Order-naries

by CTVulpin

Chapter 7

After they left the clearing around Zecora's hut, Ashen Blaze took a moment to re-orient himself in the Gem's direction. "Definitely the Ruby," he said, grinning, "my personal favorite."

"Which element does it house?" Rarity asked as they began walking.

"Take a guess," Ash said, tossing his head to make his mane dance like the flames it resembled.

"Fire," Rarity said.

"Bingo," Ash said, grinning again, "Not the most constructive of elements, but not the most destructive either. It fits perfectly with my style of battle magic."

"You have an entire set of spells just for fighting?" Twilight asked, "Why?"

"Why not?" Ash replied, "You've got to be ready to defend yourself, and sometimes your opponent just won't respond to gentle persuasion. Tau'rin's the perfect example." He looked at Twilight out of the corner of his eye. "Keep in mind, we Order-naries will be facing Tau'rin at some point in the future. If you aren't willing or able to fight him, don't be around us when the showdown happens."

"When will that be?" Fluttershy asked.

"No idea," Ash said, "Once all seven Gems are accounted for, it will be a matter of days at most. If today goes well, we'll have three of them in hand. Make of that what you will." Fluttershy whimpered but kept up her pace.

After about a half hour of walking, Ashen Blaze began to grow excited as the energy signature of the Ruby drew closer. He was so focused on the data displayed on PC's eyepiece that he didn't see the cliff until Heart flew in front of him with front legs spread wide as Soul snagged his tail in his mouth and pulled the ash-grey pony back from the precipice. "Congratulations," Soul said sarcastically after dropping Ash's tail, "you're an idiot."

"Oi," Ash said crossly, glaring over his shoulder, "That was uncalled for."

"Sorry," the golden-yellow Pegasus said, and then narrowed his eyes and said, "Congratulations, you're blind," in the same tone as before. "Actually," he said after thinking for a second, "that doesn't work as well."

"No, it doesn't," Ash said in a deadpan before turning his attention to the cliff. "It's down there, isn't it?" he asked, and then rolled his eyes as PC responded. "A simple yes will do," he told the computer, "Now… huh? No, no I am not going to argue with you right now. Make yourself useful and find me a way down or switch off." The eyepiece went dark and Ash groaned as he put a hoof to his forehead. "Botherment…"

"Why do you use that thing if it's so rude to you?" Rarity asked.

"I don't have much choice," Ash said, "PC developed that personality on his own, and I don't exactly have the means to replace or alter him right now. He's not usually so bad; I think he's still adjusting to whatever changes were forced onto his hardware… Anyway, how do we get down there?" He looked over the edge of the cliff, and then stepped back as a wave of acrophobia hit him. Twilight approached the cliff and looked down.

"This looks familiar," she said, "I think this is the cliff we fell off while looking for the Elements of Harmony."

"You're right," Fluttershy said, joining her friend, "I can see the place where we encountered that poor manticore."

"Poor manticore?" Soul asked, giving the pale yellow pegasus a weird look.

"He had a thorn stuck in his paw," Fluttershy explained, "It made him very irritable, but when I pulled it out, he calmed right down and let us pass."

"Tames manticores and stares down skvetchte cockatrices," Ash muttered in amazement, "you're just full of surprises Fluttershy."

"Oh," Fluttershy said modestly, "It's nothing, really. I'm just good with animals."

"You said you fell off this cliff Twilight?" Heart asked, looking down, "How'd you survive?"

"Well, there was an outcropping of rock," Twilight said, pointing off to the right, "It turned out that the weight of six ponies was too much for it, so it gave way. Applejack managed to stop herself from sliding off and held me up while Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy caught Rarity and Pinkie. After those two sere safely on the ground, Dash and Fluttershy brought me down."

"How'd AJ get down?" Gale asked.

"She hopped down,' Rarity said, "there should be a series of boulders we could use to do the same." She walked along the edge, and then hopped down after finding a promising ledge. "Follow me dears," she said as everypony went over to check on her, "This doesn't appear to be too difficult." She worked her down as the other unicorns and Gale exchanged glances and followed her. Fluttershy and Heart took to the air and flew alongside the others to insure their safety. Within a minute the seven of them were on the canyon floor and Ash was trying to coax PC back into activity.

"I said switch off, not power down," he muttered, removing the computer and looking it over. With a snort he pressed a button he found near the eyepiece and put it back on his head as it booted back up. "Recall our last conversation?" he asked it, and text flashed across the eyepiece in response. "Get scanning then; it's close." He looked around slowly as the computer worked, and then nodded toward the passage leading out. The ponies followed him out into the trees again, where he made a hard left and followed the cliff for a while. He slowed as they discovered a cave in the distance and began looking around again. "Something's coming,' he said, "big something." The relative silence of the forest was quickly shattered by a roar and the ponies scattered as a large scorpion tail swung in their direction from a shadowy clump of trees. The tail's owner, a manticore, stepped out into the light and roared at the group again.

