> We're all Equestrians now > by Wrinklenator > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Awakening of Mystery > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- We’re all Equestrians now. Chapter 1: Awakening and Mystery I woke up, but it was not to my alarm or my father telling me again that I needed to get ready for school. In fact, I didn’t see the usual and with the sight of my ugly ceiling above me. It was a bright blue sky with very fluffy looking clouds. I did not feel my lumpy bed on my back, I felt…. grass?? Oddly enough, I felt like I was clothed enough to not be naked, yet naked enough to not be clothed. “Hello there!” Said a figure whose head popped up upside down to my view. “AH!” “Oh! Phew! I thought you were in a dire situation there for a second, mister.” She looked like a yellow horse of some kind. She had an orange spiky mane with a bit of yellow streaks here and there. Was that a horn on her head? “Err, hi?” I said. “You look like some kind of equine or horse… like a pony or something. How are you talking?” Her bright light blue eyes and adorable face twisted with a sense of great confusion. “Uhh…” she said, “Because I can?” to which I replied, “No, I mean- ponies can’t talk!” Her confusion seems to magnify with my question and she retracts her head. “What do you mean ‘ponies can’t talk?’ You’re just as much as a pony as I am and you seem to speak perfectly fine to me.” She smiled a bit awkwardly. My eyes suddenly went wide with shock. “But I- WHAT THE-” I looked down and saw a green tall and slender pony body and a brown tail. I could feel the tail a bit and I gave it a flick. “I… I don’t understand, I- Whoa!” I tried to get up but my whole body felt weird. My legs felt as if they were turned around and my arms felt like legs. I kicked all of my limbs in a desperate hope to get up. However, I only squirmed as I remained on my back. It felt as if my fingers and toes were fused together. My neck felt longer and it felt more muscular, and for the first time ever, I could actually control my ears. My whole anatomy had changed. “I… I uh…” I stammered. I felt awkward being naked and having a female above me. Then again, I guess this is normal for ponies. “Are you okay?” she started to say. “Oh no, I am uhh… fine.” I tried to get up once more, but I had absolutely no idea how to do so. “Are you sure?” she asked. “I guess you could… give me a boost.” I said trying to smile without a large sense of total awkwardness. “Okay. Here I go!” She said as she pushed her small head under my side and pushed. “ARRRG!” I screamed as her horn pierced my side. “WHOA!” I was now on all fours with all of my legs spread out at what seemed to be their maximum length. I was shaking with fear. Fear that I did not know how to walk and fear as to why I was even here and why I could not remember anything. Well… except for the fact I was in High School I could at least remember my age, but my name was gone from my mind and I couldn’t even remember what I used to look like. “I’m so sorry my horn got you like that!” she said. She put her hoof on my side and started to rub my throbbing side. ‘Boy, did that feel nice’ I thought. “You sure are jumpy.” She giggled, “You’re an interesting one. Everypony can get up on her own, but why can’t you? Did you forget how to walk? Did you suffer some kind of concussion or anything?” I just stood frozen trying to comprehend the situation. “Did you just say ‘everypony’?” I asked as I looked over what I think is still my shoulder. “Yeah. Why? You’re a strange one, sir.” I felt so odd standing on FOUR legs. I touched my extended face with my new hoof. With no fingers, it felt very different than before. I decided to sit down and try to grasp what was going on and get my head in place. I brought my front hooves up and put them right in front of my face. I looked down and saw my new hooves. ‘I am a pony. I am a pony. I am a pony.’ I repeated this phrase in my head. This is such a weird dream. I didn’t think lucid dreaming could be this real, but I guess it was like this. I mean, it’s not like I could tell from experience. I got back on all four of my new legs and tried to walk. I did so slowly. Front right. Back left. Front left. Wow, this feels weird. “What was the last thing you remember?” the yellow filly asked. “I- I- don’t remember, I went to bed, I think, and now I am a pony.” I said. “Now you’re a pony? Are you sure you didn’t hit your head a little too hard there, mister?” she said. I turned around shakily and steadily as I was not used to my new form. “No, you don’t understand. I was originally a human. Something happened to me apparently and I… Why are you laughing?!” She cackled hysterically after the word ‘human’. “You ARE an odd pony if you swallow all of those made up mythical stories.” She stopped the humor momentarily. “Then again, you don’t look like you’re from around here. I’ve never seen you here before in Ponyville. I’m Hollynight. What’s your name? Where are you from?” I gained more confidence in my standing ability and stood up straight and was about a head taller than she was. “My name is…” Suddenly, my name randomly popped into my head, “… Capidas.” I choked a bit on that last word. I was surprised at my answer; I could not remember my REAL name but I could remember this random name that popped in my head. This could be part of the lucid dream. “Capidas. That’s an interesting name.” Hollynight said excitedly, “Here, follow me and I’ll show you around Ponyville.” She started to trot off on the dirt road in the opposite direction of a gloomy dark forest. “What is that?” I asked as I stared at the strange eerie forest that seemed to lure me into its presence. “That’s the Everfree Forest.” She said, “That forest has always been strange. It’s not like a normal forest. There’s something dark in it that makes it twisted and unnatural.” She paused. I just stood and stared into the forest where the pathway made its way in deeper. “Come on, let’s get out of here.” I stared at the forest for one last second before turning. As soon as I turned to follow Hollynight, the weird spell like connection that was on me broke. “Wait up!” I called. Front left. Back right. Front right. I decided to speed up slowly. I was doing it! I started to trot up the dirt road catching up to Hollynight. I felt triumphant! “Hey, Hollynight, wait for me!” I started to gallop, my very first gallop! I love the new feeling of the wind in my new mane! “I think I got the hang of this quad pedal style of walking.” I said as tripped over my own legs, slammed my face on the ground and got a mouth full of dirt. Talk about one weird dream. I don’t even get this scenario. I thought dreams were supposed to be based around experiences maybe or something I have seen before. None of this seems familiar. Aw heck, I can’t even remember my real name! Let alone this strange place or that filly with something on her flank. I finally caught up to Hollynight on the road to Ponyville. “So,” she said, “You never did say where you were from, Capidas.” “I never did,” I said “I don’t remember where I am from though. The last human memory I can recall was laying my head down to rest. I think.” She rolled her eyes. “Sure.” She said. “I can’t start a normal conversation with you I guess.” I felt a bit awkward. I guess I sounded crazy. Then again, if some person walked up to me and said he or she was a pony from a distant world and could strangely not remember the life he or she had beforehand. That person would sound pretty crazy to me. “What’s that mark on your… uhh.” I said. “My what now?” She replied. “That mark on your… how do I put it? Flank?” “It’s my cutie mark?” she looked at me a bit worried. “It looks like a balance scale. What is that supposed to mean?” she stopped in her tracks to look at me. I stopped as well and turned just to check if it was I at whom she was staring. “What?” I asked. She stood wide eyed and stared. She looked a bit scared and then gave a menacing stare. I leaned back a bit. She then peeked at my flank and saw it was blank. “Somepony of your age SHOULD have a cutie mark by now.” She then looked up, “You’re serious, aren’t you?” She looked concerned and a bit scared. “I am serious!” I claimed “Now you’re getting it!” She stared at me and circled around me with interest. “Wow, a real human huh,” she then stopped to think, “But, how did you get here? Why are you here? To get here, you would have to have traveled from a whole different world. No magic is powerful enough for that, or at least that I know about.” Hollynight said. She pondered for a moment. “I guess we could go to somepony who might help,” she said with unease, “Then on our way we go. It looks like we got a mystery to solve. To Ponyville!” After we climbed up a small hill, we saw a village in the distance. “There it is! That’s Ponyville.” Hollynight said as she pointed onward. “I think I know where we can start.” We made our way into the town. There are colorful ponies