I do not own either 'Godzilla' nor 'My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic'. 'Godzilla' is a trademark of Toho Co. Ltd. and 'My Little Pony' in all its incarnations is owned by Hasbro.
"Have You Seen This Baby? Part 2"
The Crystal Empire was left in chaos on what was suppose to be one of the best days of Muse's life. She was suppose to get a simple magic lesson from a very reliable teacher. Instead, she found herself feeling guilty as could be over the loss of a sweet, innocent baby girl. But it might be worse than anyone could imagine. That baby just might've ended up in the clutches of two of the most dangerous villains to step out from the shadows of the past.
Takes place during Season 7, Episode 12, "Discordant Harmony"
Concluded from "Family Ties Together" & "A Lesson Gone Wrong"
2 HOURS LATER
Khaos Fury scoffed and rolled her eyes for what felt like the hundredth time. She couldn't help herself, though, for she was unable to get over how her brother was acting. While she'd remained mostly silent for the last long while, Dark Lightning had been laughing and messing around with the baby alicorn they were escorting. Khaos had been unable to keep from looking back a few times and it disgusted her greatly to actually see how cheerful her brother was being with the baby. Even worse was how happy the baby seemed to be playing with Dark Lightning as he lightly swung her around with his magic.
The big smiles the two ponies had on their faces made Khaos Fury feel like throwing up. Instead, she looked away and scoffed again as Dark Lightning pulled the foal in and wiggled his nose against hers.
"Oh, gag me," Khaos Fury grumbled.
However, she was a little too loud, for her words caught Dark Lightning's ear and they caused him to glower at his sister. He was fully aware of her contempt and spite the whole time, but he had been able to ignore it and enjoy his time with the baby. But now it had gotten to the point where a part of him was wanting to say something to his sister in hopes it would make her stop. Dark Lightning ended up getting a hold of himself, though, before he could get confrontational with Khaos at all. Rather than go that route, Dark tried to think of a way to make his sister more accepting of their current situation.
He thought about it for a good long moment before an idea came to mind like a light bulb going off.
"Hey, sis, I just thought of something," Dark Lightning said.
"Like how's the fastest way to kill me so I don't have to put up with this anymore?" Khaos Fury asked with blatant contempt.
This put a frown on Dark Lightning's face, but he quickly got rid of it, trying to keep a positive attitude.
"No," Dark Lightning answered. "I was more so thinking... well... what if we came up with a name for the kid?"
Khaos Fury stopped as she looked back to her brother with a dumbfounded look on her face.
"You said what?" Khaos Fury asked as she walked back to her brother, looking at him in shock.
"Yeah, think about it," Dark Lightning said. "We've gone this whole trip just calling her the baby or the kid. We can't keep on doing that to her, it's not right."
"Why the heck not?" Khaos Fury asked. "It's been working just fine for me so far."
"Okay, let me reiterate," Dark Lightning said, a deadpanned look on his face. "I don't want to keep calling her the baby or the kid and I don't want you to either! I want her to have an actual name and since we don't know her actual name, I figured we should think of one for her in the meantime. At least until we get her home or somehow figure out who she really is at some point."
"Well, if that'll put the winds in your sails, brother, you go right ahead," Khaos Fury said. "Me? Nope, count me out. I want no part of this and I couldn't care less even if I tried."
"Oh, come on, Khaos," Dark Lightning said as his sister started to walk away. "Just help me figure out a name for her. Please? You know you wanna."
Dark Lightning extended the baby alicorn now in his hooves out in front of him. Khaos Fury looked back with disgust as she scoffed and rolled her eyes.
"Okay, how about Dead Meat?" Khaos Fury asked sarcastically. "Oh, wait, that's what I'm going to call you if you don't climb off my back about this, Dark."
Dark Lightning looked at his gray furred sister with utter disbelief and even resentment.
"You know, when are you gonna pull that stick out of your flank?!" Dark Lightning asked as he walked along, carefully carrying the baby with him. "When are you gonna quit being such a stuck up, ticked off, bitter at the world, pain in the-?"
"Oh, shut up!" Khaos Fury let out. "Geeze, all right, I'll help you think of a name for the kid. Just shut it and give me a moment."
Dark Lightning smiled to the foal he held as she let out a sweet little baby laugh.
"We're gonna find you a name, sweetie," Dark Lightning said enthusiastically to the alicorn foal.
Tartarus help me, Khaos Fury thought to herself. Then she tried thinking up a name for the child she and her brother were transporting to the Crystal Empire.
"Hmm," Khaos Fury hummed as she continued to think. "How about... 'Frost Crystal'?"
"Ehh," Dark Lightning let out as he thought about it. "She doesn't really look like a 'Frost' to me. Ooh, how about... 'Ice Bolt'?"
"That's a boy's name," Khaos Fury responded. "Maybe... 'Snow Spectra'?"
"Spectra?" Dark Lightning said questioningly.
"Yeah, like a ghost," Khaos responded.
"Hmm... I don't know," Dark Lightning said. He then looked down to the baby who babbled and cooed as she looked up at him. "She's too lively to be a ghost."
"I don't hear you coming up with anything better?" Khaos Fury grumbled in irritation.
"Hmm," Dark hummed as he thought hard. "Maybe..." The stallion gasped as an idea came to his head. "I got it! 'Azurite!' "
" 'Azurite'?" Khaos Fury asked.
"Yeah," Dark Lightning responded. "On account of her blue eyes... and we're going to the Crystal Empire... and there's a blue crystal actually called azurite. I wanted to think of Sapphire at first, but it sounds too much like that lame pop star."
Khaos Fury thought on it before responding.
"Hmm," the unicorn mare hummed. "It does sound kinda cool... and definitely something that tramp Twilight would not like! So, Azurite it is."
A smile then crossed Dark Lightning's face.
"Yeah, all right," the black stallion replied enthusiastically. "I like the sound of that." He then turned his smiling face to the newly named Azurite as he held her high. "You hear that, kid? You're our little Azurite!"
The alicorn foal exclaimed in joy, letting out several happy laughs, which Dark Lightning returned in kind. Meanwhile, Khaos Fury looked on with a very noticeable lack of enthusiasm, coming nowhere close to the demeanor of either of her traveling companions.
"Whoop-de-freaking-doo," Khaos Fury grumbled. "Maybe if I'm lucky, a large meteor of azurite will randomly fall on my head and spare me from the rest of this lovey, feely gunk."
Dark Lightning looked to his sister with strong frustration in his eyes. It had now gotten to the point where he felt he couldn't just stand idly by, he was so annoyed with Khaos Fury.
"You know something," Dark Lightning said, "the only thing colder out here then all this snow and ice is that shoulder of yours and your mouth. Maybe you should do something useful like stuffing it with snow so I don't have to keep listening to your whining."
"Why don't you use your mouth and bite me?" Khaos Fury shot back.
"Don't tempt me," Dark Lightning warned. "The way you've been acting I just might try to do it."
"Not my fault you're playing around with the enemy," Khaos Fury said.
"I thought we already discussed this," Dark Lightning shot back.
"We did... but I really don't care," Khaos Fury responded. "You made it clear you want to get the kid somewhere safe, so we will. But don't think for one moment I'm okay with the idea of leading an alicorn, who might be related to Twilight Sparkle of all ponies, to safer pastures. I'd still rather use her as a tool to help exact my vengeance."
"You're really sick, Khaos, you know that?" Dark Lightning asked. "You almost sound as cold and heartless as-"
The black furred stallion was cutoff by the loud call of what sounded like a large predator suddenly ringing out through the air. It stopped Khaos Fury and Dark Lightning both dead in their tracks as they looked on with deep concern and high alarm. They slowly turned to each other and saw they were both just as unsettled by the call.
"Did you hear that?" Dark Lightning asked in a quiet voice.
"Ponies in Manehattan could hear that," Khaos Fury replied.
"But what could it be?" Dark Lightning asked.
Before Khaos could respond in anyway, the animalistic call rang out again, making both unicorns jump in alarm. They looked around with concern while Azurite whimpered and pressed herself up to Dark Lightning's chest. Khaos Fury looked to see her brother hugging the light pink foal, doing his best to comfort her.
"It's okay, sweetie," Dark Lightning said. "I got you, Azurite. It'll be fine."
Suddenly two roars rang out through the air, making the unicorn twins feel all the more skittish.
"Well... whatever that was," Khaos Fury said, "there's more than one... Also sounds kind of far, though." Another roar rang out, which made the gray mare feel all the more cautious. "But it also sounds like whatever they are might be coming this way. Oh, fizzle-fazzle."
"Not in front of the kid," Dark Lightning hissed.
"Oh, my bad," Khaos Fury said. "Sorry... Now... what are we gonna do?"
She seemed to be asking herself more so than anyone else.
"Well... there are some high hills around here," Dark Lightning said as he looked around at said hills. "One of us could probably scale a hill to see if we can spot whatever it is that's out there. I mean, it kind of sounds big enough that it could be spotted from a high enough hill, don't you think?"
"Sure," Khaos Fury said. "But it also leaves whoever goes up there open to getting spotted by them. Only a fool would willingly leave their self so vulnerable like that."
"But we'd also be able to tell possibly how far away they were," Dark Lightning said. "We could see what direction they're in, how to avoid them, all that. I say it's worth the risk."
"You mean, you'd actually consider taking the chance of exposing yourself to potentially deadly predators?" Khaos Fury asked.
"I would, except..." Dark Lightning looked down to the baby he held in his hoof. "I don't want to risk Azurite like I'd be risking myself."
A large part of Khaos Fury wanted to be annoyed with her brother... but she wasn't. No, rather, her facial features actually softened into an almost sympathetic expression. She remembered at that moment the promise she'd made her brother concerning the baby alicorn as she looked at the fearful foal herself. A quick glance at Dark Lightning's concerned face made up Khaos Fury's mind.
"This all means that much to you?" Khaos asked.
"Well... yeah, I guess," Dark Lightning said.
"You're confident in your ability to do what you say you want to do here?" Khaos Fury asked. "Going up on those hills to scout the area? Despite those things out there? When we still don't even know what they are?"
"Y- Yeah," Dark Lightning said in slight hesitation.
"And she still means something to you, too?" Khaos asked as she pointed to Azurite.
