Chapter 12: A Second Chance
I stared into the crackling fire as I wrapped my arms around my legs, gazing into the twisting flames as they cooked away at my hunt. The unfortunate casualty of my rage came in the form of a deer, which was now spit-roasting over the campfire... most of it's discernible features already stripped away, leaving nothing but solid meat.
Having shed my Worgen form hours ago, I just sat in silence at my small camp. In only a few short days I've managed to ruin any good relations I may have had with these ponies… to make it even worse I only had one of my translators, effectively rendering it useless.
The sun had gone down not long after I set up camp as the night came alive with a chorus of bugs, filling the woods with an eerie white noise. Glancing to my right, my eyes settled on the remains of my first few attempts at a healing potion. A few shattered vials lay about, broken in my anger. I shook my head at the waste of materials and let out a sigh, wondering if it was a good idea to go back or not.
Of course, it wasn't entirely my fault. After all… she struck me first. By Azerothian law I could have taken her life and been vindicated for my actions, of course as a Death Knight the law cared very little for my opinion half the time. However, I was no longer in Azeroth… and therefore had no idea how I would even settle such a dispute.
'Could have worked something out if I didn't blow up like that in front of them all...'
Reaching down, I grazed the amulet that hung from my neck… completely useless without it's partner.
The temptation was stronger than ever, to just turn and leave this place behind. Travel far outside the bounds of this 'Equestria'. I had a map, and everything with me I owned already... after all I'd traveled most my life anyway after escaping Ebon Hold. Only really ever returning to see Syrus.
My thoughts were cut off at the light sound of wings. I didn't bother moving, just staring into the fire as the light clicking of hooves landed nearby and a warmth suddenly emanated from the amulet.
"How'd you find me." I grumbled, still not turning to see my visitor.
"The link in this amulet can do more than just translate, if you're clever enough." Twilight's voice quipped as I rolled my eyes.
"This forest isn't a safe place for a Princess, especially alone." I added.
There was a long silence as I watched my food cook, until Twilight slowly appeared to my right and sat on her haunches. I kept my arms wrapped around me as I glanced her way, noticing the nauseous look she dawned as she stared at the sizzling meat. Rolling my eyes, I stood from my spot and walked to the food before giving it a flip.
"You sent the whole town into a panic, you know." Twilight finally spoke up from behind me.
Letting out a small growl, I spared her a quick glare. "Yeah? Your friend almost killed me, you know."
Twilight recoiled a bit, pulling her hoof up to her chest. "She didn't mean to buck you that hard! It was an accident. After I explained-"
"And that's just it, isn't it?" I cut in, snapping around to face her and getting her wings to flutter. "After you 'explained' it to her, right?" I paused and let out a small laugh, taunting her. "So what, I guess you're here to come have me make up with her? And in the end we'll all be singing songs about friendship right?" I said in a mocking tone.
Her eyes darted around for a second, as if searching for her words. "W-Well, I just thought if you two talked-"
I cut her off with a wave of my hand and a snicker. "Forget it, that's not how we do things where I'm from. I believe one shows their true colors at their most desperate... and in her I saw no hesitation in that strike." I paused and ran my hand over my chest, wincing at the phantom pain from a couple broken ribs I'd sustained from the kick as well. "I can tell when an attack had intent to kill."
She quickly shook her head. "You're wrong. It was a misjudgment of strength, she said herself she expected you to be much tougher, after being able to slay a hydra." I just ignored her, turning back to the fire. "And we're not in Azeroth, so we do this our way."
I didn't even bother gracing her with a reply, and just stared at the campfire. This must have annoyed her, because after a moment I heard her stomp in annoyance.
"So what then?" She began, getting my eyes to roll at her persistence. "This is what you really are? Incapable of having civilized conversation? Just a monster that crawls around the Everfree, killing hydras and scaring townsponies?"
"Tread carefully with your next words Princess." My voice carried an eerie calm as I slowly turned to meet her stare. "I never chose to be... this." I warned, motioning to myself.
She let out a small smile, and spoke in a soft tone. "Haven't you ever looked up to somepony? Had a dream to aspire to? Those hopes and dreams are what forge us into who we are. Sometimes all it takes is a friend to-" I cut off her speech prematurely with a glare and a hard stomp as I turned fully to face her.
"Anything I was, anything I was going to be died years ago when I awoke in that damned Necropolis!" I shouted back at her, making her shrink a bit. "I am, what he made me to be. And no matter how hard I've tried that will never change." I spit out the last few words, before shrouding myself in mist and shifting forms.
Twilight recoiled a bit, but held her ground as she tried to maintain a neutral expression.
Taking a slow couple steps towards her, I motioned to myself. "Look at me now, Princess. Tell me, what do you think I am, exactly?" My tone was low, and ended with a deep growl.
Twilight flicked her eyes over me, before locking with my own gaze. "I... I don't know..."
"They call us many names..." I began, slowly pacing around her. "You couldn't comprehend the atrocities I've committed, what I was forced to do under the fear of his wrath... a fate worse than death. No... there is no coming back from what I've done." Coming to a stop in front of her, I glanced back and saw a look of sympathy adorning her face.
"Everypony deserves a second chance." She weakly replied, eliciting a sigh from me as I shook my head.
"Wrong, Princess. There exists plenty of evil that lost their chance at redemption long ago..." I broke off my stare and focused on the ground.
She didn't answer right away, a short silence followed as I kept my gaze cast downward.
"Has anypony ever given you a second chance?" She asked in a sorrowful tone.
I felt a twinge of hesitation at the question, and looked back to her with squinted eyes. "... yes." I finally said, slowly shifting forms. "A human... her name was Syrus."
Twilight said nothing and just watched me, waiting for me to go on. I turned away from her and moved back over to the fire, hesitating for a moment as I considered sharing this story with someone else. Relaxing my clenched fists, I sighed as I made up my mind.
"I'd just escaped Ebon hold... and had been wandering for days." I began, recounting the few days after my first trip into the spirit world. "I had nothing but the torn clothes on my back and my... weapon." I bit my tongue at the word I almost uttered, cursing under my breath.
My eyes flicked over to my pouch for a moment, a sudden feeling of dread overtaking me. Taking in a deep breath, I calmed my nerves and shook my head.
'It's fine… it's still there…' I assured myself, the feeling of dread slowly receding.
Twilight either didn't notice, or didn't want to ask as I glanced back and saw her listening attentively. Turning back to the campfire, I groaned in annoyance before grasping onto the stick skewering my hunt. Removing it from the fire, I spiked it into the ground nearby before returning to the pit with a glow in my hand.
I recalled the spell she'd taught me ages ago, concentrating on the seldom used magic. With a spark of power, my hand was engulfed in green fire that lapped at my fingers painlessly. Twilight watched wide eyed as I lobbed the fire at the pit, causing it to expand and change color rapidly.
