Blue Skies
Spike
Spike and his group managed to get outside of Canterlot, heading towards the Crystal Empire. In a forest off of the road, they made camp as the sun set.
Spike built a fire, as the fillies and Eros sat around it in silence. He glanced at Eros, staring blankly into the fire. He sighed, casting his own gaze down to the burning sticks. There wasn't much time for pageantry or ceremony when Spike buried Argos. A quick spell to excavate a hole, and that was more or less it. He would have liked to have said a few words, or given Eros one last chance to say goodbye to his father, but they had to move.
Try though he did, Spike very quickly realized he had almost no way to relate to what Eros was going through. However, he knew one among them could. Apple Bloom sat next to him, staring into the flames as well. No doubt they were all thinking about the events of the past few hours. A day ago, they were all relatively secure and comfortable in the remains of Canterlot castle. Now, they'd been split up, on a journey to a place that may not even exist anymore.
He broke out the rations and began dividing them up between the group. Glancing around the campfire, he noticed Sweetie Belle had taken an interest in the book Celestia had given Twilight. To his surprise, the tome seemed to have words printed on its pages once again. Spike shuffled next to her, seeing the strange language he recognized from the first time he laid eyes on the mysterious book.
"Does it make any sense?" he asked.
Sweetie Belle looked up from the book and smiled. "It's weird. I recognize some of the words, but they aren't exactly our language. It's like they're close, but not exactly right."
Spike decided not to mention the disappearing words. After all, there was just as much chance that he'd just been seeing a stress induced hallucination as there was the book was magically altering its contents. In a world where magic was fading from existence rapidly, it seemed unlikely an inanimate object would be able to harness what little remained.
"Twilight said that book was important," Spike said, staring back into the dancing flames.
"Did she say why?"
Spike sighed. "The secret to alicorn powers or something. I definitely wish she would have been a bit less vague."
Sweetie Belle closed the book. "Spike, where are we going?"
"To the Crystal Empire."
What's left of it, he thought.
"Are Prince Shining and Princess Cadence still there?"
"That's what Twilight said."
The guilt of stretching the truth weighed down on him like a stack of heavy library books. He had to admit, he missed his old life. A life that seemed a thousand years away by now. Though he had grown considerably, he was still hardly an adolescent in dragon years. He had managed to increase in height to about as tall as the Princesses, and added on some muscle, but not much else. Being the oldest of the group, it was on him to take charge. He knew that's what Twilight would have expected of him.
Twilight... he thought to himself. He could only pray that she was safe, and not locked in a cage at the hands of the invading griffons, or worse.
"Don't stay up too late, we'll need to get back on the road at dawn," Spike said, rising from the ground and walking to his bedroll. He'd managed to salvage one for each of them from Argo's cart before fleeing. As awful as it was to have lost Argos, Spike realized it did benefit the group. One less mouth to feed meant they could stretch their supplies for a longer period. He bedded down for the night, keeping a watchful eye over the fillies and the young griffon before he slept.
Apple Bloom and Eros talked quietly, while Scootaloo had already turned in for the night. Spike rolled onto his back, looking at the stars above him. No matter how much the world around him changed, the stars always stayed the same, indifferent to suffering, joy, sorrow, or war. They shine on, always and forever. How wonderful it would be to escape this cursed planet, and live among the stars, above the troubles of this world.
Spike closed his eyes. He harkened back to the easy days on the balcony with Twilight as she observed the stars. Perhaps if he tried hard enough, he could awaken from this terrible nightmare.
Apple Bloom
For a long while, no one spoke. The trauma of the past few hours kept all conversation to a minimum. Apple Bloom sat next to Eros, though he stayed as mute as ever. She knew they had all lost someone, but none of them had seen them die before their eyes. Besides, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo's family were still technically alive.
Gathering her courage, she spoke. "Eros... I'm sorry about what happened to your Pa."
Eros stayed silent.
"Look, I know me saying sorry isn't gonna bring him back, but if ya want ta talk, I'm here for ya."
