Chapter 32
Autumn Blaze led them to Hono's larger buildings. Lotus hadn't even seen it at first, concealed behind many layers of trees on the outskirts of the village. Up close it was impossible to miss: a castle, albeit of a decidedly nonwestern style. Its foundation was entirely of stone, rising up a few stories before floors of wooden walls. Each had its own steepled roof, higher than the last.
It opened in only one place, where a pair of stern-looking kirin watched a gate into a tiny internal courtyard.
"Surprised you have any soldiers at all," Lotus said, once they were inside. "It's such a small town. If you never leave, what's the point?"
Autumn glanced behind them. "Looking impressive for you, probably. Come on. I think she's downstairs."
The interior was as large and grand as the outside, filled with rich wooden floors and adorned with suits of armor and fine art. Most of what Lotus saw was covered in a thick layer of dust, with only narrow pathways kept clean. One led up the steps into the brightly-lit living area—another went to a wall, which Autumn pushed back to reveal a passage leading down.
"The vault is down here. It's been a really long time since I got to see it. I was still in school..."
They hurried along a twisting stone path, until they reached a long hallway, broken by tiny metal doors. Rain Shine stood in the center, waiting patiently. "The newcomers, excellent. Lotus Cinder, I hope the accommodation is to your satisfaction. Homes like that one usually hold entire families, so it should be sufficient for these outsiders. I have decided to grant their presence here, as long as they require it."
She said it as though this was a profound gift, something she had come to decide only after much consideration and soul-searching. But if that was true, what would happen to her friends if she hadn't let them live in Hono?
Autumn dropped briefly into a bow, so Lotus did the same. Hers wasn't as deep, or as sincere. "Thank you. The house was... very nice. It should be big enough for all three of us."
Gus would probably complain about being stuck downstairs in a room without a balcony. He might reconsider if he learned how they'd used the master bedroom.
"I'm pleased to hear it. So you can rest easy, I've elected to show you this vault. You may know where the cursed book is stored, along with the other. Here they will rest for all time, so that no harm might come to Hono through their use."
She started walking, setting a brisk pace down the hallway. Fast enough that Lotus had to scurry along to keep up with her. The others did too, with varying levels of grace.
Of course, it was Gus who spoke first. "I hope it wouldn't be too much trouble to not lock up my stuff with the cursed books. I don't have anything magical or dangerous."
"Of course." Rain Shine didn't slow, but she did glance briefly back at him. "I will have them delivered to your new home. I see no reason to keep you from your tools, bird. I pray that you and the pony will remember that you stand among those who do not burn. You do. Be cautious, for I will not punish those you provoke by responding naturally. Be civil and you will be welcomed here."
"We're hostages," Iron muttered. At least he kept from screaming at the powerful kirin or attacking her. If he did that, there was very little Lotus could do to protect him. Even this defiance made her wish she could hide behind something. "You could release us, and there wouldn't be any danger."
"I could do that." Rain Shine stopped abruptly, before the largest metal door at the end of the hall. This one was much thicker than any other, bulging from the stone with its imposing metal outline.
She dropped delicately to her haunches, watching Iron with a mixture of pity and frustration. "I would do it, if you were willing. You might not be once I told you the price."
Iron stopped when Lotus did. He held her with one wing, so naturally he might not even realize what he was doing. "Whatever it is, I'll pay, I'm trying to protect all of us. Your village and Equestria are both in danger while Searing Gale is free. Unless you think she'll leave you alone here. Or..." He trailed off, slumping onto his haunches. Shock passed through him, enough to silence him completely.
"If you wished to leave, I would take your memory of my village from you. Then I would take your memory of Lotus Cinder. If you want to leave, you must not know we survive. Otherwise, you would lead Equestrians to attack us."
Iron's mouth fell open. He remained silent, but Gus didn't. "I'm not sure what that would mean. Lotus and I have been friends since we were little. Her magic changed me into a bird in the first place. If I don't remember her... how did I get here?"
The powerful kirin shook her head once. "Memory magic is a dangerous, destructive art. It would likely leave permanent scars—but you would be free. The choice is yours, now or ever. But the longer you wait, the more I must remove, and the greater the chance you are permanently damaged."