"Everyone I met either wanted to rob, hang, or eat me." I continued, staring into the fire as Twilight let out a small gasp, pulling closer to the burning image before her.
The fire danced around, reenacting the memory like a miniature play before our eyes. All of the figures were nondescript, however everything shown was indeed accurate to memory. Twilight watched the scene as I continued my story, the fire keeping up with me in earnest.
"That was... until I met her." The memory of her face flashed through my mind, and appeared in the fire for a moment before switching back to me running into a road in a panic.
Motioning to the scene, it changed to show me chasing down a carriage with a single occupant. "She was travelling down from Silvermoon City... strange for a human but it wasn't any of my business. I begged her to hide me, take me somewhere safe."
"And she did?" Twilight asked hopefully, a small smile appearing on her face.
I gave a quick laugh, getting her smile to falter. "Actually, she ran from me the first time." The scene showed the end of her carriage disappear into the flames, leaving me behind.
"That's awful!" Twilight exclaimed, getting me to shake my head.
"No, she had good reason to be afraid. It was understandable she'd run." I paused as I shifted the memory to another moment, Twilight's attention quickly becoming enraptured by the flames once more. "We met again, on the road near Darrowshire. This time under different circumstances."
The scene shifted as many twisted forms of undead rose from the flames and chased down the carriage, eventually causing it to careen off the road and flip over. Twilight watched with increasing horror as the abominations closed in on the figure as she backed into a tree. With a flourish of her arms she summoned an elemental to protect her, and the scene quickly devolved into chaos.
Twilight stared into the flames as the battle raged, undead abominations getting frozen solid and shattered by the might of the elemental or succumbing to the various spells being lobbed their way. However, all of the resistance meant nothing as a massive body, larger than any of the others, came careening towards the elemental and shattered it with it's charge.
It's body was bloated and bulged out in every direction, as if all it's flesh were simply held together with stitching. Twilight almost looked away as it's large appendage swung towards the young woman. Then, the neck of the repugnant creature violently exploded, a protruding piece of metal stuck in it's gaping wound. The behemoth collapsed limp to the ground, revealing me hanging from the sword which had pierced it's body.
"She gave me a chance then, let me come with her to Stormwind." The scene shifted between repairing her carriage and me hiding under it as we passed through the Stormwind gates. "I tried to live, after that. But... there's no coming back from what I am." I sighed and cut off the magic as the fire returned to normal, before turning to Twilight who's eyes still hadn't moved from the flickering flames.
"So to reiterate no, I don't believe everyone deserves a second chance." Her ears splayed back a bit, and I pinched the bridge of my nose. "But... I suppose it's unlikely a little pony like her is evil enough for that..."
Her face brightened immediately as she gave a small smile. "So that means-"
"No." I cut in with a raised finger, getting her smile to drop again quickly. "I'm not forgiving anyone right now. She still attacked me unprovoked and broke my arm, I showed you myself that I believe actions always speak louder than words." I let her process that as I grasped the stick and hung it back over the fire to cook some more. "Maybe one day she can prove to me she deserves a second chance, but for now I'm content with staying as far from her as possible. For her own safety." I spoke the last words under my breath, as I prodded the meat to test for doneness.
She waited patiently as I tested the meat, giving it a few tentative pokes. Deciding it still to raw I moved away and sat down again as she came up next to me.
I glanced her way, and could see she wasn't happy with my declaration. However she didn't continue the argument any further, much to my relief. There was another long silence as we both sat there, me staring into the fire and Twilight electing for stargazing.
"I can still teach you magic… if you want." I finally offered, getting Twilight's eyes to lock onto me with surprise. "You did win the bet, after all. And I'm a man of my word."
She nodded quickly, adorning a large smile. "How about that fire spell you used? I'd never seen somepony use a spell linked directly to their memories for presentation in that way before!"
Smiling to myself, I gave a little nod and reached into my pouch for something to write on. "Its a mix of arcane and fire magic, the spell's actually an original of…" I trailed off for a moment as my smile faltered, before it returned with a sad undertone. "It was Syrus' first original spell, she crafted it to present to a magic college."
Twilight nodded along, before tapping on her chin. "Wow, she must be really gifted in magic! Reminds me of when I had to show off my magic for my own entrance exam."
Nodding my head, I smiled a bit wider. "Yeah, well the story itself is pretty funny. She ended up getting in… but she was so nervous she couldn't help but imagine the fire growing out of control and engulfing everything. And well…" I gave a chuckle, recalling the event and the huge blaze in vivid detail. "Yeah, whole building went up in flames. Nervousness and mind controlled flames don't meld together well." Twilight gave me a slight look of horror, to which I waved it off. "It's okay, it was illusory fire. Harmless. And after she got it under control and gave the presentation it was a big hit."
As I spoke I scribbled inside a small notepad, drawing up the correct Spell Matrix to show her. She read it over and, at my insistence, took the page to look at later. She also told me about her own magic experiences and mishaps, including a certain instance where she had hatched a dragon… only to accidentally accelerate it's life to adulthood in moments! It sounded a bit far fetched to me, however considering what I'd noticed about this mare already it was safe to assume she wasn't normal when it came to magic.
I could only imagine what some of the mages back in Stormwind would give to pick her brain with questions.
As Twilight giggled at my most recent story, I found myself starting to wish the moment would never end. It was barely a few minutes of conversation, but for only an instance I felt at peace… until a crushing feeling of guilt came washing over me and my smile quickly turned to a sad grimace.
"Twilight… I wasn't just being dramatic when I said not everyone deserves a second chance." I didn't look her way as I spoke, and elected for just staring into the flames. "And I really think it would be safer for… everyone… if you forgot about me."
She shuffled a bit next to me, until I felt a warm feathery appendage embrace me from behind. My breath hitched as I froze from the contact, but slowly relaxed as she spoke.
"I know we got off on the wrong hoof, but I don't want you to think we can't help you. I won't try and change your mind about the accident, as I can tell you're just as stubborn as her so I won't bother." She paused and gave me a small smirk, as I flicked my eyes to her for a moment before casting them back down. "But please, don't torture yourself over the past… you've already saved two ponies from terrible fates, that doesn't sound like 'Evil beyond redemption' to me. Even if the methods are a bit... colorful."
I didn't pull away from her embrace, nor did I answer her at all. Instead I elected to just sit there staring into the swirling flames in silence, mulling over her words.
"My library is always open." She added softly as her wing removed itself from my back and the warmth emanating from my amulet ceased.
On the corner of my vision I could see her take a few steps from the campfire, before taking off with a flap of her wings. Her movements weren't quite as regal as many other fliers I've seen so far, but was definitely passable as she broke through the treetops and disappeared from view.