"Absolutely," Dark replied. "You know she does."
Khaos Fury responded with a deep sigh before speaking on.
"Then I'll watch the kid," Khaos Fury said.
"Wait, what?" Dark Lightning asked, being caught off guard.
"You go scout the area from one of those hills," Khaos Fury said as she looked up to the hills scattered all around. "I'll look after the bab- Azurite and make sure she's safe while you do that."
"Do you think I'm stupid or something?" Dark Lightning asked. "I'm not gonna leave Azurite alone with you after you made it clear you have negative intentions towards her. I wasn't born yesterday."
"Dark Lightning-"
"No, Khaos Fury," the unicorn stallion interrupted. "I mean, do you really expect me to leave her here with you?"
"Yes, I do," Khaos Fury replied. "Dark, I'm not gonna do anything to her, I swear."
"Why should I believe you?" Dark Lightning asked.
"Because, I'm your sister," Khaos Fury said. "And you're my brother... which means you mean something to me. I care about you and would do anything for you. I love you, Dark Lightning." Khaos then looked to Azurite.
"And clearly the kid means something to you. That's why I promised I'd help you keep her safe. My word to you is my bond, Dark Lightning, regardless of my own personal feelings on any matter. I would give my right hoof for you and you know that. Or would you like my hoof as a reminder?"
The emotional mare lifted her right hoof out of the snow as her horn started to glow. Dark Lightning's eyes widened in panic.
"No, Khaos, stop!" Dark Lightning exclaimed.
The gray furred pony did as her brother instructed, but still looked at him with intense eyes.
"So, what's it gonna be, brother?" Khaos Fury asked.
Dark Lightning had a thoughtful look on his face as he turned away. When he looked back to Khaos, he was clearly still hesitant, still conflicted, feeling like he was caught between a rock and a hard place. But one look at the gurgling baby in his hoof and the black stallion's mind was made up. He used his magic to turn Azurite over to Khaos Fury, who was sure to receive the baby as gently as possible. The pony foal looked up at Khaos Fury with her eyes so full of life and even love despite what happened before as she cooed gently.
"Thank you for trusting me, Dark Lightning," Khaos Fury said.
"Don't make me regret it," Dark Lightning responded.
"You won't," Khaos Fury said. "I promise."
Dark Lightning didn't respond and instead looked around at the hills, trying to pick which one to make his perch on. Another call from the yet unknown beasts in the distance rang out, this one sounding even closer than those before it. A collective tremble seemed to go through the three ponies, but it didn't deter Dark Lightning. He looked back to his sister and Azurite only for a moment before turning away once more.
"Ah, that's the one," Dark Lightning said as he pointed to a hill.
"Don't teleport up there," Khaos Fury said. "Don't want to do something that could attract attention to yourself."
"The pot telling the kettle not to teleport?" Dark Lightning asked with a small smile on his face. "I suppose next you'll be telling me I'm black."
"Dark Lightning... you are black," Khaos Fury said.
"Oh, yeah," Dark Lightning said with a chuckle. He got serious again real quick as he looked to the hill. "Okay... here it goes."
"Be careful," Khaos Fury said.
"Hey, it's me," Dark replied.
With that, the unicorn pony was off just as another roar rang through the air. Khaos Fury watched him go until she could no longer see her brother. That just left Khaos Fury alone with the baby, something she quickly started to comprehend in far greater detail. Now, for some reason, Azurite felt somewhat heavier and seemed all the louder with her coos, babbles, and gurgles. It was becoming abundantly clear to Khaos Fury that she was not just a foal sitter for a newborn, but now a lone foal sitter in the middle of a frozen tundra.
Oh, great, Khaos Fury thought to herself as she lifted Azurite up to look her in the face and eyes. Isn't this just ducky? Is this the universe or cosmic forces' way of getting back at me for being so wickedly bitter for most of my life? Because right now, that's exactly what it feels like.
Khaos Fury sighed in exasperation, rolling her eyes while Azurite just kept on smiling.
"Well... I guess I gotta make the best of this," Khaos Fury grumbled. "I guess... But why me? Why does it have to be me? Of all the ponies to get cursed with having to look out for a baby that's not theirs, of all ponies saddled with foal sitting kids they don't want to, why did it have to be me?"
Azurite's happy smile slowly faded away, as did her baby noises as she looked to Khaos with a concerned expression.
"Don't look at me that way," Khaos Fury demanded. "I didn't ask to get saddled with a kid. I didn't even want to come out to this frozen dump of a wasteland. I just did it because... well, heck if I know! Dang it all anyways!
"I just... What with Zecora and..." Khaos Fury let out a cry of irritation. "Zecora sent me and my brother out here to get some freaking fungus-shaped jewels and we were stupid enough to go get them... Why the heck we didn't just say no and leave is beyond me.
"In fact, why didn't we leave a long time ago?..."
Khaos Fury stopped to think a moment before she looked to Azurite once more. She saw that the baby foal appeared to be upset about the current situation as well. Seeing the distressed look on her face and her trembling eyes, it somehow softened Khaos Fury's aggravated attitude. She was still annoyed, even angry, but she found herself calming down just looking at Azurite at that moment. Even a more sympathetic look crossed her face as she continued to look the baby alicorn over.
"Well... I guess I shouldn't be too hard on you," Khaos Fury said. "I mean, it's not like you asked to be out here and go through all this either. I guess the ponies who are suppose to be in charge of you are just really bad at it... Seriously, whoever allowed you to be put in a position where you got teleported in the middle of a place like this Frozen North needs to be kicked in the flank real hard. I mean, they shouldn't be taking care of a kid if they can't do it right... or have any intentions to."
Khaos Fury was then silent while she looked at Azurite who now had a questioning look on her face and even let out a small baby babble. "Eh, I'm sure whoever your parents or legal guardians are weren't neglectful to you intentionally... like mine were. No, they probably just suck at being in charge of kids... That's a big part of why I kind of hope Twilight Sparkle actually is your mother. Holding this over her head before I strike her down would be so golden."
Khaos Fury let a small, somewhat wicked smile cross her face. "By the way, if Twilight is your mom, when I eventually kill her, just know it's not anything personal... Well, it is, but not personal towards you. Nor is the way I've been treating you on this trip. I just- can't stand alicorns... or most ponies in general for that matter.
"But alicorns especially... and especially Twilight Sparkle." Khaos Fury then held Azurite up with her magic as she put a hoof under the child's chin. "So imagine me trying to get along with a kid. Not just a kid, but a baby... who also happens to be an alicorn... whose mother could be Twilight Sparkle." Azurite responded with a few little baby noises as she looked at Khaos with curious eyes.
"Ahh, you're okay, kid... Or, uh, Azurite... It takes a lot for me to say that about anypony. I mean, I still personally don't get why my brother's gone gaga over you like he has, but..."
For a moment, Khaos Fury felt a little awkward, not being sure what to say next or if she should speak at all. Yet Azurite's expression almost looked like that of someone waiting for a conversation to continue. She even seem to let out a little baby gurgle as if to indicate Khaos had taken too long to resume speaking.
"Eh- uh- I-" Khaos Fury let out in a slightly befuddled manner "Again, I'm sure whoever was suppose to be watching you wasn't neglectful on purpose. I mean, you're a small, innocent, loving, adorable little kid... Who could want to neglect you?" Suddenly Khaos Fury's eyes widened in alarm and the face she made solicited a smile and tiny giggle from Azurite.
"Did I just admit you were adorable?... I did, didn't I?... Oh, sweet horse apples!"
Khaos Fury then kicked at the snow, not knowing that hidden within the confines of the white stuff was a small rock. It flew up high into the air before coming back down and landing right on top of Khaos' head.
"Youch!" Khaos Fury cried in pain. A hoof instantly shot up to her throbbing head. "Ooh, ow! That smarts!"
Azurite busted out into laughter like never before. She was going on like she had just seen the most hilarious thing in the world. Unfortunately, Khaos Fury wasn't enjoying the attention she was getting from her audience.
"Oh, you think that's funny do ya?" Khaos Fury asked as she pulled the baby closer until they were nearly eye-to-eye. "Well, how would you like it if I threw that rock on your head, huh? Or maybe you'd like a nice little snow shower dropped right on top of ya? Yeah, that's it."
Before Khaos Fury could rant and rave any further, Azurite leaned in and touched her front hooves to the unicorn mare's face. This caused Khaos to cease all sorts of activity, her face looking like that of a cornered rabbit not knowing where to go or what to do. Azurite lightly cooed and gurgled before touching her nose to Khaos' own. The unicorn mare was figuratively frozen for a few moments more before finally pulling the alicorn foal away to get a better look at her.
"Uh..." Khaos Fury let out. "Okay then... I guess I'll let you off the hook... Heck, I'll even do ya one better."
Khaos Fury picked up the rock that hit her with her telekinesis and brought it to her face. Then she shot it with a small beam of magic, which turned it into a genuine baby pacifier.
"Here ya go, kid," Khaos Fury said as she extended it to Azurite. The foal let out a yip and holler of joy before taking the pacifier. "You're welcome, Azurite. It's the least you deserve, what with the almost being eaten by dire wolves and saving us from an avalanche before. Oh, and I guess... thank you for that, too and fixing me up a good once over.
"I mean, you could've saved yourself and left me and my brother in the dust. Maybe you could've even gotten yourself home on your own with how powerful you seem to be, but you didn't. You saved me and Dark Lightning both. So, yeah, thanks a lot and... I'm really, really am sorry for the way I've been acting. It's just that...
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, am I really gonna try to explain myself to you?... I don't have to explain myself to nopony! Besides, you're just a baby, you can't understand any of what I'm trying to get across here. Don't know why I've even been bothering to talk to you."
Yet upon Khaos Fury saying all that, Azurite let out several baby noises and seemed to make her eyes go bigger. It gave off this sense like she was intentionally trying to make herself look more cutesy, which surprised Khaos Fury to the point where she let out a small gasp.
"You can understand me, can't you?" Khaos Fury asked. "I mean, you must be able to comprehend things to some extent. Otherwise, how would you know to teleport me and Dark Lightning with you? Or know to heal my injuries either?... Is there really more to you than I've been giving you credit for?"
