Chapter 5- The Mission
Me: Alright this chapter is going to be a major factor in the upcoming series, so pay attention.
Tid: How much could you possibly have riding on this one chapter?
Me: It's going to set the stage for the first Arc.
Tid: Well that's not very big.
Me: You'll see just how big it is eventually. I don't own the rights to Naruto Shippuden or My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.
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We stood in the large building as the many ponies that had gathered there stomped their hooves and cheered in celebration of their two newest citizens. As we stood there I came to a realization. I turned to Itachi and got his attention.
"Itachi, if we're going to be citizens, we're going to need a place to stay." I told him.
"Good point." He said.
"Oh, I can arrange that." Princess Celestia said behind me. The others and I all turned to face her.
"You can?" I asked in surprise. She nodded.
"Follow me, if you'd please." She said.
With that the she began to walk off of the elevated stage and toward the door, the royal guard assembling around her and her sister following them. I looked at Itachi and he nodded. We each followed the Princesses through the sea of ponies that was now being parted in two roughly equal halves as the Princesses and the royal guard walked toward the exit. Many ponies on either side of us were still cheering and giving Itachi and I big smiles. This village certainly appreciates newcomers. I thought somewhat surprised by the reactions that I received. They were much different from the expressions I received just earlier that morning. It was as if being a citizen was everything to these ponies.
We followed the Princesses out of the building and toward a hilly area near the outskirts of the village as the rest of the ponies went about their daily lives.
"You must be so excited to receive a house from Princess Celestia herself." Rarity said to me as we walked. I looked to her and nodded.
"Unfortunately you'll be living on the outskirts of Ponyville. I know that must be disheartening." She said with sympathy.
"Actually, it's not that different from how I was living before I came here. Maybe when I get the chance I'll tell you about it." I said.
"You simply must! It would be so fascinating to hear about your life before coming to this world!" She said in excitement.
"Well I'd love to share it." I said smiling.
As we continued to walk I noticed the sun was just past its high point in the sky and was beginning to travel downward to the west. The sun's rays felt warmer than before for some reason. I then remembered that the mark on Princess Celestia's flank resembled a sun, which led me to believe that she might've had some influence in the matter. I shrugged, no use worrying about it.
Finally we were led up to the top of a hill that gave a view of the rest of the village. From atop the hill I could spot the bakery, Twilight's house, and even the Carousel Boutique. It was truly a sight to behold, and if this was where my house was to be located, I thought I would never get sick of the incredible view that would come with the setting sun. I turned back to face Princess Celestia as she took a few steps forward, the royal guard allowing her some space.
"Watch carefully now, as I create your new home." She said. What?! Magic can do that much? I thought incredulously. Little did I know, there was much more that magic could do. We all watched as a golden aura surrounded the Princess' horn. As we watched the ground began to shake and the hill separated into two equal halves, forcing Itachi and I to stumble as we looked on in awe. A few seconds later what looked like a roof made of spruce wood began to rise out of the ground, followed by one floor, and finally another. When the wooden house had finally risen above the surface the two halves of the hill reconnected seamlessly and the house fell upon the now whole hill, causing a cloud of dust and dirt to rise into the air.
As the dust cleared, Itachi and I stood in awe of what we had just beheld. Never before had we seen such a feat accomplished, and we were fairly certain we'd never see it again. She turned around, not even a bead of sweat on her face, and smiled at the two of us.
"Well, what do you think?" She asked. Itachi and I were speechless. After a few minutes I finally found my voice again and forced myself to form words.
"I can make practically anything out of fire, I can see the wings of a hummingbird while they flap, and I can send pretty much anything I want to a different dimension, yet I've never been so impressed with anything before in my entire life." I said. She chuckled. At that moment Rarity stepped forward, a thoughtful look on her face.
"I'm sure we can all agree that it was a marvel worth beholding, but the house seems a little... blank to me." She said. I took another look at the house and realized she was right. The entire house was the same color as the spruce wood, the windows nothing but empty rectangular holes in the walls, and the house seemed lifeless and empty.
"Precisely Rarity," Celestia said as she walked up to Rarity.
"I was hoping you'd show these two exactly how talented you really are in decorating." She said winking.
"What? Me? You want me to decorate this house?" Rarity asked somewhat astonished.
"Of course; you're one of Equestria's greatest decorators after all." Celestia replied with a smile. Rarity looked as if she couldn't be happier. Her eyes lit up and a big smile crossed her face.
"Thank you ever so much Princess Celestia! It would be my honor to decorate this house!" Rarity said lowering her chest nearly to the ground in a bow.
"You're very welcome Rarity." Celestia said. Then she turned to the two of us.
"If you two would come with me, I have something very important I'd like to speak to you two about." She said. I looked at Itachi and he looked at me. We were both surprised that she wanted to talk to us, especially after we had only just arrived yesterday.
"Alright," I said looking back at her.