I sat for a while thinking on her words as I waited for my meal to cook, looking over to the necklace she'd left behind next to me.
My mind was devoid of any other thoughts as I processed the deer and wrapped the meat into small bundles of cloth, before storing it away into my pouch along with the second translator.
The night droned on as the campfire slowly reduced itself to embers, and I let out a long sigh as I gave a satisfying stretch. Multiple pops sounded from my back from the long night of sitting on the forest floor. I ignored the soreness and pulled myself to my feet and began the journey back to Zecora's.
The trip was uneventful, the dark forest alive with the chorus of crickets and the occasional owl. It didn't take long to reach Zecora's hut, it's windows aglow with a soft light which pierced through the pitch black woods.
I paused halfway across the clearing and just stared at the small door. I stood there for a while, contemplating if I really wanted to knock or not. However, my chance to make a choice was swiftly dismissed at a sudden ruckus from the doorway. Snapping my attention to the hut, I saw Zecora fumbling out the door with various packs draped over her back and a long staff.
As she cleared the doorway she ceased all of her scrambling the moment she noticed my presence. In an instant her face displayed an array of emotions, from surprise to happiness… before contorting into anger.
In a flurry of movement she crossed the clearing, shouting words of nonsense towards me as she neared.
Raising an arm up in a calming manner, I tried my best to calm her down in Equish… presenting one of the amulets in my other hand.
"Zecora, relax-" Anything else I was going to say was swiftly cut off by a ripple of pain through my forehead.
*BONK*
I recoiled from the sudden attack, rubbing my forehead where she had smacked me with the staff which was now leaning in the groove of her shoulder. I glared back at her and got an equally irritated look back as she pointed a hoof back towards the door.
I was about to protest, but found myself unable to maintain my angry glare. Breathing a slow sigh, I took my gaze off her and entered through the door without a word. As I passed her, she swiped the amulet from my hand as I prepared for the assault about to reach my ears.
"So?" Was all that came from behind me as I entered.
"'So' what?" I asked glancing back for only a moment as I made my way to the table and sat down.
"'So' what the hay happened back there!?" I grit my teeth at her volume and flashed her an annoyed look.
"What? You mean the part where that bitch broke my arm?" As I said it, Zecora let out a small snort.
"You know what I mean Dal, everypony thought you were gonna…" She trailed off as I returned my attention to the table.
I hesitated at the nickname, before shaking my head. "Look, Twilight and I already… can we just drop this?" I asked, laying my hands flat on the table but not turning my gaze to her. "Please?"
A small silence followed, until a faint sigh reached my ears. "Okay."
I made myself busy by taking out random tomes from my pouch and copying over various Spells, both to show Twilight later and have a reason to be busy now. Zecora didn't say anything the rest of the night, having left the translator nearby and retired to bed shortly after our conversation. She looked beyond exhausted and more than a little ragged, I could only surmise she had been out looking for me in the forest and had just come back to resupply.
I felt a small pang of guilt run through me as I thought about that, I hadn't intended for someone to care so much about my well being. In fact, the entire reason I was setting out from Stormwind to begin with was to protect someone who got too close to me despite my warnings… not to mention I began to care for her as well.
'The less I push them away… the more I'll end up hurting them' I couldn't help but tear my gaze away from the sleeping zebra and lock onto my pouch on the table.
I felt my breath hitch as the feeling of dread from before returned with a vengeance. I found myself unable to look away, not daring to move as if it would jump the moment I so much as twitched. Eventually I felt my arm move towards the pouch, despite the alarm bells ringing in my head. Carefully pulling loose the string, the bag slacked just enough for me to reach inside.
Pushing inside, I moved past many items towards the side of the bag I seldom used. Then I felt it, my fingers brushing past a bundle of fabric and making me tense. Sparing a look back to Zecora, I could see her sleeping peacefully… oblivious to the world around her.
Returning my eyes to the small satchel, I swallowed nervously as I gripped the end of the bundled up object and slowly pulled it free. Ever so slowly it emerged from the pouch, longer than my whole arm and wrapped in white linen… bound tightly with string. As the tip of the item left the bag it suddenly returned to it's normal weight, and I quickly brought my second hand around to support it.
I could feel my hair stand on end as a chill crept up my spine, it'd been over two years since I really looked at it…
My mouth felt dry as cool sweat rolled down my forehead, but I ignored all of it and carefully untied the thread binding the cloth together. As the knot came free the whole thing loosened and I saw a faint shimmer reveal itself, concealed under the offending material. The sudden flicker of light almost made me flinch, but I pushed on and carefully unwrapped the rest of the way.
I beheld the most unique part of my collection, in all it's terrible glory.
My Runeblade…
I slowly brushed my fingers against the cold steel, an icy burning sensation stinging my fingertips. A never-ending mist rolled off the blade, and I could almost feel it's hunger for blood. The sword was massive and consisted of a long sharp blade, with the exception of the part above the hilt which held many terrifying serrated edges. It's handle appeared to be made up of strips of leather and other small bones, complete with the skull of a goat with long horns… a recurring theme in many pieces of Death Knight armaments.
I ran my digits over all the grooves of the emblem, even the elongated horns protruding from the daunting skull. I wasn't sure what had come over me, but I had a sudden and intense urge to view the blade again… something I've never had before. The longer I looked at it, the more I could feel my nerves longing for battle and bloodshed.
Loyal servants... heed my call...
Snapping out of the trance I took in a sharp breath, my eyes suddenly widening as the dark thoughts pervading my mind cleared in an instant. In a flurry of movement I wrapped the blade back up, before shoving it back into it's small tomb.
As terrible a blade as it is, I could not part with it as I figured out I needed it at least nearby to conjure my magic. Without wielding it, I lost much of my power over the risen dead, however that was a hinderance I was completely content with burdening.
After all, there were some lines I still refused to cross.
Pulling my attention away from the blade I gave a tired sigh, before giving a nod to no one. I began the process of copying over multiple spell and potion matrices to leave behind.
'Conclude my business quickly…' My grip tightened around the quill as I thought about all those who had died from my carelessness.
"Then leave…" I whispered with finality, making up my mind and pouring even more effort into my work.
'Never again…'
*Poke*
I blinked rapidly a few times, pulling the quill away from the page and leaning back. A stack of papers sat to my left with various spells and potion matrices written on them. Turning my head I came face to face with the sleepy eyed zebra. She clicked on the amulet and I realized I never took mine off again before I drifted off into work mode.
"Did you not sleep?" She asked, rubbing her eyes tiredly.
"Didn't need it." I stated, turning to the stack of papers and splitting them up.
I separated them into two piles, one for potions and another for spells. I stood from the chair and turned to Zecora before sliding a stack over to her. She looked down at the papers and furrowed her brow, before turning back to me with a look of annoyance.
