Chapter VII: Two hundred years long plan
Part I: Goal is so close..
Friends prepared for several days. They built primitive barricades and traps, and watched over the Ponyville's mountain ridge for days - the one place where remnants of the amber hive resided. The company awaited the attack at any minute. And it began!
However, orange insects were seemingly scared off by something. They were not bothered by dragons, nor walls, nor spells! Something simply made the plated bugs swim back to their home! But what possibly could happen, so that such sudden thirst for tearing someone to pieces would simply go away?
— We.. we did it? - surprised Opvliegend - It's done?
— Diversion. - assured Vice.
— And what if it's not? - worried Empyrean - What if they actually swim away?
— That means, it is time to help the bay! - Hersenen pointed at a village near a far coast - Luna Bay is, there. If changelings attack them, nobody could help them.
— And Forfex? - Verstandig was completely unaware of the situation - Old Forfex will stop them! ..Will he not?
— Sun, what's wrong? - only Gambit noticed his friend's dreaminess.
The mare thought about something of her own. About something certainly scary, but also strangely relieving. Insectoid already thought about the flower and its shenanigans, when big-eared horse refuted those thoughts with her explanation. Pony thought ahead of time, as if she was obsessed by some strange inspiration.
— ..You sure? - changeling looked around.
— Yes! We will make it in time, totally will! But don't tell anyone, alright?
— Why?
— Remember Hersenen's words, before Clopburg - if it is said, then it won't happen. I'll tell them later, after crossing the water!
— And, home after that? ..I want home.
— Yes, home exactly after that! I promise!
Concerns were confirmed. Angry insects actually went to Luna Bay with all their herd! But that is not why the fanged creatures gave up on the island. They were attracted by something else, which was not seen from the bird's eye view. At least, that is what the dragon concluded, who decided to scout.
And that means, it is something serious! What if the bugs are running away from something scary, and this same strange danger will threaten the local dwellers? Companions thought not for long, should they help the common folk. And they departed immediately after saying goodbyes to sweet creatures.
The parting was especially hard for the little one. For how long she had not witnessed such kindness, that awaited her on this archipelago! The horse wanted exactly that from the rest - she wants to bring the same warmth to Equestria! Everyone wanted it. But nobody in the nation knew how to find it.
— Have we forgotten anything? - Sunshine could not stop being nervous.
— Almost forgot you. - joked Verstandig - And Dalliant. It took her quite a while to walk here.
— Well yes, her legs, she's not-
— I meant, that she was doing something for a long time! Can't come off of marshmallows, can you?
— Uh.. yes..! - winged mare tried to not think about it - ..How lucky we are to live at a time like this! So many events, so much going on around!
— Oh, I can say that about a-any time! - horned creature giggled - Everyone thought so. Each in their years was happy to have what they had. These small things allow us to go forward, and I am very happy that you thought about it!
However, no matter how the red-eyed pony tried to forget about Dalliant walking around, she could not. Not without a reason did the scaly creature mention her, did he not? Everyone tried to taste the foreign hospitality one way or another and took their time to do so, so why did he highlight the sheep? She could not be asked either.
And the rest, too. Everyone went to sun mare for a word, but nobody could help her. Everyone had something of their own on their mind, and the winged one had everything at once! Only the white insect figured everything out. But his conversational range is certainly not enough to understand the worrying pony completely.
— I.. don't understand. But I can hear you out.
— How? I can't put my own thoughts in order, you'll be confused!
— You have not tried to tell me.
— You see everything already. Read my emotions, and you'll understand it all.
— ..Not understanding.
— Precisely! ..I'm extremely tired. But it is too early to rest, we are so close to our goal!
Tangled pony could not untangle herself even after arriving at the naval village. Now it is really unlikely for her to do so - the team was attacked by very beautiful sights, small and crunchy snow, light breeze.. And a particularly pungent smell of manure, ruining the whole picture.