Nothing, not even a curt nod. Fine then, be an asshole! she thought. Sweet Celestia, what is wrong with me? Applejack would whip my hide for thinkin' that! The boy just lost his father not five hours ago!
Busy reprimanding herself, she hadn't noticed Eros finally speak.
She pulled herself from her admonition and glanced at him. "Sorry, I didn't catch that," she replied sheepishly.
His sword lay in front of him, the firelight reflecting off the blade. "I said; my Dad gave me this sword."
"Yeah, it's a real fine one," Apple Bloom agreed.
He turned to her in a whisper. "Apple Bloom, I know I've just met you, but can you keep a secret?"
Her eyes lit up as she turned herself towards him. "Of course I can."
Eros glanced around the campfire at Spike and Sweetie, and then to Scootaloo, passed out in her bedroll. "My Dad would always tell me that a griffon is never scared, and never lets anything intimidate him. He would always tell me the story of Syrell the monster-slayer, and how he never showed fear, even in the greatest danger." Eros turned his gaze on the dancing flames reflected in the blade of his sword. "He would always tell me a griffon warrior protects his family no matter the cost. When he was with me, I was brave, but without him..."
Apple Bloom noticed a tear slip down his cheek. "I'm scared, Apple Bloom. I'm afraid that something is gonna happen to you, or one of the others because I was too scared to act to save you. My dad... he died protecting me, just like a griffon warrior should, but... what if I'm too weak to protect all of you if something happened to Spike? What good is a sword if a coward is behind it?"
She straightened up beside him. "You think you're the only one that's scared?" she asked. "We're out here, wanderin' around with grass everywhere, and I don't even know where we're going!" The situation was so absurd, she couldn't help but laugh. Thankfully, it got Eros to smile a bit as well. "Eros, I lost my Ma and Pa before I was old enough to talk. Heck, the only memory I got of them is two blurry faces standin' over my crib. Shoot, when I left the farm when all this started, I didn't even think to grab a picture."
Eros looked at her for the first time since their daring escape, the flecks of gold in his brown eyes sparkling in the firelight. "I'm sorry, Apple Bloom."
"We all got things we've lost 'cause of this, but we can't let what we have left fall by the wayside. What we have left gives us hope to push on." Apple Bloom looked around the dying campfire, seeing that they were the last two still up. "I'm gonna put a few more logs on the fire, and call it a night," she said, standing up. She put a hoof on his shoulder. "Eros, it's okay to cry. It ain't weak."
Rainbow Dash
Lazy circles around the wagon train might as well have been a national Wonderbolt event. Dash had been cooped up in the castle for months, with nowhere to fly but the throne room. The sunlight, the breeze, the smell of the clean air was nothing short of rebirth. For weeks she'd dreamt of leaving the castle walls and flying somewhere this evil couldn't reach her. That had always been her ability. The thing she loved the most about flying was the escape. Few could follow her into the stratosphere, and her problems certainly couldn't.
She glanced down at the wagon train. It had stopped, griffon soldiers setting up tents and unloading supplies from the chariots. Dash looked to the west. The sun was setting, and it was time to settle in. She circled into camp and landed outside Twilight's trailer. The griffon soldiers didn't spare her a passing glance, putting her mind at ease, but the secrecy of this Marshall Carrion still reminded her that the world she found herself waking in every morning was not the one she'd lost.
The carriage door opened, and Twilight and Fluttershy stepped out, looking as though they just slept the entire ride over. Twilight smiled. "How was the flight?"
"Awesome. I really needed it."
A shadow cast over the three of them as the Marshall approached. There was something about him Rainbow didn't trust, no matter how many times he both assured, and showed the three of them that he meant them no harm.
He bowed before speaking, ever cordial. Another thing Rainbow felt he was merely faking.
"Your Majesty, we unfortunately are not as well stocked as the palace, but we can make most Equestrian fare. Within reason, of course."