"So that's it then? You're leaving?" She asked, getting a sigh and nod from me in return.
"Yes, I know I promised to teach you alchemy but there's enough lessons here for a while." I reached over to my bag and pulled out the seeds. "I'll come back to make more someday, and while I'm gone you can cultivate these for me… I'll pay you well." I placed the small pouch of seeds next to the stack of papers. "I'm sorry, I have no choice." I finished with a defeated tone.
Moments of silence went by, until she finally moved.
In a few swift movements she grabbed up her staff she had smacked me with, along with a couple saddle bags and supplies. I watched her move about the hut with my arms crossed.
"What are you doing?" I asked her as she only spared me a glance before continuing her preparations.
"Packing." She stated flatly.
"For?"
"We'll need food for the trip." She simply said as she slid random items of food into her bags.
Grabbing up my own stuff and assembling my armor, I shook my head. "Zecora I think you misunderstand, I'm leaving alone."
"You saved my life, a fact of which I'm very grateful." She began, stopping and finally looking at me. "In my culture a debt like that must be paid in full. I'm coming. Besides, you need me."
I scowled as I strapped my chest piece on. "Need you? And why's that?" I asked annoyed.
"Well, for starters you don't even belong on this planet, so you'll need someone to show you around… a map isn't gonna tell you everything. Secondly, I'll admit you seem to have picked up understanding spoken Equish rather fast, but-" She paused in front of me, poking me in the chest. "-you can't even read or write past basic Equish print yet, and your speech needs work too."
I gave a huff at her little jab as I tightened my gauntlets, before crossing my arms. "You have your own life to live here Zecora, you've no reason to uproot it to travel with a strange creature like me."
Shaking her head back, she motioned to the varying decorations adorning her hut. "I am no stranger to travel. I lived the nomadic lifestyle for many years until I settled here in Ponyville. It was only a matter of time before I left again eventually."
'Just give it up you stupid Zebra you're gonna get yourself killed' I thought as I placed my heavy spaulders on my shoulder, adorning my full armor with the exception of my helmet.
Her persistence began to wear on my patience as I glared down at the small equine. I wanted to just tell her off, tell her there was no way it was ever going to happen. However, as I stared back at her I felt a strange sensation, the ever present longing for company that always itched the back of my mind.
As much as I'd push myself away from others, I still craved some kind of social interaction. I traveled alone wherever I went, and usually moved at my own pace. I had to admit it got exceedingly lonely… which is why I always ended up back at Stormwind with Syrus in the end.
"I've never… adventured in a party before." I admitted. "I'll be impatient, sometimes downright mean."
"More than you are already?" She asked with a smirk, to which I rolled my eyes.
I shook my head again, pinching the bridge of my nose. "Listen, I'm not going to let you throw your life away for me like that-"
"I never said I'm doing this for you," She cut in, tapping me on the chest a couple times with that staff of hers. "I told you already, it's a part of my beliefs... it is a debt I must repay. If I were to not help you it would be a great weight on me during my final journey." She finished her little spiel with a hoof over her chest.
Picking up the small pouch of seeds, I motioned to the barrel tucked into the corner of the hut. "And the herbs?"
"I'll leave them in the hooves of the best farmpony I know. I'm sure they'll turn out great." She answered with a smug smile.
I clenched my jaw and searched for another excuse, but couldn't so much as begin to formulate one. I just sighed in defeat instead of answering, and made my way to the front door, pausing as I passed through it.
"…I leave tomorrow, before sunrise. Be ready." Was all I said as I closed the door behind me.
My thoughts tormented me as I strode along the forest ground, random detritus crumbling away under my armored footfalls.
'What am I doing?' I thought to myself, walking past a particularly large patch of flowers. 'The whole point of leaving is to get away from everyone'
I sighed and glanced towards the herbs as I passed, but continued my trek forward. I wasn't about to start picking random flowers around this place, who knew the kinds of effects they may have. But I had to admit, my curiosity had been gnawing at the back of my mind to look into possible potion recipes involving them.
A particularly bright flower caught my attention for a moment, blue petals curling downwards and a few bulbs sprouting from it's center. I resisted the urge to harvest any samples and continued on to my destination.
'I'll just humor her until she fulfils this "debt" of hers' I thought with a firm nod. 'Besides, she'll be useful until I fully comprehend their language and culture'
The weight on my shoulders felt momentarily lessened as I thought up excuses for stringing her along with me. Letting out a sigh, I reflected back on the destination I had in mind for the trip.
I had been scouring the map the night prior as I worked and had decided to trek north towards the 'Crystal Mountains', as they were called. Apparently there resided a kingdom made of crystal, and according to the illustrations the populace themselves reflected that as well. Of course, that was likely just a stylistic choice for the map.
Along the way there were plenty of small towns and settlements to stop by and restock, maybe even look for some mercenary work... although I doubted there'd be much of that. And while it's not like I needed the money, traveling for weeks and doing nothing but stare at the sky and take in the sights can get boring rather quick.
Many of my best memories consisted of the few positive adventures I'd experienced travelling Azeroth, of course there was a heap load of bloodier ones to off-balance that fact. But here, there's a real sense of wonder to the world that wasn't present back on Azeroth. Both had their own magic to them, no doubt... however wherever I traveled in Azeroth had left me feeling... unfulfilled.
While I had no memories of my past life, travelling to 'new' places didn't feel... 'new'. It was like remembering a phantom memory. There's an ever present feeling of melancholy to each 'new' location I visited, and I could only guess that in my previous life I'd maybe seen it all before.
But here, everything is truly new... undiscovered from my point of view. Any and all fantastic things could be waiting outside the boundary of this small town, and once again I felt the swell of excitement inside me at the prospect of learning something new.
'Perhaps I've been looking at this all wrong, I've finally got a chance to start over... something that was never truly afforded to me in Azeroth.'
The trees finally broke apart as I beheld the village in the early sunlight once again, bustling with life just as it was the day before. It seems whatever day came after 'Monday' was just as busy as it's predecessor. Looking ahead I could already feel the stares of the two guards stationed at the entrance to town, their eyes boring into me across the hilly meadow.
'No one here knows who I am, what I've done or where I'm from'
Of course, I hadn't exactly left a good impression on the residents of this town. However, there existed many other settlements and cities far beyond the boundaries of this one.
Everypony deserves a second chance...
Twilights words rang through my mind, and I found my thoughts blanking on me.
Maybe, she was right after all.
The guard spoke as I neared, snapping me from my stupor. I blinked at him in confusion before motioning to repeat himself, to which he let out an annoyed snort.
"Why are you here?" He enunciated slowly.
I processed the words as he spoke, and let out a sigh as I ran my hand through my hair.
