Life isn’t done with you

by Kibat Grenbuku

Chapter 2: Something Lost, Now Regained.

But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree,

-Romans 11:17

---

The rumbling and tumbling vibrations that rattled throughout the cart were the first sensations that registered within the dazed mind of 'Red'. His groggy eyes were crusted and his mouth was as dry as a desert as he continued to experience the notion of movement. A buzzing drone was all that registered within his ears and the glare of the sky along with the built-up gook in his eye prevented any attempts to visually ascertain his whereabouts. And so, he was left with no choice but to drift aimlessly within his foggy mind as his senses ever so slowly regained their normal functions.

...W-What happened... Ugh... my head... my back... w-where am I...there was...horse? "W-Wha?" 'Red' audibly voiced to himself as he felt his tongue lose its numb texture.

It would seem that his little croak was heard by someone as the rapid onset of footstep vibrations was felt to his left. Whoever it was next to him was seemingly ecstatic to hear his voice, if their palpable energy was anything to go by.

Soon enough, another set of footsteps soon vibrated to his right which was more heavyset than the last. It seems that the new person was trying to speak to him as his ears picked up sporadic lapses of verbal speech, but it wasn't enough to stitch together any coherent statements yet. 'Red' decided to remedy the issue by speaking himself, conveying the one thing he wanted at the moment. "...Water... w-water..."

His request would be answered as something hooked under his chin and brought his mouth upon a cold metallic texture. Tilted ever so slightly up, the cool quenching water was greedily gulped down by 'Red' who wouldn't relent until he was satisfied. He finished with haggard breaths as the last drops were administered.

"...There now. Feeling much better?" The voice of a woman was heard off to his right.

"...Very much so... thank you, ma'am." He earnestly replied back. The buzzing in his ears rapidly faded away as he finished quenching his thirst. 'Red' proceeded to try to clear the gook around his eyes to finally see the world around him, but upon doing so, was left only with a blurry image of varying colors and shapes.

Struggling to rise from his position, a pair of gentle but stony hands settled onto his back and ever so gently urged him back to his resting place. "Woah now, easy there young one. You suffered a mighty big scratch onto your lil' noggin there. Lost a quite bit of blood you did. I don't recommend you start going up an' at it all around now." The woman lifted 'Red's head up and placed quite the comfortable pillow for him as he was laid back down. "You and your brother were quite lucky we found ya when we did. You two were going at each other like cats an' dogs."

'Red' could only sputter a cough upon hearing the woman's words. "...*Cough* B-Brother? You say brother? I have no brothers."

"Really now?" The woman replied, a small tone of skepticism on the very tip of her tongue. "Well, could've fooled me. It's not every day a pony comes across a pair of alicorns unless you're in Canterlot. And even then, you would only meet the Royal Sisters. Never heard of no Royal Brothers though... so now that I think about it, I suppose you're right."

...What? Alicorn? Royalty? The hell she talking about? "Don't mean to be rude, but where am I? What happened?"

The splattering of freshly squeezed water sounded off as a cold and wet texture was gently dabbed to the base of his skull as the woman responded. "You're in the back of our family wagon, almost there to our farmstead. We had spent the past week vacationing with extended family in Rockville when we discovered you two duking it out on our way back." The woman encroached onto his wound a little too close as 'Red' flinched upon her next touch. "Oh! Sorry, dear, please try not to move too much. Darn hooves, some days I reckon being a unicorn is much better for certain tasks than being an earth pony. ...Your friend, Psalms, says you had a flying accident hence your nasty scratch. Was me and mostly my hubby who stitched you up all dandy-like, though I reckon your alicorny magic did most of the work."

...What? Magic? Unicorns? Ponies? Is she smoking dope or... and then it hits him; a recollection from before, brief flashes of horses and horns and wings sprung within his mind along with something about a cartoon ringing in his brain. A quick turn of his head and a clear image were all he needed to confirm his suspicions. "...I'm sorry, what did you say your name was, miss..."

Turning his head, his memories are confirmed as his vision finally clears and he's presented before a green middle-aged little horse, with a weathered smile and droopy tired eyes reflected unto him. "Mrs. Honey Buns." She simply replied before a frenzied blue face pops from above her head, a face-splitting smile adorning the little one. The lady horse snatches the blue kid horse into her arms, smothering him in snuggles. "And this one is Rocket Rush. Don't be rude, Rush, say hello."

"HI-HI-HI-HI!" Rush rocketed away with a bobbing of his head with every word muttered. "Mama and Papa saved you! Said you might've kicked the bucket weren't for them! But that's dumb because we don't have any buckets to kick. And kicking buckets isn't as fun as kicking a ball. You should kick balls instead! Momma, do we have a ball to kick?" The colt asked as he looked above to his mother.

"At home we do, but kicking a ball won't do him any good. He needs rest more than anything." The horse squeezed her blue bundle of fluff and wings and gave him a kiss on the cheek as she settled him to the floor. "Now go back to playing with your toys, enjoy your free time while you can, because you're going back to school this coming week young colt." The colt only provided a half-hearted groan before resuming his play session off to the side.

"Anywho, Steel Ingot, my hubby, is the one pulling the wagon, and your friend and my daughter, Ink Rose, are right there-" She proceeds to point with her hoof to the two figures at the top seats of the wagon, "-navigating the map. I say it has been about two hours since we found y'all, and we should be nearing home any moment now."

