The Mage

by remsaman

Chapter 5: Gratitude

Kent dragged the sack into the Boutique with his mouth, It wasn't helping that he had to clean up jewels and gold with every pony in the vicinity watching him with weird looks on their faces. Lugging it upstairs wasn't an easy feat either. Once there, he shut it in the closet and locked it with a key. He worked too hard to lose that loot to some prying eyes. After securing his loot, he looked out the window to see lots of ponies gathering around one in the middle. It was a tiny filly, holding a golden crown with a large gem encrusted into it. Kent rushed outside, as he walked to the group, ponies split to create a path, as if he was royalty. The filly kept wildly grinning at the crown, unphased by his presence.

"Excuse me, little girl?" Kent spoke up. The filly glanced at him, before returning to the crown. "I don't think that belongs to you."

"Well of course it does, finders keepers." The filly poked her tongue at Kent, driving his patience.

"What's your name?"

"Diamond Tiara." Kent tried to keep back a laugh, it seemed to be fitting that a selfish pony was called 'Diamond Tiara'

"Alright then, you can keep it if you can name what kind of gem is encrusted into the front of it." Kent grinned. The filly laughed, and looked at the crown

"That's easy, its a sapphire, because its blue."

Kent snatched the crown from her hooves "Actually, its a lapis lazuli. you can tell by its deeper colour and low transparency"
Kent looked around, the filly was staring at him, almost in tears, while the ponies around him were glaring at him, as if he was a common thief. But one little colt caught his eye, he was covered in dirt and scratches. and was no doubt missing at least one tooth. His mane was messy and dirty. He was looking at Kent with sad eyes. Kent couldn't resist, he walked up to the colt, kneeled down and placed the crown on his head. Some ponies gasped, but he only noticed the colts eyes widen, then he burst into a smile. He jumped onto Kent, knocking him onto the ground, embracing him in a hug. Kent returned the hug, and could feel tears of joy streaming down the fur on his back. The colt relinquished his hold, and ran off. Kent watched as the child joined his parents, who also looked rather poor. The boys mother looked at Kent, before mouthing a silent 'thank you'. Kent nodded back, and flew off. Shortly landing in an abandoned part of town. He leaned his head against a wall, before headbanging it, repeating the same thing over and over

"Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid." Kent moaned "That thing could have been worth a fortune! AGH! I just had to give it away to a pony I'll probably never meet again." He slouched on a nearby bench, then took off his helmet. "What's wrong with me today..."

"That was a courageous thing you did back there." A soothing voice came from behind him. He spun around, in front of him was a mare, 2 shades of orange, with a large curly mane and tail, carrots on the sides of her flank. "I know it isn't much..." She continued "But I just thought you should have this." She held out four carrots in her arms, Kent took them off her, suddenly his chest felt like it weighed a ton. He clenched his teeth, before looking up at the mare. She was walking away.

"Wait!" Kent yelled, she turned her head. "What's your name?"

"Just call me Carrot Top. Or Carrie, if you want." She smiled, then turned and continued on her way.

Kent was dumbstruck. Some random girl out of nowhere decided to give him a gift. Just... Because... But what confounded him even more was that he would rather these carrots then that crown. Only because he was given them as a gift. He put his helmet back on and began to slowly fly around town, munching on the carrots while contemplating what just happened. He looked down and saw several ponies waving.But why? It wasn't that much of a heroic act, was it? He sighed. A few minutes later, a familiar voice followed him

"Carrots? Gee where did you steal those from?"

"Go away Rainbow Dash" Kent replied, though with carrots in his mouth it sounded more like "gr awer rnbow dsh"

"Pfft, What's up your flank?" Kent just glared at her. She grinned, before saying "Listen... I took this out of your sack" Rainbow reached up and took a golden brooch clip out of her mane. "Hope you don't mind."

Kent just gave up. "Yeah sure, keep it." he glanced back and saw Rainbow's mouth wide open. which made him smile.

