A flightless pegasus named Lavender finds herself cleaning up a mess that her mentor made. The old fool has made a deal with dark forces that now endanger all of Equestria.
Lavender Cloud is a flightless pegasus who doesn't quite understand her purpose. However, after her mentor is injured, she must set out to hold up his end of a deal he made. Him and all of Equestria are in the hands of Lavender and some friends she made along the way.
A familiar grizzled old stallion sat on the porch of his shack near the edge of the Everfree. The bright yellow paint from the windowsills and the door frame was chipping away and termites had gone through some of the railings around the porch. As I walked closer, I noticed the snoring buzzing from his open mouth and his eyes closed tight. I’m guessing he had heard the sounds of my hooves nearing the front steps, as his ears twitched and his eyes shot open. He sucked in a large amount of air to silence his nasally snoring, still making an ugly noise.
He had a blue coat that had faded grey over time. His mane was a curly white mess that stretched over his face in a beard. He wore a crimson wizard’s hat now, to hide his horn from curious onlookers.
This old sir was Screech Aura, my tutor. Well, he started out as my babysitter when my dad was away, but then after that, I was infatuated by the stories he would tell me, so i would sometimes return to his hut after school. Rather than play with other fillies my age, I’d do my homework while he told me stories and performed tricks. Sometimes, I could catch him casting a spell or making a potion, but he hasn’t made one since he caused an explosion that shattered all his windows.
It wasn’t that I wasn’t a very social foal, it’s just that other students would make fun of my… disability. My wings hadn’t grown at the normal rate. In fact, they were still too small to this day.
When i had gotten my cutie mark, I was ticked. It was as generic as any other pegasus mark. It was a crimson feather over a white cloud. I don’t even know how I got it. I didn’t feel it or notice it appear. One minute I was walking home from Screech’s house on a cloudy afternoon, and when I got home, my dad was the one who pointed it out. He was ecstatic. He threw a party that weekend, but it went by in a blur as I pondered as to what it meant.
As the years passed, I forgot about it and believed I was ignoring destiny. It did bother me some, when I would see other ponies that had their whole lives paved out for them. I got a job, delivering mail. It wasn’t as fast as the traditional pegasus route, but I got paid. Not a single citizen of Ponyville had paid any mind to me. I would get a wave, or a small formal chat every now and again, but I never had many real connections.
My father, on the other hoof, was somewhat well known. He sold journals. His shop was small, but the shelves were packed with crisp and fresh books in nearly every direction. But one day, he grew very ill. He was in bed for seemingly weeks on end. I had trouble keeping up with my workload of delivering, but whenever I had finished my already shortened shift, I’d spend the rest of the night working late at home to take care of my father and do the chores he couldn’t. It was one night where I noticed something was wrong. He seemingly stopped coughing very abruptly. I dashed to his room, only to find him lifeless in his bed.
I lived alone after that. I emptied out the downstairs shop of all his journals, except for a few that I kept for myself. I’d wear a cloak so that every time other ponies would look at me on the street, they’d recognize me as Sketch Novel the humble earth pony’s daughter. I only wanted to be associated with him.
I was still pretty alone after his death. I had Screech and I had made a mutual bond with Pizza Slice, the pizza delivery pony. He didn’t get a lot of customers, as his father’s pizza shop was infamous for making horrible, cheap pizzas. But, because they didn’t cost too much, I had grown accustomed to the taste. We’d exchange at the door, and his chill attitude was enough to calm me on my most stressful of days.
He, like Screech, was a unicorn. His coat was all grey and he had golden locks of hair hidden under a backwards cap. His mark was a slice of mushroom pizza with cheese sloppily dripping from the bottom.
Screech lifted his hat off his head, revealing his messy mane and horn. He used his magic to lift the saddlebags off my back and I collapsed at the foot of his rocking chair.
"Long day, heh?" He chuckled.
"You've got no idea..." I grumbled, stretching my back as it emitted horrible cracking noises.
"You know, you could still take me up on those potions lessons. Then you wouldn't have to break your back everyday. You could be great, you know..."