'Red' reflected on her words as he took a minute to look upon himself, scrutinizing his equine figure with growing contempt. ...Why? Why am I still in froopy-doopy land? Dammit, my brain is still fucking with me. How do I make this end?

'Red's thoughts are interrupted as Honey courteously coughs to regain his attention. "*Ahem*, If you don't mind me asking, what is your name? Psalms, strange a name as it is, claims he doesn't recall it either. The two of you leave all of us with many questions, but so far, Psalms has been the one asking them. So, what is your name again?"

'Red' quickly adorned a hard stony-faced mask as the seconds passed without any responses. He was quick to turn away from Honey as a scowl soon formed. ...What the fuck is the point of any of this? Why is this happening? ...Forget it. Forget the stupid horse, forget everything. Just focus on finding a way out. 'Red' chose to lay his head back down on the pillow and rest, ignoring Honey's inquiry.

'Red's' disregard was misinterpreted as reluctance by Honey due to his inflicted wounds. "Oh, I'm sorry. I shouldn't be so forward so soon after you've just recovered. Psalms did mention you were having memory troubles among other things. Just lay and rest. We're almost home." With it settled, Honey opted to return back to the front leaving Rush and 'Red' behind.

'Red' popped one eye open to observe Rush before closing it shut with a heavy snort.

---

"...-ust to clarify once again, you said the Crystal Empire reappeared in the world about four years ago, right? And what did you say about the Pony of Shadows again?" Psalms inquired to his two companions, wishing he had a notebook to record their answers the whole time.

"Uh, eh... Crystal Empire was like, two to four years ago, or something. We don't exactly get out very often, dude." Ink nonchalantly replied.

"Pony of Shadows is a tale about the castle nestled in the Everfree Forest, far as I can remember." Ingot answered as he trudged along the dirt road with nary a struggle. "May have read something about it recently in one of them newspapers, but it was a fleeting read. Can't say much else."

"Hmm, alright, but are you both sure that neither of you knows anything about a school of friendship in Ponyville? Or anything about a Storm King?" Psalms fished.

"School for unicorns in Canterlot. Only school I know. Heard of King Sombra, not the other guy." Ingot informed.

With everything settled, Psalms reflected on his current situation. Alright, so it's a no on friendship school, king, and maybe on the shadow pony. Yes applies to the Crystal Empire, Princess Twilight, and her castle. Flurry Heart exists, but I can't remember which season she's from so... either we are in between season five and season seven, or we're dealing with an alternate timeline situation. Hmm.

Psalms is brought out of his inner thinking as Ink pipes up. "Speaking of Canterlot, Dad, are we gonna make it tomorrow? You promised we'd be there yesterday."

"The journey can be fickle, Ink, and you never know what may hold you up. Take these two as examples. But, I did promise, and we will be there tomorrow."

"Hmm? What's happening in Canterlot?"

Ink was quick to reply, a shine within her eye and enthusiasm lacing her words. "Some stupid festival or whatever, but Songbird Serenade is gonna be there! Songbird feathering Serenade! I cannot afford to miss this!"

"Language." Ingot duly warned.

Ink opted to roll her eyes as she continued. "I missed her concerts in Las Pegasus, Fillydelphia, and Manehattan, but not this time! There are no tickets, no reservations, no lines, no fees, nothing! It's as good as it could ever get."

"We may be gone tomorrow, Ink, but that doesn't mean you get to slack off on your chores for today."

"Aw!" Ink groaned, "C'mon, Dad! We just got back from Rockville, the sun's almost set, and we'll be back on the road again tomorrow. Can't we relax for the rest of today as well?"

Ingot sent a soft glare back toward the two before refocusing on the road. "A whole week of vacation wasn't good enough for ya?"

"Pfft. Seriously, Dad? You're telling me that you managed to relax while gulping down rock soup, rock stew, rock casserole, and rocky road rock ice cream for a whole week straight?"

Ingot chose to remain silent. A moment later he snorted in resignation. "You have me there, Daughter. Very well, we shall take it easy today, but know this, you have reminded me of the terrible provisions our dear southern family provided, and my core rumbles for true sustenance. Ergo, you shall assist Mother with cooking."

Ink's face bore a sheepish smile as she turned to Psalms. "Right, n-no problems there. I-It's not like my cooking can be any worse than literal rocks."

"I still have not forgotten the burnt breakfast of '07, Ink. Charcoal hay bacon isn't very distinct from literal rocks in quality, taste, or texture. Mother will keep a wary eye out for you." Ingot's next words were barely heard filtering out from under his breath. "Celestia above, how does one burn freshly squeezed orange juice?"

"So," Psalms interjected, "are you sure it's ok that me and... uh, 'Red' stay the night with you, Mr. Ingot?"

"But of course. You and your friend will need to repay me only with a little manual labor. Nothing physical, your horns should be enough to get some lifting done."

"Oh," Psalms reluctantly responded, eyeing the visible black ivory above. "...Well, Mr. Ingot, I'm afraid that may be a tad difficult to undergo seeing as how both of us, uh, aren't exactly well versed in... well, the basics of magic."

Ingot couldn't help but physically pause for a brief moment in stunned silence. He turned to cast a hard scrutinizing glare back at Psalms before continuing his treading further. "...You're telling me you two, two young alicorns, from who knows where don't know a lick of magic? If I hadn't personally cleaned you up myself, I might've thought you two to be a couple of 'special' changeling spies. Keyword being special."