Azurite only answered with a few baby babbles before she let out a small hiccup that made her jump a bit. This forced a small smile and even a light chuckle out of Khaos Fury despite trying to fight back against it. Even when she tried to mask what happened, act like it never occurred, the unicorn mare was unable to escape the truth. This little alicorn foal had gotten a reaction out of her, more so than she'd probably even realized. She also seemed to be pretty okay that she'd been left alone with the baby now as well.
Yet, despite being a bit more content with her situation, it was still about to change once more. Khaos Fury heard steps approaching and judging by Azurite's sudden reaction, she had heard it, too. They both looked in the direction it was coming from before turning back to one another for just a moment. When they looked again, both baby alicorn and adult unicorn alike were happy to see it was just Dark Lightning returning from his examination of the area on high.
"Dark Lightning," Khaos Fury called out happily.
"Khaos Fury," Dark Lightning responded with just as much enthusiasm.
"Are you okay?" Khaos Fury asked. "Were you hurt at all while climbing?"
"No, I'm fine," Dark Lightning said before hugging his sister. "I'm glad to see you're both all right, too." The stallion then took and lightly hugged Azurite before examining her a little. "Looks like you didn't do anything to the baby after all. Just like you said you wouldn't."
"Well, yeah," Khaos Fury said with a slight annoyance in her voice. "So, what did you see up there? Have any idea what was making those noises before?"
Dark Lightning's expression turned into one of near pure horror. Cradling Azurite in his hoof, he turned and then chuckled nervously.
"Yeah, about that," Dark Lightning said. "Okay, so... I did see something while I was up there on the hill... It's the most likely candidate for what made those sounds before. Or I should say, they are the most likely candidates."
"Oh, for crying out loud, Dark Lightning!" Khaos Fury let out. "Quit being so vague and tell me what ya saw already!"
"Well... okay... but you're not going to like it," Dark Lightning warned.
"Haven't liked anything on this trip so far," Khaos Fury said. "Why should I start now?" But then she looked to Azurite for a moment. Well, some parts are okay, I guess.
"So, yeah," Dark Lightning said. "There are two really large animals out there."
"Yeah, okay," Khaos Fury said. "And they are?"
"They're not as big as their cousins in the south, but still pretty huge," Dark Lightning said. "Pretty mean-looking in their own right. Vicious even I'd say. Really bad hombres you don't wanna mess with."
"Just bucking tell me what they are?!" Khaos Fury exclaimed. This got her an alarmed shushing from her brother. "Don't you shush me! Quit being a pain in the flank and talk straight with me! What's out there?!"
"Okay, okay," Dark Lightning whispered. "They're... They're... polar ursas."
Khaos Fury's face went blank for a moment while Dark Lightning looked away with a knowing expression. Khaos Fury blinked a few times as she stood in silence. Finally she let out a few chuckles that turned into full-on laughter. This caused Dark Lightning to start shushing again.
"Khaos, please," Dark begged his sister.
"Oh, this is great," Khaos Fury said, sounding and looking like she'd just come off her hinges. "You said they were polar ursas?"
"Y... Yeah," Dark Lightning replied hesitantly.
"Oh, that's priceless," Khaos Fury said. "That's rich. So, you're telling there are giant, deadly, predatory, flesh-eating bears the size of small mountains out there walking across the snow?"
"Y- Y- Yeah," Dark Lightning said. "Two of them to be precised. What's worse is they're walking a path that... could intercept our own."
Khaos Fury stood in silence with a big, almost deranged smile on her face for a few moments before she started to move in a strange sort of way. It was sort of like she was twitching while trying to shrug and roll her eyes despite still smiling. She also let out a few incoherent babbles as she looked down and shook her head.
"Well, that's great," Khaos Fury said. "That's just- that's great... Seriously, no, no, that sounds like an absolute blast, I'll tell ya."
Dark Lightning stared on at his nearly hysterical sister, although he was clearly unnerved by her demeanor. He didn't blame his sister, but she was acting in a way that could draw seriously unwanted attention to them. That was especially considering what Dark Lightning told Khaos Fury was heading in their direction. Dark Lightning's body twitched in an all too jumpy way as he looked around worriedly. Then he tried shushing his sister once more.
"Khaos Fury, please," Dark Lightning begged.
"Oh, this is just great," Khaos Fury said, following up with another laugh. "Tell me something, Dark Lightning, did you happen to find anything else out there? Oh, I don't know, like maybe did you find any yetis or abominable snow-ponies at all? Maybe an ice dragon or an army of the undead?"
"No," Dark Lightning said. "We're too far south to find any yetis." Khaos Fury stared at her brother with a deadpanned look on her face. "Hey, you asked, so I answered."
"Clearly I wasn't actually looking for an answer!" Khaos Fury proclaimed. "Do you even believe our cruddy luck? All we wanted to do is come up here and find some gems for somepony and what happens? We have to foal sit a kid while traveling across what's turned out to be a pretty dangerous tundra with more still to come. Did I miss something?!"
"Khaos Fury!" Dark Lightning said. "I feel you, really I do. But standing here and whining about it isn't gonna fix anything."
"Maybe, but it sure was good to get it off my chest," Khaos Fury said.
"Good, then maybe you'll listen to me now," Dark Lightning said. "I think the best thing to do is to stay here and wait for the ursas to pass by."
"You serious?" Khaos Fury asked.
"Absolutely," Dark Lightning said. "It's a much safer bet than trying to go out there and hope to miss them. It's safer than trying to go around them, too, especially after what else I saw out there."
"What else did you see?" Khaos Fury asked.
Dark Lightning had a solemn look on his face as he turned first to Azurite and then to his sister.
"Khaos... the stormy weather's picking up again," Dark Lightning said bluntly.
"What?" Khaos Fury asked in alarm.
Dark Lightning nodded his head.
"I saw it while I was on the hill," Dark Lightning said. "Another storm front's blowing in. Looks even worse than the last one, too. That's another reason why I think we need to hunker down here for a bit. We'll get up high on the hill where I saw the polar ursas from, build an igloo, and wait out both the storm and the ursas themselves. I figured once they pass, we'll head out again."
"Even if the storm hasn't passed?" Khaos Fury asked.
"That I'm not to sure of," Dark Lightning explained. "Anyways, once the polar ursas have passed, I figured we'd teleport ourselves down to the spot where they'd have to walk by."
"Won't it be dangerous in the storm?" Khaos Fury asked.
"I figured that'd depend on how bad the weather actually gets," Dark Lightning said. "If we're still able to see the more distinct characteristics of the landscape, I'd say let's take a chance and go for it. If it's a complete whiteout though, we may end up having to go on hoof or possibly consider waiting out the storm. But that's only what I think and now I want to hear what you think, sis. This is just from my perspective, but now I want to hear what you have to say because ultimately, it's your choice... as group leader of course."
The two siblings shared a quick chuckle before Khaos Fury went into thinking mode. She let out a growling sigh of aggravation and anger as she weighed the options in her head. She then looked to the baby alicorn her brother was holding, the one they'd agreed to call Azurite.
"Guess we really are up a frozen creek without many options, aren't we?" Khaos Fury asked.
"Afraid so," Dark Lightning said. "There's also the possible threats out here we don't know of, too. There could be several more hidden here, ahead of us, behind us, anywhere. Sorry to put that on you, but it's true. We don't know how many other things are out here."
Khaos Fury exhaled a deep breath before looking to her brother and Azurite.
"Then let's get going," Khaos Fury said before she started walking. "This the direction where your hill was?"
"Really?" Dark Lightning asked. "Just like that? No further argument or anything?"
"You want Azurite and our flanks safe or not?" Khaos Fury asked impatiently as she looked to her brother.
"Oh, of course, sure," Dark Lightning said as he trotted quickly to catch up to his sister. "No problem, sis. No problem at all."
So the two unicorns moved on with Azurite in tow. Khaos Fury stole a quick at the baby alicorn as Dark Lightning continued to hold her close to him. Then she turned her full attention to reaching the hill ahead.
37 MINUTES LATER:
Dark Lightning sighed in exhaustion as he looked at the storm around him. As he had predicted, the high winds and rapid snowfall had come back in full force to even greater extents than what had been faced before. Luckily, he and his sister had completed their igloo just as the weather seemed to be getting at its worst. They had stopped to steal a few glances out over the horizon at the migrating polar ursas, but overall they stayed focused on the task at hoof. They looked over the igloo a few times to make sure it was a solid enough foundation to suit their temporary needs.
"Well... looks about as good as it's gonna get," Khaos Fury said.
"Eh, we could probably do more," Dark Lightning said. "But anything passed this should be considered more of a luxury. In terms of basic needs for shelter to get out of the storm, this is more than adequate."
"Good," Khaos Fury said. She then pulled Azurite, who she had kept hovering by with her magic, into her hooves. "Because we certainly wouldn't want anything less than adequate for us, now wouldn't we?"
Dark Lightning looked on in confusion as Khaos Fury lightly bounced Azurite in her hooves, making the baby giggle. After a short moment, Khaos Fury stopped and transferred the baby to Dark Lightning, who took her willingly. He still looked pretty confused at his sister's behavior though.
"There's your little bundle of misery," Khaos Fury said to her brother. "Let's go inside now. I'm freezing my horn and tail off out here."
But as the two unicorns gathered around the entrance to their snow fort, the calls of the polar ursas in the distance instantly stole all three ponies' attention. They turned and looked out at the giant, white glowing bears. Sure they were far away, but they were still massive beasts. They were big enough to be seen even from the distance they were at and despite the snow storm. It hadn't completely whitened out all the sights of the Frozen North.
Khaos stared in awe, for despite stealing small glances at the giant bears before, she was no longer distracted by any sort of work. Thus she was able to fully take in and appreciate their sight, including the almost angelic glow they gave off. They looked amazing in their own right despite not being as big as the regular ursa majors in the south. They were nowhere near the size of the kaiju Khaos had been exposed to in the past either, for no ursa was.
Yet they still had a certain awe factor to them, the most distinct feature about them to Khaos being their heads, paws, teeth, and claws. Like the dire wolves, they appeared to be somewhat larger for their bodies than they would be otherwise. Despite that, Khaos Fury was more so thinking it was an odd coincidence that they'd find two different northern animal species with similar physical quirks about them.