"Anything besides stale wheat and pickled vegetables would be wonderful, thank you Marshall," Twilight nodded.
"Very well, might I expect you for dinner in the commanders car?"
Twilight thought for a moment before replying. "Certainly, thank you."
Carrion smiled. "Very gracious, Your Majesty. If you'll excuse me." He took his leave as the soldiers around him set up camp.
Rainbow followed him with her eyes as he left. "Great, this should be a fun dinner party," she mumbled.
"Look, I don't know much about his endgame either, but the least we have a chance to learn more about it. Besides, aren't you hungry for something that hasn't been doused with preservatives?"
Rainbow's stomach beat her to the reply. "Does that answer your question?"
Twilight grinned. "I thought so. Lets go inside and wash up for dinner, then we'll worry about the Commander."
Dash looked at Twilight as though she was crazy. "Wash up? In there? You telling me that thing has running water?" she asked, motioning to the parked carriage.
"Oh, yes. It has everything, Rainbow," Fluttershy added.
Moments later, Rainbow found herself beside Fluttershy and Twilight, soaking in the not-too-hot water of a massive tub. The servants had been careful to meet the exact temperature specified by Princess Twilight. Oddly enough, she had never actually specified.
"I only ever trusted one griffon, and that was more than enough for my lifetime," Rainbow sighed. "But, if you think these guys are legit, I'll go along with it," she completed, looking to Twilight.
"Thank you, Rainbow. I know it's hard to trust outsiders after what happened, but perhaps we should consider their position."
This only served to rile her up further. "Their position?! They knew bad shit was going down in Equestria! Where was the aid then? Why didn't they try and help us when we actually needed it?" Dash splashed a hoof angrily in the water.
"Rainbow, settle your emotions and think about this for a second. If a strange illness descended upon them and turned them all into eagles or lions or whichever they're more of, do you think we'd send our ponies in to risk catching whatever it was they had and bringing it back to Equestria?"
Dash folded her arms. "We would at least send food! Airdrops with medicine, something! The Princesses would never let innocent beings turn into these... mindless things."
"I know they wouldn't have, but we're in a different world now. Let's just hear what he has to say."
The commander's car was almost twice as large and extravagant as Twilight's. In fact, it seemed more like a moving castle than a carriage. The dining area was simple, yet elegant. A large wooden table and high backed chairs, with servants and waiters overseeing everything greeted them as they entered. At the head of the table, sat the marshall. Maps and documents cluttered the table while two advisors stood behind him, whispering into his ear as they pointed to the maps. A servant walked briskly to his side, letting him know his guests had arrived.
Carrion looked up, his eye falling upon them as he smiled. He whispered a quick command to his generals and they began hurriedly clearing the maps off the table.
"Your Majesty, I apologize for not providing you with a precise time for dinner," he said, stepping away from the table. The combat uniform he'd worn in the field during their first encounter now replaced with a white, formal military jacket. "It seems dinner isn't quite ready, but if you would like, we can adjourn to the study, and I will entertain any questions I'm sure you have."
"Yes, that's fine," Twilight replied, following him. Rainbow stayed close, still on guard, while Fluttershy took in the surroundings, and the smell of the wonderful food being prepared wafting from the kitchen. Large oak doors creaked open to reveal a room made of rich mahogany, shelves filled with volumes of books stretching towards the ceiling. A fire crackled and popped in the fireplace as though it had been burning for hours, casting dancing shadows across the room.
Carrion sat in a chair across from a large couch. Beside his chair sat an end table with a crystal bottle of amber liquid and a four glasses. "Would anyone care for some bourbon?" he asked, pouring himself a glass.
"I'll take some," Rainbow piped up. Twilight looked at her. "What? It's been a long day."
Twilight relented as Carrion set the glass on the coffee table in front of her. "Now, I'm sure you have some questions."
"Earlier, you mentioned that your country also had scientists researching the blades." Twilight paused, shifting in her seat. "What can you tell me about the progress so far?"