"Potions won't pay the bills will it?" I sighed. I caught a glimpse of a pegasus filly in the sky, racing another pegasus I presumed to be her father. The father held back his speed to encourage his child, and they zoomed laps around the horizon. I felt a sinking sadness in my chest as I watched. Screech must've seen my gaze fall onto the family, as he tried his best to gain my attention.
"I've lost my knack for potions, and I'm no longer one for them myself. But Scarlet must be, for sure." He said. I knew who he was talking about. Scarlet Pearl was his first student. He told me all about her. She, like me, was also a pegasus. He used to tell me that she would love to meet me and that I reminded him so much of her. "She could probably find you a way to fly. A potion that would stretch your wings, maybe?"
"Screech, I appreciate your optimism, but I should really head on home..." I sighed. And not another word was said between us in that moment. I put the saddle bags back on and stomped my way home, my head in the dirt. Thunder rumbled in the gray clouds above and shook the earth beneath my hooves slightly. Rain began to pour exponentially onto the streets of Ponyville and few stray drops fell onto my yellow coat as I entered the front doors of the dusty, abandoned shop.
The ongoing storm caused the lights in my house to flicker. I even felt the earth below me shudder with each clap of thunder, all the way in the apartment above the shop. I dialed up the Slice Family shop and ordered something a bit different than my usual. I decided on pineapple pizza. Not even 15 minute later, Pizza Slice arrived, looking rather concerned.
“Pineapple? Really? Lavender, are you okay?” He queried.
“Yeah.” I sighed. I finally looked up, and noticed his coat, mane, hat and all were drenched. “Oh, uh, come inside!”
“Thanks!” he relieved. He stepped into the empty shop and studies the deserted shelves. “I’ve only been in here once, when my dad asked me to pick up some notepads some years back.”
“Yeah…”
“Sorry. I didn't mean-”
“No, it's fine.” I shuffled over to my wallet. “How much for the extra topping?”
“Nuh-uh. This one’s on me.”
“What?” I asked. He placed the pizza down on the empty counter with his magic and waved a hoof.
“Don't sweat it. You're having a rough time, I can tell. It's the least I can do.”
“Th-thank you, Slice.” I pulled him in for a hug. He stood a bit awkwardly in my embrace and after a second he patted me on the back.
“Anything for our number one customer.” When I pulled away, a blush shone through his gray coat on his cheeks.
Leaning against the door was an umbrella, which I hadn't used very often. I offered it to him to use for the rest of his deliveries. He thanked me, and made his way outside. “Oh, wait!” I called out before closing the door. “Are you free this weekend?”
“Uh… yeah? Would you like to hang out or something?”
“That would be perfect.” I smiled. I waved him a small goodbye and closed the door. Some warmth began to resonate within my soul after the ordeal. I didn’t even notice I had fallen asleep in my bed with a smile, and the warmth remained well into the morning after.
I was awoken by a frantic knock at my door at what couldn't be any earlier than 3 AM. I stumbled downstairs and was met by Screech at my front door. It was unusual for him to walk all the way to my house from the Everfree. But I noticed he was clutching his side with a single hoof. His torso was wrapped in bandages stained red. “Oh my goodness,” I gasped. “Screech!”
“Lavender,” he wheezed. “May I please come in?”
“Screech. What happened? We need to get you to a hospital!”
“It won’t… help.” I hardly paid any mind as I helped him swing one leg over my neck and shuffled downtown to the hospital. His breathing was becoming raspy and slowed. It wasn't too long before the front doors of the hospital came into view. The few ponies in the waiting room all twisted their necks to see the groaning stallion over my shoulder.
A few nurses rushed over to me and asked what happened as they helped him walk to the big pair of doors into a hallway of rooms. I told them merely what I remembered and they nodded, and I was left in the waiting room with a few blotches of blood on my coat and other ponies staring at me. I waited for what seemed like hours, until a nurse came out and guided me to a room with the curtain closed. She drew the curtain and he lied there in bed, eyes closed tight.
“We did what we could with the wound,” a nurse with a green coat in the corner spoke. “But we noticed some sort of infection in his system. We’ve never seen anything like it.”