"Y-Yeah," Psalms nervously replied as he scratched the back of his head, "you could say we are very 'special' but for a far greater reason than that."

"Well, why is that, huh?" Ink inquisitively poked, a case of curiosity infecting her. "You're the one who's been asking all the questions; I figure it's time we ask some of our own. Just who exactly are you two? Seems like more alicorns are just popping up left and right in the past half-decade than in all of Equestria's history. Even then I don't think I've ever heard of male ones at that."

"Well, that's because as far as I can tell, there have never been male alicorns in Equestria's history before. You and your family seem to be taking this fact in stride though."

"Eh," Ink shrugged her shoulders, "All of us have pretty much met most of the Princesses in person or in a dream in Princess Luna's case. The novelty tends to wear off. Twilight was some shut-in librarian nerd before being magicked into a princess, so it isn't hard to think that a couple of nosy colts ended up the same. It is weird that there have never been male ones before, but with all the crazy stuff that has happened these recent years, you two are just a drop in the bucket in comparison."

A drop for now, but a flood may be on the horizon. Hopefully, we can make a difference here. Psalms looked over his shoulder at the other three members not present, particularly at one red individual. I don't know about him though, why he's here or who sent him in that condition. He lost a lot of blood, he was delirious, and he wasn't himself... Psalms applied a hoof to his throat as he contemplated further. ...But he almost killed me. If it wasn't for their timely intervention, I'd've been skewered. Thank you, Lord Almighty, for the save.

"Anyway," Ink interjected, having fished out a nail filer and going to work with it. "You still haven't answered our questions. Just who are you? What kind of name is Psalms, and what-" Ink points toward Psalms' medallion, "-is that?"

Psalms was left in shock upon finally noticing the medallion around his neck. He had been completely oblivious and negligent as to its whereabouts upon entering the world, having forgotten it completely. He was glad that it had remained upon his neck the whole time through. "Oh, this?" He cusped the pendant within his hoof, bringing the image of Mary and Jesus before him, "...it's a gift, a promise, and... a family memento."

Ink peered closer at the pendant, taking an interest in the characters portrayed. "What are they? Never seen the likes of them before."

"They're humans, like the ones who raised me, in a land far far away. Psalms is a human name, a name I chose, but I'll have an Equestrian name soon enough. The reason I'm here is that, well for a lack of better terms, I'm a Crusader."

Ink inclines her head toward Psalms posterior. "I would say you are a little too old to be a cutie-mark crusader, but at this point, I think you're gonna need all the help you can get."

"Ha! No, no, no, not that crusader; I'm a Crusader of Christ. I was sent here to protect this land from an ancient evil."

"Ancient evil, huh?" Ingot inquires after remaining quiet for some time. "A little late to be dealing with Nightmare Moon, that raging centaur, and the Spirit of Chaos you are."

"That I am, but evil is always around the corner, and I am here to lend a helping ha- er, I mean helping hoof when the time calls for it."

"And him?" Ingot inclined his head towards the rear of the wagon.

Psalms could only shake his head in return. "I'm in the same boat as you in regards to him. I don't know his name, or why he's here. All I know is he's from the same land that I came from. It is not a coincidence, trust me. We only just met an hour or so prior to you guys."

"Hmm... then what had you two so riled up to draw blood?"

"...He was scared. We both were, I guess. I was teleported here to help, but I didn't know exactly where I was initially. He, on the other hand, may have been sent here by force. The scratch messed with his head and he wasn't thinking straight. His instincts got the better of him and that's how you found us."

A heavy snort escaped from Ingot. "Violence ain't exactly in our nature, young one. If that is his base instincts, then it doesn't bode well with me."

...Yeah, me neither old-timer. Psalms opted to remain silent following Ingot's comment.

"Well, we have good news and maybe bad news." Honey Buns declared as she reach the top of the wagon's seats, opting to settle herself onto a wooden crate behind Psalms and Ink. "Your friend is up and appears to be well, if not a little dehydrated, but I don't think he'll be croaking on us any time soon. His scratch looks like it's healing well, no infections far as I can tell. Looks like all he needed was some stitches."

Ingot released a relieved sigh upon hearing his wife's words. "Thank Celestia. I feared my late initiative had only prolonged the inevitable. These aging hooves ain't what they used to be."

"I never doubted your skills for a moment, Steely. You're no degree-wielding surgeon, but experience trumps anything a flimsy paper or lecture can teach." The inquisitive mask pasted on Psalms' face urged Honey to elaborate. "Steely here was a farm labor contractor, strange occupation for a unicorn, I know. Was in charge of all sorts of ponies and places and doohickeys. Machinery accidents were a blue-moon occurrence, but he figured learning a thing or two about trauma treatment wouldn't hurt in the long run."

"And it paid off ten-fold." Ink chimed in. "Dad was contracted by Grandpa to help out on the family orchard when they first met. He could not stop glancing at mom like a flustered school filly, sweating bullets and wimping out at any chance to break the ice with her. Fate itself eventually had enough as Mom managed to cut herself on a scythe and before even a drop of blood was spilled, Dad was careening straight on through to her. Next thing anypony knew, they saw a unicorn the size of a barn coddling and fussing over Mom in his arms like a little kitten." Ink finished with an impish chuckle at Ingot's expense.