Carrion sipped his drink before setting it on the table. "We have made some advancements in identifying the mechanisms of the condition, however a cure is proving elusive."
"And what are those mechanisms?" Twilight asked.
"You must forgive me if I butcher some of the scientific terms. I'm a tactician, not a scientist." Carrion took another sip of his drink. "What we have discovered, is that the grass is not the root cause of the change. As you know, ponies have occasionally dined on grass, and it was in fact used in many equine dishes."
Twilight nodded. "I initially theorized that it was a mutation in the species itself, one that spread as a defensive mechanism."
"Yes, however as it turns out, the research being done is suggesting that the cause is something else entirely. You see, there are ponies living within the empire's borders. However, no griffons have succumb or even shown symptoms of becoming grazers. This sickness, whatever it is, seems to only be affecting ponies."
Twilight stared at Rainbow's half empty glass. For a moment, Rainbow thought about offering her a sip. "How prevalent is it?"
"So far, our latest reports indicate around fifty in quarantine sites."
Rainbow set her glass down harshly on the table. "Quarantine sites?"
Carrion sat back against his chair. "I'm afraid so. Trust me when I tell you, those affected are receiving the finest care and treatment we can offer. They are citizens of the empire too, after all." The Marshall finished his drink in one swift gulp. "You see, it was enough trouble keeping the press quiet about the goings on in the kingdom. Closing off the borders raised quite a few eyebrows, I can assure you. However, while most feared for war, the need for a sealed border was far simpler. Panic, is poison."
"So I take it the citizens know what's been happening now?"
"That is correct. An army cannot move without someone noticing."
"Here's something I want to know," Rainbow set her glass on the table. Twilight noticed it was empty, glancing wearily at her friend as she cleared her throat. "You knew this was happening, I know the princesses can be stubborn, but I have a hard time believing they didn't ask for help. Why'd you decide to show up now? Why didn't you at least try and get off your lazy asses until now, once our country and everyone we know is one of those things!"
"Rainbow!" Twilight admonished, "My apologies Marshall, she hasn't had a drink in quite some time."
"No need for apologies, Your Majesty, her anger is justified." Carrion sighed. "The truth is just as unpleasant as you'd imagine. There were some in the imperial court who took pleasure in the knowledge that the pony kingdoms were in peril. Unfortunately, some generations in high places have been well taught in the art of holding a grudge. The Emperor, however, felt differently. There is no honor in letting a rival nation implode. Only after a thorough convincing was he able to send our armies across the border to see what we could find. I warned him that every second we wait is another citizen's life turned to ash in the lawlessness right next door. Eventually, he acted, but I'll agree, it was with a painfully slow talon."
"Who gives a shit what the imperial court says!" Rainbow replied. "He's the Emperor, isn't he? Why can't he tell them to suck one and do whatever he thinks is right?"
Carrion smiled. "As with most governments, absolute power is a bit of an illusion. There are daggers in griffon's smiles. Especially in the imperial court."
A knock at the door interrupted them. "Your Highness, Grand Marshall, dinner is served," a servant said from just behind the cracked door.
"Ah, very good. Come, there will be more time for questions after dinner." Carrion insisted.
Rainbow and Fluttershy followed the servant outside, as Twilight turned to face him. "You knew griffons couldn't catch whatever it is we have. Why did you attack the castle?" She searched his features, but found his stoic expression gave away nothing. In fact, it seemed to harshen in response to her question.
"You can never be too careful."
Spike
The morning sun rose right on time. Yet another anomaly that led Spike to question the powers the princesses claimed to have held over the all the world. The campfire was nothing but ashes, and all of his fillies and hatchlings were accounted for. Every one of them still fast asleep in their bedrolls.
Spike's rustling slowly woke those still sleeping. Sweetie Belle rubbed the sleep from her eyes, looking to gather her meager belongings, she noticed the book. She could have sworn she had put it back into her saddle bag, yet here it sat on the grass beside her. Even stranger, while the grass around it was soaked with morning dew, the book was bone dry. It was opened, words in that strange language were written squarely in the center of the page, without regard for alignment, like a normal book would be.