“Is he gonna be okay?” I asked.
“We’re not sure… it seems to be damaging him at an alarming rate.”
“Lavender…” He groaned.
“Yes?” I answered.
“Nurse, can you leave us alone for a minute?” He turned to the nurses. They hesitantly nodded and left. “Lav… I was attacked…”
“By who?”
“I made a deal with-” he stopped talking and coughed heftily. “- a deal with some very bad people in my time. I couldn’t hold up my end of the deal… and He found me after all these years. The thing is, Lavender-” he coughed again “-Once I’m gone… the town will be in grave danger…”
“What was the deal?” I asked. I scanned his unsure face, noticing now the lesions that had taken form on his legs and face.
“I asked him for merely knowledge. It was a foolish thing to ask a dark force for such a thing.”
“What did ‘he’ want in return?” After I had asked this, he was silent. Then he spoke.
“A sacrifice.”
“Screech!” I cried.
“I told you, I couldn’t do it… but now my cowardice will let the whole town die… maybe even all of Equestria.”
“...what kind of sacrifice?”
“...my faithful student.”
“Scarlet?”
“Lav… you… can’t let everyone die for my mistakes. Do… what you have to…” His sentences were stretched by his breathing becoming heavier and heavier. He extended a hoof, which held a crumpled up piece of parchment. He then began to cough excessively, and he was left wheezing, his head falling into the pillow.
“Screech!” I cried. I turned my neck to the hall. “Nurse!”
I spent the rest of the morning catching up on the sleep i didn’t get, as hard as it was. I studied the parchment, and discovered the scribblings were coordinates somewhere southwest of the South Luna Ocean. I went to the post office and told them I was taking a leave. Next was the Slice Family Pizza Parlor. I walked up to the counter and asked Slice’s dad if I could talk to Slice. He walked up a set of spiraling stairs behind the counter and down came Slice himself. “What’s up?” He chirped.
“I have to cancel our plans for this weekend.” I sighed.
“What? Why?”
“I have to make an unexpected trip…”
“Oh… for how long?”
“I don’t know, but I don’t have a lot of time.”
“Where are you going, then?”
“First to Las Pegasus… then I’m taking an ocean liner to these coordinates.”
“Is it like a treasure hunt, then?”
“No.” He noticed in the strictness in my voice.
“Is something wrong, Lavender?” The concern in his tone made me ease up a bit.
“Screech Aura has put everypony in danger. He’s dabbled in some dark practices or something and I’m going to find an old student of his.”
“Woah… that’s some heavy stuff…”
“Slice! This is serious! I’m going to need you to evacuate the town if anything goes wrong. If something happens to Screech, you’ll need to get the princesses to protect them.”
“Who all is going with you?” “Nopony. I don't have the slightest idea as to what I'd be dealing with. It would be dangerous to bring somepony along.” I sighed. His face was flustered with confusion.
“So, you’re just going to some far off land by yourself? You’ll get eaten by a dragon or something! I’m going with!”
“Slice…”
“I’m gonna go pack my things. We’ll meet at the castle when we’re done.” He took my hoof and held it in his own. “Promise you won’t leave without me?” I felt my icy barriers melt at the familiar warmth. My plan wasn’t perfect, but his was better. I hadn’t thought too much about other ponies. I wasn’t a good enough talker to talk to the Princess of Friendship or even ask Slice for his help.
“...okay.” I sighed. I looked into Slice’s green eyes, and he returned my gaze with a look of confidence.
“I’ll see you then, Lavender.” He smiled. He released my hoof and headed upstairs.
I left the shop and packed some things for myself. Some food, some warm clothing, a water bottle, a blanket, and even an old journal of my dad’s and a quill and ink. Once I was finished, I taped a note to the inside of the front window facing out, and locked up the shop. I gave the shop one last look. The light gray paint chipped away, revealing bits and pieces of what used to be the store’s previously bright red bricks. I trotted over to the castle on the far end of town, to the sight of the castle and a familiar gray pony waiting for me on the front steps with his own saddle bags on his back.