"Oh." Gus sunk, his wings flopping limply to either side. "That's... steep. I think I'll pass on that for now. My brain barely works on my best days."
Iron embraced Lotus with his wing again. Without meaning to, she leaned into the embrace, relying on his strength against this powerful Kirin. "I won't consent to that. Besides, you didn't even say what would happen to Lotus Cinder."
"A life of comfort and study among her own kind," Rain Shine answered. "I sense a powerful will in her. It was her magic I felt two nights ago. Hono needs wizards as skilled as she is. Our protections always require maintenance. She would find a peaceful, fulfilling life in Hono. Far from those who would hate and kill her."
The obvious went unsaid. Rain Shine would not let her leave. Maybe one day she would earn enough trust to be part of a rescue like the one that brought her in. But go to Equestria, help stop Gale—that would be forever denied her.
"Don't you care about Searing Gale?" Lotus asked. "She's loose right now. Attacking Equestria, building strength. I've learned about her through that book... I know she won't stop. She'll want to find Hono eventually." Whether to burn them as traitors to her cause, or appoint them as her subordinates ruling the world, Lotus wasn't sure. But either way wouldn't be good for Hono's peaceful, humble way of life. The creatures she met at the festival wouldn't do well as evil oppressors burning Equestria from the inside.
Rain Shine ignored her question. "This vault will keep the ancient Empress from ever uniting her soul. We will protect it here, outside her sight, for the rest of time." Her horn glowed, and heat radiated from her. Hot enough that her friends backed away, suddenly uncomfortable. Lotus and Autumn remained, transfixed as the lock rotated, then the whole door opened.
A narrow metal box stood inside, not much larger than the mechanism protecting it. A handful of old items sat there—an ancient teacup, a box of playing cards, a few old metal weapons. But there near the top were two books Lotus recognized—Searing's tome of spells, and Luna's journal."
"You may inspect either if you wish. But don't try to write in that journal or cast any spell in that tome."
Lotus lifted the journal out first, flipping through it to the end. It had no additions, either from the princess, or even Rain Shine. Iron's last message remained where he'd written it. She settled it back, then took the other into her magic.
As soon as she touched it, Lotus felt the familiar presence against her mind. It wasn't ignoring her as it had when they arrived—she felt desperation. Like lifting up a cat that wanted very badly to run away and hide under the couch. It would claw her to pieces to escape, if it could.
"Quick, Lotus! There's a teleportation spell—similar to the Worldgate, but much easier. Count to three, and we'll cast it together. We can escape!"
Rain Shine's head snapped in her direction. She reacted, when no one else in the room did. "The soul wakes. It speaks to you." Lotus tried to let go, tried to push the book away from herself. She couldn't. Her horn flashed and pulsed without effect—until Rain's magic enveloped the book, and she returned it to its place.
"I'm not surprised she chose a mare like you," she said, slamming the metal door closed. "I'm surprised and impressed you lasted this long without submitting to her influence. The Empress was as persuasive as she was powerful. That makes it even more important that you are nowhere near that book ever again. If you yield to its temptations, I could never contain you. Equestria would burn, and we would soon follow."
She gestured back the way they'd come with her leg. "Go on then. Make yourselves at home in Hono. I will speak to the masters of crafts and find other duties for you. I expect they will involve your wings, since no kirin has that particular advantage.”
"That could've gone worse," Autumn Blaze proclaimed, as soon as they were back in the streets of Hono. "I guess you would've wanted it to go way better. But there's no chance Rain Shine would just let you go. Hono is only safe because Equestria doesn't know we exist. You'd ruin that."
Lotus shook her head angrily. "We wouldn't have to. We could... swear. Princess Luna already knows I exist, it's in the book. And she doesn't care about how we get home—she just wants that book, so we can lock up Searing Gale forever."
Autumn winced, holding one hoof to her mouth to close it. "The Empress. Call her that, please. It's not a good idea to speak her name too often. She listens for it always, punishing any who fails her lofty expectations." Then Autumn relaxed, removing her hoof. "Anyway, guess you're staying with us for the rest of time! This can be your official welcome to Hono!"
She shook Lotus's hoof, then did the same for Iron. "And you. Congratulations, scoundrel. Don't forget about the fire around her. I'm sure you know."
