So did my daughter, but I can already tell you that she's destined for great things." She said, holding out a hoof for him. "My name is Princess Mi Amore Cadenza. It is wonderful to meet you."
"Derek," he said, taking her hoof and giving it a quick shake.
"I must say Derek, me, my sister, and my niece have been very interested in your magical abilities, the only person as naturally gifted as you is the young Flurry Heart," Celestia said, sitting down next to him, levitating a small cup of punch into her hoof, wrapped in golden energy. "Would you care to talk to us about it?"
"Errr... sure, why not," Derek said with a smile, doing the same with his own magic. Instantly both of the elder alicorns locked onto the color of the magic, a brilliant gold, just like Celestia's. They shot a glance at each other and smiled. "What would you like to know?"
"Well, all alicorns, myself included, have a natural inner realm of sorts, a mental zone we can connect to at times," Celestia said, taking a sip of her drink and smiling down at him. "Mine is a void filled with balls of pure magic."
"Mine is rather boring actually, just a void filled with a backdrop of a stary night," Luna said with a chuckle.
"Crystals and Hearts." Came Cadance.
Derek scratched the side of his head. "Eh... mine's all black." He started, thinking back to his meeting with Auream. "Except the floor is like, a big shimmering sheet of golden energy." The alicorns nodded along as he spoke.
"Ah, my mentor Starswirl mentioned that that kind of thing was common among young alicorns. Apparently, it will change as you age," Celestia said bringing her cup up for another sip. "And you mentioned that there was someone in there with you?"
Derek nodded. "Yeah, Auream is his name."
Celestia brought her free hoof to her chin. "And he is just naturally in there?" When Derek nodded she furrowed her brow.
"Hmmph, it isn't unheard of for an Alicorn to summon someone into their head-" She started
"I had the entire town of Ponyvile once." Luna reinforced her point.
"But that usually requires a conscious effort on the Alicorn's part. Do you know if this 'Auream' has a body of his own?"
Derek shook his head. "I think I'm his body," he responded, looking down at himself.
Celestia shook her head. "I will admit, this is beyond my knowledge." She suddenly smiled. "Perhaps my old Teacher Starswirl will know more. When we go to Cantlerlot for the meeting, I will introduce you to him, he will know much more than I. He always does... mostly."
Derek grinned. "That sounds great!"
Johan had been surprised when he saw how quickly the town of Ponyville had managed to piece itself together after its unfortunate sacking earlier as if total town destruction was normal to them. They had everything fixed in only an hour or two and jumped almost instantly into a victory party. One which he had skipped going to.
Now he was sitting on the balcony of his and Derek's room, the same place he had retreated to during the last party. Luckily, it sat over the back of the castle while the party was in the front yard, so he could be completely alone. He needed it. All he had was his thoughts, the chirp of crickets, and the occasional loud shout from the party. He shook his head, bringing a hoof up to cup the side of his head.
"He almost died... for me..." he said, feeling his eyes water slightly. "I almost got my best friend killed..."
He pulled himself up into a ball, almost sobbing as he looked down. Just thinking about how he felt towards his friend, even yesterday, was sickening. Feeling so bitter and spiteful towards someone who had risked his life to keep him safe, made him feel disgusted. Disgusted with himself. And what made it worse? He still felt the underlying taint of jealousy ripping through his soul.
Johan brought a hoof to either side of his head, letting out a pathetic whimper. There was something wrong with him, no ifs ands or buts about it. He was a terrible person, a terrible friend.
His self-pity was suddenly interrupted by the sound of flapping wings, then something four legged landed in front of him. He didn't look up, keeping his gaze towards the crystal floor. When, who he could only assume was Derek, didn't say anything, he took the first initiative.
"I-I know," he started, his voice pathetic and shakey. "You want me to join you at the party... I just..."
He was silent for a second, trying to find the words until he finally let out a pathetic sob. "I can't... I'm sorry. I almost killed you... I'm sorry..." He cried, burying his head further into his hooves. For a second, he flinched when, whoever it was, approached him quietly, loomed over him for a second, and then... licked him?
He quickly sat up, blinking twice. "W-what the?" He asked, his eyes still red and watering. Standing in front of him was a dog, about as big as him. It was a Caucasian Sheperd Dog to be specific. It was white in color, with grey highlights along the edges of its fur. What was most shocking to him though were the two massive bird wings that spread out of its back, alongside a collar that sat around his neck, a small tag hanging from the front.
It barked for a second, prancing in place before it shot forwards, licking his cheek. He stammered for a second, spitting and pulling back, putting a hoof on the dog's head, pushing it back slightly. He shook his head before righting himself slightly. He had seen so many weird things so far, but for some reason, a winged dog took the cake for him... mostly because so far all the other dogs he had seen since getting here in Equestria had been normal... wooden ones notwithstanding.
He gave the thing a quick head pat as he lowered his head to get a better look at the tag hanging from its collar. The writing was in a weird language, one he hadn't seen in Equestria. At first, he had thought they were hieroglyphics of some kind, but after a couple of seconds of staring, made harder by the dog's over eager jerkings, he recognized them as Cyrillics of some kind, though the type he couldn't pin. Though, what made it far weirder was the fact that, for some reason, he could read them. Just like he could with the ruin when he had first arrived in Equestria.
"Aralez? Is that your name?" He asked. The dog barked shaking its tail. He smiled as it licked him once again.
