Hand in Hoof

by AdamThePony

Chapter 10: Fireside Fables

Chapter 10: Fireside Fables

Night fell on the snow-covered peaks. Though Napalm had burned hers, we had been able to afford tents and bedrolls for everyone. The queen and her subordinates had the good sense to wear disguises, at least. I suppose that was the benefits of the three of them being changelings. Although, the one concern that got me was the question of warmth.

Though most of my current party had coats of hair to keep warm, I wasn't as lucky. For that reason, while most everyone else slept in relative comfort, I was wide awake and shivering. Though I had spent much of my childhood up in the mountains, the cold was one thing I never quite enjoyed. It kindled a desire for warmth as hot as the campfire outside. As I walked out into the fire, I happened to notice that Spike was also wide awake, but appeared to be perfectly fine.

"Oh hey. Evening, Lance," he sighed, yawning. "Can't sleep?"

I shook my head. "I can't really get much sleep in this cold. I honestly don't know how you stand it."

"Dragon blood, my hairy bro," Spike replied impishly. "Dragon blood."

"Then how exactly are you up?" I asked, shuddering as I held my hands in front of the fire.

Spike said nothing at first. His violet cheeks started to burn a tinge of red as he twiddled his thumbs.

"I guess..." Spike stammered, trying to keep collected. "I've just got a lot on my mind right now."

"Well, you aren't exactly alone there, Spike," I replied, looking up to him. "There's still a lot I haven't gotten sorted out yet. There's still a lot of questions in my head that just won't go away. Questions like 'What am I?', 'Where did I come from?', 'Who did I come from?'. Questions that, right now, even my dearest of family can't give an answer to."

"I've been there before," Spike said, nodding in understanding. "Way back when, I went on a journey just like this one. Back then, I was just a little baby dragon, and the great dragon migration was in full-swing. Just like you want to know more about your kind, I wanted to learn more about mine. But, when I got to see live dragons, they were all a bunch of selfish, greedy jerks. Though I didn't come any closer to understanding what I was, I got a better understanding of who I was."

The dragon placed his claw on my shoulder.

"I know how it feels to not know what you really are," he grunted, his breath tinged by a warm haze. "Just know this; In the end, no matter what happens, you're only what you make of yourself."

A smirk came to my cold face. For some reason, I found his voice to be quite uplifting.

"There you go, Champ." he chuckled, patting me on the back. "Remember, we're in this together. If you ever need somebody to talk to, I'm here for you."

A pause took the two of us as a cold breeze passed over the camp. The two of us shivered a tad as we drew closer in the cold. A fog was rolling in, and I could swear I saw a bipedal figure deep into it. As much as I desired to divine the silhouette, it became indistinct as retreated into the mist. As I wrapped my scarf about my face again, another nagging thought reared its head.

"Hey Spike?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you believe in ghosts?"

Spike's eyes grew wide. He seemed to be struck dumb as his claws pressed together in trepidation, a lump forming in his throat. I could hear him mumble as he nodded.

"Y—Yeah..." He murmured, clearly not happy to entertain the thought. "Why?"

"Well, just before we left Ponyville, Rarity took me to the Spa to get ready for the party. I'd never gone to one before, and I guess Aloe and Lotus have really firm hooves. They made me feel so good, I guess I must have passed out. I ended up having a really vivid dream. I was climbing up a mountain.

"At the top, some figure awaited me. She looked vaguely of my kin, but she wore a white hooded mantle. Before she could reveal herself, I was blinded. She snuffed out the light for me, and held me like a mother holds her child. She told me that, in searing light and blinding shadow, I mustn't let my resolve crumble. She also told me that the light has been fading fast, and that soon the shadow will swallow the fires of love and harmony. She wanted me to cherish any bonds that I make, for they're apparently going to make me stronger. She didn't stay long after that, but I could swear that she and I have some connection. I keep seeing her eyes in the haze. As if she's watching over me, like some kind of divine guardian..."

"Do you think she might be like a guardian angel?" Spike asked. "Or maybe some kind of goddess looking out for you?"

"I can't say for sure, Spike." I said with a shrug. "But if what she told me is true, then I should at least send a warning."

"We probably should," the drake agreed. "But we'd best wait for sunrise. At this hour, the Princess is probably asleep."

"Good point."

Another awkward silence followed. Spike began to absentmindedly scribble on a scroll with an eerie calm.