"This is for those who seek to find, a way to find the lost one's minds."
She wasn't bilingual, and never studied another language in school. But this was clear as day, as though she'd spoken whatever tongue was written on this seemingly magical book.
"Sweetie Belle?" She jumped. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," Spike said softly. He peered over her shoulder. "That book still as weird as it was before?"
"Yeah. I can kinda read it, but it doesn't really make much sense."
Spike set his bag down next to her, removing her food for breakfast.
"So, do the train tracks still go to the crystal empire?" Sweetie Belle asked.
Spike sighed. "The whole area between here and there is a lake. Without the weather pegasi to control the clouds and rainfall, the natural patterns flooded the plains."
"So how are we going to get there?"
"We'll have to go around Foal mountain, through the Hollow Shades to Fillydelphia, Manehattan, then the Empire. It's a round about way, but there might be a chance to resupply on our way."
"Sounds like a long walk." Sweetie smiled.
"It is."
After making sure all of his party had food, he checked his gem bag. Of all the gems he'd had back at the castle, he only managed to make it out with a handful of stones. Not nearly enough for an adolescent dragon's breakfast. Spike popped the gems in his mouth, crunching away happily, savoring what could be the last gems he'd taste for a while. His stomach rumbled loudly, but pony food didn't do much for him. On top of that, they only had so much pony-specific food. He didn't want to dip into that unless he had to.
He though for a moment, before a near forgotten memory surfaced. Once, on a diplomatic trip to the Free Cities, he and Twilight had dined at the nicest restaurant in the city, with the governor himself. It was during that time that Spike had ordered something unthinkable and certainly unavailable in the kingdom.
Meat. Perfectly seared, served with a side of vegetables, and gem shards (upon request). Twilight was too busy talking with the governor to notice what he'd ordered. Although, from a scientific perspective, he was sure she knew quite well what dragons were capable of eating. From a moral and political perspective, however, he was almost certain she would have been appalled. He couldn't quite recall the taste, as it was so long ago, but he did recall that it was quite filling.
It hit him like a tidal wave. It was a craving the likes of which he'd never felt before. It wasn't as if it would be unheard of for him to go off into the woods for a bit, hunt down something to eat, cook it and come back, right? He wouldn't do it in front of the fillies, of course, but that didn't mean he had to starve.
Twilight always told me it was the mark of a civilized dragon to abstain from meat, and most other ponies would agree. It was proven that dragons could survive on gems, but his ancestors, the ancient beasts of fiery breath and iron scales, undoubtably ate meat. They were the masters of this land in the time before the ponies became civilized.
His mouth began to water at the thought of food.
Spike licked his lips before a thought crossed his mind. Could he be regressing to?
"Guys, I'll be right back."
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Uh-oh. Spike is about to eat meat... from an animal that feeds likely on grass...
Goddammit, sir, don't you do that to my little buddy!
.......... spike would be dying if he was regressing. he is a creature whose body thrums with magic. the fire and scales are both part of his supernatural nature. in other words a regressed spike would be a dead spike, as everything that makes him a dragon would be lost.
that is a rather large lapse of logic for your story. there would be no dragons without magic, and thus there could be no dragons before magic. thus no dragons before ponies became sapient. unless of course this horse god is full of shit and is far from the source of magic in their world. then again that would mean dragons, and likely gryphons, have a different magic and thus would be immune to this curse to begin with.
yeahp. this feels like a plot hole. even if you are inferring something else through this, it still would make dragons at least exempt from all of this.
5748802 dragons and griffons are different from ponies in this story as far as that's concerned. Spike's not a scientist, however, and his guess is as good as any other non-scientist as to whether or not something will happen to his consciousness.