"Hey, Dark," Khaos Fury said.
"Yeah, what?" Dark Lightning asked, sounding in awe himself.
"Do you think all northern predators have bigger claws and teeth and stuff?" Khaos Fury asked.
"Wouldn't surprise me," Dark Lightning said. "The north seems like a pretty tough place to me. The animals here probably would've had to evolve tougher in order to survive it. Seriously, I hate it here and once we leave, I'm never coming back."
"Amen to that," Khaos Fury said with a chuckle. But then she turned and looked to Baby Azurite in her brothers embrace as she stared wide-eyed at the migrating polar ursas. "Although... it probably could've been worse."
Dark Lightning turned to his sister. but she was already looking back out at the polar ursas as they made their way stomping across the snowy plains.
"Yeah... I guess so," Dark Lightning said. "We could be out there with them in all this."
The reminder of the cold weather sent a shiver through Khaos Fury.
"Yeah, let's go inside the igloo now," Khaos Fury said as she forced herself to turn away from the sight of the ursas. "I'm sure the baby must be cold."
"Yeah, probably," Dark Lightning said as he turned to the entrance of the igloo.
He flashed a reassuring smile to the beaming Azurite before freezing. He looked to his sister as she entered the snow fort they made, a bewildered and confused expression on his face. Dark then looked to Azurite questioningly and then back to Khaos. After that, Dark Lightning used his teleportation magic to make him and Azurite appear in front of Khaos Fury inside the igloo, surprising her.
"Good to see you, too, sunshine," a wide eyed Khaos Fury said.
His sister's face and overall reaction enticed Dark Lightning to let out a round of laughter, which Azurite soon joined in. Khaos' first impulse was to get annoyed, but a smile of amusement actually found its way across her facial features instead. She wouldn't let herself laugh, however, stifling it back and resisting the urge with all her might. Khaos Fury stood up in a slightly hunched over position due to the size of the igloo, a problem that was even more of a pain for her taller brother. It'd be even worse still if not for him using his magic to hold Baby Azurite.
"So... here we are," Khaos Fury said awkwardly as she looked around the igloo.
"Yeah," Dark Lightning said, feeling slightly awkward himself.
"We probably could've made this thing bigger," Khaos Fury said.
"Yeah, probably," Dark Lightning agreed.
"So, I guess we just sit and wait here?" Khaos Fury asked.
"Pretty much," Dark Lightning said as he lowered himself to a sit.
He then brought Azurite over to hold in his front hooves. He smiled down at and lightly rocked the baby as she cooed contently.
"How long do you think we'll have to wait?" Khaos Fury asked.
"I don't know," Dark Lightning replied. "How long do you want to wait?"
Khaos Fury thought about it for a moment.
"I'll trust your discretion," Khaos Fury said. "I mean, you are the smartest pony I know."
"Hey," Dark Lightning let out happily.
"Except when you're not," Khaos Fury followed up.
"I should've known there'd be a catch," Dark Lightning said, a frown replacing his smile. The two unicorns then let out a shared round of laughter before moving on. "Hmm... You know, a part of me is thinking we should probably spend the night."
"Oh, yeah?" Khaos Fury asked. "Why do you say that?"
"I mean, it's getting pretty late in the day as it is," Dark Lightning said. "Plus, I'm hoping the storm will be gone by the time we get moving tomorrow. I know it's not what either of us wanted. But hey, look on the bright side; we'll be all rested up and the Crystal Empire will feel that much closer as a result. Believe me, we could use this rest, too, after what we had to deal with today."
"Okay, fair enough," Khaos Fury said. "What about the kid? Uh, Azurite that is?"
"She'll sleep with me tonight," Dark Lightning said. "Unless... you want her?"
"Huh?" Khaos Fury said questioningly. "Oh! No, no, that's fine!... You go ahead and keep her."
Dark Lightning cocked his head to the side a little, looking at his sister with uncertainty.
"You sure?" Dark Lightning asked.
"Yeah, of course," Khaos Fury said. "Why wouldn't I be?"
"Well... Never mind," Dark Lightning said, deciding to let it go.
Khaos Fury nodded her head in agreement before looking to Azurite, who flashed her a bright smile. At first, the gray mare didn't react to this at all, but eventually a small smile crossed her face before looking away. Suddenly, the roars of the polar ursas rang out again, directing everypony's attention to the igloo's entrance.
"Say, Dark," Khaos Fury said, "you don't think there's a chance those polar ursas will come this way, do you?"
"Nah," Dark Lightning replied. "No, I think they're rather content following the route they were already taking when I first saw them."
"Okay, cool," Khaos Fury said. "So where do you think they're going?"
"I don't know," Dark Lightning said. "Maybe just looking for a new place to start a family. You know, migrating. I think they might be mates, too."
"Then, yeah," Khaos Fury said. "They're definitely looking for a new place to start a family."
"No doubt," Dark Lightning said. Then, for a few seconds, the stallion was silent as he looked down at Azurite. "Have you ever thought about doing it?"
"Huh?" Khaos Fury let out. "What?"
"Starting a family," Dark Lightning said as he looked to his sister. "You ever thought about finding somepony to settle down and have kids with?"
"Absolutely not," Khaos Fury said. "I was too busy torturing ponies to try and find one I might think is a suitable husband... or wife." Dark Lightning raised an eyebrow. "Hey, that kind of thing's allowed nowadays... Ah, why do I even care?
"Nope, for as long as I can remember, my life has been consumed with nothing but anger, hatred, and aspirations of vengeance in the form of global genocide."
"You never really wanted anything more than that?" Dark Lightning asked.
"Well, of course I did," Khaos Fury said. "When I was a filly being abused by foster parents and was naive enough to have hope there was something better out there for me... When I had hope that something good would come to our rescue and we'd get the life I thought we deserved... But nope, life bent us over and said, 'Brace yourselves!' Once I realized nothing better was coming for us, nearly all hopes and dreams or ideas of family and love went out the window.
"I've hated everyone and everything ever since... Well, everyone except you... but you still got on my nerves sometimes."
The two siblings shared a quick laugh with each other.
"Trust me, the feeling is mutual," Dark Lightning responded.
"Oh, I know," Khaos Fury said. "But I guess that's normal for siblings to feel about each other sometimes. That's probably the most normal thing that's been a part of our lives, too."
"Yeah... I guess," Dark Lightning said.
Although he was talking to his sister, at the same time, the unicorn stallion was also beaming at Azurite, who responded in kind.
"Hold on a minute," Khaos Fury said, her eyes looking intently at her brother. "I gotta say it now that I'm surprised you don't seem to feel the same way I do, Dark. I mean, I always thought you did, yet here you are coddling a little baby. I'm not talking you down or anything, I've made peace with that. I'm just surprised is all I'm saying."
"I understand," Dark Lightning said, though it was clear he was still caught a little off guard.
"So... why don't you feel the same way as me?" Khaos Fury asked. "Or at least not anymore? When did this little change in you start?"
"Hmm," Dark Lightning let out. He didn't speak again for an extended moment, although his sister still looked on intently as she waited for his answer. "I guess there was always a small part of me that wanted something different than the whole killing the world thing. I just didn't know it at the time and rather more so tried to fool myself or convince myself that I felt exactly the way you did. It was clear that it was something you wanted more than anything and since I didn't really count on having a bright future, didn't even think it was possible, I figured, why not?
"Still, I couldn't shake the feeling in the back of my head that secretly, way deep down, a part of me wanted... a family."
"Really?!" a wide eyed Khaos Fury asked.
"Yeah," Dark Lightning replied. "I couldn't see it well for many years, but over time, since we started living with Zecora, it's become clearer and clearer."
"What?" Khaos Fury asked. "What's become clearer."
"A vision," Dark Lightning said. "A fantasy that was stowed in the back of my head of me with a wife and children. I did my best to ignore it for your sake, Khaos, but when I saw this kid... " Dark Lightning's word trailed off as he looked to the alicorn foal in his hooves. "When I saw Azurite needed help back in the cave on the mountain, that was it.
"I couldn't ignore it anymore, that feeling of wanting something more than just being a genocidal maniac... No offense."
"None taken... I think," Khaos Fury responded. "So... all this time, you've secretly wanted to be a husband and daddy?"
"Yeah," Dark Lightning said as he looked to his sister with a small, almost sad smile. "Yeah, I guess I always have. I mean, every other thing I've said about wanting to help Azurite is still true, too. But... maybe this explains why the need came to me so naturally."
"I suppose," Khaos Fury said. "I mean, it does for me at least... How come you never told me any of this before?"
"Well, I didn't always have it all figured out," Dark Lightning said. "It's really complicated to explain."
"Sounds like it," Khaos Fury said.
"But I also didn't want to say or do anything that might upset you," Dark Lightning said. "Has anything I said upset you?"
"I'm too tired to be upset," Khaos Fury replied. "Besides, you're my brother and your wants and needs still matter to me. While I still hate most everything else, you'll always be important to me, Dark Lightning. You're really the only family I've ever had, which is actually why... if anything else, I'm more so upset... with myself."
"Wait, really?" Dark Lightning asked. "Why?"
"Because my wants and needs dominated so much of your life," Khaos Fury said. "I wanted so much to be a spiteful beast to the point where I wanted the whole world to suffer for my pain. Yet here you are wanting something that seems to mean so much, but ignoring it to follow me around your entire life. It almost resulted in us doing something we could never take back, something that would've taken away any possibilities of you having that family you wanted."
"To be fair, I thought your wants and needs were also mine for a long time," Dark Lightning said.
"Yes, because my ambitions dominated both our lives for so long," Khaos Fury said. The gray coated mare's eyes trembled as an emotional vulnerability she'd almost never allowed herself to show before completely took over her facial expression. "I'm sorry, Dark... truly, I am. I am so, so, so, so sorry that my being so evil almost completely consumed your life. I'm also sorry it nearly cost you a chance at having something meaningful like you wanted.
And I truly do think it would be meaningful, Dark Lightning. You'd be a great husband and father."
"You really think so?" Dark Lightning asked.
"Oh, I know so," Khaos Fury said. "After seeing how good you are with Azurite there, there's no doubt in my mind."
