> Everharted > by Camlio > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Pre-Story: The Legend of The Vessel > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- An ancient book held in the royal archives, buried deep inside the restricted section and not opened for several thousand years, began to glow as if stating it's ancient tale needed to be told. The next morning, an alabaster alicorn hefted the book as she gazed upon it's ancient writing, which revealed itself to her as if explaining what she must do. But, before doing so, she had to respond to her most precious disciples’ concerns about her fallen sister. She traveled to the town of Ponyville, to prepare for the coming Summer Sun Celebration, and to reassure her subjects. Celestia knew that she would need to take extra steps to make sure that her sister might be returned to her former state, and that the retelling of this old tale would hopefully not be needed. However, Celestia would need to learn exactly what her ponies would face and how best to prepare them. And so she read… A long, long, time ago, when the world was young and chaos and disharmony ran rampant, a beast of untold power came from a rift between dimensions to destroy all. The mother of the windigos, the hounds of hate and frost, was and is still known as The Malicious. The ponies of the still fledgeling Equestria allied themselves with the other nations in an attempt to stand up to the great beast. Sadly, none could match it’s might as it fed upon the bigotry and racial tension of the different tribes and species, turning them against each other like pawns in a game of chess. The beast created twisted mockeries of all things known as Draconequus, and unleashed them upon the world. Each of these beings symbolized one of the darkest qualities of the heart that The Malicious needed to fuel it’s evil powers; Wrath, Terror, Infidelity, Agony, Pride, and Discord. These six sons of Chaos spread their evil magics across the land to fuel the power of their demonic mother. But then… the old ones came, seven ancient sages versed in the magics of both light and dark who sealed the spirits of the spawn of Chaos into bodies of flesh, so that they may be struck down by their mightiest weapon. The Vessel of Souls, the spirit of a willing youth who gave himself to save all creation. Bound to a body that cannot die nor age, the Vessel has no limit to it’s growth. The spirit of the world who called forth the Old Ones pleaded that they destroy The Malicious but, to not kill all the spawns of Chaos. For without them to keep the scattered races in their fragile alliances, they could not know true harmony. And with her words the Vessel amassed great power. Two powers as old as time itself, the untold destructive power of Chaos used by The Malicious, became tempered and balanced by the light of a harmonious spirit, who gave herself to create a great tree that would stand forever in defense of the world. And so it was that The Malicious was sealed away for all of time from entering the world of Equis, so long as the tree which was birthed in the sacrifice of the Matron of the World, Her Royal Highness, Faust the one true Queen of Equis, and mother of Celestia and Luna. Forever now she stands proud upon the spot where the creature’s eternal hatred lay buried. As Celestia closed the book, she felt a tear run down her cheek. She had read this book countless times yet she always wished that it told of a way to reunite her and her sister with their long lost mother. While she sat, mourning her losses, she saw words appearing upon the once blank final page. It awakens once more, a valiant spirit has giveth himself to serve a world not his own, may his life be not giveth in vain and may peace forever reign upon the land loved by both Moon and Sun. In the name of the Tree of Life, which borne the Trees of Harmony and Chaos. With these words her peace was stolen as well as her feeling of self for several moments, until she came face to face with a creature known only as an Old One. “I trust you didn’t bring me here for no reason, after what your war did to my family.” The saddened alicorn said with a slight tone of aggravation. “Peace young Celestia, what we bring today is different, for the fruit that will free the spirit of the tree shall be borne of the tree in the heart of the world soon. We merely require that you bring into the world one who will safeguard the land where the tree is buried, till the time it has ripened.” The old man explained in a long forgotten tongue. “And you expect me to…” Celestia angrily started before she heard a soft groaning from beside her, as a young man with soft blue hair seemed to be regaining consciousness. Her tone and expression softened as she gazed upon the creature. He was so young looking... she knew she had to help him, just like her mother had helped the last Vessel. “Guess I’ve got no choice in this then do I?” The thought ran through her mind as she turned to the Vessel and spoke the first words in what was sure to be another grand tale in the Old One’s Libraries. "Ah, the Soul's awake. How are you feeling, can you see me clearly?" > Chapter 1: The vessel awakes. > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "To live life without your own body, name, or heart. Is that even truly living?" - The creator of the Vessel of Souls. White, as far as the eye can see. That's what you awoke too, to find yourself sitting in a chair before blinking twice and suddenly seeing a rather odd sight. A strange horse like being and a man in a robe with a beard that reached the floor. As if noticing you the horse spoke first. "Ah, the Soul's awake. How are you feeling, can you see me clearly?" From the voice it was female, a mare you believe recalling a bit of information. While some of your memory is clear the majority is blank, your name, where you lived, even your birthday is all a cloud of endless haze. Though you realize she's asked a question, and so you nod unable to put words to it for some reason. "I see... I guess you can't speak can you?" She asked sounding almost dissapointed in that fact. "This will make it much harder for the soul to fit into our society than it already will be Elder." She says looking at the old man who seemed to have a rather elaborate collar. "My apologies your highness, but this vessel was not completely finished when we had to answer your summons, and as such we were unable to give it voice, it also damaged the memories of the soul inside. It will be unable to recall most of it's past, and as such cannot return to it's former body." The old man turns to you and bows. "You have my most sincere apologies for this champion of the vessel. I only ask that you hold no grudges against those you were called upon to protect." Your eyes open wide at the news. That means this new form is all you can look forward too? Your forever cut off from your past because of someone's mistake? The anger boils in you for a few moments until you see a strange fabric being lowered onto you a coak that feels lighter than air and strangely enough feels like another part of your body. "We were unable to grant you the Cloak of Embers used in our world so instead the other elders and I created this cloak in it's stead using a feather from her highness to my left. This is the Celestial Star Cloak and it will be the source of your powers. Though sadly you will need to learn them through practice." The old man said as he stepped away. Though the horse spoke once more. "I'm sorry to hear about your loss, though I will hope you will come to enjoy the new world you will enter with me." She said with a motherly smile. "My name is Princess Celestia of Equestria and I would now like to formally ask for your help, Champion of the Vessel. Will you defend my home and the lives that it holds dear?" The royal pony asks before bowing to you. You honestly have to think about it. On the one hand from the tone of her voice she mustn't have had much of a choice in bringing you here, on the other her actions have robbed you of your home and past. Though after a few moments of consideration you nod and the cloak shifts around you before causing you to float from the chair you were held in before setting lightly on the ground in front of her. The cloak's hood flowing over your new form's deep crimson hair and frames your face heroically. "Then on behalf of Equestria I thank you, Champion of the Vessel." She said as she places you back into your chair with a gentle sensation and a glow coming from her horn. "Now sleep, and when you awaken you shall be in your new home." The sounds of voices reach your ears as you begin to wake from your slumber. As you open your eyes you find yourself sitting in another chair though it is definitely much less used than the one before if the cobwebs and cracks in the stonework of the seat are any indication. Though you push thoughts of why you'd appear here too aside for now, as you can't help but be curious as to why you're hearing voices. Voices that seem to be entering the room your chair occupies. The sources of the voices were six mares of various colors and apparently races. As unlike the Princess from before none among them had horns and wings, seeming to either only possess one of the two or nothing to speak of. They seemed to be discussing something of great importance but, you were unable to make it out, from the fact you were unable to move you believe that something was wrong with your body or Vessel you believe it was called. As they seemed to find what they were looking for a strange black pony who resembled the Princess from before appeared and smashed the stones vanishing with the Purple Unicorn who seemed to be their leader. With this your body seemed to be freed, though the movement caused the eyes of the other mares to quickly turn to you in shock. "What's that thing? A creature Nightmare Moon brought to life to attack us?" The blue pegasus asked as she stared at you for a moment before you shook your head. "Ya'll ain't gonna attack us?" An orange