"As much as I like to reminisce about that time, there is the issue of the bad news to discuss." Ingot redirected, quick to change subjects.

It took a few moments longer to get the ball rolling as Honey too was reliving the moment in her head when she was snapped back to reality. "Huh? Oh, right, the bad news. Well, 'Red' is awake and is cognitively sound for the most part, but I believe his blood loss is messing with his memories. I asked for his name and... either he struggled to remember, is hesitant to give it, or outright refused to tell me. Honestly, I think he's still tired from the whole ordeal so let's not pressure him about it."

"Well, he better un-tire right quick, 'cause we're home."

Cresting over a flowery hill, the site of a well-maintained farmstead is presented before Psalms. Picket fences align on either side of the dirt driveway as great scattered oak trees dot the adjacent fields. Straight ahead lies the main house of the family while off the left stood a typical red barn along with an easy-going windmill. To the right was a small creek that intertwined through a couple of animal pens, cows and pigs in particular.

A herd of cattle was grazing to Psalms' right which Honey called out to just as they cleared the front gate. "Hello, Mooella. We're finally back. How's the farm been without us?"

"Oh, just moooaaarrvellous, Honey sweetie. Plenty of space for the kids to frolic, freshly watered grass each morning courtesy of those weather lads 'n ladies, and Cindy even found a patch of honeydew the other day that has been just a delight."

"Glad to hear it. I know we've been on vacation for a whole week, but we'll also be gone tomorrow, there's a festival in Canterlot and Ink has been anxiously patient to attend it. You can go one more day without a fresh bale of hay, right?"

Moella furrowed her brows as she walked adjacent to the cart. "Don't think that's a good idea, Honey sweetie. Daisy's been raising a whole ruckus about some black shape in the sky spewing black smoke or some such earlier today. Claims she saw more than one, hidin' far up in the sky all sneaky-like. Us cows ain't the brightest in the shed but I think they went-" Moella extended her hoof towards the farmhouse, "Thataway, towards... whatcha call it? Cinderblock?"

"Canterlot?" Psalms corrected to which Moella nodded her head. Shifting his gaze in that direction, sure enough, Psalms could see the mountain along with the faint outline of the castle itself. Across the horizon laid not a single speck of cloud or smoke.

"Migrating adult dragons." Ingot asserted. "See 'em all the time. Travel in packs, spewing ash and smoke along the way. Ponyville had to deal with a hibernating one a few years back. Smoke blotted the sky for miles an' miles. They're long gone by now, nothing to worry about."

"If you say so." Moella relented before turning back to her herd.

A scampering of frantic energetic hooves announced Rush's oncoming approach as he unfurled his wings and buzzed onto Ingot's spine with said stallion not so much as even flinching from his little one's pounce. "Home-home-home! We're home! Yahoo! Can I go play Dad!? Can I-can I-can I!?"

"Of course, Rocket. Dinner will be served soon." Rocket didn't hesitate to rush down the dirt path before flinging himself past the barn and into the back of the farmhouse. Not a second later a loud crash resounded from where Rocket had last been spotted, eliciting a small chuckle from all the family members.

"I haven't spent much time with him yet, but it seems like he's never out of energy." Psalms commented.

"Liveliest little foal I've ever met. We adopted him nearly two years ago, and I have yet to see him stay still in one spot for longer than six seconds. He was never tested, but the orphanage he's from believes he may be on the spectrum."

"Ah. I understand. I was an orphan myself you know. Grew up helping around with pe-ponies on the spectrum. I understand to a degree."

Honey and Ink's faces were that of mild shock as Psalms informed them of his origin. "You...you were an orphan? Were you given away?" Psalms nodded his head, eliciting another round of shocked expressions from the duo. "But... but... but you're an alicorn! The rarest of rare, a one-of-a-kind, and a stallion to boot! What kind of pony gives away an alicorn!?"

Psalms offers only a shrug. "Guess nobo-nopony understood the significance of my race back where I'm from. I did find a family eventually, so it wasn't always doom and gloom." Psalms reflected back to the pedant as he cusped it within his hoof once more.

"...But now you've lost them?" Ink asked as she also eyed the medallion, a downcast tone lacing her question.

Psalms nodded as he wiped a single tear away. "...And they lost me. But, I know that wherever they are, they're in good hands."

Silence reigned over the wagon as it drew closer to the front of the farmhouse. It was finally broken when Honey spoke up. "Psalms? How old did you say you were?"

"I'm nineteen. My birthday was just a little over a week ago actually." Psalms answered as he turned his back to them to inspect the barn off his left. Honey and Ink traded silent glances and wordless exchanges with each other, before catching the eye of Ingot who looked back upon them, wordlessly entering himself into their affair while Psalms remained oblivious. All three nodded in resolution a moment later.

Eventually, the wagon crawled to a stop as they finally reach the front steps of the house. Honey and Ink were quick to disembark while Ingot used his magic to nudge Psalms back onto the cart before turning to his wife and magicked over a couple of wicker baskets onto her haunches. "I believe a feast may be in order upon today's conclusion, and Ink has graciously offered her services unto you. Please ensure she doesn't try to imitate our southern families' recipes this time around." Ingot closed his sentence with a tender kiss that Honey all too eagerly returned.