Dark Lightning smiled, as did Khaos Fury, both of them conveying a deep sense of emotion in their features. Dark Lightning looked down to a beaming Azurite for a moment before looking to his sister.
"Thank you, Khaos," Dark Lightning said. "What you just said just now means the absolute world to me, all of it. It means more coming from you than it would any other pony."
"You're welcome, baby brother," Khaos Fury said. An hint of annoyance crossed Dark's face, to which his sister just laughed. "So... does this mean you don't want to destroy the whole world anymore?"
"No, not really," Dark Lightning answered. "But do you?"
"Huh?" Khaos Fury let out questioningly.
"Do you still want to try and destroy the world, Khaos Fury?" Dark Lightning asked.
The look on the stallion's face was as serious as it could get and Khaos' expression wasn't any less serious as an awkward silence filled the air. Azurite looked from one unicorn to the other with uncertainty and eventually let out several soft baby noises. Dark Lightning and Khaos Fury both instantly turned to the baby, looking at her intently. Khaos Fury's eyes seemed to actually be trembling as she looked at the little infant who looked just so sweet and innocent. Finally the gray coated mare let out a deep sigh.
"You already know a big part of me still wants to," Khaos Fury said as she looked to her brother.
"Yeah... I know," Dark Lightning said as he stared on at his sister.
"However," Khaos went on, "I'm going to ignore that part of me despite it screaming so loud. No, instead, I'll do everything within my being to see to it that if the world does end, it won't be by my hooves."
"Really?" Dark Lightning asked. "You'd really be willing to give up your whole life's ambition just like that?"
"Yes, I am," Khaos Fury replied. "If it means you getting what you want most in life, you bet I'll drop that ambition. I mean, you can't exactly raise a family if you or nopony's around to make it happen, not to mention a world for it to happen on. So, I'll see to it however I possibly can that you get your family, Dark Lightning. But not until I get my revenge on Twilight Sparkle, because I still very much want that."
"I figured you would," Dark Lightning said.
"I still want her life to end at my hooves as I laugh triumphantly over her pitiful, broken corpse" Khaos Fury said as an intense look crossed her face. "If for nothing else, I just want to pound her into dust because she's such a troublesome pain in my flank... But... maybe after that... who knows? We could leave the country... and maybe land somewhere in Saddle Arabia where you could settle down with a wife and kids or something. I don't know, we'll figure it out... but only after I get Twilight Sparkle."
"And I'll still help you get your vengeance anyway I can," Dark Lightning said. But then a worried look came to his face as he stole a quick glance at the baby he held. "But would that still include Azurite?" Khaos Fury looked to her brother in frustration. "I'm sorry, sis, but we have to address this despite how much we both don't want to.
"So I'm going to ask you again, Khaos, and you are going to answer me. Say it turns out that Azurite is somehow related to Twilight Sparkle in anyway, be it daughter, niece, second cousin or whatever. If that proves to be the case, are you going to include her in your revenge plot against the princess of friendship?"
Khaos Fury rolled her eyes as she looked away and let out a frustrated sigh that sounded more like a growl. She didn't give an answer right away and for a moment, it was a wonder if she was going to answer at all. Khaos Fury just sat with a front hoof rested on her knee as she kept her gaze away. Although she was still clearly upset and breathing heavily, she did also seem to be pondering it over in her head.
"No matter what you try to say, Khaos Fury," Dark Lightning continued on, "I think you've grown to care about Azurite." Khaos Fury's head snapped in the direction of her brother, her gaze looking like that of a possessed pony. "Glare and glower all you want, but I've noticed the way you look at her sometimes. Even from the very start, I could tell there was a connection you tried to deny. You tried to act like a typical villain and even tried to convince yourself you were, but you knew the truth just well as I do.
"When it comes to Azurite, you feel something for her no matter how much you try to deny it. Now start being straight with me."
A strongly conflicted look crossed Khaos' face, her eyes almost looking somewhat sad. She looked when she heard Azurite's baby babbles suddenly ring out and saw her follow up with a small yawn. But then she let that big, cheerful baby smile and those wide adorable eyes out once more and, for the moment, everything else seem to stop. However, Khaos Fury quickly caught herself and lightly shook her head a couple times.
"She's okay," Khaos Fury finally said. Dark Lightning couldn't keep from gasping as a stunned, wide-eyed expression crossed his face. "Yeah, that's right, I said it, you heard right. I may not be all hugs and kisses about it like you want me to be, but it's still how I feel. You know darn well I'm not the hugs and kisses type and I never will be."
Khaos Fury looked tentatively at the baby she and her brother called Azurite as she kept on staring with her precious baby eyes. "Still... I'll admit it... I don't hate her. I may have hated the fact that she was an alicorn, but this kid... Just that, she's only a kid. More than that, she's just a baby.
"It's like you said, Dark Lightning, she's a baby just barely beginning to live life. She shouldn't be judged for stuff she hasn't done yet and may not do at all... And if she is Twilight's kid... I don't know for certain if the daughter should pay for the sins of the mother. But because of what she has done for us, namely saving our skins while also making you admit something you want most in life, I can't bring myself to harm her... At least, not anymore."
"Khaos," Dark Lightning let out in awe.
"So," the mare went on, "in light of all that, I've decided to fully dedicate myself like you wanted me to. No matter what I may have to go through, no matter what we may face, I'll do everything within my power to see that Azurite is taken out of this frozen wasteland. We'll take her to the Crystal Empire where hopefully... she'll get the attention and care she deserves. Hopefully she'll grow up into a pony I can actually come to say... I genuinely like."
"All right, sis," Dark Lightning said enthusiastically. "But wait... you don't like Azurite now?"
"Huh?" Khaos Fury asked. "Uh, I- Hold on a moment!..."
Khaos Fury struggled with her words as she tried to calm her flustered demeanor.
"Calm down, Khaos," Dark Lightning said. "I was only asking."
"Shut up you," Khaos Fury said. She took a deep breath before looking to Azurite and then her brother, a smile forming on her face. "Yeah... yeah, I think I do. In fact, I know it. I actually do like Azurite all right."
"Whoa," Dark Lightning let out in disbelief.
"What, is it really so hard to believe I'd say something like that?" Khaos Fury asked. "Wait, never mind. Don't answer that, it's a stupid question. Yeah, I understand why you're so surprised, Dark, but it's true. I really am starting to like this kid more and more."
Azurite let out several happy giggles and babbles as if somehow in reaction to Khaos' words. Dark Lightning and Khaos Fury both looked down at the happily wiggling baby, both of them letting out laughter in response.
"Well, looks like somepony's happy to hear that," Dark Lightning said. "Make that two. Seriously, this is great!... I don't think I've ever seen this side of you go so far before, sis."
"Yeah, well... everyone goes soft eventually," Khaos Fury said as she leaned back and crossed her hooves.
Dark Lightning was taken by surprise when Azurite teleported out of his hold. Both ponies looked in alarm, which was then completely replaced by surprise when the alicorn reappeared. Azurite flapped her wings as she hovered and giggled with delight. First Azurite looked to a smiling Dark Lightning before turning to a still stunned Khaos Fury. As she let out several babbles and gurgles, Azurite then flew over to Khaos Fury.
"Whoa, hold on!" Khaos Fury let out, sounding a bit nervous. "Wait a minute here! Azurite-"
The gray unicorn mare was silenced by Azurite flying up and wrapping her hooves around Khaos in a loving embrace. Both unicorn twins gasped as Khaos Fury brought up her own hoof to hold the baby and keep her steady. Yet as more time passed, it became less about holding Azurite straight and appeared to be more about returning her hug. Much to Dark Lightning's utter astonishment, he couldn't believe he was actually seeing his sister show compassion for another pony. He could see it on Khaos Fury's face that she was feeling something like she'd never felt before, that being care and possibly even love for another living equine.
After another moment, Khaos Fury pulled Azurite back just enough to look at her still smiling face. She let out several baby noises as she continued to look lovingly at the unicorn mare. Finally Khaos Fury's surprised face softened into an almost motherly smile. A few more seconds went by before Azurite voluntarily flew back over to Dark Lightning, who still looked amazed even after the baby was nestled back in his hooves.
"Uhh..." both unicorn twins let out.
"So..." Dark Lightning said.
"Yeah," Khaos Fury responded.
"Maybe we should get an early start getting out our sleeping stuff, huh?" Dark Lightning suggested.
"Yeah, good call," Khaos Fury said. "I mean, since we won't be heading out again until tomorrow."
"Right on," Dark Lightning said. Then, with a flash of his horn, pillows and blankets of all kind were there. "Plus, I kind of want to lay Azurite down for a nap. Doing that now will probably mean she won't be awake all night... At least, I hope."
"I hear ya, Dark Lightning," Khaos Fury replied. "Besides, I could probably use a good nap myself."
"I know that feeling," Dark Lightning responded. "Enjoy your nap, sis."
"Thanks," Khaos Fury replied. She then looked to Azurite and whispered a quiet vow as Dark Lightning tried putting the foal down for a nap. "Don't worry, Azurite. Tomorrow you'll soon be safe and sound out of the snow... And if anything tries to get in the way of that...
"I'll show no mercy. They'll learn... no one messes with my kid."
THE NEXT MORNING:
Dark Lightning's snoring turned into a surprised cry when a pillow smacked him in the face.
"Hey!" Dark Lightning hollered as he sat up with his front hooves raised and his horn aglow. "What the...?!"
He then turned to see his sister standing over him while cradling a giggling Flurry Heart with her hoof.
"Wakey, wakey, you get no eggs and bakey," Khaos Fury chanted mockingly.
"So what else is new?" Dark Lightning groaned as he tried to wake up.
"Rise and shine, tough guy," Khaos Fury said. At the same time, she was using her magic to pack up the last few stray items laying around the igloo. "We got a long road ahead of us today if we're gonna make it to the Crystal Empire by noon."
"What?!" a still groggy Dark Lightning asked as his eyes widened. "By noon? Are you crazy?! Why would we have to get there by...?" Dark Lightning let his words trail off when he turned to look outside the igloo's opening.
"It's not even entirely daylight out yet! Why'd you wake me up so early?! You could've at least let the sun beat me, you know! Let it rise completely into the sky at least."