"Friend of yours, Fluttershy?" Soul asked. The pegasus just squeaked as the manticore growled threateningly. "I think I'm going to vote for a retreat," Soul said.

"No way," Ash said, activating his magic, "We're too close to let some beast get in our way." His saddlebag opened and the Diamond floated out to hover near his head. "Let's see how it likes bright lights." He charged forward as the Gem began to glow, only to be swatted back by the manticore's huge paw. Soul caught the Diamond as it flew out of Ash's magical grip.

"My vote still stands," the golden-yellow unicorn said. Ash just glared as he regained his feet and grabbed the Diamond again.

"Wait," Fluttershy said suddenly, "don't hurt him. I recognize this manticore now." She spread her wings and flew cautiously toward the beast. It growled and raised its tail, but hesitated as Fluttershy made reassuring noises. It sniffed her a few times, and then settled back as recognition registered in its eyes. "Oh good," Fluttershy said, smiling, "You do remember me. I'm so sorry that we've bothered you, but we're looking for something important and eep." She had tried to fly past the manticore, only to be met by an upraised paw with extended claws. "Sorry," Fluttershy whispered, backing away, "but, why? Are you protecting something?" The manticore's eyes shifted briefly in the direction of the cave and Fluttershy flew up a little to get a better look. She saw movement in the mouth of the cave, and then another manticore, female by its lack of mane, stuck its head out. "Oh, I see" Fluttershy said, "You've found a lady friend. That's nice." She looked again and gave a tiny gasp of understanding as a couple little felines also emerged, only to be ushered back inside by the female. "And kittens too," she said, coming back down to look the manticore in the eye. "You're protecting your family, aren't you?" she asked, receiving a nod in response. "I understand," she said, "but we really need to look around here. I promise you we won't hurt your babies." The manticore didn't look convinced, and Ash started focusing his magic again before Heart shoved him with a shake of her head. Fluttershy glanced back at the group, trying to think. "There are too many of us," she mused, "what if… would you let just me go look around? You know you can trust me, right?" The manticore tilted its head left and right as he regarded the little pegasus, and then stepped back and sat down. "Oh, thank you," Fluttershy said, "Just give me one moment." She flew back to the group and landed in front of Ash. "So," she said, suddenly shy again, "I… I hope this is ok with you."

Ash smiled and patted Fluttershy on the shoulder. "It's fine," he said, "just look for a red gemstone the size of your hoof. Don't worry if it glows or gets warm when you touch it; they react to some people more readily than others." Fluttershy nodded and turned away. She walked past the manticore, who watched her closely as she began to hunt about in the brush and rocks. Ash watched her for a few seconds, and then consulted PC. "Any chance you could narrow things down?" he asked it. The computer worked for a while before giving a response. "Ground level," he called out to Fluttershy, "Somewhere to your right."

"Maybe you should have given PC to her," Twilight said.

"Are you kidding?" Ash retorted, "She's a real charmer, but I doubt she'd be able to put up with PC's sarcasm. Believe me, he can be real rough." He rolled his eyes as PC displayed a comment.

Fluttershy lifted her feet off the ground as she continued her search to allow herself a little more maneuverability. With occasional help from Ash whenever she went too far in one direction or another, she began flying in tighter and tighter circles until she was hovering over a thick, tangled bush. She landed next to it and lay down to see if she could see anything under the branches. She saw something red just within her reach and extended a slightly quaking hoof toward it. When she touched it, it gave off a brief flash of red light that made her pull back for a second. "I… I think I've found it," she said, not quite loudly enough for the others to hear. Wiggling forward a little, she was able to grab it between her hooves and pull it free. Like Ash had warned her, the Ruby grew warm in her grasp, but didn't become too hot to the touch. Making sure she had a solid grip, she spread her wings and flew back, dropping the Gem at Ashen Blaze's feet. Ash picked it up with his magic and coaxed another glow out of it.

"Well done Fluttershy," he said, putting the Ruby and the Diamond into his saddlebag, "You've been a great help."

"It was nothing," Fluttershy said meekly. She turned toward the manticore and said, "Thank you. You can go on back to your family now. We're going to leave soon." The giant creature nodded and walked away, casting glances over its shoulder at the ponies.

"So, where to next?" Gale asked Ash, "You did say there were two Gems in this forest."

"Ash nodded, already checking on the location of the next energy signature. "Out the other end of the canyon," he said, "and pretty deep into the woods. By the way, what time is it?"

"Hard to tell," Twilight said, looking up at the sky, "I think it's the middle of the afternoon."

"Oh dear," Rarity said, "I should be getting back to town soon; Sweetie Bell will be getting out of school soon."

"Head on back then," Ash said, "I'd rather not have to come into this place twice if I can help it."

"Well, I'm not going to walk through these woods all by myself," Rarity declared.