"Alright, you two. Time is short and so too will be our work for today. Up an at 'em 'Red'." Ingot ordered as the wagon was situated within the barn. 'Red' was reluctant to interact with the magical talking horses, but soon enough obliged before he could earn a hard glare from Ingot. Before Ingot stood the two young alicorn stallions, who eyed each other with equal contempt and caution. The glare 'Red' gave to Psalms gave hint to the bubbling turmoil that brewed within him, but luckily for Psalms, he chose to remain passive.

"I'm glad to see that my hoofwork prevailed once more. How do you feel, young one?" Ingot addressed to 'Red'.

'Red' had enough sense to lose the scowl as he turned to face the burly stallion, yet remained reluctant to speak out. "...I'm... fine. Thank you, for stitching me up. Not sure I would've made it if it weren't for you." Just what is he supposed to be? A paramedic? Farmer Brown who found my body and is nursing me to health? Can't trust anything I see.

"Good. Very good. It appears you're in good enough health to do a bit of work, so we shall do just that. Nothing physical mind you, just some simple magical manipulation and tidying up. Now, Psalms told me some alarming news, and I need to verify if it's true with you as well. Do you know how to manipulate your mana?"

'Red' reflected his gaze between Psalms and Ingot before looking upon his own horn. "...No. No, can't say that I do."

Ingot nodded his head as he rubbed away at his eyes. "As I feared. Very well, we shall do some chores and I will teach you the very basics of magic manipulation. Mind you, I am no teacher whatsoever so I will keep this very simple which in itself is a good thing as this should be quick for you to learn and do. Now, follow my stance." Ingot finished as he adjusted his posture to a more upright posture. Chest heaved out, legs locked and together, and head held high.

Psalms and 'Red' followed in step, mimicking Ingot's every move. "Good. Now, breathe in...and out... breathe in... and out. Feel the air as it fills your lungs. Feel the blood within your veins. Feel the heart pumping in your chest. Feel the wind against your hide. Feel it all, inside and out and all around. Magic is everywhere, in us, and everything. In our hearts. In our minds. In our words. In our core. Feel your core, feel the magic all around. Like electricity, feel its charge, and follow it."

Psalms wasn't sure what he was supposed to feel at first, but it wasn't long before he felt a tingling ripple that pervaded all around, barely noticeable unless one harnessed their senses to it. As he breathed, he felt the energy invade his lungs and flow throughout his body, spreading to all corners of his being. A small gasp escaped from 'Red', all but confirming that he felt it too.

"Good. You have harvested the natural ambient magic into your core. Now, to properly utilize it, you must guide it to your magical projector, your horns. Young foals need only to do this once or twice before the need to summon magic becomes involuntary. You must guide the magic to your horn. Slow and steady. Too fast or too much and you risk blowing your mana fuse. Breathe in... and out. In... and out. Now, summon it forth."

"How do we know if we're blowing our fuse?" 'Red' asked to Psalms' surprise as well as his own.

"It varies from pony to pony, and I cannot begin to imagine how it works with an alicorn, but usually you will feel a burning sensation followed by ever-increasing pain. Magic will begin to pop and spark off your horn regardless of whether you summoned it forth or not and you will eventually expel your mana until you are at low levels."

Not too keen to turn into a magic bomb, both alicorns continued to guide their magic with an increased level of caution, with Psalms heading the warning more so than 'Red' seeing as how he didn't want to go through it a second time. Psalms could feel the mana flowing through his body consolidate slowly into his horn as he urged the magic forth. Like before, his horn began to glow with a golden hue, except this time it held a more refined and brighter shine. 'Red' wasn't far behind as his horn too began to glow; unsurprisingly taking a dark shade of red, like crimson.

Ingot looked upon both stallions as they followed his steps to the letter; a small proud smile adorning his face. "Good. Very good, you have successfully harnessed the surrounding ambient magic and have converted it into your own unique signature. That magical shine coating your horn is now an extension of your will and power." Ingot steps to the side, indicating his hoof to two wooden crates he had fished out of the wagon from earlier. "Command it to do your bidding. Seize these crates and store them in the rafters above. Feel yourself as you extend your magical reach and pace yourself. One must walk before they can run. Add too much force and you risk bashing the crate apart. Finesse is key. Slow and steady now."

Breathing in and out, Psalms was careful to tread lightly as he envisioned his magic extending forward slowly like a slithering snake. His magic did just so, taking the shape of a golden serpent that slithered forth to engulf the wooden crate. 'Red' went with the more logical choice of a rough image of a human hand that also successfully engulfed his own crate, but not before inputting a tad too much force into his magic, evoking a slight bang against the wood.

Focusing back on his own crate, Psalms could feel the texture of fine wood. He could sense the dimensions that made up the box as if he was personally measuring them himself, but most of all, he was physically and mentally bearing the brunt of the crate's weight.

"Now that you hold the objects in your magical grip, you can feel the weight as if you were physically hauling it yourself. It takes time and repetition to increase your mana's strength on physical items. Levitation is one of the most basic concepts foals are taught upon reaching age." Ingot glances around as he eyes the dirty and cluttered barn, a growing twinkle lighting up in his eyes. Psalms and 'Red' could only share a nervous glance before focusing on Ingot again. "Luckily for you two, we will make up that time with our work for today. I've been meaning to clean this barn out for some time, but you boys wouldn't mind lending aid to an aging stallion, now would ya?"