"Congratulations?" Gus remained solemn in the face of their captivity. At least until then, when his wings half-opened with sudden curiosity. "Did something happen?"
"It's not for me to say," Autumn said, so obviously that even Gus couldn't possibly miss it. "Anyway, Rain Shine wanted me to be the one tending to your needs until you feel at home in Hono. Groceries were delivered while we were away. I'd love to share some of my favorite recipes if you need help cooking. And don't be surprised if you get a lot of visitors. No one has ever seen a pony before."
She skipped away, leaving the frustrated group standing at the doors of their new house. Or new prison, depending on the perspective.
A comfortable prison maybe, but they were no less trapped. There was no lock on the door. Lotus stepped inside, waiting for the others to follow. They did, slinking inside like disciplined animals.
"Wait a minute," Gus proclaimed, stopping in the entryway. "I thought you smelled funny. No way. You, Lotus? You actually did it? After what happened to you?"
Lotus turned very slowly in place; tail tucked firmly between her legs. She cowered now as Rain Shine had never made her, wilting before his attention. "Iron and I have been... getting closer for a long time."
The pegasus pushed her gently backward, moving between her and the griffon. He puffed out his feathery chest, spreading both wings to separate Lotus from her human friend. "You've had a lifetime to act, griffon. I had as much right to try as you."
Gus backed away into the door. Iron tensed, eyeing Gus's beak, his sharp claws. If they fought, he was a full head shorter than the huge griffon, and entirely unarmed. It wouldn't go well.
The bird broke into sudden, near-hysterical laughter. "No. No no no no no. That's not how this is, horse. I wasn't... if you thought..." He peeked to the side, looking over Iron so he could make eye-contact with a nervous, fearful Lotus. "I just never knew her to be interested in men before. Or... stallions, I guess."
"Oh." Iron deflated, the display was over as quickly as it had begun. His wings folded halfway, and he shuffled awkwardly into the living room. "I guess I'm flattered. I get to be her first. And she's my first kirin, so it's new for both of us." He leaned gently to one side, kissing her cheek. Not hard, but enough that she might melt right into the floor with embarrassment.
"Well, this is most enlightening. I look forward to including an interview with Lotus in my documentary. She might be the first person in the world to experience such a... dramatic transformation."
He lifted something off the floor in one claw, holding it up halfheartedly. "A documentary no one will get to see. Perfect, fantastic, just what I always wanted."
Lotus pushed Gus's claw down with her leg, lowering it to the ground. "Keep your stuff together," she whispered. Loud enough that Iron would hear, so there would be no danger of him mistaking her intentions. "We're expecting a rescue soon. Don't tell the locals, but—stay ready, okay?"
Gus's face lit up. "Really? Well... that’s more like it. I didn't make it this far to retire to an even smaller town. Which of these rooms is mine? I've got a lot of footage to go through."
She gestured at the open door down the hall. Gus turned without a word, then pulled the door locked behind him.
Lotus made her way into the kitchen, where several wooden boxes of fresh fruits and veggies waited. A fish filet sat wrapped in paper with them, along with lots of little clay bottles marked with various spices and sauce. "Guess I'll try to... make something out of all this. Any preferences?"
Iron followed close beside her, without actually getting in her way. "I admit, I expected that to go worse. Your friend is surprisingly accepting for a griffon. I've known them to fight for things they didn't even want, just because someone else did."
Lotus levitated a few of the spices to her nose, testing each of them in turn. She might not be a skilled chef, but the game of “make dinner with whatever's left in the fridge” was one she'd played many times. Rarely did she start with so much quality produce—this could work. Wish they'd left us with butter. No cheese either...
But then she hadn't seen any cows since arriving here, only chickens in their coops. Maybe the kirin didn't have any. "Don't be so silly, Iron. Gus looks like a griffon, because I changed him into one. He wasn't one before."
"Not sure it works that way," Iron argued. He backed away from her, then pulled the curtains over the window. Not that it would make much difference—if the kirin wanted to listen in, they had magic to do it. They didn't need to peek in through windows. "I'm no expert in magic. But you don't act like a mare stuck into a kirin costume. You're just a kirin. Gus is the same way. He acts like a griffon, not a regular stallion playing pretend."