---

Kent lost track of time, and before he knew it, he wasn't in Ponyville anymore. It was a large rocky dirt field, with a few holes in a ground. There was also what he could only make out as a purple and white dot, with some dark murky blue spots in front of it. He was bored, so he naturally went down to investigate.

"Aah! Somepony? Anypony? Please help!" Rarity cried.

"Scream all you want, pony" One of the two diamond dogs laughed "There isn't a soul around to hear you. This time we will make sure your friends don't come to rescue you"

Kent saw them closing in, so he quickly flew in to help. He hovered just behind the diamond dogs, and gave Rarity a wink. he put his head in between the two diamond dogs and said in a loud voice

"Sup guys?"

As soon as the diamond dogs looked at Kent, he pulled his head back, and smashed their's together. knocking them both unconscious. He fell over and started laughing his flank off, Rarity was unsure of whether to be confused or grateful. But eventually he stopped laughing, so she decided it was probably the best time to say something.

"Thank you, Kent. Those ruffians never seem to leave me alone, cant a mare gather gems in peace without being assaulted?" Rarity rolled her eyes.

"Maybe next time you should bring some company along."

"Maybe I should, Say, Care to help me gather gems? Just in case those diamond dogs come back?"

Kent shrugged "Sure why not"

For a while, Kent helped Rarity dig up gems she located, while scaring those diamond dogs back to their holes, even though they seemed to come back every few minutes. They loaded up more then a wagon full of gems, before deciding to turn in and return to town. When town was in plain sight, Rarity thanked Kent once more, this time for assisting her in getting the gems, before turning back to town. Kent decided to walk back with her to the boutique, so he could lay down for a while. But, after a short time, a yell came from the clouds

"LOOK OUT RARITY" A blur of rainbows came from the sky, before tackling Kent, tumbling him onto the ground.

"ARGH! What's your problem Rainbow?" Kent yelled, Rarity turned around, alarmed by the noise

"You were about to hurt Rarity and take her gems!" Rainbow announced

"I just spent ages helping her GET the gems, and plus, why would I even want them?"

"I don't know, the same reason you have a bag filled with loot!"

Rarity looked at Kent "Bag filled with loot?"

Kent sighed "I'll show you later. Look Rainbow, I don't want to steal anything, okay? Why can't you just leave me alone?"

"Because there's something wrong with you, and I WILL find out what it is. No matter what." And with that, Rainbow Dash flew back to her cloud house.

"She sure is stubborn..." Kent looked at Rarity, she looked back

"Sometimes, yes. Now what was all that about a sack of loot?"

"I'll tell you on the way.." Kent groaned.

---

"So what you are saying.." Rarity inspected the loot "Is that you and your friends wander around the world, fight monsters, take what you can, then sell it?"

"Well... Yeah."

"That sounds very... Exciting..."

"Sometimes it is. So.... Now what?"

Kent and Rarity looked at each other awkwardly, before Rarity picked up a necklace with a sapphire-encrusted necklace, and put it on.

"Does this bring out my eyes?"

Kent laughed. "I guess."

"Do you mind if I... Keep it?" she gave a pleading look.

Kent sighed "why not?" Rarity Squealed in joy.

Rarity shuffled around the sack, looking for anything else worth keeping. Something hit the ground, making a large 'clang' noise. Kent's eyes rushed down, and saw a picture frame. Blushing madly, he swiped it up and hid it under his wing. Rarity looked up from inside the sack

"What was that?"

Kent blushed. "N-Nothing, nothing at all." Rarity gave him a stern look for a moment. She thanked him again for the necklace, and then left the room. Kent sighed in relief, before closing the door. He retrieved the picture frame from under his wing, it was a picture of him and Eleanor, human, having a beer at a local tavern. It was one of the few times she ever smiled. He loved it when she smiled. He put the photo back into the sack, locked it in the wadrobe, and left the boutique.