mare wearing a rather nice stetson asked in response to your head's motion, causing you to shake your head once more and then place a hand over your heart as if to say you have my word. "U-Um... g-girls, I-I don't think it can talk..." A timid yellow pegasus said doing a rather poor job of hiding behind a white unicorn mare who spoke next. "Well, if it can't talk than it can at least understand us... so darling, if you're not here to attack us what are you doing sitting in that... filthy chair?" She asked which caused you to stand and float like you did before the hood slowly lowering over your head again as a power flowed through you. You felt the power boil into your hands and release from your fingers directly at the spot where the dark pony stood moments before. The sparkling bolts leaving visible marks in the stone where they struck. "Oooh does that mean you're gonna fight the big queen meany, does it, does it, huh, huh, huh?" The pink mare said as she bounded into your face and knocked you to the ground. Though you did nod at her question. As she released you it seems the others were holding a vote and were ready to tell you what they'd decided. "Well, thanks for the offer an all, but were gonna go ahead and rescue Twilight on our own. If'n you're serious about helping your more than welcome to follow." The orange mare said before leading the rest of the mares towards a large pink flash in an adjacent tower. With nothing pinning you down and no better idea you follow after the group. Choosing to run instead of hover as it seemed to drain power you didn't wish to expend. A stray thought crossed your mind. "Even if I do help them find their friend, am I really strong enough to fight someone who is able to shatter a set of supposedly legendary artifacts of untold power? From the bits of conversation you had picked up before these Elements of Harmony were supposedly the weapons that had been used to defeat this Nightmare Moon person before and with them destroyed these five would need all the help they could get to rescue their friend. As you thought this the cloak seemed to retreat into itself before turning into a large and seemingly sentient scarf while a glowing silver blade formed in your hands. As you ran up the stairs wielding the blade you smirked and thought. "This'll do. Time to end a Nightmare." > Chapter 2: Saving a Dream from a Nightmare > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "The Vessel cannot truly die, only be shattered as a soul is an intangible thing. These thrones of restoration are here to serve as your soul's link to the world you now defend." - A lesson from the elders to the Vessel user. The sound of hoofsteps as well as shouting tells you that you're getting close. The silver blade in your hands feeling lighter as you climbed the staircase after the five mares who'd you had agreed to help. In the back of your mind wishing that you'd be able to talk to them. If only to make it easier to converse and ask questions. As you reach the top of the stairs you are greeted by a rather amazing sight, the six mares had been reunited and together if you'd heard correctly, become the wielders of one of the most powerful artifacts in the history of the world. You had to admit you were slightly jealous, though when you entered the room proper, the black Alicorn stared at you before her body became enraptured in a dazzling tornado of rainbow colored energy. Though what happened after that, you can't say as it felt like your body was rending itself apart, and to the ponies who were watching. That's what happened as a burst of dark energy flew from the tornado and struck your chest a moment prior. Before your vision faded and the sound of breaking glass rang out for all to hear. The purple mare rushed to your side as your body continued to crack and shatter as she lifted you and rushed you back to the chair the others found you in after the blue mare mentioned how you seemed to react to them after noticing them from the chair. The Furnace of Souls is a place where the Vessel contains and combats malevolent presences that attempt to take the vessel for their own. This knowledge made itself known to you as you stood in a strange arena like structure, the symbol that was on the flank of the Black Alicorn marking the floor. "That's rather odd." You think to yourself as you feel the comforting presence of the cloak on your form. Though it had reverted to it's standard form for reason's unknown. As you continued to look around the mark in the center of the arena bursts to life as what appeared to be armor surrounding a chunk of dark gas in the shape of an Alicorn emerged from it. It's form soon returning to the one you'd just seen defeated. "So... this is where your soul is hiding~ Oh my, you're a rather new one aren't you?" The dark mare said with a sadistic glint in her eyes. "If I kill you here, I'll be able to take this body for my own, though that would be a waste of such potential... so why don't you just hand control over to me?" She asked obviously believing herself superior to you. Your response was an easily understood one across any culture, a bolt of energy rushed forward from your right hand which was blocked by Nightmare calling up a shield of magic. Followed by the cloak turning into the sword and scarf once more and took up a stance which came strangely easily to you. The Vessel and Cloak working in tandem to help you fight off this darkness. (Please play this song as I found it fitting for the fight. If anyone has a better one feel free to share.) This caused Nightmare to snort and then sigh. "Well then, have it your way!" She called out before charging at you. She rushes you quickly her horn alight with magic hoping to impale you and then blast you with magic and barely misses you due to a last second dodge though this only seemed to anger her more. Though surely the peppering of magic projectiles to her flank didn't help in that regard. You had quickly switched the cloak from the sword to the hood and fired several more projectiles after dodging her charge. It was easy to see that the bolts were rather weak but, traveled extremely fast and didn't drain much of the energy you felt coursing through your form. Though you couldn't let the weakness of your attacks stop you. Somehow you knew that you couldn't let her win. If she did something terrible would happen. Nightmare spun towards you with hate in her eyes only to catch another of the Starbolts to the face. This caused her to growl and then release a massive stream of energy towards you with obvious intent to tear you asunder with this one strike and it seemed to do it's job quite well as your entire lower half was ripped from your form causing you to fall limp. A voice can be heard from the arena around you. "Please don't die! We don't even know your name yet!" It was the voice of the purple unicorn you were going to help rescue. As if her voice triggered something your body began to surge with power and your lost legs regrew in a flash of light as you stood. Though there was something calling to you inside, begging to be released... and so you gave your mind to the power of the cloak. Nightmare watched in startled awe as not only did the strange creature repair it's severed legs it's power only seemed to grow the hood on it's head flowing with a dangerous energy before covering the vessel's body in dazzling energy that made the very arena feel like it was bearing down on her. As the Vessel began to act on your orders to unleash the power you knew it had you felt something change in the air of the battlefield. The mare across from you was trembling. Obviously she had thought this would be a simple fight, but the power you've awakened must frighten her, and with a raise of your hand thousands of much larger Starbolts rush at her like a swarm of angry hornets. Her cries of agony cause you to lower your hand. "W-Why did you stop? Y-You could kill me here and now..." She panted out, the swarm of blasts had torn her left wing from it's socket, her body was covered in burns and scratches as well as multiple severely bleeding wounds. But, there was something about the fear in those eyes that spoke to you. As you approached her you held up your left hand a massive starbolt forming and following your motions though staying just above her. Your right hand is extended to her and proceed to gently stroke her muzzle. "W-Why... I-I tried to kill you?" She asked with tears running down her face, though it was obvious that after being proven the weaker her will to fight was robbed from her. "D-Do you think I could ever be a good pony? Like we were so long ago?" She asked looking to you as her form turned into that of a little filly, barely taller than your knee. The scars of the battle missing from her form. As you pet her she seemed to begin to siphon into your body. Her energy becoming one with your own though the little filly before you continued to remain. As if something was triggered inside, you attempted to speak. "What's your name?" You asked surprised to hear the vessel's voice answer your brains demand for speech. "I-I don't have one." She says weakly before curling up at your feet. "C-Can I stay here? I-I promise I won't do anything bad." As you nod she looks up. "Looks like you need to go back out there Mr. Spirit. I'll be here if you need me." As if triggering something the filly waves at you before you fall backwards into a familiar chair and the arena peels away, leaving you to fall into sleep. > Chapter 3: Ponies, Wards, and Wings > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Defend the town you awaken in, the six stars that shall light your way to your ultimate fate shall sparkle into view soon." - Unknown Voice As your mind stirs you register that the feeling of the chair underneath you is different than it was before, yet it's form was familiar to your body. It was made from wood instead of stone your sense of touch told you, and the smell of books and oddly machinery told you that you'd been moved since falling into