"Supplies, I'll behave." I assured the best I could.
The guard looked me up and down for a moment, before turning to his partner and began whispering. The two grumbled incomprehensible words to each other, whispering increasingly louder until the one I spoke to finally let out a defeated sigh.
"We're watching." He warned, to which I gave a curt nod.
I passed the two and hurried into town. As expected, anywhere I went was met with an instant silence, any ponies that didn't scurry away from my presence regarded me with barely concealed fear. It bothered me, but I didn't let it show. I'd be out of town by this time tomorrow anyway so I just focused on what I was here to do and marched on.
The library quickly came into view, my first stop. Coming up to the door, I stopped as it swung open and a certain cyan mare trotted out with a book balanced on her muzzle… an excited grin on her face.
Said grin fell almost as fast as the book, which quickly tipped off her muzzle and dropped to the ground. I just crossed my arms and waited for her to move aside, rapping my fingers against my arm. A second later she blinked and broke from her stupor, grabbing up the small book in her mouth and taking off into the air.
I watched her rocket off, a little surprised by the speed at which she tore through the air. A part of me wanted to question how she could attain such velocity with those proportionally smaller wings, however a larger part of me pushed the curious thoughts from my mind as I regarded the sign just outside.
I could now read it, and carefully scanned the words adorning the sign.
Golden Oaks Library
If the librarian is in, we're open!
(Please open half door if returning books, thank you!)
'Golden Oaks… hilarious.' I couldn't help but snicker a bit at the pun, and pushed onwards into the door.
It swung silently on it's hinges, and I ducked into the small opening before standing to my full height once more. Twilight was on the other side of the room, flying next to a bookcase and in the process of sliding a tome back in… looked like the same one that pegasus had taken with her. Sitting nearby at a table was Silversong, rolling her hoof in circles with a look of boredom on her face.
However her attention snapped over to me as the door clicked shut, before quickly waving at me with a smile. Awkwardly I waved back as Twilight took notice of me from across the room. Hurriedly stuffing the book away she soared across the library before landing with a bit of a stumble between the table and myself
"Tea?" She asked as a flurry of floating objects whizzed through the air and settled onto a table.
'What's with these ponies and tea…' I thought to myself as I shook my head, waving away the offer.
She stopped halfway through pouring a cup and hesitantly nodded as everything disappeared in a flash, electing a *humph* from the nearby guard. I glanced over all the walls, each adorning endless rows of literature. As if feeling the oncoming question, she motioned to the many books.
"Need help looking?" She asked, as I nodded and pulled out the translator.
That's when I realized I only had the one, the other still residing with Zecora when I left in a hurry. I cursed under my breath, before letting out an annoyed sigh.
"Yes, need… word book." I shook my head and waved the request away, "No… spelling book." I growled again, "Book with words!"
"A dictionary?" She asked hesitantly as I snapped my fingers.
"Yes! Anything else recommend? Have to learn." The moment I asked, her features lit up as she scurried over to the shelves… horn alight.
"First you're gonna want the latest edition Dictionary but a Thesaurus wouldn't hurt either… and you can't forget 'My First Equish Lesson', oh that's a classic-" Then I felt it, my eyes glazing over while her words devolved into a jumble of unintelligible jargon and white noise… the books stacking ever higher on the table.
Eventually it all came to a end as the various bundles of literature were piled neatly on the table, at least twelve in total.
"How long were you planning on taking them out?" She asked, a small notebook and quill floating in her magical grasp.
"Long." I said, to which she just stared blankly, waiting for me to elaborate.
When I didn't she just slowly nodded, muttering a small 'Uh huh' under her breath as the quill quickly scribbled out a specific line on the page.
Book by book she picked them up and stamped the inside with ink, before setting them in a separate pile nearby. As she worked on the books, I reached into my own pouch and pulled out the Spell Matrices I'd been working on. Setting them on the table, she paused to look at them for a moment before turning back to me with curious eyes.
"Leaving for long time." I pointed at the books, then to the pages. "Will come back, teach you more. Those all safe to test." I finished, motioning to the pages again for emphasis.
The hovering notepad shifted to the side as she leaned over the table, spreading out the spells and looking them over. I'd written up a mixture of different spells, it would be interesting to hear which ones she was able to cast easily and which she wasn't. As of yet I haven't been able to nail down her affinity, but she may be the best as a mage considering her impressive mana reserves.
Sliding the books one by one into my pouch I turned to her again. "Where can I find, carriage seller… and blacksmith?"
Pointing her hoof out the window, she motioned back in the direction of that farm on the outskirts of the village. "The apples do repairs on carriages for the whole town, but they sell some too. As for a blacksmith you'd want to talk to Aegaeon a couple doors down from Sugarcube Corner. Just head right from here and you should see it. If you pass a building that looks like a gingerbread house… you've gone too far." I nodded as I processed her words, before tying up my pouch and making my way back to the door.
"Thanks." I said as I made my way out as she waved goodbye to me.
As I pulled the door open I hesitated for a moment, before turning back to her and letting out a sigh.
"Twilight." I began, thinking about how to word it. "About… before." I glanced over to where the shattered form of a table used to reside and cringed. "Sorry. Not real me."
Twilight looked taken aback for a moment, before she gave me a soft smile and nodded. "Apology accepted. Have a nice trip, Dalandor!"
Hesitantly I smiled back, before closing the door behind me softly. Glancing around, I sighed in relief and began a brisk pace towards the direction Twilight had mentioned. Ponies still parted or crossed the road as I approached, but none were darting away from just my presence alone… unless I looked at them that is.
In no time the signature smell of iron and fire rolled into one assaulted my nose as I approached a building much different than the surrounding structures. It was very open, giving a lot of space to any who worked under the slanted roof. A lone anvil lay in the middle of the room with a roaring forge built into the far wall. Many other tools and equipment lay nearby but my focus was quickly locked on the figure currently holding a glowing red rod and careening towards me.
"Move it yeh sickly bastard!" The gryphon croaked as he approached me.
I jumped out of the way as he passed and set the item on the anvil, his talons scraping across the smooth stone flooring as he walked. The feathers all over his head and chest were black, with many greys mixed in throughout. His wings were also black but transitioned into a silver color near the tips.
I watched as he expertly cut the rods into equal lengths, positioning the hot metal with his talons. In a quick few strikes he processed the pieces, before setting the newly formed nails aside. Pushing them around a bit, he grumbled as he looked them over. With a small nod he finally turned to me and raised a brow, dunking the tips of his talons into a nearby bucket of water… eliciting a small sizzle and puff of steam.
"Can I help yeh?" He asked with a raised brow, flicking any excess liquid from his paw.
"Need new gear, sell armor?" I asked, crossing my arms and leaning against a pillar of wood holding the roof up.