"I… I think I should stay with you," Fluttershy told Ash, "You know, in case you need my help with any more animals. Uh… if that's ok I mean…"

"I'd be glad to have you," Heart said. Soul nodded in agreement.

"Sorry Rarity," Twilight said, "but I'm going with them. I've got a funny feeling I know where the next Gem will be close to."

Rarity gave a long-suffering sigh. "Oh, very well," she said, "I should have known it was a bad idea to follow you and Fluttershy in here…"

The seven ponies walked for a good long while, encountering nothing unusual except for a grove of dead-looking trees that, to the Order-naries's confusion, seemed to give Twilight, Rarity, and even Fluttershy a case of the giggles. A scan from PC revealed nothing magical or remarkable about the area, so they just shrugged it off and moved along. A short time later, Rarity turned to Twilight and said, "I think I know where you're expecting the next Gem to have landed."

"Actually, there are two," Twilight said, "we should be coming up on the first one soon."

"Yes," the white unicorn replied, "I wonder if that sea serpent will be there this time?"

"Sea serpent?" Soul Mage asked, "What's a sea serpent doing in a forest?"

"He's technically more of a river serpent," Twilight said, "Rarity helped him out the last time we came this way."

"Helped him how?" Heart asked.

"I supplied him with a replacement for his ruined moustache," Rarity said, and then grew excited. "Oh, I do hope he's around. I simply must see how well it has grown back in." She sped up, leaving a quartet of confused ponies and two amused friends in her wake. When they caught up to her, they found her staring at a deep, dry riverbed cutting across the path. "Good heavens!" Rarity exclaimed, "What has happened here? Where's all the water?" A sniffling sound from the left attracted her attention and she trotted off to investigate. The others followed closely, coming upon a very sad-looking purple sea serpent with a moustache, half of which was purple with a distinctive curl, laying his head upon the banks of the former river. He looked up when the ponies approached, and a slight smile came to his mouth upon seeing Rarity.

"Well, hel-lo," he said, "If it isn't the little pony who saved my moustache! How are you?"

"I'm doing well," Rarity said, "but if I may say so, you don't look well at all."

"Oh, I am most certainly not," the serpent said, "not only has fabulous moustache failed to grow back in after all this time, but… well you can see." He gestured toward the dry river with one arm.

"Your stache looks fine to me," Soul said, "even though its… hold on." He looked at the purple half of the moustache, and then to Rarity. "That… is that half from your tail Rarity? The color and style are a perfect match."

"It is," Rarity said, "although, it's worrisome that your natural hair hasn't grown back yet. It's been over a year." She walked closer and gazed intently at the purple hair. "Oh my," she said, "Perhaps I did too good a job attaching it. I think my tail's taken root in your moustache's place."

"Oh?" the serpent asked, stroking the hair a little, "I suppose you're right."

"Let me fix it," Rarity said, "If I cut this purple half off and graft in part of the other half, that should restore the color. Of course, your moustache won't quite so good for a while…"

"Go right on ahead my dear," the serpent said, "I'm sure you'll make a good job of it. Here." He plucked one of the scales off his body and handed it to Rarity, who took it in her mouth with grace and proceeded to use it to slice off the former tail.

While Rarity worked, Twilight looked up and down the riverbed and asked, "So, what happened to the water?"

"Something very strange," the serpent said, holding as still a possible while Rarity measured out his moustache, "just yesterday, it all just jumped up and started flowing through the air deeper into the forest. If you were to keep going upstream, you'd see where it's still happening. I can't get around as well on dry land, so I've been stuck here all day."

"Rivers don't just jump their banks," Twilight said, "even here."

"The Sapphire," Soul said, "I'd bet anything that's what's behind this. However, that also means somebody's using it… You girls don't have any other… acquaintances living in this forest, do you?"

"Not that far in," Twilight said, "All that's left beyond here are the ruins of the ancient Castle of the Princesses. They're… more or less that way." She pointed across the river and off to the left a little.

"Hmm…" Ash said, looking, "Twilight Sparkle, you just pointed toward the Gem signature. We need to get over there."

"Allow me to help you," the serpent said, "I can at least give you something to walk across on."

"Not quite yet," Rarity said, moving the freshly cut moustache half to the other side of his face, "I'm almost finished." She positioned the hair with her magic and then, with a tilt of her head, made it fuse onto the purple roots, changing them to the serpent's natural orange in the process. "There," Rarity said, stepping back, "A little brushing, and that will look just fine."

"Wonderful!" The serpent said, straighten up and admiring his new look for a moment. "Now, allow me." He turned around and stretched until his head lay upon the opposite bank. "Cross away my friends," he said, "I'll wait here for your return."

"Thank you good sir," Rarity said, leading the ponies along the serpent's back. Once they'd all crossed, the serpent rose up and bowed to Rarity, who smiled and bowed back. "Come along," she said, turning toward the path, "let's get this over with."