slumber. "Do you really think we should have moved him here Twilight? I know the Princesses said it was okay and the chair's supposed to fix him up but, I'm not quite sure that it's helping him get any better. I mean he hasn't moved an inch since we set him in it." A young male voice spoke out through the haze of your mind. "It's fine Spike, the Princess Celestia even taught me the spell to make one of those odd thrones his body needs to heal itself. Though I wish she'd have let me borrow the book for it or at least told me more about him." A female voice said in your semi-conscious state as you could hear hoofsteps ascending a staircase close by. "I wonder if I have a book that has a reference to him." The voice said before your mind returned to slumber, it was not time to wake yet. Your mind awakens once again as the starbolt hood glows, the mark of the filly who granted you her power etching itself on the cloth. This event drew the attention of someone nearby causing them to move closer and alerting your body that it must awaken so you sit up. Your eyes open to see a strange creature that looked like a rather odd reptile standing on it's back legs looking at you. It was apparently shocked to see you awaken. "H-He's awake! T-Twiiiiliiiigggght!" The apparently young male reptile cried out as it ran upstairs looking for whoever this Twilight person or pony was. "He is?" A somewhat familiar voice was heard as the lavender mare from the ruins came down the steps. "You're awake!" The mare called out in glee as she leaped at you and gave you a hug and began sobbing openly. "I-I'm sorry. Y-You got hurt so badly while simply trying to help the girls save me." She said pulling back from the hug and looking at you while rubbing her eyes. You decided not to use your new speech just yet, mainly as you didn't want to scare her while she's already upset. So you simply reached out and gently stroked her mane in a soothing manner a soft smile gracing your face as you stood. This apparently did wonders to sooth the mare's nerves as she leaned into your hand in a rather instinctive fashion. This caused her to blush as she realized what she was doing. "O-Oh I'm sorry, that felt really good for some reason." She admitted shaking her head to collect her thoughts. "R-Right, my name is Twilight Sparkle personal student of Princess Celestia and most recently Ponyville's librarian and your... I think the Princess called me your Ward?" It was obvious she didn't know what the last one meant but the Vessel seemed too. A small trail of energy flowing from your hand and tracing around the symbol on her flanks as it became embroidered onto the Cloak. Like a piece of Heraldry. The positioning of it was odd, as it was placed in a manner that easily left room for five more surrounding it as if it was a piece to a greater whole. The lights had drawn Twilight's attention and caused her to check your back and what she saw shocked her. "What happened? Why does your cloak have my cutie mark on it now?" She asked confused to which all you could do was shake your head in confusion as the reptile from before ran back downstairs. "Twilight! If you don't hurry you're gonna be late helping Applejack!" It said which caused the mare's fur to bristle. "Oh my gosh you're right Spike! We gotta get going!" She said rushing upstairs with the reptile who you assumed was Spike sitting on her back. As she crested the stairs she turned to you. "Um... aren't you coming Spirit?" She asked which drew a confused look from you. "It's short for Spirit of the Vessel." She said proudly before rushing off which made you blink and chase after her. You had nothing better to do anyway, apparently she was important enough to have her mark added to the cloak. Besides, she gave you a name. "Spirit, I could get used to that." ran through your mind as you ran out of the Library after Twilight. You hovered through town slightly in the way the starbolt hood seemed to command your body to do, though the controls for it were as natural as walking or running. The ponies who noticed you either looked at you fearfully or in awe of the strange power of levitation you possessed. A small pony popped out of the blue and spoke to you, it seemed to be a small female, a filly from what little memory of home you could recall. "Hey how're you floating like that?" The filly asked, now that you looked at her, besides the colors she looked like a smaller version of the rainbow maned pony that was with Twilight the night before. "Um... I don't know, I just can." Was all you could think of to reply, you didn't know how your powers worked, it seemed the Vessel gave you instinctual knowledge of each power when you needed it. Though this answer seemed to disappoint the filly. "Aww come on! That's no fair, you don't even have wings and you can fly!" She said with a tone of defeat and hung her head before riding away on a scooter of all things. "I don't think I can fly... Can I?" You barely manage to say before you feel the rush of energy that comes with the knowledge of a new power. As well as the telltale rush of cloth shifting and changing. This time the cloak had changed into another odd combo. A pair of goggles and a two pairs of crimson wings that matched the vessel's odd hair color that seemed to attach to your back, the new nerves giving your brain a momentary jolt. This sudden transformation was definitely a spectacle as all the ponies, as you were told by another rush of knowledge though this one was from a childlike voice in your head, began to stare at you in awe. Making you rather uncomfortable to be quite honest, so you put your new power to use and leaped onto a building by flapping the sets of wings in unison before launching skywards and looking for anyplace you could escape from the eyes of the ponies. Settling your eyes on an apple orchard you began to glide in that direction, the wings apparently not ready for flight yet. "Why do all the powers seem to involve constellations or mythology?" raced through your mind as you descended into an apple tree. Just in time to see Twilight and Spike walking by with the orange mare from yesterday. AJ, you recall her saying her name was. Something in your gut said you needed to keep a watch on Twilight as soon as you saw a belch of green flame flow from Spike's mouth as well as two golden tickets... today would be long indeed. > Chapter 4: Names and emotions. (The Ticketmaster pt. 1) > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Wards: One of the vessel's sacred duties in this and any world where there will be no Malicious, is to defend these objects be they living or inanimate. Their importance is even great enough that the Vessel's magic becomes tied to them after discovering them, a brand forming and growing on the Vessel's very flesh for each ward discovered. With the master ward's brand forming upon both flesh and weapon of the Vessel. It's survival paramount to the soul within." - The creator of the Vessel You hop down to Twilight and stand beside her as AJ finished her pitch for why she'd like to go to the event the golden tickets were for, The Grand Galloping Gala. As you let them talk, Twilight's stomach rumbled. "I believe any decision making can be put on hold till lunch has been eaten." You suggest, your speech even startling you do to it's oddly archaic nature and accent. Both mares and Spike stare at you, Applejack quickly making her confusion about your ability to speak known quite clearly. "But, ah thought you said you couldn't talk before?" She looked to Twilight for an explanation. "Well, from what the Princess told me, Spirit's body is able to grow and do new things after important events and other stimuli have occurred." The purple unicorn said looking a bit pleased with herself for recalling it exactly. Although from the way she blanched, it was obvious she forgot something. "Oh right, you've met before haven't you? Spirit, this is Applejack. Applejack, this is Spirit." She said with a grin which entailed you to bow. "Pleased to meet you. I'm glad to know you're unharmed after last night's events." You said simply, enjoying being able to talk. Yet the sincerity of your statement wasn't lost on the mare. Applejack made it quite clear that she had been worried about your safety when you suddenly found yourself hugged by the farm pony. "Don't you go scaring us like that again ya hear?" It was obvious that she had just gotten over the shock of seeing you both alive and in one piece from the tears in her eyes and the relief in her voice. As if on cue another set of hooves wrapped around you, though these were light blue in color. "Yeah, what AJ said you goof." It was the rainbow maned mare from before. Even though she had buried her head in your cloak it was easy to tell she was crying, although she most likely intended to use the fabric to muffle the sniffles. It was a plan you didn't mind letting her fulfill. It was obvious that you getting hurt while trying to help them had settled heavily on their shoulders. As you let the mares calm themselves, you took a moment to retreat into the area of the vessel where the spirit of the filly stayed. "Hello? Little filly are you here?" As if to answer your call, the Filly spirit ran up to you and nuzzled your leg. "Hello again, sorry about that." She said with a blush at nuzzling you. "It's just, I think I've become quite a bit more like a filly than just in appearance." She said with a giggle. "Oooh I meant to tell you I thought up a name for myself!" She said proudly as she cuddled into your leg, forcing you to take a seat so she could crawl into your lap. "Oh really? What might that be?" You asked chuckling slightly. Her display of affection was both odd yet heartwarming due to her trying to kill you the day prior. Perhaps the fact that you spared her had something to do with it? "I wanna be called Sweet Dream!" She said with a smile as she looked up at you with large eyes that seemed to beg you to stroke her mane. Which you gladly did, causing her to giggle. "Very well, Dream. I think I