---

The last rays of dusk disappear over the twilight horizon as Psalms and 'Red' haggardly finished the last of the barn refurbishing. Two hours had passed since their magic lesson and within that time, their levitation had strengthened nearly twice over. Still low for a unicorn their age, but progress takes time.

Honey and Ink had apparently made well with Ingot's request for a feast as the lavish scents that could be whiffed within the barn had sent all of the stallions into a slight frenzy in order to complete their job sooner, their empty stomachs rumbling their discontent the whole time through.

Ingot being the elder and owner of the ranch, excused himself to help set the final table preparations, trusting in Psalms and 'Red' to finish the barn on their own without supervision.

Psalms had mastered his magic control to a greater degree than 'Red' as he finished his side of the barn in a timely and more coordinated manner while 'Red' on the other ha-hoof, struggled to catch up. The whole time they spent cleaning the barn together, not a single word was muttered between the two.

"...Hey... 'Red'." Psalms called out, halting 'Red' in his tracks who opted to keep facing away from Psalms. "...What happened... back at the river... we haven't had the chance to talk about it yet."

"...There's nothing to talk about." 'Red' replied, resuming his heavy lifting with a puff of breath.

"...I just... I just wanted to say... that I forgi-" Psalms was cut off as 'Red's' burden slipped from his magical grip as sparks and pops crept up his crimson horn. In a flurry of panic, 'Red' hastily repeated the breathing steps, successfully draining his magic to a non-critical level.

"...Shut. Up. Just, shut up. ...You're not real... none of this is real... your words mean nothing."

"You've gone through an awful lot of trouble learning magic and cleaning this barn up for the past two hours even though it's not real, according to you." The sound of the dinner bell ringing could be heard emanating outside. "Look. I know that all of this being real is a lot for one to take in, and you'd be crazy not to go crazy to a degree after experiencing all of this, but like it or not, it is real. I'm real. That family is real. This world is real. When you're ready to face it head-on, you can count on me being there to help." Psalms turns to leave the barn, "If you're able, can you fetch Rush for dinner? Ingot says he likes to play in the quarry behind the house." With that said, Psalms takes his leave.

'Red' could only stand within the barn and fume at Psalms' words, anger and indignation boiling over. Just what the hell had he been doing for the past two hours? Cleaning a barn that wasn't real? Using magic that wasn't real? Because some old prune who wasn't real ordered him to do so? Why the fuck was any of this even happening!? His body is no doubt lying and dying in a ditch somewhere and here he was playing housemaid with a bunch of donkeys conceived from the inner machinations of his bleeding brain. If he didn't find a way to wake himself up at this very moment, his very next breath may be his last.

Foregoing his remaining chores, 'Red' stormed out of the barn, wandering around aimlessly as he wrapped his mind around possible solutions to render himself conscious: He already bit himself, and he already fainted which is the equivalent of sleep. He's experienced pain and has drawn blood and he did most of the chores in the damn barn in the vain attempt that would wake him up for whatever reason; and yet, all of it was a failure. There has to be something else...
...
...
...
Shock. He has yet to be shocked... at least he thinks so. He has yet to do something that would leave him flabbergasted, that would leave him in stunned silence. Something horrible? Something dramatic? Something... traumatizing...yeah... a good jolt should do just the trick... but how?

It was only then that 'Red' realized that he had wandered behind the house, up to a cliff edge that overlooked a small quarry full of big rocks and jutting gemstones. Nestled right at the very center was little blue Rocket Rush, hopping and galloping and frolicking with a set of toy diamond dogs in a fierce battle against a turtle wizard.

'Red' was directly above Rush, not even fifteen feet away. How either one had remained oblivious to the other eluded 'Red's mind. What didn't elude him, however, was the chunky-looking boulder at least four times bigger than the crates he had been lifting earlier just off to his right. The boulder had been carved and excavated from the earth and was free of any anchors tethering it to the ground. With will and power, 'Red' was easily able to lift the boulder within his magical grip before setting his sights on the colt.

Inch by inch, the boulder levitated away from the cliff's edge, centering itself on the oblivious colt below. The boulder's immense size and crushing weight left little wonder as to how effective the results would be.

...He's right there... he's not real... he's right there... it'll be quick... painless... he's not real... there would be no pain at all.

The boulder hung in the air with a slight sway from the wind, as if tethered to the sky by a fine thin line of rope. One snip of that rope was all 'Red' wanted. All he needed.

...He's not real... none of this is real... this is my ticket out... I can feel it...freedom... it's...it's screaming at me...begging me... to drop it.

'Red's' magic began to falter, dimming and dulling with each passing second. The colt continued his fun with not a single other soul there to bear witness as to what came next.

...It wants freedom... it demands its virtues...liberation...from my flesh... from its meaty cage... I can help it...I can help the boy... I can set them both free... and what is death... but ultimate freedom...

The forewarned sense of creeping pain crawled up 'Red's' horn as he struggled to steel himself. The screeching voice not of his own reached its crescendo within his mind.
...Let go... just let go... he's not real... he's a trick... a lie... a facade... just like she was...take revenge..take action.. take freedom! Let go! Drop it! Release it! Sweat release! Death's embrace! Kill him! He's not real! Let go! DEATH! KILL! MURDER! KILL HIM! DROP IT! LET GO!!!!!!!!

