When I awoke again, Derpy was gone again. I sat up blearily, blinking around the sparsely decorated room. Strike that- not gone, singing in another room. I got up and set off to find her, bobbing my head along with the music.
A cursory search revealed my iron mare to be in the kitchen. She was apparently picking up from making breakfast, swaying back and forth with her song. A beeping from the oven interrupted her. The song turned to humming as she bent to retrieve her culinary creation- giving me a nice view of her plot. I simply watched admiringly, not wanting to startle her. A dozen absolutely delicious looking muffins appeared before my famished eyes. Oh, Luna, but I was loving this mare more every second!
Once she was safe from any heat-related harm, I spoke. "Those look amazing." She gave a little jump and squeaked, spinning around.
"Lan! You're up!"
"Yeah." I started to help her clean up what was left of the prep mess. "So, that little thing with your wing… Where'd you think of that?"
She let out a little eep, and I could feel the field around her change she was blushing so hard. "You saw that!?"
"I awoke temporarily. It was a welcome gesture, don't worry. Mom used to do it when I was scared or upset."
"Your mom was a Pegasus?"
"Usu- yeah. So, where'd you come up with it?"
"My mom did it too!" Derpy set the muffins on the table and we started eating. They were every bit as delectable as they appeared. "When the bullies at school were mean to me, she'd hold me like that. I just wanted to hold you, though…"
I smiled slightly. "Oh, really?" I asked playfully.
"Well, after that fight with Mr. Rich, I just…"
"He mentioned you owing him?"
Derpy looked at the floor. "Yeah… I messed up and broke a few deliveries… I'm trying to pay it back, I really am… I even sold my house to-"
"What!? Where are you living!?"
"…I sleep in random clouds and just work all day to pay him back… At least between my house and the pictures I'm over half way…"
"…Pictures?" I raised an eyebrow.
"Well, he said he had a way I could pay back a lot of the debt. He paid 2,000 bits just to take some photos of me. I thought it was a good deal… but some of the poses and angles were kinda…"
I couldn't help it- a low growl roiled from my throat and I had to fight not to go ali. "How much, exactly, do you owe him?"
"6,712 bits."
"Right. I'll handle him- after today you are debt free. Also, you're living here now."
"I-how-you-what!?"
"I'm not letting as amazing a mare as you get used and tricked like that again. Or let you risk yourself from exhaustion or hypothermia. Bring your stuff here during today- I have ponies to attend to." I turned and trotted to the door. Turning back to the dumbfounded Derpy, I asked, "What's his full name?"
It took her a few moments to find her voice. "Filthy… Filthy Rich."
I snorted. "Suits him." I strode out of the house, putting today's itinerary together in my mind.
THINGS TO DO
1.
Beat the ever-loving shit out of Filthy Rich and-
Find Rich and pluck out his eyes for-
Murder Rich.
I seriously considered that option too, but then crossed it out as well. Deep breath in… and out. Ok, let's try this again. No making Rich #1.
1.
Check in on the foals. Sweetiebelle should be fully healed by now that doctor had said.
2.
Go to ruined castle and get 7,000 bits from the abandoned treasury.
3.
Look into a new home for Derpy
Strike that- I like this arrangement. I smiled as I remembered her wing over me.
3.
Look into buying glass.
4.
Beat-
maim-
destroy-
Pay Rich.
5.
Get present for Derpy.
6.
Surprise Derpy.
7.
Make new friends throughout day?
8.
Deal with the mayor and her minions throughout the day…
9.
Where did Seth and the others go?
10.
Oh, and I have to find that book…
11.
And the Mirror Pool if there's time.
12.
This list is getting long…
13.
Training. I have to do training.
14.
Get more food- 1,000 years of fasting isn't fun.
15.
Rut Derpy.
No. Not yet.
Rainbow
Stop it, mind.
Twilight
On to 16!
16.
I'm not sure of anything else to put on this list, just trying to force my mind on.
17.
Oh! Get ready to set up shop!
18.
More food. Those muffins, while delicious, just weren't enough.
19.
Wait; did I already say that one?
20.
19 was an odd number to end the list on.
There. That's today all I altered course and was outside the hospital in no time. To my surprise, Twilight was just coming out. "Oh, good! It's you, Lantra."
"Good morning, Twilight. How are the girls?"
"Actually, I was just coming to get you- Scootaloo work up, and they want to talk to you." I quickly followed her upstairs to where the three fillies were waiting. They looked especially pitiful without their manes and tails… I winced as Sweetiebelle turned, accidentally giving me a glimpse of the scar lancing her flank. I should have reacted faster… All that time had slowed me so much…
"Mr. Lan, we…" Applebloom started, and then broke off, looking at the other two.