Johan smiled running his hoof along the creature's back. "Heh, can't say the name fits, mostly cause I don't know what it means..." He giggled as the dog pressed its snout against the chest.
Just then the door opened behind him and he quickly turned around, the dog pulling itself from his grasp. It was just in time to see someone join him on the balcony. And this time it really was Derek. Johan stared at him with wide eyes, before he quickly averted his gaze away back towards the horizon. He just managed to see the tail of Aralez as the dog jumped off the balcony, disappearing into the night before Derek could see him.
The alicorn slowly stepped forwards, sitting next to Johan. There was a moment of silence before the alicorn spoke. "I thought I'd find you out here." He said warmly. "You're missing the party man, they sent me in here to come to find you."
Johan shook his head. "S-sorry. I just don't think I should be around people right now. Besides. I'd just bring the mood down." He said quietly, barely more than a whisper.
The silence returned.
"I'm sorry." Johan suddenly said breaking the quiet.
"Sorry? For what?" Derek asked, sitting up slightly and looking down at the deer. Johan slowly raised his gaze his eye stopping at the scar running in a horizontal slash across his chest. The deer slowly raised his hoof, pressing it against the Alicorn's sternum.
"That." He said, looking away.
"What are you apologizing for?" Derek chuckled, making Johan's eyes widen. "You weren't the wackjob with a halberd. Besides, I think it looks pretty cool!"
"But... I almost got you killed! It was my fault the guy went after you!" Johan cried. Fresh tears threatened to roll down his cheek.
"You don't know that," Derek said, shaking his head and furrowing his brow. "For all, we know he'd of tried to stab me no matter what, and if he didn't then that crazy bug lady would have."
"But you still tried to defend me... I..." Johan pulled his legs into his chest. "I didn't deserve it. I don't deserve it."
"Bullshit. You're my friend, and I would have done anything to defend you." Derek said standing up suddenly, his horn glowing. "And I still will."
"I'm not your friend." Johan suddenly said, looking away. "I... I can't be. Friends don't hate each other. Friends don't resent each other's company. They don't-"
Derek stopped him, gently grabbing him by the hoof and pulling him up into a standing position. "Johan. If there is anyone alive with the right to be jealous, it's you." He suddenly said with a firm tone. "I mean, look at me, I'm just some asshole who's had everything handed to him with a silver platter this past month. Do you think I've earned anything I've done? NO! I'm just like some lazy frat boy who's just been handed his rich CEO dad's will. I hate it! Hell, if I were anyone else, I'd punch myself square in the mouth, in fact, with what's going on in my head right now, I probably could!" He shouted, tapping on the side of his forehead with a hoof.
"But you know what?" He said, his frown softening slightly. "No matter how you feel about me, I'd still do what I did. You could have stabbed me that morning with a knife covered in salt and I'd still throw myself between you and that thing, you know why?"
Johan shook his head, his eyes widened and his lips pursed. Derek smiled.
"Because as far as I care," Derek put a hoof on Johan's shoulder. "Until I know what's going on in my head a little better, you are the only real friend I have here."
Johan let out a dry laugh, what followed was a moment of quiet before Johan suddenly shot forwards, wrapping his friend in a hug. "T-thank you... I needed to hear that." The deer said quietly as Derek returned the hug. "Really."
"It's what friends do when they see each other going through a hard day." The alicorn said, pulling the deer closer. "By the way, if I ever start acting like a smug asshole, I do want you to punch me in the face."
Johan laughed again. This time for real. "But did you really mean what you said about the knife?"
"Oh god no. Real shit if you actually did that, I'd never want anything to do with you ever again." He replied with a chuckle.
The two stayed embraced like that for a couple of minutes before they both agreed to go to the party together, it was being thrown in their honor after all. But, as the two left the room, neither of them noticed as a small flash of magic lanced between Johan's antlers.
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I'm guessing the dog is Johan's from a previous life. All these things hinti g at Johan and Derek having had previous lives runs into one issue though. Not one that disproves the idea, but that who they are now are really the same person; they really have no actual connection to those lives so they have no reason to want to be those people instead of their current human identities. Derek will probably want to remain an alicorn since they're so overpowered, but seeing him affirm that his friendship with Johan is the most important thing to him says that Derek /= Auream where it really counts.
wow, this took a long time to come out, but it was worth it and I KNEW Johan had some type of magic from the first chapter since it would be pretty sad if he was magic less.
Don't you just hate it when some random mare walks up to you and shakes your head?
Again example of why alicorns don't have a real reason,its just excuses.
She literally admits that her daughter became an alicorn for not doing anything
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Well, she was born as one... Because her mom was one. So I guess that is a little more than just an excuse lmao.
But yeah, otherwise that is correct. The whole Alicorn discrepancy will make sense as time goes on, I swear lol.
11015490
Aw, I gotta fix that, thanks for letting me know!
I assume considering the ending of this chapter that Johan is going to have development in the power department.
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One can only hope yeah?
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I DARE SAY THAT HE IS A VENGEFUL GOD
YOU WILL NOT TAKE MY U'VAL FAN FICTION FROM ME
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;3
She turned and shook his head preparing to leave for someplace quieter before he was stopped by three ponies.
I would talk about this, but someone already said it better.
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Can't believe I forgot to fix that already lol, thanks for reminding me!
Is the dog important?
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Extremely
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It's a dog, it's automatically important