---

"Carrot cauliflower casserole, sautéed spinach and eggplant with mashed potatoes, glazed onion rings, steamed broccoli dumplings, and a good ol' fashioned apple pie for dessert? Mm-mm-mmm, you truly know a way into a stallion's heart, Honey." Ingot drooled as he examined every dish with an ever-increasing desire to dig in right then and there. Psalms' stomach rumbled in agreement as he finished clearing away the dishes under Ink's supervision. Nothing beats home-cooked food from a loving family.

"Keep that drool to yourself, Mr. We did not prepare all this food just to have you slobber all over it before we even had a chance to sample some. I mean, I wouldn't mind it, but I can't say the same for the kids." Honey finished with a light chuckle as Ink emoted faux gagging.

"Ew! Yuck! Get a room you two."

"Oh please, as if you haven't been sucking face with that Copper colt these past few months." Honey retorted.

"That's what couples do, Mom. But you're my parents and it's icky when you two do it."

"Oh, hush. And I thought Rocket was the foal of this family." Contemplation etched its way onto Honey's features. "Speaking of Rush, where is the lad? He always comes crashing in when the bell is ru-" A resounding crash echoed from the quarry's direction, cutting Honey off. A slight tremor rocked the kitchen and its occupants for a second before peace resumed.

Not a moment later, 'Red' came bursting through the back door, wheezing out puffs of breath. His face was that of concealed dread as he gazed upon one member after the other. "... I uh... w-wheres your bathroom?"

'Red' was quick to scramble away as directions were relayed to him, leaving the rest of the kitchen in the dark. "...Must've been holding it in the whole time," Honey commented.

"What was that bang just now?" Psalms asked as worry flooded his veins upon seeing 'Red' so agitated. He was supposed to bring Rush inside...surely he wouldn't try to do something to him... Oh, fuck! What have I do-

"Mom...Dad... it happened again." The little colt's voice rang out as the back door opened and closed once more. Rush soon enough hopped into his seat, a forlorn look upon his face like that of a scolded puppy.

"Out playing in the quarry, right?" Ingot interrogated, earning a nod from Rush. "Were you messing with the stone pillars again?"

"... I don't know..."

A groan escaped from both parents. "This is the third time these past two months. That's it. You're grounded from playing in the quarry, young stallion."

"But, Mom! It's the perfect place for the final battle of my epic adventure saga to conclude!" Rush exclaimed, wings buzzing in irritation.

"You'll just have to find somewhere else to play in the meantime then. Now all of you settle down and let me fix you up some plates."

As everyone finished their tasks and settled down before the table, in walked back 'Red' having cleaned his face up as water still dripped from his face. His tired drained eyes reflected across the room. "Good to see you freshened yourself up, unlike a certain other two stallions. Grab yourself a seat and let me serve you," Honey instructed.

'Red' did just so, as he seated himself within the corner farthest from all the others. "...Thank you... Mrs. Bu-... Mrs. Honey... and thank you... Ms. Ink... for the food..." 'Red' finished, a thin layer of anxiety coating his comments and physical features.

"Ink is just fine... are you ok? I know we haven't really talked or been formally introduced to each other, but you seem to be on edge. Something happen in the barn?"

'Red' was slow to respond, hesitant more so than sluggish. "...No...I-I mean yes... I... uh... there was a...um... never mind, was just fine." 'Red' mumbled the last part.

Ingot was quick to be alarmed. "Fire? Did something combust in the barn?"

"Fire? Fire!? Where!?" 'Red' jumped within his seat, stark horror plastered on his face. Ingot's words finally registered within his brain and he was quick to shake his head clear to alleviate the mix-up. "No, no, no, sorry I didn't mean fire, I meant 'spider'. Yeah, I...uh saw a spider and it, uh... ya know..." 'Red' resumed his silence once more.

Ingot wasn't ready to let it go just yet, "So you're saying there's no f-"

"Nope-no-nothing... just a spider.... nothing to worry about...sorry for scaring you..."

Ingot reflected on 'Red's' words before finally relenting as he heaved a tired sigh. "I understand. Them creepy crawlies always manage to send shivers down my spine, despite being the big burly old stallion that I am."

---

With the tension bleeding away, the family and two alicorns had their plates fixed and began to dig in, some more so than others. Conversation, little jabs and jokes, and questions along with answers hung thick in the air as the hour passed. Even 'Red' participated to a degree as the dining drew to a close.

"So," Ingot inquired to his two guests. "What's the plan for tomorrow? I'm assuming you wish to meet with the princesses in Canterlot, what with your whole being here to fight evil and all that."

Psalms swallowed the last of his food before wiping himself and responding. "It's plan B. Our first step is to head on to Ponyville, and see if we can meet with Princess Twilight. She's the one who does all the fighting lately."

"Hmm, well, the railway to Canterlot does pass through Ponyville. I don't mind covering the cost of the train, so you two are more than welcome to tag along. But it does beg to question," Ingot turns his sights to 'Red', "What is it you want to do, hmm? Psalms tells me that he was sent here to fight the good fight, but what about you?"

"...I want to go home... I don't know why I'm here... I don't know why this happened to me... but this Twilight person or one of the princesses or the king or whoever runs this show may be the only ones who can help me. I guess I'm stuck with him... for now."