"Not my fault Celestia's so slow on the draw, big boy," Khaos Fury said.
She then used her magic to teleport all of Dark Lightning's blankets and pillows neatly back into his pack. This left him lying in the snow, causing him to growl in irritation.
"Khaos Fury," Dark Lightning growled.
"Don't give me that!" the gray coated mare warned sternly. "I don't want to spend the whole day out in the snow like we did yesterday! We have a chance to reach the Crystal Empire long before the sun sets and I want us to take it. You know, for Azurite's sake so she doesn't have to spend any more time in the snow than she already has." Dark Lightning's growing anger instantly subsided as he looked to see his sister levitating Azurite with her magic while the foal smiled.
"I don't want her to have to deal with any more of this winter wonderland than she has to. She's already been through so much, we all have. That's why I want us to get out of here as soon as we can."
"All right, all right, Khaos Fury," Dark Lightning conceded. "I hear you... Let's do it."
"Thanks, bro," Khaos Fury said.
"Sure," Dark Lightning replied with a smile.
Then the black coated stallion got himself up and gathered his already packed bags. Once he was sure he was as ready, he nodded to his sister, who responded in kind.
"What do you say, Azurite," Khaos Fury cooed to the baby she cradled in her hoof once more. "Let's get you out of the cold today, huh?... Yeah."
The pink baby foal cooed and babbled in happy approval. Khaos Fury then used her magic to teleport them all outside. When they reappeared on the hilltop, Dark Lightning looked a bit startled by the sudden teleportation. However, rather than make a big deal out of it, the stallion took a deep breath and got a hold of himself.
"I don't suppose I can get a little warning next time?" Dark Lightning asked.
"Where's the fun in that?" Khaos Fury responded. Azurite's laughter took the mare's attention for a moment as she playfully tickled her a little. "Besides, why should you expect any sort of change from me?"
Dark Lightning let out a scoff before his eyes turned to Azurite. Khaos Fury then looked down to the baby before giving her brother a slightly annoyed frown. This only solicited a smug smile from the black coated stallion.
"Okay, you got a point," Khaos Fury said.
She then looked out over the area ahead of them. It was snowing, but only ever-so-lightly with no strong winds at all like the day before. This made Khaos Fury sigh in relief before looking out at the area she and Dark had seen the polar ursas crossing the day before.
"You think it's at all possible those overgrown honey lickers are still out there?" Khaos Fury asked.
"Oh, no," Dark Lightning said. "They seemed pretty determined to get to where they were going when we say them yesterday."
"Yeah," Khaos Fury agreed as she nodded her head.
"No, they're long gone by now," Dark Lightning said.
"Good, good," Khaos Fury said. "Brace yourself."
"Huh?" Dark Lightning let out.
Before he knew what hit him, Dark Lightning found himself, along with his sister and Azurite, no longer on the hill top. They were now, in fact, in the middle of a piece of flatland that went as far as the eye could see. Dark Lightning looked around for a moment before his eyes fell upon the hills he and his sister previously stood amongst. He could just barely make out the igloo they'd built, which looked like no more than a speck it was so far away. As the unicorn stallion was trying to process what happened, he looked and could just barely make out the giant, bear-like paw prints in the snow.
Dark Lightning then looked to his sister with a stunned expression.
"You said give you a little warning," Khaos Fury said smugly. "Now come on, we got a lot of ground to cover to get to the Crystal Empire." Azurite babbled, soliciting a little playful baby talk from Khaos as she started to walk away. "Yes, we're going to the Crystal Empire, yes we are."
Dark Lightning watched his sister go for a moment before shaking himself out of his daze.
"Hey, wait up!" Dark Lightning called as he ran after his sister. "Khaos, aren't you worried about overexerting yourself teleporting long distances like that? I mean, some ponies have fainted just trying to teleport themselves from their houses to the little shop just down their street."
"Yeah, beginners," Khaos Fury shot back snidely. "You think I'm one of those goofs? After all you've seen me do with my horn, you're honestly worried about something like that?"
"Well, no," Dark Lightning said. "I mean, yes, sort of. Well... doing too much at once could have a bad effect on anypony. Even you."
"That's why I've been pacing myself with the teleportation spells," Khaos Fury argued. "I'm not as dumb and reckless as you might want to believe, Dark."
"I don't think you're dumb and reckless," Dark Lightning insisted. "I just worry is all. That's my job. I mean, I am still your older brother after all."
"We were born on the same day!" Khaos Fury argued.
"Yeah, but I came first," Dark Lightning said.
"Really?" Khaos Fury asked bluntly.
"Hey, it's all I got," Dark Lightning said.
The two then shared a quick laugh.
"Okay, I hear you, older brother," Khaos Fury said. "I really do appreciate you having my back for as long as you have, Dark Lightning. Like, who else would've stuck by me so long with me acting the way I have my whole life?"
"To be fair, there were times where I actually liked that you acted that way," Dark Lightning said. "It worked for both our advantages."
"You know that's right," Khaos Fury said. She then stole a quick glance at Azurite. "I'm also grateful that you helped me see how... well, how cool it actually is having this kid around."
"Hey, hey, hey, come on," Dark Lightning said. "That's all yours and Azurite's doing, not me. She opened your eyes and you used them to see how great Azurite actually is."
Khaos Fury smiled at Azurite for a moment.
"Be a little more fair to yourself, bro," Khaos Fury said. "You were the first one to open yourself up to the idea of helping Azurite out and treating her good. Without that, we would've left her back at the gem cave in the mountain like I originally wanted. I've never been more happier that I didn't get my way."
"But are you getting it now?" Dark Lightning asked.
"Yeah," Khaos Fury said. "I think I am... In fact, I know I am."
"That's great to hear, sis," Dark Lightning said enthusiastically. "Now, what do you say we finally get out of this frozen toadstool and get somewhere we can all get a hot bath?"
"Sounds like music to my ears," Khaos Fury said following a light chuckle.
The two smiling unicorns then looked to a beaming Azurite.
"Want me to take her for a while?" Dark Lightning asked.
"Not on your life," Khaos Fury said. "She's sticking with me the rest of the way. You got a problem with that?"
"Yes, but I'm too scared to argue with you about it," Dark Lightning said despite having a big smile on his face. The two unicorn twins then shared more laughter. "Also and most importantly, I'm just happy to see you're getting along so well with her now. What a difference a day makes, I guess."
Khaos Fury took a moment to stare lovingly down at Azurite, who let out several happy baby noises in response.
"Well... when the day was filled with what ours was," Khaos Fury said, "can you really be surprised?"
"I guess not," Dark Lightning said as the two unicorns walked along. "Still, I'm happy either way to see you two getting along so well now."
"I think this little bundle of joy can get along with anyone," Khaos Fury said. "I'm the one who needed the kick in the flank and I'm glad I got it."
"Awesome to hear, Khaos," Dark said.
"Oh, you don't worry about diaper duty for a while," Khaos Fury said. "I took care of it earlier this morning."
Dark Lightning looked confused.
"But didn't you say...?"
After thinking about it for a moment, Dark Lightning decided not to pursue the matter any further. Instead he just trotted happily along wide Khaos Fury who continued to gladly cradle Azurite in a hoof as they went on their way.
2 HOURS LATER:
Dark Lightning and Khaos Fury had walked along, with Khaos carrying Azurite in tow, for a good while. In that time, really nothing big or abnormal had happened. For the most part, the trio of ponies had been able to go along their way unimpeded. Occasionally, Azurite would fly around and do little magic tricks to Khaos and Dark's amusement. They would also do some small magic spells to entertain the baby alicorn or just share small little moments and laughs together.
Other than that, the walk across the frozen plains was pretty uneventful, especially in comparison to the day before. That suited just fine with Khaos Fury and Dark Lightning since the two unicorns were sick of the surprises the Frozen North could have hidden away. Yet despite all they'd been put through the day before, the faint breeze and light snow fall actually made the trip a little more tolerable. They actually even enjoyed the sights somewhat, found slight beauty on the visuals the snow covered land had to offer. It wasn't enough to make them want to stay any longer though.
Both ponies were still more than happy to leave the wintry lands far behind them as soon as they got the chance. Luckily for the two winter-dejected ponies, a ray of hope was waiting for them over the top of a large hill they started to scale. Once they reached the top, Khaos and Dark's mouths were agape to see an immense, somewhat wondrous, and very welcomed sight shinning off in the distance.
"Khaos... is... is that...?" Dark Lightning let out.
"Yep," Khaos Fury said, her awe wearing off faster than her brother's. "It's the light of the magical dome around the Crystal Empire. The one that protects it from the ravages of the north."
"Yeah, it is," Dark Lightning said as he took a few steps forward. He scanned the horizon for a moment. "The Crystal Empire... We're almost there."
"Great," Khaos Fury said as she looked to Azurite. "Yeah, great."
The baby alicorn had been flying for a good bit, but then decided to make her way over to Khaos Fury. The gray mare eagerly accepted the baby, taking her in her hoof and carefully cradling the foal. As Khaos Fury looked down at the brightly beaming, energetic infant, Azurite just kept looking at her like she was the best thing in the world. Clearly by the smile on her face, the feeling was now mutual for Khaos. However, there was a sudden sadness that took over her face for only a moment, but it had still been there.
"Come on, Khaos Fury," Dark Lightning said, having not taken his eyes off the horizon. "We should hurry."
"Okay," Khaos Fury said as her brother started to walk down the hill.
The mare let out a sigh before she started walking after Dark Lightning. The trip downhill, in Khaos' case at least, felt like it was over in a second, when in fact it had taken quite a bit longer. Still, that and the next several steps felt like they were going by in a breeze, much too quickly for Khaos' comfort. Even though she had wanted her time in the Frozen North to be over as soon as possible previously, there had been a big change since her time there started. That change was known to her as Azurite, the baby alicorn she'd come to care for despite everything in her saying she shouldn't care about anypony else at all.
She couldn't help herself, though, for she had finally come to develop a great affection and appreciation for the child like her brother had. She'd gotten to the point where she couldn't feel otherwise, although this was something Khaos was actually becoming more and more comfortable with. The only downside was that it seemed just as soon as she was finally willing to accept Azurite, she would just as soon have to give her up again. The confused and conflicted unicorn mare was was starting to wonder if this was something she could do when the time came. Despite how deep in thought Khaos Fury was about all this, she was quickly snapped out of it when she heard her brother scream.