The gryphon scratched at a couple feathers on his chin as he looked me over, grumbling to himself as his eyes scanned me up and down.
"Hmmm, yer the strangest lookin' taur' I've seen in a while. Lookin' a bit pale as well son. You feelin' okay?" He quipped before turning away from me and fiddling with some parchments on a nearby table.
"Strangest… what?" I asked in confusion.
Looking at me again, he tilted his head. "Well that's what'cha are, ain't it? A Minotaur? You've got the same build, unless yer one a them cats which lost all it's hair."
Shaking my head, I sighed. "No I'm... human. Again... here for armor." I stated annoyed, electing another scratch from his chin feathers.
"Well, spose' I could do armor. Iffin you've got the money." He trailed on, looking towards me.
"Money not problem." I said, gesturing to my pouch.
He hummed to himself, looking me all over. "Well, If it's ta replicate that rubbish I think not." He stated pointing at my plate mail armor.
"What wrong with it?" I asked confused, getting a exaggerated wave from him.
"Please, half of yer vital spots aren't even covered." He began, moving towards me and pointing at various spots in my armor. "Gap in the neck's too big, an' whoever sized the breast plate needs their eyes checked."
Shaking my head, I motioned to the armor. "Has to be shaped this way."
"Why's that?" He asked, curiously.
Shifting my gaze behind me and noting all the ponies milling about, I motioned further into the blacksmith hut. He looked at me curiously, but followed me in as I hid from view of the outside streets. Once I was certain no one else would see, I allowed myself to switch back to my Worgen form.
My figure grew in size rapidly as I quickly filled in the spacious plate coverings, the rest being hugged tightly by the chain mail hanging from them. The gryphon watched me for a moment with a blank expression, before whistling in a low note.
"Now that's somethin' you don't see everyday." He joked with a chuckle. "Well, it's none of my business anyway. If you've got the coin I've got the steel."
I was taken aback by the tame reaction he had to my shift, but didn't let my surprise show as he ushered me through a door and into the small building connected to the smithy hut.
"Surprisingly calm." I added in my gravely voice as I shifted back into my human form and clicked the door shut behind me.
"I'm not a pony, son. Takes more than a sharp set of teeth to get my feathers ruffled." He joked with a chuckle, as he struck a match and sparked it to life. "Name's Aegaeon Steeltalon, by the way." He added as he leaned over towards an unlit lantern.
The lantern quickly cast a orange glow on the room, revealing the interior of what was presumably a workshop of some kind. He ushered me over to a nearby table which held many different pieces of parchment, some more scribbled than others.
Setting down the lantern with a small clink he turned to me and squinted. "Hmm… so you need somethin' fer both forms aye?" He asked as he scratched at his chin feathers once again.
Moments of silence went buy, before he gestured to a nearby crate by the table… low enough to sit on. "Well, lets talk business."
I strode across the dirt path leading out of town, the clear blue sky giving way for the afternoon sun as it beamed down on me relentlessly. I could see the farm in the distance, the same farm I'd stolen from during my first couple days here. I cringed at the memory and hoped it wouldn't come back to bite me in the ass.
Aegaeon and I had worked out a deal, of course he told me he isn't gonna do any casting until he sees the money for himself.
I understood his caution, after all it's not every day you go from making iron nails to getting a full armor commission. I decided against showing him the gold coins, after all I didn't have to pay for anything yet… and over my travels I may und up accruing enough bits to use as payment. Whether it's from random work or slowly exchanging some gold here and there along the way.
Meanwhile it'd also give him time to draw up plans for the set, more specifically to solve the problem of fitting two different forms… though he assured me he'd have something 'brilliant' by the time I returned to Ponyville.
I gave a snort of annoyance and shook my head. 'For the asking price, it'd better be brilliant.'
Another thing I learned today about this world is the price for armor was… actually a bit higher than I expected, though not as much as it would cost in Azeroth funnily enough. At first I was a bit startled by the absurd number he gave me… a whopping 540,000 bits. After the initial shock from hearing the gargantuan number receded and I did the math, I found that worked out to about 1800 gold total. With each gold piece weighing one ounce it made the conversions much easier, that's for sure.
He said 500,000 would cover armor costs, with the other 40k going towards 'research costs', as he put it. Said he'll need to use extra material to try and figure out a design that'd accommodate my… needs. The metalworking business was never really my expertise so I just went with whatever he suggested, of course I'll be comparing his prices to others on my travels… just in case I am being ripped off.
A lone shadow crawled across the ground, pulling my attention to the sky as a single cloud drifted by. It looked quite out of place in the empty horizon but I paid it no more mind, it was just a cloud after all.
As I neared the farmland I noticed the path split off into two, one leading to the left and into the apple trees, while the other led up towards some farmhouses. I elected for the latter and pressed on, until I spotted a slow moving green figure in the distance just outside what looked to be a huge three story house.
I quickened my pace, and moved to wave at the figure who quickly noticed me and signaled me over. I approached her and quickly noticed she looked much older than any other I'd met so far. She was a light lime green color with an orange scarf wrapped loosely around her neck.
"Howdy there, sonny. Come help these old bones would ya?" Her shaky voice asked as she lifted a hoof towards me.
I leaned down towards her and lowered a hand, holding her hoof as she slowly climbed the stairs.
"Ma-am, I-"
"Eh?!" She cut me off as soon I spoke, craning her neck up as she looked at me in confusion. "Sorry young'in, you'll have ta' speak up. Mah hearin' ain't what it used ta' be."
"I'm here to purchase a carriage!" I stated in a raised tone, getting the mare to recoil a bit.
"Pear ridge? Fraid you're a long way from Van Hoover. This here's Sweet Apple Acres…." She said with a scowl as she shakily made her way to the front door.
"No, I said I'm here for a carriage!" I shouted louder, this time electing a surprised look from her.
"While I appreciate yer forwardness an ol' mare like me ain't fit for marriage anymore." She replied with a small laugh as I facepalmed.
"For the love of… CARRIAGE! Here to buy a CARRIAGE!" I was well above a yell at this point as the old mare took on a look of realization.
"Well, why didn't you just say so!" Turning around, she motioned over to a barn across from the house. "You'll have ta' talk to Big Mac fer that. You'll find him in the barn iffin you fancy yerself a carriage."
The shaky mare hummed to herself and slowly made her way through the front door as I stood there silently, until the screen door slamming shut pulled me from my stupor. I shook my head and peered over to the nearby barn, before shrugging and making my way over. I could hear the tell-tale sounds of construction as I neared, the pounding of a hammer striking lumber reaching my ears quickly.
Stopping at the doors, I raised my hand and rasped loudly on the flaky red paint. The chorus of bangs ringing inside the barn ceased in an instant, until heavy hoofsteps lumbered towards the door. With a loud creak the right door swung inward as a pony I recognized from before popped their head out, their orange mane sticking to their face as sweat rolled down his forehead.