“You ready?” he asked when I approached. I nodded. He knocked on the castle doors. hoofsteps neared the other side of the doors, and I was met with the form of a unicorn, poking her head out. Her Purple mane with a blue streak and her light violet coat flashed a hint of nervousness in me.
“Can I help you?” she pondered.
“Oh, uh. Starlight Glimmer? Can we speak to Princess Twilight please?”
“Sure! I don’t think she’s busy, so come on in!” She smiled. She opened the door wider, gaining us entry. The inside of the castle was grand and shone with each crystal wall and floor reflecting light. Starlight lead us through many hallways that spiraled through the structure. Finally, we were met with a pair of great doors, which i presumed to be the throne room. Starlight pushed a hoof in the door.
In the centre of the room was a round table, and 6 large chairs and 1 smaller one accompanying one facing away from the door. “Twilight?” Starlight called.
“Yes, Starlight?” A voice called, and then a head bent around the back of the chair appeared. A face I was only familiar to as the Princess of Friendship. Her eyes fell onto Slice and I, and a smile beamed from her. “Oh! Hello!”
"Oh! Your majesty!" I stuttered. Way to go, Lav. My chest filled with the warmness of embarrassment and obligation.
"Please, just Twilight will be fine."
"Of course! M-My name is Lavender Cloud and this is my friend Pizza Slice." I introduced. Slice gave an awkward smile and glanced around the room, averting his gaze. "We're about to embark on a quest set out by my mentor, but I must warn you about what it entails..."
We sat at the table and discussed Screech. Twilight didn't recognize the name, but she clung onto every word I said. Once I began to detail the previous night, her smile faded, and her brow furrowed. I was hoping she would understand what kinds of forces Screech mentioned, but to no avail. I finished my story at making the decision to warn royalty.
"Lavender, I'm glad you came to us about this threat. Now, you're sure what Screech said is true?" She said.
"Yes." I replied, doing my best to make my answer sound convincing.
"If what he said is true, I think that my friends and I remain here in Ponyville so Equestria at least has the Elements of Harmony to protect the citizens."
"That would be ideal, your h- uh... m'am." Slice piped up.
"However, it does concern me some that it'll just be you two journeying to unknown lands. I think I should at least ask Starlight to accompany you, no?"
"We would appreciate any help we can get." He smiled. Starlight looked a bit nervous, probably about going somewhere unknown with only the company of strangers.
"I'd be honored to help. I say we meet at the train station at dusk! Well, Starlight? I should help you get packing!" Twilight said reassuringly, and with a wave of her hoof, she and Starlight left the map room. Slice and I soon followed suit and (eventually) found our way out of the castle.
We arrived at the train station as the sky turned into a spectrum of warm colors. A train set for Las Pegasus sat with its engine steaming smoke into the air. Twilight and Starlight showed up not too soon after. Twilight walked up to the ticket booth and asked the pony for 3 train tickets. I was about to stop her from paying for all of us, but, I mean, I didn't wanna pass up the opportunity for a free ticket. It's not like you can blame me; I hardly had enough bits in my pocket to adequately feed myself a proper meal every night.
"Hey, Starlight?" I piped up.
"Hmm?" she mumbled.
"Uhh... I appreciate you coming with us. I've heard about your... 'indulgences'... and just wanted to let you know it's gonna have someone as adept to magic, such as yourself!"
"Gee, thanks." she sighed. Stupid! Stupid Lavender! I internalized. Before I could embarrass myself anymore, Slice stepped into the conversation.
"What're you trying to say about my magic skills, Lav?" he pried jokingly. A genuine chuckle erupted from Starlight, taking the edge off of some of my anxiety.
"Here's a ticket for each of you!" Twilight sounded from behind me. She levitated a ticket in front of each of us. While the other two took it in their own magic, I pulled it from the air into my teeth.
"Oh, you didn't have to pay!" I tried to say convincingly through my clenched teeth.
"It's fine. Now, you three go off and save Equestria!" She nodded confidently. She pulled Starlight in for a hug. "Good luck, you three."