— ..Fuckin' 'ell. - Empyrean barely held herself - What happened here? Did someone die or something?
— I don't know. - another orange pony shared her friend's emotions - And I don't know if I want to know..
— Someone is certainly still living here. - clarified Hersenen - Last time.. smelled not as strong.
— ..Oi, why ye yellin' so much? - some old stallion came out of his house - Are ye- ..Luna's me wife, a dragon! Tw- Three!
The village was so empty, that less than ten ponies ran to the elder's screams. Mostly youth and future greybeards also panicked at the sight of new creatures, but the locals calmed down after noticing the hooved ones. They were not threatened, so why should others be hurt?
— Forfex'll return and yer doomed! Doomed! - only the first settler continued to wave his hooves - Yer get killed, ye will!
— He won't do that! - assured the horned dragon - I know him! And I knew his father, and-
— It's his son. - Sunshine went cold after mentioning the knight - He is different. He is evil.
— ..So ye kno' him? And he dinnae bother ye? Then com' 'ere!
The only thing that the old stallion could offer the guests - a hug. But such an unacceptable horse's appearance frightened and pushed the newcomers away. And the surroundings also scared no less - natural beauty did not overlap such numerous problems. It is impossible to live here!
— ..Nay, 'tis not as bad 'ere. Water is 'ere, food we buy if 'ere's some to buy with.. Get used to after a while, 'tis nice 'ere, beautiful! Only thing's, the smell..
— So why won't you clean up? - winged mare also could not tolerate this stench - You'll spend only half a day on everything, you have nothing else to do anyway!
— Wha ye mean nothin'?! Who'll carve the figurines then? Who'll watch ov' the museum then? Not many of us 'ere, nay - no time to wash and deal with triv-
— This is not good for health! - resented the amber dragon - You are not eternal!
— 'Xactly, I'll die soon anyway. No time fo' that in Shireland anyway, why bother startin' now..?
Adventurers were really driven away by this small hamlet and its inhabitants. But the mention of a museum calmed down the resentment - maybe, they could wait there for the insects to come closer to the settlement! Maybe, the stench did not seep into that place!
Hardly. Museum appeared to be a very old, big house of the Forfex family. "He lied about his ancestors!" - winged pony already angered at the stallion in her thoughts. Since the last old family's descendant rode off to Equestria to seek fame, local folk decided to make an exhibition out of an old hut. But why, if nobody comes here? How can it be enjoyed, if it reeks so hard in here?
What is fascinating in the heads and limbs of other creatures? Both sentient, and not really; heads, and halves of bodies - almost a full bestiary of Equestria stood before the company! Only thing it lacked is some dragon, or a stuffed representative of one of three numbered races.. Even an earling was found here!
— ..Forfex senior fought for Londo. - explained Verstandig - Or is he not senior now? Two hundred years.. How many generations..?
— What's a Londo? - guide did not understand - ..Ah, ye talkin' 'bout Forfex ninth, reight? Ye, he fought, but not fo' Lodo - for 'Questria! Two hundred years ago ye and yer bewitched dummies invaded us. - he pointed at a pointy-eared horse - And now yer surprised why ye can't come to us. Kill ye if they find ye!
— ..This isn't right! - resented the literate pony - All of this is not right at all! Dragons never ever interfered anywhere! Two hundred years ago there was a war with pointy-ears, ponies made it through Londo and drove the markless away using their own artefacts! The veteran families settled there later - mine included! We turned onto each other, and-
— Wha ye talkin' 'bout? Heretic! - the stallion almost hit her in the face - Pointy-ears are us, ours they are! Their marks were taken, an' their minds' fucked off!
— F- ..You are deranged! - little pony turned around and went towards the exit - And the one who told you this is deranged!
— Oi! Don' touch the government! They saved the knowledge for us, so that we straighten the heads of dunces like ye!