need to get back to the others now though." She awwwed at that before moving from your lap. "Promise you'll come play with me tonight?" She asked with misty eyes. There was some form of attachment there, though there was an inability to put your finger on it, although with a smile you nod. "Okay! Don't forget you promised!" she said with an excited smile as the strange dreamscape flowed away. "O-Oh I hope he's okay... Do you think he's okay Angel?" A rather timid voice spoke up as you felt a feather duster cross your face. "I-I mean he just sort of appeared in the chair. D-do you think Twilight sent him here to make sure the library was okay?" The voice became matched to the butter colored pegasus from the night before as you opened your eyes. It was obvious from her reaction when you started to move that she was only speaking as much due to believing you were asleep. "O-Oh... I'm sorry... I-I didn't mean to wake you." She said staring downwards and hiding her face behind the wavy length of her mane. Though before you could tell her it was alright, a rabbit called her back up to the main room where cleaning was to continue. "Was she... wearing a maid's outfit?" Was all you could ask as she left the room and closed the door to the basement... > Chapter 5: Ticket Trouble or... Celestia damn it Pinkie! (The Ticket Master pt. 2) > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "The vessel has great power that cannot normally be tapped, but with enough focus and the drive to do it's duty, the soul within the vessel can make the impossible possible... at least for a little while." - The elder on Shatter Mode As you climbed the stairs into the Library proper, you found that there was a reason for the butter-colored mare's rather odd choice in apparel, besides the fact that she was wearing anything at all. But that's another topic for another pony to clear up. As your eyes scanned the softly sparkling library, you were glad your body floated near constantly while you had the cloak's hood up. It had undergone such a thorough cleaning from when you'd awoken earlier in the day, that even your cloak and clothes had apparently been cleaned and placed back on you. "Oh I hope that's not why she was nervous and ran off." You said with a slight sigh as you looked around the library. It appeared that you had just missed some form of confrontation between the butterfly bearing pegasus and Twilight. Though the fact you heard music from outside drew you to investigate, as well as hover beside the rather distressed looking Pegasus mare. (I forgot the lyrics to the song so please accept this Video as a substitute.) You wanted to question if the pink pony was always like that, but the mob of colorful equines that soon began chasing Twilight caused a searing pain to flow through your right arm until you rushed after them. The mark on the cloak and a strange design on your arm burned harshly, as if to represent her distress. Though they didn't glow for some reason as the mark had when it appeared on the cloak. After several minutes of following Twilight, and watching some admittedly amusing developments, it seemed that she had finally become cornered when your body began to hurt all over. At your breaking point, you begged for there to be a way to cause the pain to stop and help the one who needed you. In response to your mental calls for aid, a loud shattering noise startled the other equines causing them to turn to where it sounded. They failed to notice the hooded cloak flowing over their heads, only to drape across Twilight Sparkle's shoulders and maintain an odd flowing appearance. P.O.V. Change, Twilight Sparkle "S-Spirit?!" I could only stare at the cloak as it fluttered around my shoulders in a non-existent breeze. That shattering sound, I'd heard it once before when Spirit nearly died last night, and hearing it again nearly caused me to break down crying. "S-Spike... can you see him?" I asked the young drake on my back, barely holding in the worry in my voice. He stood and stared above the crowd of seemingly mesmerized ponies like the great assistant he was, searching for any sign of the crimson maned youth. "I can see something, it's like a glowing ball that's kinda just sitting there... it's really pretty to look at." He said before suddenly seeming to seize up until the cloak fluttered and touched him, pulling him to rest his belly onto my back with the cloak seeming to lay over him. "You can make your escape now, don't worry the orb won't affect you though it will only last for a short time." The voice seemed to echo into my head, it was Spirit's voice. He was helping me and Spike get away! That also seemed to explain why Spike was frozen when he looked at whatever the rest of the ponies were staring at. "Okay Spirit... thank you." I said as he ran off towards the library. Hearing the other ponies starting to come out of their trance as I turned the corner and kept on running towards home. "Huh? Where'd she go?" was said by one mare. "Darn we lost her." a stallion said. I hadn't realized that there was a stallion in the group of ponies chasing me till that point. The thought actually brought a bit of a smile to my face, though I was still extremely worried about what had happened to Spirit. P.O.V. Change, your perspective The ball of light that you'd unwittingly created had dispersed and your body began to reveal itself once more as you ran besides Twilight. "Are you alright?" You asked almost if on instinct, causing Twilight to stop and stare at you, and then angrily buck you in the stomach. "Do you know how worried I was?!" She cried out at you with tears in her eyes, the door to the library slightly ajar. "The last time I heard that shattering sound you'd nearly died!" She said pressing her head to yours as you kneeled over in pain. "I-I'm sorry Spirit... I-I just don't want you to hurt yourself over something as dumb as tickets to the grand galloping gala." The other ponies had apparently been listening in and began to question Twilight about it. While Twilight informed the other mare's about your little trick, a pair of hooves helped your cloak find you again. They were from a soft yellow pegasus and seemed to shy away after making sure it wouldn't come off easily. "T-Thank you... for helping Twilight." A soft voice said before your eyes began to roll closed. While perhaps not lethal, that shattering noise could most likely be tied to your low energy. Before falling asleep you distinctly remember fur sneaking it's way under your form and lifting you, as you fell into sleep’s embrace. A golden ticket had been tucked into your pocket, one of eight matching ones. The day was long indeed, but the group your ward was part of seemed all the more stronger for the trial they were placed in, and apparently you'd be going to this gala thing with all of them. > Chapter 6: Playing with Dream, and a brief meeting with Royalty > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "The Vessel by it's very nature is given high status in nobel circles, as it's purpose is to safeguard all life, with its ward’s placed at the top of this list. Though in worlds the Malicious will bear down upon this is not the case, as the dark creature twists the hearts and minds of those the Vessel must defend. However, in worlds where a Malicious cannot manifest, this tradition is still observed. So don't be disturbed if some random passerby calls you “my lord” or bows to you, okay?" Lesson from H.R.H. Princess Celestia. Sleep... for the first time since you were put into the vessel, proper sleep. At least from what you could tell as the world around you shifted and danced with images and color. Though it clicked that you were not sleeping when you were suddenly tackled from behind and hugged by the little filly whose soul occupied a spare portion of the Vessel. "Daddy! You came back!" Her calling you “daddy” honestly stunned you, though it was possible with each visit your soul had imprinted itself on the spirit that made it's home alongside yours. For some reason, information on this phenomenon wormed it's way into your mind, like whenever you gained a new power. Instinct, it seemed to drive the vessel and teach you everything you'd need when you needed it. But for now, you had other things to focus on, rather than how this new body worked. Mainly, a promise to a child that you'd play with her. "Right, I did promise didn't I, Dream?" you asked as the filly finally released you from the hug and smiled at you while you righted your stance to sit facing her. The hug you received was not unpleasant, though you were still trying to process why she was calling you her father. "Yay~ Daddy remembered!" She said happily, her eyes sparkling with joy as she nuzzled into you, just enjoying your company. Although this was a dream, it seemed that your interactions with her were just as real as the events taking place in the waking world. "So can we play fort daddy?" She asked as a child's fort made from pillows formed from the ether of the dream world. "Sure, let's play fort." You said as you followed the filly into the pillow construction. Suddenly, you had the distinct feeling that you were being watched. Becoming wary, you hoped that nothing would become of it, or else you and Dream might be in danger. Several hours seemed to pass as you played with Dream in the world of sleep. Although that nagging feeling in the back of your mind never ceased, and caused you to keep your guard up. Until finally, another voice entered the world. "What couldst thou possibly be thinking? Does thou not see thine soul hast been invaded?" The voice belonged to a young mare that strikingly resembled Dream, if she were quite a few years older anyway. A flurry of cloth and energy surrounded you as the cloak formed upon your shoulders before turning into the blade you wielded before. "Yes, I believe it's rather easy to tell when you just walk up and point it out. You're not very good at this are you?" You say as you hold the blade tighter, instinctively taking a stance as Dream cowers