It is at this point I feel I should clarify something about my dear retainer. Though I'm sure the fact may be obvious enough from the prior chapter, I should point out that Spike is a quite large fellow. When I first met him, the man was but a wee lad that only came up to my thighs in size. Now, he's a head taller than myself, and with a far more imposing visage. In fact, I'm fairly certain that he could break my spine over his knee, if he so desired. The mere thought of that alone makes me glad that he's on my side.

"Do you think it could be a snow mare?" Spike interjected.

"Don't be ridiculous!" I chided, chuckling nervously. "There couldn't be one of those all the way up here...could there?"

"I don't know," Spike shuddered. "But I think we should get inside. They say they come out when it really gets cold."

I looked back at the tent, uncertain of how to interpret his reaction.

"You mean... Sharing a tent together?"

"Well, yeah," Spike snorted, giving me a strange look. "I can tell from looking at you that you're pretty cold. Seeing as I'm pretty warm, I thought we could huddle together. You know, so we could both sleep comfortably."

"But we're—" I choked a moment, my throat cold and dry. "Guys."

"And?" Spike quipped in an earnest tone. "We're both adults here, relatively speaking, and Equestria's not exactly one to judge on gender preferences."

"I'm not sure, Spike..." I stammered. "It's just... I've never been that close with someone before and—"

"Wait. You mean you've never done…that?"

"Done... what?"

"You know, that thing two ponies do when they're alone at night..."

My cheeks were practically burning.

"Oh, you mean that?!" I stammered. "No! Goodness, no!"

"You mean you've never been with a mare? Like, at all?"

I hung my head in defeat. "No..."

Spike buried his face in his claw. "There's one for the bucket list, then."

"What bucket list?"

"You seriously need to get laid," Spike snapped flatly. "You're like, what, fifteen years old, and you haven't been with somepony?"

My body felt a lot warmer, but not in a good way. I couldn't find the words to respond. Only gestures of utter bewilderment and defeat as my embarrassment took hold.

“It's not like I have much in the way of options," I muttered somberly, my voice only barely eking itself from my throat. "What, with the whole 'only one of my kind' problem."

Spike sighed, frowning as he held my shoulder, helping me inside as he produced a small kerchief.

I felt absolutely pathetic. Loneliness once again took my heart as that nagging fear returned. I curled up in a mix of melancholy and coldness, my arms around my knees as my forehead retracted itself into my thighs. For several minutes, I just sat there, wallowing in whatever I was meant to wallow in. I didn't make much of a sound, aside from the whimpers my throat let out.

It was then that two claws grasped my chin, and a pair of green eyes stared back at me. The owner of said eyes didn't say much of anything, instead vying to hold me tight, my head brushing against his chest. Spike's spade-like tail snaked around my waist as he gingerly grasped me, wrapping a blanket around us as he started to unbutton my shirt, intent on sharing his warmth with me.

I couldn't protest, even I wished. For some reason, the heat of his chest burned away my cares as one of his claws held my head.

"I'm sorry," he grumbled as he tossed aside the blue top wear. "I didn't mean to upset you."

I remained silent, nodding into his chest as I began to listen to his heartbeat.

"I'm not exactly a grand slam, myself," he muttered. "Truth be told, I haven't been with a mare, either. I've got my sights on one, sure, but the most I've gotten is a kiss."

I looked up at him, curious.

"You mean Rarity?" I whispered, wiping my eyes with the cloth.

Spike nodded, loosening his grip as we laid down.

"I don't think I have to tell you she's a knockout of a gal," Spike chuckled. "I just haven't gotten the chance to ask her."

I smiled and turned around, letting him wrap his arms around my waist.

"I'm sure you'll find a special somepony someday," he assured, his chin against my shoulder.

As strange as it was to share his embrace, I slowly began to feel more and more comfortable inside it. True to his word, his scales felt warm against my back, and as burly as he was, his caress was gentle and restrained. As queer as the sensation of sharing a bed with another guy, I felt at ease with Spike. To me, he seemed like a big brother, wanting to keep me safe. And if I'm to be completely honest, I was okay with that.

"Just so we're clear, this a brohug," the dragon grunted between his teeth. "Emphasis on bro."

The two of us shared a brief chuckle before drifting off to sleep.

)) O ((

What my eyes beheld now was a small room of blue velvet. In front of me was a panel of buttons arranged neat rows. Most of them were dim, while the topmost one from the right, emblazoned with a changing moon, was lit. A small panel above that one indicated I was rising upward. Behind me was a silver railing, which I grasped expediently as I got back on my feet. After looking around, I confirmed I was in some form of elevator.