And then, the mare stopped. She was enraged not only by a banal insult over history, but also following attempts at denying the existence of orange pony and her family! She is right there - and she is a dweller of old Londo! Of Old Equestria, for that matter!
— An' wha did ye achieve then? - old stallion indicatively turned away - Can ye do wha, ye little plod? Why ye carry a sword?
— I know two languages, I've read dozens of books, I know how to fight, and I have very many good friends!
— An' why ye tellin' me this? - the stallion exhaled and angered even more demonstratively - Can't ye see I don' give a damn?
— How are you not ashamed? - surprised spectacled draconid - You don't even want to hear another pony! Probably, also don't even learn and don't know what to do with this-
— Aye, dunno, so wha? Who will work if all look at books, they will? They need to be burned! Govment thinks for us, so that we work and nay distract at excess stuff! Law is a law!
Just how different it is from a dispute from Islands of Hugs. It burned just as swiftly as metal in smithy; as how fools frightened in Monacolt! Strangers yelled at each other and did not listen to another's arguments at all! Or rather, more truly, the adventurers did listen. But they could not take this nonsense in any way.
— ..Are we wha, some intellectuals or somethin'? The world 'ill burn if nobody do nothin'!
— Idiot, you are not even listening to her! Just hear it! - Empyrean turned the local's head towards Sunshine - Nobody says that everyone should do nothing. We-
— Yer just obvious slackers! All talk and good for nothin', doin' nothin'!
— Doing nothing? Why are you so certain about that?! - red-eyed pony screamed the place down - Because we are clean and our tongues don't slide off our teeth? True workers for you are only the coal-covered horses, and mental labourers are clean as water ponies?! - and he confirmed the big-eared pony's thought with a nod - You- ..Just how narrow-minded are you?! Where did you see artists who whined that they stained themselves with paint? This is absurd! True creators aren't sparing themselves to create a masterpiece! Or oppositely - some servants for instance - they look over their appearance just as thorough as over their masters! - Dalliant came forward, seemingly hinting with her looks at the little pony's righteousness - ..What a disgusting mentality! "I suffered - so should you", not for self - not for anyone! Stop jumping from one extreme to another! Think! Just think - anyone can do both this and that!
— ..Ginger whorse! Beheaded ye should be!
— Uneducated bastard! Shut up! Don't say anything ever!
Friends were deeply shocked. In a single moment, displeased horse knocked out the old stallion's teeth and dropped him on the floor with her legs. She was going to beat him until death, but realised just in time, that she already did something horrible.
— Sun, what are you doing? - Ommatidia took the elder's look - You're spoiling! Don't be angry!
— ..I shouldn't have done this. But I will not ask for an apology. - the mare turned to her frightened friends - Look at him, he is insane! He lost it! He's gone - he couldn't be helped anyway!
— ..Me chewed logs, me did! Tastes like boogers! - old horse incoherently screamed and wailed at the top of his lungs in between the speech - ..Plo-o-ough, shall you-u! Give me wench, my cock's itching!
— His stupidity won't justify you. - Vice disapprovingly shook his head - But.. You can be understood, in som-
— I know! And I know that I'm spoiling. We are all spoiling and suffering now, so that others could inhale peace later! And don't look at me like that - who mindlessly follows me? Why are you agreeing with everything? Why can't you just simply talk with me?
Little pony was right in some things. Only Empyrean always proposed another point of view, only Vice constantly philosophised, only dragons rained with their knowledge. And Sunshine tried to do all of this. And she was condemned for failing, for an attempt to be bigger. An attempt to be better.
— She is only pony. - Gambit stood before friends - We are only ponies. We make mistakes.
— She sees her mistakes. - thought Verstandig - We have to support her someh-
— Don't. - long-eared horse shamefully lowered her head - It all will end, when it will end. I don't have the strength for every-
— But you yourself-
— I know what I said, you can't even imagine what happens in my head! We don't have much time, and we need allies!