behind you. While a silent apology from her beamed toward the larger pony. Your choice of words left the mare stunned. "W-What?! We are not here to accost thine soul, the being behind you! That nightmare is the creature of which we speak!" The mare said, obviously still shocked that she'd been accused of something like that. You simply raised the blade higher and pointed it at the unknown intruder. Her reaction was the only thing causing you to pause in an attack. She blinked twice. "Y-You do not know us... do you? Lord Soul of the Vessel?" She asked now putting it together. "W-We are sorry... we had forgotten that you were not present at the celebration my sister's student and friends had thrown for my return and release from the Nightmare." She said somberly, while sitting down and lowering her stance. Dream seemed to notice the change as well. "Daddy... can I go talk to her? Please?" The filly asked, after tugging on the hem of your pants. "I promise I'll be careful." "Alright... just promise me that if she tries to hurt you, that you'll step away from her." You said as Dream nodded, before walking closer to the mare. Unfortunately, it was at that time you felt the tug from the waking world, which caused Dream to turn. "D-Daddy! I-I'll be good, I promise... so come back soon okay?! You and I can play with Mommy then!" She called out as your eyes whited over and the world of sleep became closed to you. The image of the mare sitting behind her with a tearful and honestly confused expression was the last bit your subconscious could absorb before you awoke. > Chapter 7: Attempting a nightlife > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "You should convene with your wards whenever possible, for the growth of your bonds increases the vessel's strength. At least, when the vessel is in a world not under the threat of a Malicious." - Lesson on the Vessel by the creator Your eyes begin to open to the now familiar shapes of the library's basement. You're awakening doesn't go unnoticed. Within moments of you leaving the chair, you’re set upon by the lavender librarian who you recently learned was your ward. She apparently had been crying due to the puffy rings around her eyes. "Are you okay?" Was all you could think to ask. Although, you felt as if you made some mistake when she began to tear up again. Only adding to your confusion was the fact that you were soon pulled into a hug as the unicorn sobbed into your shirt. "Am I okay?! What about you? You go and pass out right after helping me earlier... you, you,... I-I don't know a good enough word to summarize how I feel about you right now but..." She continued to cry into your shirt. It was obvious now, that your fall into unconsciousness the day before had weighed heavily on her mind. You wrap your arms around her and sit down so she'd be more comfortable. "I'm fine, I just merely overtaxed my abilities and required time to rest. Please don't worry. As long as I'm keeping you safe, I can do whatever it takes." You say with a soft smile, though your mind was slightly reeling. "Did I really say that? It was like my mouth was on autopilot." The thought ran through your mind as you continued to console the unicorn. Judging from the lack of sobbing and the addition of weight, you could tell she must have cried herself to sleep. A quick check of her face confirms your theory. Gently, you applied your hovering ability and levitated the unicorn to her bed in the upstairs loft. The sight of the moon high in the sky as well as the sleeping form of Twilight's assistant, Spike, cued you that it was the middle of the night. So you decided to gently tuck your charge into bed and then go explore for a bit. The change in light was a key to revealing things you hadn't seen before. Fifteen minutes and an awkward kiss on the forehead of a sleepy purple unicorn later, you were now in the town square. Surprisingly, there were still a few ponies out and about, though they all seemed to be heading to one location. A building that was close to the center of town with rather loud music being blasted from within. As you walked closer to the building, you were tackled to the ground by two ponies. A mint green unicorn and Pinkie Pie. The unicorn's horn had a faint golden glow around it, and this glow was tied to something in your pocket. "So, I found him for you... mind telling me why again Pinkie?" The unicorn asked in a tone that implied annoyance and a desire to be in bed rather than walking around. "Well, I was hoping to find him because I never got to say hi and introduce myself yesterday or earlier today." Pinkie said like it was the most obvious thing ever. "So I asked you to track this piece of paper I slipped in his pocket. And in return, you got this coupon for two free desserts from Sugarcube Corner. Remember now Lyra?" A nod from Lyra confirmed her remembering. "You're lucky I have a sweet tooth and that this would make going on a date easier." She said levitating the coupons away from Pinkie. "Take care Pinkie, I'm gonna head home and then straight to bed." And with that, she was gone. You however, were still being held by Pinkie who was simply staring at you as if waiting for something. This uncomfortable staring and silence went on for several minutes until Pinkie blinked. "Oh you're really good at that. I can't remember the last time I lost a staring contest." Pinkie said with a giggle, as if it was obvious that you'd entered into a staring contest. "Um... right... thanks for that. But, can I ask why you're holding me down in the middle of the street?" You ask as Pinkie steps off you. "Oh... it's because I wanted to give you this. It's in two days at the time listed so don't be late, okay?" She said holding out a paper invitation to a party, which you took with a gentle smile. Looking up after you read it, you saw that she had vanished. "Right... that's not creepy at all." You say as you stand and decide to head back to the library. The mysterious musical building would have to wait till tomorrow night. Here's hoping that tomorrow would be less eventful. > Chapter 8: Big news, and magical oddities. > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Magic... it is a truly powerful and yet extremely unpredictable power. For no one, be it pony or otherwise, can truly experience all of what magic is capable of. To do so would require both the ability to exist till the end of time, and for them to be so in touch with their own soul that they could readily shape it by their own will." - Beginners Guide to Magic, Starswirl the Bearded. You find yourself in a new location in the odd realm the Vessel sends you to, as you attempt to sleep in the throne. A simple house greets you, but it was odd, due to the fact that a few hours ago only a field was present. As you explore, you are greeted by the Pony from before, with Dream resting on her back. "Oh, we did not expect to see you back so soon. Did our earlier unpleasantness give you cause for alarm?" The Dark Blue Alicorn asked with a rather odd smile, as if she was trying to say something, but didn't quite know how to do so. You shake your head. "Not really, Dream trusted you, so I was willing to give you the benefit of the doubt. Besides, I ran into Pinkie Pie, I believe her name was. Seeing her so excited at this hour made it easy to remember just how tired I was." You say as you float over to a chair that seemed to appear from thin air. The blue alicorn does the same, gently setting Dream onto your lap with a quick burst of magic as she sat across from you. "We believe proper introductions were never made... and for that we apologise. We have spent the duration of your absence from your Dreamscape conversing with... well we believe it could be surmised that she is truly our daughter." She said with a slight blush as she looked down. "Right... how exactly does that work? I mean, I thought the “daddy” thing was because she had regressed to the point that I had imprinted onto her." You say as you watch the Alicorn blush. Surprisingly, you were able to remain calm, due to the fact that you wanted the whole story. Not to mention being afraid to wake the filly on your lap, whom you had subconsciously began to gently pet, causing her to smile in her sleep. The blue alicorn looked at you. "Well, while that would seem the case, We're afraid it's not so simple. Since you pulled the fledgeling light from our darkness so soon after it was stripped from us, you inadvertently created a brand new soul. A soul that was made from ours and yours combined. This baby soul is no less our daughter than if she was born of us mating." That sentence caused you to blush fiercely. "W-What? T-That... I... you... she... I'm... not really sure how to feel about that." You admit as you manage to calm yourself, again finding it strangely easy. "I mean, we don't even know each other's names, and you're telling me that this filly is some magical equivalent of a love child? Our love child?" "Luna..." She says simply, causing you to look confused. "Our... I mean, my name, It's Luna." "I-I'm Spirit, or at least that's what Twilight Sparkle has decided to call me, since I don’t know my old name." You manage to stammer out. "Luna, that's a pretty name, I've got to admit." You say looking at the alicorn across from you. Your comment must have affected her a bit more than you meant, because she blushed deeply and moved from her seat. "T-Thank you Spirit. We... I mean, I, have to return to the waking world as my sister requires me to lower the moon. I truly hope to see you again." She said looking at you and blushing again, before seeming to fade into an ethereal mist. The dreamscape soon began to follow with Dream still asleep on your lap. "Well, this is gonna be hard to explain to everyone. Not even here a week and I'm a dad." You say with a shake of your head at the absurdity of it all. "Magic... it's gonna keep on surprising me." You say as you lean back into the chair, before feeling the textures shift beneath you. Dream's weight faded from your lap, as she would