"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked, holding her tail high behind her, glaring suddenly. "Is that a bad thing?"
Iron shrugged his wings. "Your friend is brave, reckless, single minded, and proud. Lots of birds I've met were that way."
Lotus nodded. Gus had always been like that, hence why he'd thrown his meager savings into a longshot gamble and turned out rich. Were those traits magnified now, or was she just seeing what he told her was there?
"And me?"
Iron dropped into a different kind of whisper. "I have even better information on you. Call me an insider."
She stumbled away from him, choking back an embarrassed gasp. "You are going to stop saying things like that before I burn the house down. Equestria wants to rescue their royal guard, not a pile of ashes and bones. Got it?"
He nodded, settling comfortably down beside her in the kitchen. "Most mares I've been with liked my personality. Am I too powerful for the ancient mythical creature?"
She turned her back on him, attention focused on the food Hono had left. "Not where anyone else can hear it. Especially Gus. He's never going to let me live this down now, no matter what."
Despite her threats, he didn't seem particularly worried about the flames. She would have to find a way to remind him. "If he's your friend, he'll understand, eventually. Maybe he's a little sour, but he did stick with you, even after you changed him into a bird."
She nodded weakly. Rationally, it was easy to understand what he meant, even agree. But Lotus Cinder wasn't quite ready to let go of that old embarrassment yet.
"There might be a way to improve our chances of being discovered. See what you can find out about the city defenses. Maybe there's a crack we can use. Just don't be too obvious about it when you ask."
She stuck out her tongue. "Don't worry. I'll be at least ten times subtler than you were just now."
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Easy enough to make sure: Have them swear on their lives/magic that they wouldn't reveal the location to anyone or anypony. Basically:
To quote from a different story,
Names have power. It's a bit like calling Beetlejuice three times, i guess.
Which, i guess, was part of why he became a gryphon, of all things.
As much as I want to hate Rain Shine for trapping the group for the rest of their lives in the village, I understand her perspective: she is scared not only of the Empress but also Equestria.
The war between Kirins and Ponies must have been horrific if the former still fear retribution from the later, even after so many centuries.
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Voldemort could hear when someone said his name instead of "Dark Lord" or "You-Know-Who". Useful for detecting those neither respectful or scared of him.
Rain Shine at least understands the danger of Searing Gale's phylactery but i wonder if Lotus using her magic might attract her given that they are connected. Searing Gale is as feared among the kirin as Voldemort among wizards. Since they both split their soul and put it into a book there are indeed a few similarities.
Autumn Blaze wasn't very subtle about what happened between Iron and Lotus. That Gus has a personality that is apparently common among griffons might have played a role in him being turned into a griffon as opposed to for example a hippogriff.
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If I remember correctly, In the Ralph Bakshi version of Lord of the Rings, they began referring to Saruman as "Aruman". Or something like that. Possibly that would count as not saying his name, but still letting everybody know who they're talking about.
I've always wondered if ponies would be able to just guess what kind of creature someone would be based on personality, I like that little comment from Iron.
I do wonder what about Lotus makes them seem like a kirin, though...
I do wonder what is to become of Earth in all of this? Searing Gale is focused on regaining her power at the moment, but I can't help and think back to how she described Earth as this, untapped well of power back at the abandoned asylum. If she cannot have Equestria, I worry she will lash out on the humans instead.
After all. Humans have a lot of weapons that can spread flames with ease. While it may be a more extreme scenario that may not happen. I shudder to think what would happen if Searing were to spread enough destruction on earth to crack open a nation's armory. To rain fire from on high. On both human and equine alike.
Ahhh. Maybe blazing through all the chapters on an unfinished story wasn't the greatest idea. This story is more addicting than playing enlisted. Love it
Ah, the closed-state era of Hono, before Fluttershy and Applejack pulled a Commodore Perry. But it’s not like our heroes know that
gunboatcoffee table diplomacy lies ahead, and that’s assuming Searing doesn’t just lay waste to all of Equestria in the meantime. Though going by her desperation, sticking half her soul in the vault seems to have done something…We’ll see how this goes. Hopefully the group doesn’t ruin everything in their quest to fix it.
Story look great, will wait the next chapter
That first art was rushed?!