"Excellent. Follow me, if you'd please." She said and walked passed us and down the hill. Itachi and I followed her.
We walked along a river that ran through Ponyville right next to a park. It seemed as if the river had only existed for a few years, as it was still fairly shallow for a river. The sun's rays reflected off of the water's surface brilliantly. Ponies bowed in the same way Rarity had done as we walked passed. As we walked I noticed there were a fair amount of benches scattered about the park, and even more trees.
"So, what is it you wanted to discuss, Princess?" I asked.
"Oh please, call me Celestia. After all, my name isn't "Princess"." She said.
"Er, right." I replied.
"I wanted to give you two a very important mission of the highest importance." She said glancing over her shoulder at the two of us.
"Really? A mission?" I asked somewhat surprised.
"Yes. You two seem like the perfect candidates for the mission, and I wouldn't trust anyone else to take care of it, not even Twilight and the others." She said.
"Why not them? I mean, Twilight's a Princess like you, shouldn't that count for something?" I asked. She nodded.
"Ordinarily, it would. However, the Elements of Harmony have been sealed away and without them I fear the girls may not be able to complete this mission." Celestia said.
"Elements of Harmony?" I asked in confusion. She chuckled.
"That's right, you must have no clue what I'm talking about. Allow me to explain: You see, long ago, even before the founding of Equestria, six stones that embodied the characteristics of friendship, the Elements of Harmony, were used to maintain peace and balance throughout the world. These six stones, when brought together, possessed a powerful magic that could defeat any form of chaos. In this world, that magic is the most powerful of its kind. However, these six elements were sealed away a few years ago so as to give life back to the Tree of Magic that protects Equestria from most forms of chaos. Do you understand now?" She asked.
"Er, I think so." I said trying to wrap my brain around the whole thing.
"Good. Because these elements have been sealed away, Twilight and her friends are no longer capable of combatting the stronger forces of chaos. That is why I need you two. I sensed a particular power coming from you two, one that did not rely on magic. Tid, from what you have told me, you have confirmed me that I am right about this." She said. I blinked in surprise. Had I really done that?
"What is the mission?" Itachi asked.
"I'll tell you in just a little while. There is something I want to show you first." She said. Itachi and I looked at each other. This mission, whatever it was, sounded serious.
As we continued to walk we eventually came upon a stone statue surrounded in a circle of stone nearly eight feet in radius. The statue itself depicted a life-sized Princess Celestia and a rather strange dragon-looking creature about to clash, their mouths wide with battle-cries and their eyes full of blood-lust. To think that the same Princess depicted in this statue was now standing before me almost scared me.
"This statue is a monument to a battle I had with a being named Discord before he was defeated and sealed away exactly three years ago." She said staring at the statue with a stern expression. Itachi and I walked up to either side of her as she stopped.
"What does this have to do with our mission?" I asked. She looked at me.
"I'll explain. You see, Discord is a being born for nothing but to cause chaos in the world. He is the epitome of everything we strive to avoid here in Equestria, and was, as you could guess, very good at his job. His power was enough to rival even my own, and in the end I barely managed to defeat him. It has been three years since his defeat, but now I fear he is trying to return." She said.
"This is where you two come in. I have been watching the place of his sealing for a long time and I have noticed the seal keeping him away is gradually weakening. Therefore, at this point, it is not a matter of if Discord returns, but when." She said.
"And our mission?" I asked.
"Your mission is to find Discord when he does revive and defeat him for good. Do you understand what that means?" She asked. I nodded.
"I don't want you to seal him away again; I want you to kill him. His reign will only truly end when he ceases to live. Do you understand?" She asked. I nodded once more. She smiled.
"Good. Just know that failure is not an option." She said.
"Er, Celestia, if I may, how do you know if we'll be able to defeat Discord or not?" I asked.
"I have full confidence in your abilities. Besides, Discord will not have seen your kind of power before, and as such will be ill-equipped to defend himself against it." She said. When she put it like that, it made sense. I looked up and saw that the sun was already beginning to set.
"That's funny; I thought it was just past noon about an hour ago." I said in curiosity.
"That would be my doing. I control the sun, and I have decided that you may need your rest after this long day." She said.
"Wow, and you think we'll be able to defeat Discord when he's just as powerful as you? You must have a lot of faith in us." I said. She smiled again.
"It's like I said before." She said. I nodded.
"Now, I would hurry back. You don't want to keep Rarity and the others waiting now do you?" She asked.
"That's right. Let's go." Itachi said. I looked at him and nodded.
"Thank you Celestia." I said.
"Don't mention it. It was my honor." She said. With that she disappeared in a bright flash of golden light as Itachi and I began walking back to the hills. And just when I thought I could stop fighting. I thought.
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Me: Whew, that was a lot of information in one chapter now wasn't it?
Tid: Wow, you know I really had my doubts as to how much you could pack into one chapter, but you did it.
Me: Yup, never underestimate me. Anyway, this series has plenty more in store, so stay tuned! See ya!