remain in the dreamscape due to lacking a physical form. As your eyes open you think of something. "I... really gotta go talk to Princess Celestia about this." You say, standing up with your mind set. Today would definitely be eventful. > Chapter 9: Breakfast and Bombshells > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Souls are the power of the vessel, and the most powerful focus of this is the Essence of the Ward. A precious energy willfully given in an ultimate act of trust that would cement the vessel and the living soul of the ward's pact beyond any question. Though I only wonder if your little ponies can readily partake in this commitment, because without it, the vessel will never reach it's true potential." - Anecdote from The creator of the Vessel while speaking to Princess Celestia You had awoken just as breakfast was being prepared. The smell of eggs and honey wafted through the air and came to rest in your nostrils. For the first time since you'd acquired the vessel, you actually felt hungry. Perhaps it was something the vessel's creator thought would allow you to better blend in with the world at large, and had it locked away until enough energy could be acquired to replicate how a stomach worked. Whatever the cause, your body commanded you to seek nourishment. As you ascended the stairs from the lab that doubled as your bedroom, you were met by a rather sleepy lavender unicorn who was groggily making her way to the kitchen. She was heading towards a kettle that had begun to whistle, signaling hot water for something caffeinated. A half-hearted "Morning, Spirit." was all you received, which caused you to chuckle as you walked beside her. The whelp of a purple and green drake you had met briefly before was cooking diligently. It seemed he had even made a pot of coffee. "Good morning, Miss Sparkle, Master Drake." You say with a slight bow as the whelp turned around after hearing you speak. He chuckled like a child would at being called Master Drake. The fact that you sounded like a butler fit for a crusader, with that impression, only seemed to add to his laughter. "He's cool Twilight, I approve." The little drake said with a smile as he placed a few eggs and muffins on some plates, as well as a small salad for Twilight. The odd look he received from both you and Twilight seemed to make him pause. "What, aren't you dating?" He asked. This caused Twilight to do a spit-take in a truly cartoonish fashion. "What?! No, what even... no!" Twilight sputtered out with a heavy blush on her face. "Why would we be dating? I mean we've barely known each other for four days." She asked, looking at Spike in an odd manner. "Doesn't having somepony else's cutiemark on your clothes and stuff mean you're dating?" He asked as he motioned to you, or more accurately, the copy of Twilight's cutiemark that had embroidered itself on your cloak. Understanding now, Twilight was able to formulate a response. "Spike, Spirit and I aren't dating. That cloak of his let's him know when his wards, which are ponies he needs to protect, are in trouble. Usually, this is sent through a signal into the cutiemark on his cloak." She turned from Spike to you, a proud smile adorning her features. "Princess Celestia sent me a book on the Vessel, and told me to study it, since we don't know if you can read Equestrian. Just in case I could answer any questions that you may have." She said with a smile, most likely hoping that you'd ask a question no doubt. "Well, I have a few, but let's finish breakfast first. It would be a shame to allow it to turn cold." You say with a chuckle as the pony and drake both nod in agreement and tuck into their food. After breakfast was finished, you and Twilight made sure that the library was closed and that nopony would disturb you two as you learned exactly what the vessel was capable of. Twilight sat down on a cushion on the floor, while your cloak seemed to find the ability to turn into a fully functioning replica of the chair you were always drawn to. This was a handy ability to have in this world, where everything was just a few inches too short of comfortable. Twilight giggled a bit as she saw you sit down. The heavy tome about the Vessel floated next to her in a cloud of her lavender magic. "Okay Spirit, before we begin I want to ask, is there anything you want to know immediately?" She asked, noticing the anxious expression on your face. Was it really that obvious? "I was hoping to find out if there was another manner of accessing the abilities my cloak seems to possess, without it giving up it's current form. While I must admit it is rather entertaining to see it transform to and from various objects and gadgets, the time it takes seems to be a bit too long to be worth while." You admit while watching Twilight scour the book for any info pertaining to the idea you described. Her eyes actually lit up as she found it, but it didn't help that she gained a heavy blush before she nodded. "Yes, there is Spirit. B-But, it takes a bit of the essence of your ward to create the object." Somehow, the way she said essence unsettled you, and brought back memories of your last chat with Luna. About the child soul bound to the vessel… "You can have several of them actually, they're called Cinders of Hope, and will float around the Vessel as lights in the color of the ward’s essence energy." She blushed again at that before shaking her head and continuing. "They're basically an extremely portable version of the transformations held within the cloak and will update as the cloak gains abilities." She explained with a soft smile, as if excited by the idea of helping you create such a device. This caused her to blush again, making you wonder what could get the librarian so flustered about the mention of this essence. "Although, for more cinders to be made, there needs to be more wards attached to you. So for now, you'd be limited to one." You think for a moment before having to address the thought bugging you. "While that does seem like a very handy tool to have, I must inquire how I go about obtaining a Ward's Essence. If it's caused you to be so very flustered, then I must admit it seems rather... well… awkward." You explain, hoping to blow off the feeling of unease settling in your stomach. What Twilight said next though, dashed that hope. "Y-You obtain the essence through an intimate act." Was all she was able to say before blushing furiously. > Chapter 10: Party Invites, Panic Attacks, and Magical Lavender Nights > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your student is strong Celestia, but she is also brash and reckless when her emotions run wild. Will she make decisions that are worthy of her title, or will she make poor choices based on her emotions and desires? - The creator of the Vessel to Celestia "A-An Intimate act? You mean like sex?!" You manage to stammer out while looking at the beet-red face of the lavender librarian, who at the word “sex” did a very good impersonation of a dog playing dead. Although, considering the nosebleed, it was more likely that she had suffered a momentary lapse in consciousness from blushing too hard. As you stand to check on her, you realize that it would probably be in your best interest to bring up the ticket-like invitation you had in your pants pocket. "Um... Twilight, I meant to bring this up before the whole... essence thing. But, that pink friend of yours... Pinkie Pie, I think she said her name was, she talked a bit too fast for me to recall. But, she gave me this." And with that, you hold out the party invitation you received from Pinkie the night before. A purple aura surrounds the invitation as Twilight somehow manages to study it mid-faint or at least the state at which consciousness is almost regained. "Well, we've got another day until the party, what do you want to do until then?" She asked, managing to regain her composure. "Well... I dunno. I was hoping to write a letter to Princess Celestia about what I've discovered about what happened to Nightmare Moon's soul... I think that's what she was called right?" You asked as you sat back down in the chair cloak, giving this new power a workout. "I need to know why it seems that her soul remains intact inside me, in a manner of speaking." You started to wonder if mentioning wanting to speak to Princess Celestia was a good idea, as Twilight turned extremely pale before rushing upstairs. You suddenly heard things being tossed around, as well as the panicked cry of a certain baby dragon as he was unceremoniously tossed across the room. As he landed, he glared at you. Apparently, he was upset with you for saying whatever it was that set Twilight off. "What?" Was all you managed to ask before a book interrupted your line of thought and all attempts at remaining conscious. Hitting your skull, at a speed that felt like mach 2, it caused you to flip backwards twice as your vision whited out. Twilight's Perspective "Oh no... I hit him! Oh please be okay, please be okay!" My mind was racing in panic from hearing that Nightmare Moon's soul had managed to apparently stay intact as well as reside within the vessel, which meant Spirit might be in danger from her dark magic. Admittedly, the fact that losing my focus in my panic had caused a book to sail through the air and hit Spirit that hard in the head was also worrying. "Wow, nice toss Twilight, I didn't think you could hit anypony hard enough to make them back flip twice with a book." Spike said as he rolled on the ground with laughter. “I can't say I blame him, except for the fact that I could have just hurt Spirit extremely bad. At the same time, he's admitted to still having Nightmare's spirit inside of him, which means I could have just doomed Equestria!” Those thoughts ran through my mind as I rushed up to Spirit's prone form and hoped I didn’t kill him. The fact that he was still laying there with the book on his face was a bad sign. "Oh no... oh no, oh no, oh no... Please don't be dead!" Was all I could think of as I pressed my ear to his chest, praying that I