"Well, I should try to find the others, I mean, they could be any of these ponies." Kent studied each of the ponies around him as he walked, none of them looked anything like Eleanor or Brannon, but then again, he didn't look like himself either.
He wandered around town for a few minutes, before being approached by three familiar fillies. "Hey girls." Kent cheerily greeted

"Hey Kent!" Scootaloo rose up from the other two "Have you seen a guy called Brannon around here? He was helping us find out cutie marks yesterday, but we lost him."

Kent froze "Wait... What was his name?"

"Brannon. Have you ever met him before?"

"Yes... Say, I don't suppose you girls have any idea where he would be?"

Apple Bloom cut in front of Scootaloo, "Well, He is a zebra an' all, so ah' would check the Everfree Forest and talk to Zecora. Ah' would go myself, but my big sister wont let me."

"Thanks girls, I'll be back later." Kent gave a small salute, before flying towards the Everfree Forest. Finding the other two was his main priority, no exceptions. Although he couldn't see much from above the canopy, he did see a small plume of smoke rising from one area of the forest. He flew towards it, and landed in a small clearing, in the middle, a giant hollowed out tree with a door and windows. He looked in a window and saw a zebra lying on top of another one.
"If those fillies are right, then Brannon must have finally found a girlfriend. Hah!" Kent knocked on the door, after a few shuffling noises, and something breaking, the door opened a nudge, The male zebra poked his head through, before slamming the door

"Go away." A very familiar deep voice replied, Kent knew it was him in an instant.

"Brannon?"

"Who are you? How do you know my name?" Brannon poked his head out of the door again.

"It's me! Don't you recognize your pal?"

Brannon was silent for a moment, before his eyes widening. He sighed, and looked inside. Zecora was sleeping on the bedroll. the place was a mess. "Why do you always show up at the worst times. Shrimp"

"Am I.. Interrupting something?" A huge grin came across Kent's face. Brannon turned bright red.

"N-No! We;re just... Friends... That's all." Brannon's eyes darted around.

"Well alright then stripes, we gotta go find Eleanor and get out of here before I have to give away my entire loot sack."

"Could it.. wait? I gotta.. Err.. Finish this first?" Kent opened his mouth to reply, but instead was met with the sound of a large explosion, which rocked the ground. "What in the world was that?"

He was quickly answered as a familiar looking staff speared into the trunk of the tree. "ELEANOR!" they both shouted at the same time, then rushed towards the source of the explosion. On the way they dodged raining dirt, rocks, trees, and even a cupcake. Neither of them was sure of what happened, but it sure wasn't good. When they reached the edge of Ponyville, they could see hundreds of ponies in town completely transfixed on a large pulsating glow coming from the center of town.

"Wait.." Kent struggled to keep his gaze on it without looking away, it was too bright. But finally a figure made itself clear in the middle of it all. "That must be Eleanor!"

"grv hr ths" Brannon tried to speak with Eleanor's staff in his mouth, Kent grabbed it in his and sped towards the glowing ball of light, a few ponies below cheering. As he flew towards the dark figure in the middle, he could see another, larger then the first. Regardless, he came closer and closer to the first figure, before making it out to be a mossy green pony with a unicorns horn, and covered in blue stripes. her mane was red and black.

"Eleanor! Catch!" Kent dropped the staff, and kicked it towards her, it magically glued to her hooves. She raised the staff above her head, before shoving it straight into the second figures chest. The second figure screamed, before falling to the ground. The light surrounding disappeared, with Eleanor slowly lowing down to the ground. Ponies from all around surrounded the second pony, while Brannon and Kent rushed to Eleanor.

"Thanks for the staff boys. Took you two long enough." A smile came across her face.

"Wait how did you know it was us?" Kent asked

"Well, you knew my name, and you're wearing that armor, which i saw you grab back in the ruins. And I knew that was Brannon, because who else would hang around with you?"

"Oh haha, very funny." Kent pouted. "But... Who's that?" He pointed towards the pony that a crowd was gathering around. Eleanor cleared a path through the crowd.

"Princess Celestia. I think I accidentally drove her insane, such a shame, she seemed so tranquil at first. For a monarch, she wasn't very stable."

"So.. She's dead?"