5748820 shrugs.
though i would say that if dragons existed before ponies, then the hrose god thing is full o shit still. magic is not her's, it existed long before ponies. ......
suddenly realized that discord would have involved himself. no ponies means no more potential of chaos from them, and no one to play with anymore.
seriously i would imagine he could easily keep things from getting worse. perhaps not stop it, but keep it from progressing.
he is also a sign that magic does not belong to her and she is pullin a fast one.
It updated. Gulp.
Well, this went fairly well. Very interesting development with Sweetie and the book. A white unicorn. Hmm...
Still, I'm worried about what the griffons might be slipping into the food, what might be happening to Spike, and pretty much everything else ever. Basically, just imagine a continual, quiet scream, and you'll have my reaction.
5748872 something like this?
petenelson.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/screams-internally.gif
5748868 not all the pieces to the puzzle are out in the open yet. I enjoy speculation as much as anyone!
5748891
derpicdn.net/img/view/2013/9/9/423545__safe_twilight+sparkle_spike_meme_exploitable+meme_equestria+girls_twiscream_descriptive+noise_x+intensifies.png
great chapter
Well, it appears the situation seems to be piling on and on. I got to agree with Rainbow Dash to some degrees that, despites the positive treatments that they are getting, there is something shady going on. Perhaps not to any deepest and/or darkest level of shadiness, but there is still something up. As for Spike, I hope this doesn't come back to bite him in the end. The poor drake had to deal with enough as it was...
Short C&C: [Still on break...]
They bad shit was going down in Equestria!
> I think a word is missing here.
Wat
5749827 is fixed now.
Honestly, I find the political intrigue more interesting than the dragged-out mystery surrounding this book that by all rights Twilight should have cracked open ages ago.
Regression or not, Spike's new craving bodes interestingly for the group dynamics.
I hereby predict that the Crusaders will become the new Alicorns.
Which will be quite funny if correct.
Well Spike, you might be doomed. Might.
Hope not.
Please don't put grass in Twilight's food, please don't put grass in Twilight's food. Damn griffons. I feel something happening with my favorite pone next chapter and I don't like it..
if they put grass in the ponies food...
actually, I could see them trying to do that
And so the agonizingly slow death-spiral of everything continues.
If this were Earth, we'd have moved on to mass suicide and nuclear bombardment because, who cares anymore?
Maybe we should just have a nerd with a supervillain mask on show up and destroy the world, just to get it over with!
Hmmm, "lost one's minds"? Is that intentional? Because if it's not actually meant to be "ones' minds", then it implies something. The placement of a single punctuation mark can drastically change meaning, which becomes important in significant phrases such as this.
Y'know, I'd forgotten how good this story actually is. Well worth the wait, I'd say, but I'd hate for it to forever linger in an unfinished state. Keep it up!
5755206
To what end? Why go through all this trouble bringing them in close just to stab them in the back almost immediately, when there's practically nothing to prevent stabbing them from the front with no muss or fuss?
5763482
I don't know about you, but I wouldn't be keen on fighting the only pony that could fight tow to toe with tirek with all of the alicorn magic, and the entire remnant of her kingdom that could fight back, even if they probably could kill them all, it would be a war of attrition most likely, or they could poison the leaders, and demoralize the rest without anymore bloodshed (metaphorical or otherwise)
5764893
I honestly don't think all the "remnants" put together would even be enough to give the griffons a hard-fought game of hoofball by this point. And while Tirek was very much an exceptional case, I suppose I can still see how they might choose to handle the still-sentient alicorn as if she were a ticking suitcase nuke, even if (or especially if) Carrion is secretly one of those anti-pony hardliners. In any case, should they attempt to dope the ponies' food, I don't see how the story could continue with Twilight getting grazed... not so confident about the other two, unfortunately...
...hey, wait a minute. It just dawned on me. If three Elements are currently in griffon custody, and two have been confirmed as grazers... WHERE'S THE SIXTH?!
5765040 missing in action
5765146
Well, that's... feasibly hopeful, at least...
Good...