could make out a heartbeat. After a short while of frantic worrying I heard it, confirming that he wasn't dead, just knocked unconscious. “Why does him being okay relieve me so much? I mean, I've barely known him more than any of my friends have, and we all met him on the same day technically. The fact that he was willing to take a magical blast to the chest to keep me safe... I know what I've got to do now…” With my mind made up, I levitated Spirit upstairs to my room. I told Spike to leave for awhile, and that he could go do whatever he wanted until it was his bedtime, which was three hours from now. I also told him that if he visited my friends, he would need to bring back a note as proof. "You won't get hurt like this again if I can help it Spirit... especially not by me." I said as I gently levitated him onto the bed and sent a jolt of magic into his body to wake him up. > Intermission Speical 1: Hearth's Warming Eve > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hearths Warming, a Lovely time of year where Ponies, Griffons, and other sentient creatures take a day to foster goodwill and peace between their fellows. Today, is Hearths Warming Day, and in the spirit of the season, we will be taking a break from craziness… to a degree. This story will be in third person. “Hello and welcome to the Equestria Daily’s special Hearths Warming report in Ponyville. My name is William L.L. Blabbermouth and we’re here live for interviews with several select ponies of interest. With me tonight as my escort and royal chaperone is this fellow right here, introduce yourself for the colts and fillies at home son.” The reporter says with a smile as the camera pans to the face of a night guard. “My name is DarkFury.” The pegasus guard responded plainly. “Of course it is.” The reporter said as he hoofed the camera back to DarkFury. “Well, Mr. Fury and I are here today to interview several ponies of interest in accordance with several incidents that have occurred over the past several months since the return and subsequent banishment of Nightmare Moon.” He said with a smile. “The things I do for the Princess…” DarkFury grumbled, so as to be barely audible. “Alright, now then Mr. Fury, let’s get these interviews underway~” William said with a chipper tone as he trotted up to the door of the town library. “Hello, is anyone home?” He asked as he knocked. The door opened with the glow of purple magic, the town’s librarian and appointed friendship expert Twilight Sparkle greeting them with a confused expression but, with a smile. “Um, hello there gentlecolts, is there something I can do for you today? We’re actually closed for Hearth's Warming.” She said with a soft smile as a little voice spoke out. “Purple Mommy, is it Mommy?!” The voice of an excited little filly spoke up from inside the library. The reporter smiled and motioned for DarkFury to start recording. “We only’d like a few minutes of your time, Miss Sparkle. My companion and I are here doing a bit of news work for Channel 4’s Busybee news and we’d like to ask your opinion on several of the things you and your friends went through in… the past year and a half.” “Oh, alright, come on in then. I’ll have some tea made.” She said with an unsure expression as she led the pair into the library and set up a couch and a few chairs in a circle for the interview. Spike walked in for a few moments, just long enough to realize that he should go make some tea and quickly left the room to do just that. Twilight sat down in one of the chairs so that the two stallions could sit on the sofa. “Now, what would you like to ask me?” “What actually happened the night Celestia went missing during the Summer Sun celebration?” Blabbermouth asked. Twilight tilted her head to the side. “Well, mainly my friends and I went into the Everfree Forest in search of the Elements of Harmony which were instrumental in Nightmare Moon’s defeat.” “Really? How was she defeated?” “Well, after my friends and I managed to obtain the elements of harmony and thanks to a timely defense by Spirit, we were able to use the Elements of Harmony against Nightmare Moon… I-I don’t really know what happened exactly because there was this massive rainbow of energy swirling around her but, after it faded, Princess Luna was left lying there in the center with shards of the armor that Nightmare Moon was wearing.” She explained. “Spirit? Who is this Spirit you are referring to?” Blabbermouth asked, becoming rather curious as he started to scribble some notes into his personal notepad. “Spirit is… well, he’s…” Twilight blushed, finding it hard to say what she wanted too but, decided to just get it over with. “S-Spirit’s my mate, h-he appeared out of nowhere before we fought Nightmare Moon as if by some kind of miracle.” “He appeared out of nowhere?” Blabbermouth asked, shocked. “What exactly do you mean? Did he teleport or appear by magic?” “Well, I mean he appeared from nowhere… I mean when we first got to the abandoned castle, we had thought he was just some old golem or statue that had been left there. Apparently, he was brought here from another world to keep Equestria safe.” She explained as she heard someone walking up from the basement. “Twilight, are you alright? I heard multiple voices…” A male voice said as a strange creature opened the door to the basement and stepped into view. He had soft blue hair and piercing green eyes, with a long cloak that flowed around his neck in a manner similar to the manes of the princesses. “Um… well gentlecolts, that’s Spirit.” Twilight said with a blush. Blabbermouth gasped in shock, as he dropped his notepad. DarkFury raised his eyebrow, concealing his shock. “Y-your mate is a… is a… Vessel!?” Blabbermouth sputtered. “Well, this just made my job a lot harder.” DarkFury dryly stated. “W-Well yeah… I-I mean, you at least know about the warding process right? Since you know about him I mean...” Twilight said, trying desperately to conceal her embarrassment. A glowing orb seemed to materialize and float around her, the Magical Lavender one of the potential Cinders of Hope. “Now this is news! This has to be the headline!” Blabbermouth excitedly exclaimed. “No chance in Tartarus!” DarkFury jumped in. “This is staying quiet. The last thing the Princess needs is news getting out that an actual Vessel has not only appeared, but has mated with Celestia’s personal protege.” “I really don’t see the problem with it, Ponyville in general seems to be quite alright with it if you ask me.” Spirit said calmly, drinking from a cup of tea that had appeared on a saucer in the middle of the table, alongside three others. “Sorry if it’s a bit late, but I had a feeling I should make one for Spirit.” Spike said, giving what was practically his step-father a wave before leaving the room. “Would you two like some tea?” Twilight asked as she gently nudged the tray to the pair across from her and Spirit. The vessel sitting in a chair that had materialized from seemingly nothing. “Why, thank you.” Blabbermouth said as he took a cup from the tray, still recovering from this news. DarkFury eyed the tray for a moment, then said, “No thank you, Miss Sparkle. I’m not a fan of tea all that much.” Twilight nodded and levitated her cup to her lips before drinking some. “Alright, now. Since you decided to call off this interview, is there anything else you need?” She asked as another knock sounded on the door. “I’ll get it.” Spike said as he opened the door, revealing the one and only Princess Luna. Blabbermouth stared wide-eyed at the Princess, about to faint from all the twists in todays occurrences. DarkFury, on the other hoof, jumped from his seat and stood upright. Assuming the stance of attention, he saluted Luna and remained motionless. “Oh, we didn’t expect you two to conduct the interview today. Have there been any noticeable developments?” Princess Luna asked as she was nearly bowled over by a pint sized ball of cute and energy known to some of the members of the house as Dream. “MOOOOOMMMMYYY~” The filly cheered as she tackle hugged Luna. This was too much for Blabbermouth. Having had too many drastic surprises in one day, he fainted. “Well… that was rather pathetic for a stallion of journalism, don’t you think Ser Fury?” Luna said trying to hide the giggle she had growing inside her. “Indeed, Princess.” DarkFury responded. Dream was bouncing around Luna with the level of exuberance only a filly or colt could possess. “Mommy, Mommy! Did you bring anything with you this time?” Luna nodded and motioned to DarkFury. “Ser Fury, did you remember the parcel I told you to hold onto?” “Of course, Your Highness.” He said as he pulled out a small package from his saddlebag. DarkFury then gave it to Luna. Luna nodded and smiled as she cast a quick spell on the parcel, causing it to float and triple in size before splitting into three separate and completely different looking packages. “There we are. This one is for you my little one.” She said with a pleasant smile as she gave one of the packages to Dream. “YAY PRESENT!” Dream cheered before tearing into it like she was imitating a honey badger. Luna handed out the other packages to Twilight and Spirit before handing the original box to Dark. “And for you Ser Fury, for all your hard work.” She said with a smile. Twilight opened her gift with a smile as she found contained within a hoof written book containing all the constellations and where to look for them. Spirit’s gift was a glowing Royal Blue sphere that floated around him and seemed to dance with the Lavender Cinder of Hope. “I…” “You forgot that when we last met~” Luna said with a wink. Dream tugged on DarkFury’s tail and looked up at him with a smile, holding a plushy set of her family. “What’d you get Mr. Fury?” DarkFury looked down towards the little filly and said with a light smile, “It doesn’t matter what I got. What matters is that you’re able to spend Hearth’s Warming Eve with your family.” “And so our tale ends for this Hearth’s Warming Eve, with a lovely message and a heartfelt reprieve. So until next we