"No, just paralyzed. She should be fine in an hour or two." Eleanor shrugged. "Hope she doesn't try to kill me again, that would be a bummer." The trio turned to walk away, but was met by six guards wearing armor. Eleanor laughed. "Do you really want to take a chance?" and nodded towards an unconscious princess. The guards looked at each-other, before backing away.

"Let's go to the boutique first, I gotta grab my stuff." Kent led the other two towards the Carousel Boutique.

When they reached the door, they all heard Rainbow Dash scream "I GOT YOU THIS TIME!". Eleanor flawlessly whipped around and smacked the oncoming pony with her staff, Rainbow skidded along the ground before hitting an apple cart, apples pouring on top of her. She tried tackling them again, but once more, Eleanor batted her away with her staff. "There is no way anypony is THAT fast." She straightened herself up "I'm the fastest flier in Equestria, I'm not being beaten by some wanna-be hero and his girlfriend!"

Eleanor blushed "I am NOT his girlfriend!" Rainbow sped towards her once more, but this time her horn glowed, and produced a glowing pink bubble around Rainbow Dash.

"Hey.. Lemme out!" Rainbow beat against the sides of the bubble, but it wouldn't burst.

"You stay here until you have learned your lesson, missy" Eleanor mocked, then kicked the bubble away. Rainbow still yelling as her voice faded. "Now Kent, grab your stuff and let's go." The three went inside, Eleanor cringed at the girlishness of the establishment. A few moments pass, and Kent comes back downstairs holding his loot sack in his mouth. He gave the others a nod, before they turned to leave. As they left, in front of them was Twilight Sparkle.

"S-Stop! I'm warning you..." She was shaking in her hooves.

"Oh please.." Eleanor rolled her eyes "I've beaten you before I can do it again." She trotted up to Twilight, and stared her in the face. "Boo." Twilight squealed, then involuntarily teleported away, Eleanor rolled around on the ground in laughter.

"Uhh, Eleanor?" Brannon spoke up "I think we should get going. there seems to be a mob forming." A chorus of shouts and threats could be heard from a large group of ponies, each marching towards the trio with a random item in their mouth, brandished like a weapon.

"Good idea." She replied, as the three ran in the opposite direction to the mob.

---

Publishers note: Sorry for finishing this chapter rather early, i ran out of ideas. This is getting harder to write the further i go along. Especially since im not trying to kill somepony.

Comments

[Soulsilver]

Been waiting for this chapter for ages! The one where they meet up again I mean.

Great chapter!

It's funny to see that the ruler of the magical pastel colored ponies cant do anything agains 3 adventurers from a kind-of-D&D-world.

[Niklashg]

Love the chapter!

Is it bad that i find it realy easy to belive that celestia arent realy that much of a fighter?

[The Writer of Fate]

It seemed ok at first, but from the moment Eleanor was reported to the Princess everything kinda fell apart. I cannot see any logical reason for the Princess' actions, and that is bothering me deeply.

I suggest you give a logically sound reason in future chapters, but until then I am afraid I cannot continue reading. This may be world of pastel-colored talking ponies, but even it runs on some form of coherent logic.

Well her reason is probably the fact that elanor is not affected by her magic

[remsaman]

19812

Im going in a sort of rotational storyline, Eleanor>Kent>Brannon then back to Eleanor.
Princess Celestia's actions will be explained in later chapters.

[Blue Blaze {COMET}]

19812
I agree with Fate. Since when was Celestia a complete Maniac that was out to kill/capture random ponies?

Wait... I remember the story saying something about how Eleanor ans some other pony got mixed up and Eleanor was framed or something...

But still, I would think that Celestia would definitely NOT try to capture ponies randomly in the middle of the day. What she would do, I think, is make sure that she is not the wrong pony. Maybe she would invite Eleanor to some kind of private sitting with herself or something. I dunno. But what I DO know is that Celestia isn't supposed to act that way.

I will continue to read future parts, however, I sincerely hope you do not butcher another pony's personality.

[Ablesoap]

When is new chapter