everywhere. Some ponies were even flying. “Hey, how are those ponies flying?” I asked. “Those are Pegasi. There are three kinds of ponies: Earth Ponies, like you, Unicorns, like me, and Pegasi like…” “Hey, Hollynight!” yelled a light blue Pegasi who came trotting from behind. “Oh hey, Glaciem.” Hollynight responded, “How did the Best Young Flyers’ Competition go?” “It was going well until some odd winged pony had her wings evaporate.” Hollynight looked bewildered, “That sounds awful. Is she okay?” “She’s fine. Another performer managed to perform this amazing sonic rainboom to save the poor mare.” Glaciem said. “So that’s what that explosion was!” I rolled my eyes and wondered if those girls, I mean, fillies were done talking I started to look around. Three mares were laughing together while walking. A big red pony was unloading hay. Hay. Yuck, now that I am a pony, I guess I’ll have to eat that stuff now. However, there is always the hope that there will be better options. There was some odd pink pony bouncing up to enter what looked like was a bakery mixed with a candy store. Next to it was a strange male zebra on a wooden box with voodoo looking ornaments performing some weird magic for some foals. “Sorry for leaving you out, Capidas.” Hollynight said as she tapped me on the shoulder. I turned around. “This is Capidas, Glaciem.” I saw she was a bright light blue Pegasi with a gray mane that had a dull light blue stripe through it. She had a long bushy tail and a snow-flake as a... what was it called.... oh yeah... a cutie mark. Her eyes were light blue, but they were darker than Hollynight’s eyes. Come to think of it, they were more like a lightning blue. “Nice to meet you, Capidas!” she held out her hoof and I shook it awkwardly. Glaciem looked at me strangely but smiled all the same. “So what are you two doing, you look new here, Capidas. Where are you from, Capidas?” “Believe me,” I started to say, “you wouldn’t believe me if I told you.” I shrugged and smiled a bit. “How is that so?” she replied. “Capidas,” Hollynight interjected, “come on, we should go now. I’ll catch up to you later, Glaciem.” Hollynight and I started to trot off. “Where are you going? Hollynight, we’ve been best friends since we were foals. Are you keeping something away from me?” Hollynight stopped, “Glaciem, you won’t believe me.” She said. “Of course I would believe you.” Hollynight just sighed, “Capidas is a human and we’re trying to find out why he’s here and how we can get him back to his world.” Hollynight said. “I don’t believe you.” Glaciem responded. “I can prove it!” Hollynight said with determination and stomped her hoof down. “Look at his flank. See. It’s blank. A regular pony would have a cutie mark by his age.” Glaciem looked at my flank. It felt increasingly uncomfortable of having this stranger just examine my butt. Perhaps this must be normal for ponies? “That is strange. Wow, a human, an ACTUAL human,” Glaciem looked me up and down. “But who or what did this to you, what did this thing look like?” “I don’t know,” I said “I just woke up and Hollynight found me. I have no clear memory of being a human other than the fact I know I used to be a human.” Glaciem nodded, “In the meantime, Capidas, welcome to Equestria.” She beamed at me I guess she was hoping to liven my somewhat depressed mood. “So what were you going to do to solve this?” Glaciem asked. Hollynight blushed, “Well, I uh…” “You uh what?” “I thought I could go see Lyra to see about any-” “LYRA?” Glaciem burst out, “she just reads made up stuff by other psychos! If we REALLY want to help Capidas, we need a REAL expert. Let’s start at the library.” We turned our direction and Glaciem knocked into the strange zebra that I noticed earlier. “My apologies, miss.” His stature was slightly higher than mine and his voice sounded soothing, sly and deep, “for I was not aware that you might change your direction, forgive me.” He assisted her to her feet, I mean, hooves. His creepy tiki looking necklace rattled. “That’s okay, it could have happened to anypony or any zebra.” Glaciem said. “Say, did you think you could have your fortune told by the privileged Doctor Chaoi-Wa? Such a lovely mare like yourself could surely use some help in this world.” “Thanks, but no thanks. I have to help my friend. Maybe sometime, I promise.” He made eye contact with me briefly then quickly looked away. I saw him put on his cloak again. It was almost like he knew I was on to him. I can’t see how that’s possible