"We're sorry we didn't listen, or keep our promise. We've heard what the ponies around town are saying about you… If we'd thought and listened to you, things would be ok…"
"Girls…" I swallowed a lump in my throat. "Never listen to what the foolish say. All that matters is that you're safe now, and that you've learned your lesson. Have you?"
"Definitely." Scootaloo said weakly.
"Spike, take a letter." Twilight said with sudden authority.
"Huh?" I asked.
"When we learn lessons, my friends and I have to write about them to the Princess." Twilight said. "I think these three should do the same in the circumstances. Go ahead, girls."
I started to stop them- I couldn't let HER find out where I was! Then I remembered- I was Lantra Riverspeaker, a little unknown nuisance in Ponyville- a name she would never remember. I was NOT SkyTear Cascade, (J's vanguard name) and great threat to her throne. I had to reason to fear Celestia as long as I kept my mouth guarded. Still apprehensive, I listened to the girls. Their letter made it clear they had indeed learned something… …I hoped. I focused on the molecules in their coats, and kicked the follicles for mane and tail growth out of balance for a few seconds.
None of the three noticed the change at first- their eyes were down. Then a curly lock fell in front of Sweetiebelle's face. In a few seconds, all three were in an excited frenzy of joy. I decided to go while the going was good, before they decided to attack-glomp me, or whatever sounded good to them.
I was on the back stairs down when Twilight caught up to me. "We need to talk."
Uh oh… "What's up?"
"Scootaloo says you saved her as an alicorn."
"Well, I'm pretty clearly just a simple unicorn. Flying always sounded fun to me, though… "
"I don't know, it can go to some ponies' heads. I know you weren't an alicorn. But you did save her, didn't you?" I tried to protest, but she cut me off. "The doctor said he couldn't understand why she hadn't died. And when I looked where they found you two there were traces of magic all over and nearly every living thing for up to ten yards in each direction was dead. What did you do?"
I breathed in and out very slowly, thinking hard. "Ok, yes. I used a powerful spell that took the death force from her body and forced it upon the surrounding plant life. Unable to handle the amounts placed upon them, they died off. The spells effects probably reach further than what you saw and only trees will remain alive by the week's end from there back to the river. Flowers and grass have a lot less life force than a growing filly."
"But, that would be a spell only the highest level unicorn could- I mean, not even Celestia can-"
"I know. It's a… unique talent. You cannot tell anyone. Ok?"
"Why not?"
"Everypony fears me enough. If they knew I could have the power to basically force death upon them…"
"I understand… Ok, on one condition- you teach me."
I spluttered. "I don't think you could-"
"Magic is my talent, not to mention my element. I can do anything!"
"I… You'll keep it a secret from everyone? Even the princess?"
"I don't know… I'm supposed to tell everything in my life to her…"
"You think she'd want someone other than her teaching you? Or even you around someone so dangerous, or learning a spell she cannot do herself and could never learn?"
"…Ok, Deal."
I sighed deeply. "Ok… let me get settled into the town, and I'll start the lessons."
"Nooooo! Start now!"
"Twilight, let me get my bearings in life!"
"Oh come on. I'll do anything…" She let the statement trail and wiggled her hips inexpertly.
"…Do you even know what that means?"
"…No… But I saw Cheerilee use it on Big Mac, and she got her way."
"Ok, don't do it again."
"Why?"
"…Maybe I'll explain later. Just, don't." Oh Luna, why… "So, once I'm settled, I teach you. You tell no one." That sounds so bad… "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have stuff I need to get done today." With that I took off to the forest before this could get any more awkward, or I took advantage of the situation. It was time for #2, not 15!
So, hopefully my new chapter lived up to all of your expectations after that long wait. Sorry it was longer than I'd predicted- School is indeed done for the semester (I made Dean's List), and has been for the past few weeks. I've been on a family vacation across the country that left me unable to post. But, not unable to write and plan! So for the next few weeks chapters should be coming up quickly- I already have the next 5 planned or written out.
Oh, and for anyone who finds my formatting hard to understand on the list, blame the site- I had it all formatted nice and pretty, and the site said NO, not even if you go into our HTML and mess with it will we let you keep it... *sighs*
As always, I do not own MLPFIM. I managed to make it all that way across this law-filled country without getting fined... I don't want to deal with it now!