We boarded the train and Starlight took a seat facing towards the platform, where Twilight stood, waving at us. Slice took up a seat and almost immediately fell asleep. I took up the seat next to Starlight. Not a word was said as other ponies boarded. Eventually, they stopped flowing on and the train jolted to a start. Slowly we pulled away from the station, and somewhere in the distant rooftops of the homes and shops of Ponyville was my home. My heart sank and anxiety sunk its unforgiving fangs into my lungs as the remnants of familiarity settled into the horizon behind me.
I awoke the morning later in the seat across from Starlight with a blanket I don't remember draped snugly around me. I sat up and stretched and a horrible cracking sound rattled from my spine. I find what had awoken me was the train coming to a stop. Outside was a sign that was hard to read as the sun rose behind it, obscuring my vision. However, against the blinding light, I could make out the words Las Pegasus in big bold text.
"Starlight, wake up." I said, nudging her awake with my hoof. Her eyes opened slowly, blinking away at the painful light coming through the window. "Did you do this?" I asked, gesturing to the blanket wrapped around me.
"Huh?" she yawned. "Oh... yeah. You fell asleep but you didn't look very comfortable."
"Oh. Well, thanks. I appreciate it." I swung the blanket off of me and Starlight took it in her magic and folded it. I trudged towards Slice and shook him awake, less gently than I did Starlight.
"Huh?!" He stammered, waking up.
"We're here, Slice."
"W-Where-?"
"Las Pegasus. Next stop: the ferry."
Well, we were at least underneath Las Pegasus. The cloud city floated thousands of feet in the air above the gravel road we had traveled. An alternative path would have led to a tower that connected the city to the ground, allowing access to non-pegasi. Underneath the vast city was dark and murky. Fog sifted through the area and flooded our vision. There were no forks in the road, as far as we had traveled. It was just one straight path. Both Starlight and Slice had to illuminate the fog around us with their magic. Eventually, very dim, orange street lamps could guide us to a dock where the sky was a bit brighter.
Benched lined the ticket booth, where a few ponies sat waiting. This time, we each paid for our tickets this time. The pony in the booth gave us a raised eyebrow when I mentioned that we'd be stopping at an island in the middle of the South Luna Ocean, but continued ringing up the fare.
I couldn't believe it. We were more than halfway there. I sat on a bench when something caught my eye. A gorgeous pink earth pony sat reading a book in front of her. Her curly magenta hair was held up behind a golden headband. Her ears were decorated with silver earrings and her neck was lined with a golden choker with a purple stone encrusted in the middle. What caught me most off-guard was her beautiful blue eyes that shined like diamonds.
It was a few seconds before I realized she had caught me staring. She furrowed her brow in confusion. I felt the warmth of a blush creep across my face. Her frown turned into a grin and she turned back to her book. I moved from my bench to a spot right next to her.
"Uh... hi!" I stammered.
"Hello." She chuckled.
"I'm Lavender, and you?"
"Uhm... Dew... Drop."
"So... what're you reading?" We chatted while we waited for the ferry. The book was about insects and she was apparently a travelling sales-pony. She pointed to her wagon tied to a nearby tree. Dew had been looking for a new route, as she had been tired of her rounds in Equestria.
But as long as she was talking, I couldn't shake the feeling of a piercing gaze from behind me. I sneaked a few looks to see an angry looking green unicorn with a maroon mane sitting atop a large wooden crate with his pegasus acquaintance. The pegasus was a light blue and his mane was black, and he couldn't sit still. No matter how many times I looked back, he shook like a jumping bean. The unicorn snapped at him every so often to get him to stop for one second.
Finally, our conversation was cut short when the horn of the ship blared from the dock. She went to the loading deck and I didn't see her much after that.
"Who was that?" Starlight asked teasingly.
"Oh, nopony." I sighed. I watched as a ship hand helped the angry green unicorn load his crate onto the boat. He gently levitated a hefty bag of bits to the hand in exchange for a trolley to put the crate onto.
"You been watching him too?" Slice asked, both him and Starlight looking concerned. I nodded.
"What do you think is so important in that crate?" I asked.
"Whatever it is, I think it's alive."
"What? How?"
"Lav," he insisted. "There were breathing holes drilled into the sides. Couldn't you see?"