considering I haven’t met the guy. “He’s new isn’t he?” Hollynight said as we made our way to the library. “I can’t say I’ve seen him before, so yes.” Glaciem responded. We approached a giant tree with windows and balconies. “So, what’s in here?” I questioned. “We are looking for the smartest pony in all of Ponyville. Her name is Twilight Sparkle. I’m pretty sure she has read up some stuff about humans, or at least have some books on some.” Hollynight said and she went up and rang the door bell. We waited for a while and a small purple dragon answered the door. “Hello, girls,” said the dragon. “It’s been awhile since I’ve seen you two here. Where’s the rest of your usual gang?” “They’re on a trip to Fillydelphia.” Hollynight said. “Anyway, with what can I help you, girls?” the purple dragon asked then he noticed me. “This is our new friend Capidas. We were wondering if Twilight was here. Is she available, Spike?” Hollynight said. Spike shook his head, “I’m sorry, she just left to go to the Everfree forest to get some tea from Zecora.” “That’s okay, Spike.” Hollynight responded as the dragon closed the door, “There’s no point in going into Everfree, and it’s getting dark anyway… Capidas, did you want to stay with me?” I jumped a bit at how quickly she asked me, “I meant- err- if you uh- wanted?” She said to save herself from her assertiveness. I was a bit stunned, “Really? Well, I don’t think I have a choice considering I don’t have a home. I’d love to spend the night. Thank you Hollynight, that’s very hospitable of you.” I tried to say that in a way that could relax Hollynight. Glaciem rolled her eyes, “I guess I’ll see you two LOVE BIRDS tomorrow at the Library.” She flew off and Hollynight blushed. Put any criticism or comments beLOOOOOOOOOOOOOW > Dusk to Twilight and a Doctrine of Memories > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- We're all Equestrians now Chapter 2: Dusk to Twilight and a Doctrine of Memories I followed my new friend to her home. “I have an extra guest room upstairs. Nopony has used it in a very long time. If you ever wanted the sheets changed, new pillows or anything else, I’d be happy to help you out.” “Thanks, Hollynight.” I said. We approached her home and she unlocked the door. “My home is a bit messy. If I knew I had guests coming over, I would have at least made the place presentable.” She said. We entered the room and saw a round table in the middle of the room with documents on top of it along with a few mugs and spare paper and pencils. Pencils? How do they write with hooves?! Or do they use their mouths? That’s got to be annoying. An old couch was to the left with a coffee table in front of it. A couch? I don’t get that. Wouldn’t they just lie on it with any need for the back? Do ponies sit like humans? At least they don’t have park benches. Seeing a pony sit like a human would just be just as creepy as a human sitting like a pony. A small but nice looking chandelier hung from above with some cobwebs on the top of it. Behind it were several medals and certificates with shelves of books on the right hoof corner wall. A staircase going upstairs was to my left. “What’s all of this?” I inquired. She went up to her kitchen counter and started to wash some of her dirty dishes. “Those are medals I got for studies in law. See my cutie mark.” I looked at her flank and saw the balance scales. “It’s the balance for justice. I take pride in protecting and fighting for liberty for all ponies. Remember, Capidas, nopony is above the law!” She look back to smile and then turned around again. My stomach growled. I went up to her and asked. “Hollynight? What do ponies eat, hay or something? I’m starving.” She nodded and said, “I’ll get you something, just try to lie down and relax.” I went to the couch and paused. “How do you ponies sit down?” I asked. Hollynight just facehoofed and rolled her eyes, “You can sit on your butt you know.” I sat down just as a human would. Hollynight used her magic to float two tea cups and floated one on the table. She sat down next to me and used her magic to lift the cup to her mouth to take a sip. I reached for my cup and realized I had no fingers. “Hollynight, how do I pick this up?” “Oh it’s easy.” She put down her cup on the table to pick it up with her hoof. “See?” My jaw dropped. “How did you do that?” “You just pick it up,” she responded and did it again, “come on, it’s not difficult, try the pencil.” She hovered a pencil to the table and picked it up with