He looked me over curiously, before blowing a lock of hair out of his face and watching me expectantly.
"Big mac?" I asked, getting a single slow nod from him.
"Eeyup." He stated simply.
I pointed a thumb behind me. "Old lady say you sell carriages?"
He looked me up down, before nodding again and swinging the doors in fully. The inside of the barn was seemingly divided in two, with one half containing various baskets filled to the brim with delicious looking apples, and the other sporting various different carriages. Many had a tarp covering them, and the few that didn't seemed to have work being done on them… various tools strewn about nearby.
"Have a preference?" He asked as he sauntered over to the aforementioned vehicles.
Gripping each tarp with his teeth, he pulled them off and revealed the treasure underneath. They ranged from a simple open back loading trailer, to full blown coach.
Scratching my chin, I pointed to the latter designs. "Something big. Lots of space." He nodded as he moved to pull off another tarp. "Light too. Easy to pull." I added, getting him to look at me again before nodding once more.
I looked them over, my eyes drifting across the display ranging from the smallest wagon to the largest coach.
"The price ranges from 1500 bits," He began while motioning to the smallest vehicles, before moving towards the largest. "-up to 75,000."
I squinted at the prices he offered me, and motioned to the largest coach. "Seems cheap. Armorer wanted… over five hundred thousand?"
Big mac gave me a weird look, before shaking his head. "Ponyville's lucky to have Aegaeon, Forge workers in Equestria are rare. Not many ponies buyin' steel, 'specially armor. Lumber on the other hoof-" He paused as he tapped his hoof on the nearby wooden coach, eliciting a solid thunk. "Always in supply."
'Even still… seems awful cheap'
After another pause, Big Mac let out a sigh. "And… we gotta move these soon." He admitted. "Need the money."
I neared the carriages and examined them each closely, they definitely weren't shoddily made that's for sure. Everything looked like solid craftsmanship.
"Fields huge, feeds whole town. Why need money?" I asked, glancing back to the pony. "Sorry, too personal." I admitted sheepishly as I turned my attention back to the vehicles.
The pony waved off the apology as we stopped next to the largest coach in the lineup. "S'fine. Truth is this year'll be a tough one. Mah sis hurt her leg not too long ago and I've had to do all the apple buckin' myself." He sighed as he shook his head, flicking the loose orange hair from his face. "Thought she was gettin' better and not strainin' herself, but yesterday she came home limpin' all over again… hasn't talked to me bout it yet."
I nodded as I focused on keeping up with his words as my hand slid down the solid oak coach, sanded down to a perfect smooth texture.
"How's this one?" I asked suddenly, patting the exterior of the largest coach.
Mac sauntered over to me, and pulled the side door open. As it swung free a small set of steps slid out from the bottom, allowing easy access to the interior. Using one hand to brace against the side, I pulled myself up and into the innards of the large coach and was pleasantly surprised with the spacious interior.
"This is first in the 'Voyager' series." He gave a tug at a rope on the wall, and a bed unfolded from the flat surface. "Has everything a traveler would need." I watched him pull different compartments open one by one, ranging from a table and chairs to various storage compartments.
I glanced at the oaken frame in worry. "Looks heavy."
He shook his head and tapped his front hoof on the wooden floor, electing a few solid thuds. "It's got all the standard enchantments." He answered simply.
I gave him a curious look, and after a few moments of silence he pointed at the floorboards again.
"Propelled axle and the titan suspension enchantments. This baby could prolly haul a dragon with jus' a single driver." He stated proudly. "This one's 75,000 bits."
Nodding my head I ran the numbers through my head… 250 gold pieces.
I hopped out of the coach with him close behind. "Will take. Can pay now?"
"Well, spose' we could." Mac answered with a shrug as he walked over to the barn doors. "How will ya be payin? Check or bits?"
Shaking my head, I pulled my pouch free from my waist. "Will take gold?" I asked hesitantly.
Mac stopped for a second and cocked his head. "…gold? Well… I don't see why not. Long as it's the real deal."
We both exited the barn, and I followed him towards the house the elderly pony had entered. We made it to the door as he held it open, motioning me inside. I hesitantly passed him and ended up in a spacious room with the lime green pony I saw before, sitting in a rocking chair in the corner and snoring loudly.
A thud from behind me caught my attention as I spotted Mac by a table, pulling out what seemed like a weight scale, before waving for me to come closer. I quickly crossed the room and set my pouch on the table, before reaching in for a gold coin.
"Gold is at… 315 bits per ounce. How much ya want to trade?" He asked as I pulled out a single coin.
"Pay for all, each coin should be… one ounce." I answered as I set the coin on the scale.
The coin perfectly levelled out with the counterbalance as Mac looked closer at the coin. "That's a… strange lookin' coin. Never seen one like that."
"From home." I answered quickly. "Far from here."
He hummed to himself, before reaching for the coin. He paused and looked towards me, as if asking for permission. I nodded for him to continue as he picked it up and walked off towards the room the elder pony had been sleeping in. I waited patiently at the table in silence, until he came back a few minutes later with the gold coin in his teeth.
Dropping it on the table with a metallic clink, he sighed. "Well, it's real gold at least. Sure you wanna pay with this? Price of gold's always climbing." He asked in a worried tone.
I began sliding more coins out of my pouch and towering them nearby, counting them as I did. "Yes, only money I have."
I didn't bother to account for the fifteen bit difference, and instead just stuck to the '300 bits per coin' method for now… I didn't really care about losing a couple extra gold if it meant avoiding the headache of converting the odd numbers. There were many things I was great at, and math wasn't one of them.
With each coin I stacked higher the stallion's curious gaze turned more and more bewildered. I stopped at at 250, a nice pile of gold coins now stacked neatly in the center of the table. I reached into the pouch one last time, pulling out a small red vial and setting it next to the pile.
"What's this?" He asked curiously, motioning towards the vial.
"First arrived, stole from you." I admitted, getting a surprised look from the pony. "Took apples, was lost… sorry." Tapping on the glass I quickly rolled it over to him. "Will heal user. For sister."
Stopping the rolling potion with his hoof, he shook his head. "I appreciate the honesty, and the offer… but-" I cut him off with a shake of my own head.
"Just take. Have plenty more." I added sternly, getting his hard look to falter after a moment with a sigh. "Safe, promise. Gave to Zecora, guard pony too." As I said this he looked over the vial again, before picking it up once more and staring into the swirling crimson liquid.
I pulled his attention from the potion as I motioned to the front door. "Can't take today, can come tomorrow? Before sunrise?" I asked, getting a delayed nod from him.