A chime sounded as the rising room jerked to a halt. The light on the button panel flickered off. Two doors pulled apart as twelve subsequent chimes followed, revealing a rather impressive loft. Shelves of books and several doors lined the walls as the shadow of a pony stood out in the moonlight. A table with a large stack of cards laid before me as I took a seat, my hands in my lap.

"I shall be with you in a moment," called the pony as she drew a pair of equally-velvet curtains behind her.

Suddenly, with only the faint glimmer of magic, the cards shuffled themselves, five laying out before me. On their backs lay a mask, one half black, the other white. They briefly flashed before laying stagnant on the tablecloth. The mare's shadow passed through the curtains, revealing the dark coat of Princess Luna as she joined me at the opposite end of the table.

"Apologies for making you wait, nephew," she stated calmly. "I was merely admiring the moonlight."

"It's nothing, really," I replied, a hand behind my head. "But if I may ask, where exactly am I right now?"

Luna smiled as she flicked the lights on, bathing a softer shade of blue, revealing a few other amenities to the room, including a billiards table, a sofa and coffee table, and an ebony piano whose keys moved by some unknown force.

♪

"We are in a place that exists between dream and reality," she began, turning over one of the cards to reveal a golden tower, split apart by a bolt of lightning. "A place that serves as a neutral venue for the subconscious. A place of guidance and wisdom to those who choose to seek it." Another card turned, revealing a crescent moon. "A place from which the greatest knowledge can be divined."

She paused before turning the two cards back over, shuffling them back into the deck.

"I welcome you, Lance, to the Midnight Lounge."

A set of twenty-two cards flashed onto the table, as Luna kept her jubilant grin.

"I take it those cards were referring to some kind of trouble?" I asked, curious.

Luna chuckled in surprise. "A sound interpretation, young one. The Moon represents illusion, fear, and bewilderment, while The Tower can often refer to a sudden change or troubling event."

"Much like you...right?"

Luna gave a bittersweet ditter. "In a sense, yes. But, the two can also refer to a crisis to which the answer is not fully understood."

"What do you mean?"

"With every life, there is a journey," Luna explained, turning over the first card of the set, revealing a beggar at the edge of a cliff side, a dog nipping at his fetlocks. "We all begin as fools, simple souls with an innocent faith."

The card began to slide to the center of the table.

"Foolish though he may be, The Fool is not one to be taken lightly," she noted. "The Fool is number zero for a reason. He is the empty void from which infinite possibility is born."

Several other cards flipped over, revealing a wide variety of imagery, from a unicorn holding a pyre in his hands to an alicorn holding staffs in its hooves.

"From these twenty-two cards, much can be divined—one's future, one's present, one's friends and rivals..." Luna trailed off as the cards slid into one stack again, three cards facing me once more."Even one's own self."

With a flick of her hoof, three cards flipped over. The card to my left was The Moon, a card I had previously seen. The card to my right was The Hermit, depicting a stallion holding a lantern. In the center was The Star, depicting an image not far from the cutie mark of Twilight Sparkle.

"A fitting combination," Luna noted. "A conflict of extremes, with serene hope in the center."

"And this is good, right?" I asked, unsure of how to read the cards myself. Luna chuckled.

"In you, I see a definite potential," she said in a calm town. "But it is yet to be refined. Only when tempered by bonds pure and true, and by a journey of discovery and trials, can it be truly realized."

I sat quiet, unsure of how to respond.

"Much as you are, Twilight and her companions are eking out their own journey," the princess continued. "As friends, they collaborate towards a shared goal. However, as they work, foes of many kinds lie in wait to strike at a moment's notice. Though the call to adventure is not answered by all folk, its heralds are many."

"So there might be others doing what I am?" I asked, curious."

"Oh, most assuredly." Luna replied. "It's only a matter of whom."

I tilted my head, confused.

"What exactly am I doing here, Aunt Luna?"

The lunar princess chuckled as the deck shuffled itself once more.

"As a warden to the sleeping, I often guide rambling ponies," she explained, floating a new triplet before me. "Along your journey, should you seek my guidance, I shall offer you my wisdom, and allow you to plan for the future."

A pair of ponies, a divine symbol, and a sagely pony revealed themselves on the card faces.

"It seems that you will come to meet somepony soon," she began, her eyes glossing over the set. "They shall hold some significant wisdom, and will help to guide you."

Luna smiled as she retracted the cards back into the deck, nodding to me.