'Red's' confession surprised Psalms as he continued to speak. It almost sounds like he... actually believes he's in Equestria! That he has accepted the world around him to be true!

"So," Honey piped up, eyeing Ink and Ingot both in silent unity as they wordlessly reaffirmed what they had convened earlier at the wagon. "Sounds to me like the both of you are two young souls a long way from home with no family around. Does this sum things up?"

Psalms and 'Red' exchanged glances and shrugs between each other, before nodding in agreement. Honey along with Ink and Ingot seemingly brightened up at the duos' answer. With a light clap of her hooves, Ingot and Ink rose from their seats and joined Honey's side as they faced the two. Rush was quick to buzz himself onto Ingot's back, a confused but excited twinkle in his eye.

"Now, I know we only just met around five-ish hours ago, and first impressions may have been a bit...messy to say the least, but regardless, it has been a delight hosting you along our wagon and within our homestead." Honey began.

"Our family isn't a typical one. As you could see, our house is a little too big for a family of four. We used to host all sorts of extended family here, but things changed. They moved on, and we are all that is left." Ink added.

"The farm always needs tending no matter what time of year. I used to handle it perfectly fine on my own, but I ain't getting any younger, lads. My joints ache, my magic's getting more wonky, and there just isn't enough hooves around to get things done in a timely matter anymore. Ink ain't exactly keen on taking up the farming mantle, and Rush is a long way from pulling his own weight." Ingot continued.

"Why pull when I can fly!?" Rush chimed.

"What we're trying to tell you, is that if you want, we'd be happy to take you both in, seeing as how you've been left stranded here like lost babes in the woods. We have the space and enough bits to not worry about financial expenses. It's a bit upfront and a rush, I understand, but you two seem like good souls who need a helping hoof, and we'd be happy to extend ours," Honey did just so. She along with the others extended their hooves forward, inviting the two to join their communion.

Psalms' eyes bugged out of his skull while 'Red' reflected his eyes down to the floor, shame and guilt mistaken for apprehension.

"I... I'm touched by your offer... " Psalms began, "...But, are you sure this is something you want to invite us into? I... the last thing I want to be is a burden unto you."

Ink blew a raspberry in response to Psalms' comment. "Uh, duh? Of course we're sure. Otherwise, we wouldn't be offering to begin with." Ingot and Honey nodded in agreement, assuring Psalms of their action.

Psalms couldn't help but shed a tear as he witnessed this family open themselves to strangers. The magic of love and friendship was in overdrive at the moment. If Psalms had any doubts whatsoever that he wasn't in Equestria, they were obliterated once he touched his hoof to theirs. "Thank you. Thank you all. I accept." He finished to the combined cheers of his new household. He cupped the pendant into his hoof and reflected on his previous life. "I honestly can't believe I lost my family and gained a new one in the span of a single day." Thank you, Lord, above. Thank you, thank you, thank you. And thank you, Sophia.

As the cheering settled, all eyes reflected on the bat-alicorn. 'Red' continued to keep his head down and away from prying eyes. "...I don't deserve it...you don't want me here..."

"Lad," Ingot began, "In my long life, there are, and there were, many things I needed and wanted, but they are not always the same things. Maybe you don't deserve it. Maybe you don't want it. Maybe you don't need it. Regardless, we see fit for our offer to continue to stand; no matter what."

"That's dad's way of saying we already consider you family, so put 'er there, 'brother'."

'Red' had not the energy to make any more objections or counterarguments. ...Stupid... this is stupid... what kind of naive family just opens their home to strangers? ...The magical pony kind I guess. What have I to lose? Either I go home at the end... or I'm stuck here...I'm a danger... a good thing we'll be gone by tomorrow then. With a sigh, 'Red' hefts his hoof into the bunch, eliciting yet another round of whooping cheers. Ingot closed the gap between each member by wrapping his arms and magic around all of them, bringing everypony into a crushing hug.

And there, nestled deep within one huge group hug, was Psalms, embracing his new family with ever-growing glee. Barely any time spent in this world and yet he already had so much to fight for, to protect, to guard, to shepherd. Deep in his core, he prayed to Sophia, to God, and to all the good people in the world, that he would never relent, never stop, and never rest in his Crusade against evil. A promise he would see through with all his might. His one true purpose within this new life.

A small round of gasps escaped from Honey and Ink as Psalms was released by his hug only to be blinded by a bright light shining around his tush. Joy cascaded throughout his being as a symbol of a grey shield wielding a red cross found itself onto either side of his rear end, cementing him among pony kind. Yet another round of cheers from all but one was exclaimed throughout the night.

Cheers that would drown out the distant thunder.

Comments

[GreatDragonLord]

Christian themes? In what sense?
In the sense of "Christians say that the world works like this, but in fact it does not at all"? Or in some other way?
I ask solely to know if I should read this story.

[dannny43]

11450157
The Christian themes mainly applies to the motivation and back ground of one of the two main characters and it explains the how and why they are in equestria to begin with among other things.

It's hard to put into words, you'll just hafta read for yourself and decide whether you wish to continue or not.

[GreatDragonLord]

11450175
Apparently, I initially expressed myself incorrectly. I wonder if this work is aimed at discrediting Christianity.

It's just that I don't like to enter into debates with people who deny religion, and therefore I try not to get into their territory.

[dannny43]

11450183
Oh, no this fic doesn't aim to discredit Christianity.