She didn't know how much time she'd spent in silent contemplation, nor did she care. All her attention was given to seeing what happened to her brother and if he was okay. She quickly spotted the bigger stallion pushing himself up to a sitting position as he let out a groan.
"That one hurt my everything," Dark Lightning let out in a pain filled voice.
"What happened?!" Khaos Fury asked.
"I slipped," Dark Lightning answered.
All of Khaos' worry and concern faded from her features in less than half a second. An annoyed frown was left in its place.
"Really?" Khaos Fury asked. "You nearly give me a heart attack because you're a clumsy goof?"
"Excuse you," Dark Lightning said.
He then used his upper foreleg to wipe away a bunch of snow. Revealed underneath was a section of ice, only part of a whole frozen over surface that covered a large body of water. Dark then pointed ahead at all the ice.
"Oh," Khaos Fury said. Dark Lightning then held up his front hooves as his eyes widened. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry. I just wasn't expecting this is all. I mean, we didn't have to cross this the first time we walked across this frozen Tartarus heap."
"Yeah, it's weird," Dark Lightning said as he stood up. "I guess we must've gotten turned around a little in the storm yesterday. About the only thing I can figure."
"Yeah, that makes sense," Khaos Fury said. "Those hills we spent the night at were new, too."
"I'm just glad it didn't mess up our direction too badly," Dark Lightning said. "I hate the thought of spending more time out here than I have to."
"I heard that," Khaos Fury said.
Azurite then started to babble and lightly struggle in Khaos' grip as she waved all her hooves around. This just made the mare laugh as she lightly bounced Azurite in her hoof.
"And of course we don't want Baby Girl Azurite out here much longer either, do we?" Dark Lightning asked in a voice adults typically used to talk to babies. He then walked over and started tickling the foal, much to her delight. "Yes, we want the baby to be safe and sound back home just as fast as we can, don't we? No, baby girl, you won't have to put up with this anymore. You'll be home real soon, yes you will."
This took the smile off Khaos Fury's face as she felt her conflicted emotions and thoughts return to the forefront of her attention. She looked away as she continued to wonder what she should do next, what the right thing to do would be. Her train of thought only lasted a few seconds, not enough to give anypony as conflicted as Khaos was in deciding what to do.
"We should probably keep going," Dark Lightning said as he turned back towards the ice. "It looks like this ice stretches on a good ways. We may have to just walk directly across it and hope for the best. Or maybe we could try teleporting and hope that'll work? I don't know, what do you think we should do next to get Azurite home, Khaos?"
"A- Actually, Dark Lightning," Khaos Fury began, "I was thinking about tha-"
Anything else she may have been about to say was cut off by a large, vicious, predatory monster bursting out of the snow only inches away from the ponies. This caused all three ponies to scream out in surprise and terror as the monster lunged at them for the kill. Luckily, the three ponies were teleported out of harm's way. However, not-so-luckily, when they reappeared, they found themselves on the slippery surface of the ice only a few yards away. Khaos Fury and Dark Lightning looked around in surprise and alarm for a moment before their eyes fell to each other and then looked to Azurite.
After they saw her horn stop glowing, the highly intimidating roars of the monster that attacked the ponies got their attention again. They saw it was at the edge of the ice, looking at them like they were destined to become its lunch. The creature appeared to be somewhat feline in nature and was covered in white fur with exposed sections of its body revealing blue skin, including on its face. It had a lean build with long, lengthy limbs, orange eyes, and teeth and claws that looked like they could rip a dire wolf to shreds. Like many other things found in the Frozen North, this monstrous animal looked like it was finely tuned and designed by nature for the soul purpose to kill and eat.
"No yetis this far south, huh?" Khaos Fury let out in a more fearful voice than a snarky one.
The monster roared out as it started to step gingerly out onto the ice.
"Shut up and run for your life," Dark Lightning said. "In fact, let's both run for our lives and for Azurite's. How 'bout it?"
"Sounds good to me," Khaos Fury replied.
The two ponies turned away and tried to run, but then they started to slip and slide about across the ice they stood upon. Dark Lightning ended up falling off his hooves, but Khaos Fury was just barely able to keep herself from doing the same. The unicorn mare was quick to use her magic to lift Azurite out of her hoof and up into the air so she wouldn't suffer the ice's wrath like she and Dark were. Dark Lightning struggled back to his hooves before he joined his sister in looking out at all the ice surrounding them.
"Oh, fudge, what are we gonna do now?" Dark Lightning asked in a panicked voice.
The roar of the yeti caught the two ponies' attention once more. They were stunned and horrified to see the yeti actually skating across the ice on all four feet. The creature moved so gracefully, almost like it was a natural thing for it to do, like it was born being able to skate on ice.
"Looks like we gotta take a page from that thing's playbook," Khaos Fury said.
"But neither of us knows how to skate," Dark Lightning said.
"No better time to learn like when your life is in danger!" Khaos Fury exclaimed. Then she used her magic to put Azurite on her back and hold her there. "Hold on, sweetie! Come on, Dark, let's go!"
Khaos Fury started to slide away across the ice, taking large strides to propel herself forward with more velocity. Dark Lightning tried doing the same, but it didn't come nearly as naturally to him as it did to his sister. He was slipping and sliding around like he was an out of control vehicle heading for a wreck on the freeway. Khaos looked back to see how far behind her brother had fallen, screaming with horror to see the yeti was closing in on him.
"Oh, for Pete's sake!" Khaos Fury shouted.
She then used her magic to pull Dark Lightning across the ice making the stallion just narrowly escape the clutches of the bloodthirsty monster chasing them. Khaos Fury continued to skate forth while holding Azurite on her back and pulling her brother along all with her magic. Dark Lightning screamed out in pain before getting up on all fours and then rubbing his backside, which was previously being dragged across the ice. Once he was right next to his sister, the black furred pony turned back to see that, despite Khaos' best efforts, the yeti was still catching up. The monster of the north roared and snarled in an almost hateful way, its face conveying the same emotion as it skated along.
"Really hoping we don't have to become yeti food for that thing!" Dark Lightning said.
"Well, maybe it would help that thing's attitude if it actually did get something to eat," Khaos Fury said. "But whatever it ends up being, I promise you it won't be us!"
The roar of the yeti caused the two unicorn ponies to look back and see the monster getting ever-so-closer. But then Khaos' attention was taken by the distressed cries of the baby on her back. She looked to see a very visibly scared Azurite balling because of the situation they were all in. This made Khaos Fury's brows lower as a glare of determination crossed her face.
"Hold on!" Khaos Fury said as her horn started glowing brighter.
"Huh?" Dark Lightning let out.
Before he could say or do anything else, the trio of ponies disappeared in a flash. When they reappeared, they were much further ahead of the yeti than they had been previously. Khaos Fury continued to skate along, dragging her brother in tow while still holding Azurite on her back both with her magic. The powerful and motivated pony propelled herself forward like an arrow just fired from a bow, moving and flowing across the ice almost effortlessly. Should any obstacles get in her way, she was easily able to avoid them, be it teleporting or skating around them.
Khaos Fury was solely focused on getting herself, her brother, and their ward out far away from the yeti pursuing them. But despite her best efforts, when Dark Lightning looked back, the yeti was once again catching up to them. As good as Khaos might've been on the ice, the yeti was simply bred more for moving through such an environment. Seeing such a frightening, intimidating sight coming closer and knowing its intent for them sent even more chills down Dark's spine then he was already feeling.
"Khaos!" Dark Lightning let out.
The mare looked behind her to see the yeti was gaining on them.
"Oh, horse apples!" Khaos Fury let out before teleporting everyone again.
When they reappeared, Khaos Fury looked back to see that the yeti was nowhere in sight. She still heard its calls coming from behind them, though, so she knew they weren't out of the woods yet. Khaos Fury felt it was very much in their best interest for her to keep everyone going and hopefully getting as far from the yeti as possible. Yet, as great and powerful as she was, Khaos Fury was still only a mortal pony and was feeling the effects of her physical efforts skating across the ice. Add that to her fatigue from all the magic she'd been using and it was clear she wasn't a hundred percent ready to keep going.
Khaos wasn't even able to stop herself from slowing to a stop as she started to sit down, breathing heavily as she did so.
"Khaos, what are you doing?!" Dark Lightning asked in a panic. "Why are you stopping here?! We gotta keep moving! That thing is still after us! It's coming!"
The yeti's roars rang out again, this time sounding even closer, making Dark look back with fearful eyes. "See, it's still on out trail! We have to keep going, Khaos!"
"I know!" Khaos Fury shouted between heavy breaths. She hunched over as fatigue continued to overpower her. "I can't help it... Just so tired... Only need a minute..."
The yeti roared out again, sounding even closer yet.
"Sounds like you got about thirty seconds," Dark Lightning said.
"Don't worry, brother," Khaos Fury said. "I'll get us... out... of..."
Dark Lightning looked closer and saw just how bad of shape his sister was in between her physical exertions and her overuse of magic at the same time. Then he looked to the tearful Azurite, who Khaos was still keeping on her back with her magic. Seeing this told Dark Lightning it was time for him to take action.
"No, sis, I got this," Dark Lightning said. "You did enough. Now, I'll take it from here."
Dark Lightning's horn started to glow, creating auras around himself, Khaos, and Azurite, who was still on the unicorn mare's back.
"Dark Lightning... no," Khaos Fury said between breaths. "I can..."
Dark Lightning started to slide himself, his sister, and Azurite forward. But then he suddenly heard the ice start to crack apart beneath his hooves at an accelerated pace. A look of shock and horror crossed Dark's face as he pulled himself, his sister, and their young ward back to the thicker, stronger area of ice. The three all had just enough time to see the ice splinter into pieces before being consumed by water colder than a step mother's hug. Khaos Fury and Dark Lightning looked ahead to see a lot more of the ice had also broken away, leaving random patches of ice floating across the water's surface.
"Oh, no!" Dark Lightning cried out as he started to panic. "Great! Now what are we suppose to do?!"