— Where are you rushing to? - Empyrean displeasingly snorted - Can you not think about the war for at least a day?
Alas, but she could not. And the little one explained why. Only now that she told about the Cloudsdale ambassador's prediction, only now that the pony voiced her soul-burdening concerns! But she did not feel any better, because now everyone had it hard on their souls.
— Let's just think about the bugs, and then think about this? - orange pony barely breathed in the dead house - Nothing's possible here! Ah, the reek!
Not that long for, friends had to think: someone already tried to hold the insects at bay, someone fought the amber insectoid horde alone! "Need to help him." - thought everyone, and companions rushed to help without a second thought. No matter who it is, he will not survive on his own.
Even with such powerful armour. Even with two swords. Even with a frenzied temper and immeasurable hatred towards changelings. Forfex returned home! This is what that stallion meant! Only he has all these characteristics! Will he even need the help, when he sliced them all without a problem?
Probably not - referents understood they have no chance against him and ordered the changelings to fall back! The knight went for the remaining ones, and only a yell from a familiar pony stopped the scoundrel. Arrogant stallion dropped his objective right at the sight of his previous companion.
— You! You tricked me, you embarrassed me! - horse sounded as resentful and selfish as an earling - You are friends with buglings!
— You tricked and embarrassed me yourself! - pony got up on her hind legs and screamed in answer - You aren't noble, you are silly! Why did you lie you are from Cryst-
— Prepare for your death! You and your friends will become nice trophies! - he laughed just as silly as before - Especially this white one!
Evil knight rushed onto the winged pony. He was not bewildered by the dragons' presence, or by the amount of fighters against him - he ran with his three legs, holding a weapon with fourth. And he would have an advantage in a fair fight - such armour is almost impenetrable! It is not chainmail!
But the fight was not one bit fair, since friends protected each other! Shapeshifters got into defensive formation, Dalliant created a smoke cloud, others were ready to take the blow.. And Opvliegend shot the insolent horse with one magical arrow from her bow. He did not even reach the smoke screen.
— Almost galloped.. - Empyrean sighed with relief.
— Almost.. what? - confused Sunshine.
— Almost killed on the run. - elaborated Vice - Like suiciders do on tourneys. With spears.
— How do you know that? How do you know so much anyway?
— I created this slang. As for the rest.. - the stallion sheathed his weapon and headed for the hamlet - Let's do it this way - I will not ask you about this very Londo, and you won't pull my plonker.
— No need to ask me, I'll tell it just like that! - pony even felt better from talking about something of her own - "Londo" means "river" - earlings built it near a river! New-Londo also stands not that far from the old one..
Further tales both inspired and concerned the travellers. Everyone in the world forgot about the Old Equestria. Nobody went into its direction, even to get to the industrial city! Dwellers were scared with legends and horrors of the forgotten land, making them stay away from it..
Eternal fog, horses losing their minds, soul-rending screams.. and a sea of dead bodies, staying since the time of war. Nobody said which war, but the house of Sunrise remembered. First - earlings, then alicorns. They appeared from nowhere and ordered to kill everyone. Two seas of bodies created an ocean of mummies and skeletons.
— I.. Don't want to walk there. - Ommatidia vainly tried to forget it.
— We don't have to - we have a scroll! - sun pony stayed optimistic - We can teleport right home!
— So what are we waiting for? - green-eyed mare annoyed - We are being fucked over in here, when you could pull us out all this time?
— We need allies, we need friends! We tried to befriend dragons, marshmallows - we are still not enough! We could not leave our dream, can we? What's the point living in ignorance? How are we going to be better from those we condemn and avoid?
— ..And now? - Gambit nicely played along, keeping Sunshine's words in mind - Now we can return?
— After Crystal Empire. We still have a chance - still have time! If we won't agree with them - we do it all ourselves! We won't endlessly stay put and wait for some miracle!