"Eeyup. Not a problem, I'll be up then." He let out a sigh, before setting the potion next to the pile of gold. "I appreciate the generosity, mister…?"
"Dalandor." I answered quickly, getting a slow nod from him.
"Well then, Dalandor. The Apple Family thanks ya for your business." He finished with a lifted hoof, which I grasped and shook firmly as he motioned to the potion. "Never heard of a potion healing somepony before. Where'd you get it?"
Leaning back, I reached into my pouch and held a couple more in my hand. "Alchemist. Made myself."
He looked a bit hesitant at first, before smiling and giving me a single nod. I said my goodbyes quickly and made my way out of the house, eager to finish my last task and rest. My exhaustion was finally catching up to me, having spent the whole night writing out spells and potion matrices… I was finally feeling the creeping tiredness gnawing at my consciousness I'd ignored until now.
Shaking my head and clearing the haze starting to take hold, I followed the path down to my last destination. The afternoon was alive with all walks of life, from birds streaming past and into the forest to various critters racing along the grass. The abundance of these creatures only seemed to increase the closer I got to my destination, and before long I could see it just ahead… a small river flowing around it gracefully.
Steeling myself, I made my way over the small bridge and towards the front door. Knocking lightly, there was a few moments of silence until the door creaked open and a familiar set of eyes peered out at me in surprise. The door opened quickly as Fluttershy gave me a warm smile.
She didn't say anything, but waved me to come in. I slowly knelt down and crawled into the half sized door before standing to full height. I was still a bit taken back by how much room there was in here, it was like she was planning on having a bear over for lunch or something.
Fluttershy quickly shut the door behind me, before pointing over to a nearby couch which held a single occupant. Before I could say anything she flapped her wings and took off into another room. I blinked owlishly, before looking at the creature on the couch. It was one hundred percent the oddest thing I've seen here so far, and it seemed to share that thought as it looked me over with it's own curious eyes.
It's body was skinny like a snake with brown fur, yellow eyes containing crimson irises that bored into me. His parts were all mismatched, as if some lunatic had created it in a fit of pure insanity… adorning all manner of parts from various species.
"And just who may you be?" The strange creature hissed as he stuck his nose up a bit, before a flash of light conjured a monocle and ridiculous looking top hat on his form.
I shook my head at his sudden appearance, but before I could say anything Fluttershy came gliding back into the room... a large glass bowl in tow.
"Sorry Discord, he can't understand you. He doesn't speak Equish." She said softly as she placed the bowl down on a nearby table.
Discord rolled his eyes before snapping his fingers, instantly conjuring a variety of vegetables in the large dish.
I stared down at the food in curiosity. 'Mana food? Strange...'
I reached down and snatched a piece that looked to be a cut carrot stick. I tentatively took a bite, before my eyes suddenly bulged... I couldn't taste any mana at all.
It was real. This creature had just created actual food out of magic, something that should have been impossible.
A mage could conjure food and water, feed and hydrate himself for days... maybe even weeks. However it all comes at a price, as the food does not truly sate your hunger, nor does the water quench your thirst completely. It all just staves off the inevitable, eventually you'd have to eat real food.
"Can talk, little bit." I finally spoke, catching Fluttershy off guard for a moment.
"Oh! Wow you learned so fast, good job!" She said enthusiastically as Discord just squinted his eyes at me.
"How you make this?" I questioned him, motioning to the bowl of food.
He gave me an even weirder look, before snapping his fingers again. Suddenly the food all came to life, the carrots screaming, the grapes bouncing around and the dip... the dip was growing.
"I can make anything, thank you very much. It just so happens today it's just normal food." He sighed, snapping his fingers again and reverting the food back to normal. "For Fluttershy."
I blinked at the creature, whatever he was… he didn't exactly seem stable. Something about his demeanor told me he was constantly moments away from snapping. From the way he twitched around at every noise, his eyes constantly swiveling… examining everything around him. Sometimes it felt like he was looking at me even when he wasn't, he carried a strange aura with him that's for sure.
"We were just starting our tea party, we have one every Tuesday evening." Fluttershy spoke as she began pouring steaming liquid into a couple cups. "You're welcome to join us… if you want to that is."
I just shook my head, motioning to the armor I was still wearing. "Can't, sorry. Have… order?" I asked, getting Fluttershy to let out a small gasp.
"Oh! Yes, I do. She dropped them off this morning." In just a few moments she brought out a cardboard box and presented it to me.
I gently took it from her, before peeking in the top and noting the muted colors of the clothes. I breathed a silent sigh of relief, it seems she kept her word and stayed away from the bright colors. Closing the box shut, I stuffed it into my pouch and reached down to her. I gave her another scratch behind the ears, and it elected the same response it had last time only even more intense.
She cooed and pushed her head into my hand as I remembered the first time I did this, letting out a small smile at the cute display. "Thanks yellow." I said softly, before looking back up to Discord again.
'He looks kinda mad' I noted as he glared at me from the couch.
I quickly cut off my petting, much to her displeasure, and made my way back to the front door.
"Long trip. Gone for a while, can ask for something?" I asked Fluttershy, getting a quick nod from her.
"Sure, what did you need?" She asked innocently.
"Socks." I said simply, pointing to my feet. "Have measurements, yes?"
She blinked at me owlishly for a moment, before sputtering. "Y-yes, I d-do."
Giving her another nod, I gave one last look to Discord... who hasn't stopped glaring at me.
Without another word, I closed the door behind me and began my trek out of town. I had no specific destination in mind as the sun slowly crossed the sky, after all… I had the rest of the day to occupy myself yet had no work left to do. Eventually I happened upon a particularly large hill, climbing to the top and laying down on the soft green grass.
I stared up into the sky, watching as patches of clouds slowly blanketed the horizon. Not many, but enough to consider a storm a possibility. That's when I noticed the clouds weren't really forming... but being placed. Before my very eyes I watched as a pegasus physically moved a cloud and placed it somewhere in the sky.
I burned the rest of the daylight watching the pegasi work. It was almost entrancing at the sky slowly disappeared behind a cobweb of clouds. I stayed there all day, all the way until the clouds blotted out the light and the sound of crickets ignited the atmosphere around me.
Hours passed like minutes, and before long I awoke to a sudden drop of water on my head. I blinked, before sitting up and looking around. I'd fallen asleep at some point, the world having raced by me as I slept peacefully…
Another drop of water landed on me, followed by a steadily increasing rate of the offending liquid soon after. I didn't mind the rain, it actually felt kind of soothing as it made small pitter-patter's off my armor. Slowly, I pulled myself to my feet and began my walk back to the farm. Each step pounded in my ears, drowned out only by the torrent of water crashing around me. So many emotions ran through me at once, Anxiety, anticipation… but must of all I was excited.
This was it.
Time to start over.