"Before you leave, I must make certain you understand something," she pleaded as she allowed me to stand. "Though the Arcana are the means by which all is revealed, their revelations can hold meaning much later than you may expect them. Much as Twilight had learned from her encounter with her future self, preparing for what could be imminent disaster, without knowing what lies ahead, can lead to unforeseen consequences. Sagely, though my advice may be, it should also be taken with a grain of salt."

I nodded, shaking the princess's hoof. "I will keep that in mind."

"Then you are dismissed," Luna declared as the chime of the elevator sounded again. "Until we meet again, nephew."

I smiled as I waved goodbye, walking into the elevator calmly, if a little confused.

Perhaps this journey shall prove interesting.

Author's Note:

Well, this certainly escalated quickly. At least, it did for me. What wonders a dirty mind can conjure when Persona's on the brain. Not as long as my usual fare, but I feel I've accomplished something nonetheless. In any case, on with the compendium! For this one, I've got two entries.

Snow Mares: Also known as Yukki-Onna in Neighpon, Snow Mares are a form of Wendigo. Much like the Kitsune, there are stories both good and ill of this spirit of snowy mountain types, ranging from helping wayward travelers lost in blizzards to dooming them to the icy chill of death. As its name implies, it takes the guise of a snow-colored mare, often wearing loose clothing, if anything at all.

Gender Preferences: Due to a balanced, but disparate gender ratio, it is not an uncommon sight to see homosexual or polygamous relationships in Equestria. In fact, though it has become more common in recent years, a single mare and stallion in a relationship was once considered to be quite taboo, if not outright selfish for both parties.

Comments

[Closet-Bronie-333]

nice and the song was beautiful

[AdamThePony]

3827593
Which Cadence pointed out.

Expect further discussion on the nudity taboo later.

[IncoherentOrange]

Hello there! I'm IncoherentOrange of WRITE, here with a review, as requested.

As you've specified in your request, I'll mainly be focusing on the structural aspects of the story and providing ideas for side-plots. I'm not the best person for the latter job, but I'll try my best. I'll also take note of any other advice I have to give, if you don't mind me doing so.

Without further delay, let's get on with it, shall we?
I'll start with the "front page" of your story, as it were. As this page is crucial in attracting a potential reader, it should definitely be addressed in any review, I think. Nothing stands out to me except for the barrage of rhetorical questions hurled at the reader and what seems like a focus not on what the story is about, but how it is supposed to differ from its contemporaries. Really, it doesn't tell us anything except that the protagonist arrives as an infant in Equestria. Though it's generally a good idea to leave the reader wondering, I think it's also a good idea to give them more than just a description of a concept and some story tags. Your call, of course.
I thought that was important for me to point out. Anyway, forward!

Chapter one rouses a few bits of advice from me: I think that the real world (such as the mention of particular persons involved in the creation of works upon which the story is based within the story itself) should be left out unless there is particular reason. Only my opinion, of course, but it's one I know that other people share. Your transitions between perspective are executed well, and the style is consistent, from my first impressions, though the inner monologues seem off – it's as though sometimes the story is being told telepathically to someone rather than simply being told presently from someone's perspective.

I have an aside relating to grammar, as well. It's mostly correct, but some things have evidently slipped by. Another pass through on your part wouldn't hurt, as all of the errors I see appear to be mere mistakes rather than any kind of misunderstanding of grammatical rules. The errors seem most common in relation to titles that the characters hold, some of which should be capitalized and are not and vice versa. Also worth mentioning is that species names are not considered proper nouns.

Having read the story as it is all the way through, the only things I can think of that you could add (or more accurately, reintroduce) your story are the characters from Lance's childhood, Sparkling Spring and Robin in particular. You probably already planned on doing so, I figure, but that's a thought. Another thing that would be nice is an explanation of the rather unusual elements of the setting, like what seem like religion, which admittedly confuses me, mostly due to the fact that it comes pretty much out of the blue.

Well, I hope I could help, even if this review is relatively brief and I likely didn't give you any particularly helpful ideas. Story's fairly well put together for the most part, and I think that you can make it even better. Good luck!

~IncoherentOrange, WRITE's Rambling Citrus

[sixkiller5]

is it me or was there a piece of the chapter twice?

[Lord-Luzar]

"You're like, what, fifteen years old, and you haven't been with somepony?"

I lost my shit here...but to be honest I was raised to be a polite guy so I didn't surprise myself with my reaction.

[HB_DS2013]

Apparently, Luna has taken a page from Igor.