meet, on some future bells chime, I’ll leave you with this. See you next time~” Pinkie said with a smile and wave as the screen faded away to black. > Chapter 11: Dealing with Drama and Twilight's first visit to the Inner World (Part 1) > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The essence has been given willingly, a cinder that burns bright with hope. Your student has done well Celestia, though let us hope that the Vessel will continue to grow steadily as the stakes are now that much higher. You blushed deeply as Twilight explained in extreme detail what your actions have brought about, besides creating a Cinder of hope. "Wait... so let me get this straight, because we've well... been intimate, you're officially pledged to become something called a lead mare in my herd?" Twilight giggled and nodded. "That's correct, which means you're now officially able to add mares or stallions to your herd if they'll let you and get your lead mare's approval." She explained this as if quoting it from a book word for word. You blink twice and sigh. "Twilight, while I think it's lovely that you approve of such a thing, I'm not sure I really want to start a herd or anything like that... I mean, I'm not exactly sure how this will affect my powers yet and I don't want to hurt a bunch of ponies’ feelings just because I'm not actively seeking relationships." Twilight blushed deeply, realizing that she'd pretty much put you on the spot by doing what she did. "I-I didn't... sorry Spirit." She said with a blush as she cuddled up to you. You didn't really feel that it was fair to her to say anything more about what had happened, so you pulled her close and gently held her in your arms. As the pair of you drifted off into sleep, the warmth of each other’s embrace did not seem to fade, even as sleep took ahold of you both. The Vessel's Inner World Your eyes opened to reveal that you were sitting in what should have been the middle of the field that was contained in the Inner World of the Vessel. You'd been here multiple times and every time you visited something seemed to change. As you looked around, you saw something that explained why you were in a room that looked like it belonged to the Golden Oaks Library on a more elaborate scale. Twilight was cuddled up against you, seeming to be asleep. Snuggling up against her was Dream. "Love you, purple mommy." The filly said softly, which caused Twilight's eyes to jump open, as if not expecting somepony else. "W-What? Spirit where are we?" She asked, slightly panicked as she stood up quickly. This caused dream to flop onto the bed a bit due to her support vanishing. As Twilight scanned the surrounding area, she started to notice odd things. Like the fact that everything after a certain distance was covered in a thick fog, not to mention that this room of the library wasn't at the proper elevation. "S-Spirit where are we?" She asked again, confused as Dream opened her eyes. Before either you or Dream could explain, another voice entered the conversation. "I see. This does explain the sudden increase in Sir Spirit's magical reserves." The door to the room had opened, revealing Princess Luna. "I must admit that I was curious as to how this room came into existence, and now that I know I feel... I believe the word is jealous?" Her admission caught Twilight off guard and forced her to blush heavily, before sputtering and looking at the Lunar Princess. "Good evening Princess, I believe you've already met my ward, Twilight Sparkle." You said to Luna somewhat formally. You stood up and your usual outfit was colored lavender this time, as if representing the Cinder of Hope that you and Twilight had just created. This caused Twilight's eyes to widen as she put two and two together. "So, this is the other world you talked about? The one you go to when you sleep?" She asked excitedly, noticing with a blush that his outfit matched her coat color. "Indeed. This is the Vessel's safe haven for it's commanding spirit. Important events that happen to the Vessel will add more objects to the landscape. When a Cinder of Hope is born, the ward responsible for it gains the right to access the safe haven if they fall asleep near the Vessel." Luna explained, as if predicting and answering the question on both Twilight’s and your own mind. "Well, that explains quite a bit really." You admit with a blush, as the clothes the Vessel usually wore suddenly turned back to their original coloring, although there was now a six pointed purple star on the front where the pocket was. This earned a blush from both mares and a confused expression from Dream. "Does this mean I have two mommies now?" She asked, causing Twilight's eyes to go wide. > Chapter 12: Dealing with Drama and Twilight's First Visit to the Inner World (Part 2) > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Children, while honest, tend to cause problems without context. This is because they lack the capability to filter themselves, as they cannot comprehend the implications that adults share with them. "W-What do you mean you have two mommies now?" Twilight asked, startled as she looked between you and Luna. Both of which seemed a bit sheepish when asked the question. "Well, he's daddy, and she's mommy." Dream said while pointing at You and Luna respectively. "They said something about me being their filly because daddy's spirit made me new after some mean pony tried to take over." She explained, not exactly sure what she meant. Luna sighed and motioned for Twilight to come closer. "Twilight Sparkle, I'd like to explain..." "You better explain! I just gave my purity to someone who's already got a child?!" She shouted, looking quite upset for an obvious reason. "Twilight! Calm down." You said with a bit of agitation in your voice, seeing as Dream looked upset. "Sweetheart, go outside and play a bit okay? I'll talk to your mommies." You asked the filly, while leaning down to pet her head before she nodded. "Okay daddy, love you~" She said, hugging your leg before running off, causing you to smile. "Now..." You could feel your eyes glow and a tea table with three beanbags around it formed. "Both of you sit, we're going to talk about this like adults." Your voice was a bit commanding and caused both mares to look a bit shocked. They complied but you didn't really feel right yelling at them. However, they needed to learn not to jump to conclusions. "Twilight, Spirit and I have not done anything that could result in Dream's conception." Luna said, trying to placate the purple mare. "She is conceivably our foal but, this is because she was reborn from the essence of Nightmare Moon through Spirit's desire to give her a new start." She explained as Twilight's eyes widened and she looked at you. "Y-You mean she's..." She managed to stammer out, suddenly feeling really bad for the filly as indicated by the expression on her face. "Trapped in here. No physical body to return to. Her spirit is far too different from mine now. Since she was in fact part of me, it seems fitting to call her my daughter." The Princess of the Night spoke out, before her eyes widened. "That reminds me, Ser Spirit. You are hereby requested to arrive in Canterlot the day after tomorrow at the behest of my sister and myself." She said. This caused Twilight to become very worried. "What?! Why!? Did he do something wrong? Princess Celestia hasn't sent me a letter or anything!" Twilight yelled, panicking. Luna smiled and shook her head. "No, quite the contrary in fact. My sister wishes to see Ser Spirit's power for herself, as well as to discuss the best course of action we should take in regards towards acquiring a body for Dream." She explained as she gazed upon you softly, causing you to shift uncomfortably in your seat. "T-That doesn't explain the lack of a letter!" Twilight countered, becoming somewhat defensive as she moved over to the beanbag chair you occupied to cuddle up against you. "Well, when I told my sister that I had planned to visit Spirit and Dream tonight, she had asked me to pass this message along personally. I think she knew you'd be here, I must admit." Luna stated, causing Twilight's face to suddenly turn beet-red. "When do I leave?" You asked, worried that you'd end up missing Pinkie's party if you had to leave soon after waking up. "You may come at your own discretion, although we would advise catching the morning train tomorrow, seeing that you have plans for today." Luna motioned to a large pink clock that was viewable from the window. "When there is something that rests heavily in your mind, it can and will, manifest itself here." She explained, which caused Twilight to nod. "I'd love to study this place... Spirit, promise me that when you get back, you'll bring me here with you. Okay?" She asked with a smile and an expression that nearly melted your heart, causing you to nod. "I promise." You said with a smile as you noticed the air around you wavering. "Luna, what's happening?!" You asked confused, noticing how she seemed to be fading out. "It appears someone is trying to wake you both by force. Don't worry, I will tend to alerting Dream of her new mother figure, please go enjoy yourselves." Luna said as she faded from your vision as both you and Twilight woke up. Twilight's PoV "Twilight?! Wake up!" Spike was panicking. Not only did he come back to find his pseudo mother figure in bed with the guy whom she had found, but he was also was having a hard time waking her up. I yawned and looked around. "S-Spike? What's wrong? Why are you yelling?" I asked sleepily, as my mind realized that I must be able to gain actual sleep while in Spirit's inner world. Spike pointed at Spirit's sleeping and... while covered by the blanket, still naked form. Which I must admit was an oversight on my part. "Him! Why's he in your bed Twilight?!" Spike cried out, obviously not liking this at all. "Oh... well, um..." I couldn't find the right words to tell him, honestly. As I heard Spirit groaning as he awoke from his sleep, I couldn't help but think, "It's gonna be a loooong day…"