Khaos Fury looked to her brother with sadness, both for their situation and Dark's current state of being. She felt even worse when Azurite's crying started to grow both in tears and in volume. Khaos Fury used her magic to bring the weeping baby around to look at her. The mare saw the fear and sadness in the baby's face as she wept so openly... and it sparked something. All of Khaos' fears and feelings of hopelessness, everything telling her they were done for was crushed under the unicorn's furious anger.
Between her brother's panicking and Azurite's crying, it all seemed to act as a source of fuel or motivation; it was like it was all helping Khaos Fury get her second wind. The intensity as Khaos Fury's face was so mighty, it almost seemed like it could make a mountain fall. Instead, the mare was going to try and take down a yet, specifically the one chasing her, Dark, an Azurite. While she knew her new plan was crazy, she felt she had to try for her brother and Azurite's sake. She stood up tall and bold, looking fresh, strong, mighty, and renewed, almost like she could run a whole marathon and still be able to hit the gym after.
"Don't worry, Dark Lightning," Khaos Fury said in a absolutely fearless voice. "You and Azurite are gonna be just fine."
"Huh?" a still fearful Dark Lightning let out as he looked to his sister.
The gray mare's eyes then shifted to the black stallion that was her brother.
"Be sure and get Azurite out of this frozen pit and to safety if I can't do it with you for whatever reason," Khaos Fury said.
"Khaos!" Dark Lightning let out. It was then that a small smile formed on Khaos Fury's face as her horn started to glow. "No!"
But despite the protest, Dark Lightning and Azurite were gone in a flash. Khaos Fury turned away, knowing that her brother and the baby foal she'd come to care for so much were more than likely a far distance away. She'd certainly put enough energy into her teleportation spell for it. While a part of her was still concerned, the roars of the approaching yeti took her attention away. With her horn still aglow, Khaos Fury turned to face the monstrous animal she knew was coming her way.
Now here comes the hard part, Khaos Fury thought to herself. Actually beating this thing.
"No!" Dark Lightning cried out.
He was holding Azurite in his hooves as he looked around frantically. He could see that they were now at the edge of the iced over water and that Khaos Fury wasn't with them. Worry and fear inhabited every part of his being as he realized what his sister had done and what she was planning to do. The sniffling and sobbing of Azurite grabbed Dark Lightning's attention, making the sad pony hold the equally sad baby in his hooves closer for him to see.
"Darn it, Khaos Fury," Dark Lightning let out as he wept. He then hugged Azurite to his chest to try and help sooth his aching heart. "Why do you always have to be so... so...? Lilly Berry!"
Khaos Fury stood undeterred by the thought of the oncoming fight that awaited her. She used the passing time waiting for her foe to gather and focus whatever magical energy and recovering stamina she could. Note to self, start working out and exercising more after this, Khaos thought to herself. That is, assuming I do end up actually surviving this.
Khaos Fury's thoughts were broken up by the roar of the yeti ringing out once again. She looked forth, after apparently getting lost in her train of thought, to see the monster was coming for her. It already looked huge, but it was getting bigger with each passing second because it was coming all the closer to Khaos Fury. Yet in that moment, the gray mare found herself staring at the beast unafraid, no ounce of fear in her whatsoever, at least not for herself. She'd seen plenty of monsters far bigger in the form of kaiju and she'd gone through life threatening and life changing events on the daily in times past.
She'd even gone through a great many ordeals in the last few days leading up to this one where she found herself staring down a yeti. Even in that moment, though, Khaos Fury was greatly worried, not so much for herself, but more so the well being of her brother, Dark Lightning and Azurite, the baby alicorn. That worry subsided more and more as she saw that the yeti seemed to have its eyes fixed squarely on her. While Khaos Fury still felt worries of there possibly being other threats out there that the north had to offer, the mare knew she had to shake them away. Khaos Fury had to keep her focus and determination concentrated squarely on the task at hoof: stopping the yeti.
"Come and get me, you son of a pussycat," Khaos Fury let out, indicating she was more than ready to take on the yeti.
The yeti seemed to be getting faster with each slide forth across the ice, seeming more motivated since getting such a clear sight on Khaos Fury. Seeing its prey up so close now and seeing it standing perfectly still pleased the predator. It made the yeti salivate all the more just thinking about sinking its teeth into the equine that stood before it. The yeti even seemed to be smiling before it let out a massive roar and leapt into the air to pounce on its prey. The beast covered in white fur stared with cat-like eyes that were wide with excitement.
Its claws were outstretched and its jaws agape in anticipation of sinking them deep into its prey's flesh... Too bad for the yeti it never got the chance, for Khaos Fury offered a smile and a wink before disappearing in a flash of light. The excitement on the yeti's face turned to confusion and then alarm when it saw the water coming right up at its face. The yeti had to force itself to land early, which made cracks in the ice from how hard and rough the landing was. Then the yeti slipped and skidded in a desperate attempt to stop itself from going right into the water.
It just reached the edge of the ice when it back rolled a little bit to avoid going in until it came to a complete stop. The yeti looked at the water for a moment, sticking its paw in part way to feel the cold before sighing in relief that it didn't fall in. The monster of the north then stood up, growling through gritted teeth as it looked for its prey. The search wasn't a long one, for a shotgun-like burst of attack magic blasted right into the yeti's shoulder making it howl in pain. The beast then looked to its left, its tail whipping about as it saw Khaos Fury looking defiantly into its eyes.
"Let's dance, fur ball!" Khaos Fury shouted.
The yeti roared as it rushed at Khaos Fury to accept her challenge. But the unicorn mare disappeared yet again, stunning and then greatly angering the monster. Three smaller blasts of magical energy hit the beast in the back, making it spin around. There it saw Khaos Fury standing, her horn still glowing as smoke hissed from the end of it. A small smirk inhabited her features as she looked the yeti dead on.
"If you want to play this game with me," Khaos Fury said before glowering at her foe, "you gotta do better than that!"
The yeti roared and went for the charge as Khaos Fury turned away and started to skate at top speed. She used her magic to help propel her somewhat, but still made sure she was slow enough to keep herself in the yeti's sights. The courageous unicorn even looked back a few times to make sure the yeti was still trying to slaughter her. Once she was satisfied with how close the yeti was in the chase, Khaos Fury sent herself sliding forth across the ice with her magic at top speed. After a few moments, Khaos Fury looked back again to see how far away the yeti was before looking out at the ice before her.
Then Khaos Fury stopped herself with her horn and extended a hoof to test the ice. It sort of felt like the ice was already starting to crack with the littlest bit of pressure she put on it. Yes! Khaos Fury thought to herself as she looked back to the yeti. Looks like this is the place to do it.
"Come on, you worthless lunkhead!" Khaos Fury shouted out. "Take a shot at me right in the nose!"
Khaos Fury stood fearlessly, showing no signs of intimidation whatsoever as the angry and hungry yeti got ever closer. The yeti grunted and growled like the wild animal it was as it closed in on the pony that had alluded it for so long. However, Khaos would allude the yeti further, for she quickly slid across the ice out of harm's reach as the yeti stopped where she once stood. Khaos Fury shot a small stream of attack magic at the yeti, which ignited a burst of sparks upon hitting it in the foreleg. The yeti roared out in pain and fury before turning to Khaos and trying to pounce on her, only for the pony mare to disappear yet again.
Khaos Fury reappeared behind the snow beast and released a shotgun burst of magic in the back of it left hind leg. The yeti yelped as it nearly fell off its feet, just barely managing to stabilize itself before it could drop onto the ice. The yeti then looked back to see Khaos Fury with glare almost as strong as its own.
"I'm still here, sassafras!" Khaos Fury shouted defiantly.
The yeti slowly turned around and, as calmly and deliberately as it could, stalked a few steps closer to its intended prey. There was a short moment where neither pony, nor yeti moved and just stared at one another with no signs of backing down. While sweat dripped from the brow of Khaos Fury and both combatants were breathing heavily, it was clear they intended to finish what they started. The yeti let its tongue slip out and lick around the sides of its mouth as saliva drooled from its open jaws. Khaos Fury's front hoof twitched ever-so-slightly in anticipation for the next move.
Finally, the yeti charged forth as it let out a mighty roar, coming full speed ahead. Khaos Fury stood her ground and waited for what she felt would be just the right moment to make her move. She hoped and prayed her calculations on this maneuver would prove to be correct, otherwise she was yeti chow and she knew it. Still, she remained where she was, refusing to budge right up until the monster was upon her and she felt its hot breath on her face. It looked like she was surely going to fall victim to the teeth, claws, and greatly overpowering mass and strength of the yeti.
But, like so many times before, Khaos Fury's mightily magical horn made her disappear in a flash of light. This sent the yeti sliding out uncontrollably to the ice beyond... the thin ice beyond. Before the yeti could get itself to stop sliding, it heard and felt the ice breaking underneath it, making the once ruthless beast yelp out in fear. Khaos Fury reappeared safely on the stable patch of ice, breathing heavily as could be from exhaustion and fatigue she'd been hiding all that time. She looked out to see the ice completely break under the panicking yeti as it flailed around in a vain attempt to save itself from the freezing cold water.
"So long, sucker!" Khaos Fury cried out before letting out an menacing cackle. "You may be a predator, but you clearly weren't prepared to fight a pony as pure evil as myself! Drown, baby, drown!"
The yeti cried out in desperation as it tried to get itself out of the water, but every edge of ice it tried to grab onto broke apart. The yeti looked desperately to the ice Khaos Fury stood upon, but then suddenly submerged into the freezing depths almost like it had been pulled under. Khaos Fury looked on with a bit of concern as the water started to turn red where the yeti had once been. Her whole body froze upon hearing some sort of low moan and what sounded like something huge passing just underneath her. She didn't dare look through the ice that separated her and whatever creature was swimming underneath to pass by.
Khaos Fury didn't move or do anything at all until she was sure the thing under the ice had gone. Then she allowed herself to drop in exhaustion as she tried to catch her breath and get herself together. She then looked back to the open area of water, still being able to see the blood spot where the yeti had once been.
"Some mother buckers are always trying to ice skate uphill," Khaos Fury said as she shook her head before completely sprawling out over the ice.
STORY TO CONTINUE IN "PART 3/EPILOGUE"