her hoof. “Now you try.” I tried to scoop the pencil with my new hooves as she did and every attempt was in vain. “ARRGGG! This is so frustrating!” I looked down a bit sad. “Capidas, don’t worry, you can get this in no time.” She said and after four minutes I managed to pick up the pencil and then my mug. I still don’t know how I did it. It’s like… I… forget it..... screw logic in this odd world. I went upstairs and got into her guest room which was the second door on the right. It was dark and had a lamp on a table that gave the room all of its light. The bed in the corner looked a little bit old and its side was underneath the window. I hesitated for a minute and thought as to how I was to get into the bed. I moved the sheet and put my front hooves on the bed and kicked up with my back legs hurling myself on the bed. I went to pull the bed sheet on me, but I forgot I had no fingers. Here we go again. I lied on my side and closed my eyes. Why am I here? Is this all a dream? It seems so real. My mind was churning with all of these questions and more. My anxiety shot up and I couldn’t help but turn over repeatedly. “Capidas, you’ve got to get some rest.” I whispered to myself. No, that's not my real name, though! Then what is it? I just couldn’t do it. I decided to sit on my bed as a pony would and look out the window and stared at the moon. The moon. Even from Equestria, the moon looked the same way it always. I stared and stared until my staring was sore. I let my eyes become droopy and lay my head down and finally allowed my body and mind to rest. I found myself in the abyss. I was standing on what appeared to be nothing. Everything was completely black. I saw two silhouettes that were black but a somewhat lighter than the rest of the abyss. The silhouettes were human shaped to my surprise. One looked as if he was a bit unsure about something and the other, the taller one held out his hand. The shorter one thought hesitantly and then shook his hand. They were frozen like statues. I saw an odd orb made of fog floating in the distance. There was a weak feminine voice that came from it. It sounded no louder than a mumble. Suddenly, the whole place turned gray and foggy. The gray turned to white and I woke up. I looked at my hands, but they were still hooves. “I guess this isn’t a dream after all.” I became sad and felt my ears drop as they now reflected my mood. I just sighed and said to myself flatly: “I am a pony.” I trotted downstairs and saw Hollynight was making breakfast. “Good morning, Capidas. I made you some toast!” she said cheerfully, “Did you sleep well?” I sat down on the chair and looked at the two pieces of toast with some slices of pears on the side. “Yeah, kinda,” I replied, “I always hoped this was just a dream, but only now I know this is real.” Hollynight sat down and gave me a concerned look. “Why would it be bad that this is real? Don’t you like things here?” she seemed a bit hurt by my comment. “I didn’t mean it like that!” I tried to recover what verbal damage I caused, “It’s just that I-” “No, I understand.” Hollynight interrupted me. She smiled weakly, “You had a life before this with a family and everything. I understand why you would want to go back home.” I grinned a bit. After breakfast, we got outside. Hollynight looked around, “Okay, Capidas. Let’s go meet Glaciem at the Library.” I nodded. We trotted down to the Library and knocked on the door. That same purple dragon named Spike answered again. “Hello, Spike.” Hollynight said, “Is Twilight here this time?” Spike nodded. “She sure is. Twilight! We have company!” Spike yelled “Glaciem must be running late.” Hollynight said. I saw a purple mare step from a room into the main floor of the large room. “It’s bigger than it looks.” I said expressing curiosity as we strolled into the odd tree building. “Hello, there.” Said the mare. “I’m Twilight Sparkle. I’m sorry I wasn’t here to help you yesterday but I’m sure I can make it up right now. What do you need?” Hollynight looked at me and gave a motion that was suggesting that I was the one who should ask Twilight. “Twilight,” I started, “do you have any books or other information on humans?” Twilight looked confused and shocked at the same time. “Humans?” She inquired, “Why humans?” she walked over to the shelves and started to look around. “Because they- uhh” I got nervous. Should I reveal that I am a human? Nah, she wouldn’t believe me. “They have magical properties that are interesting.” Hollynight blurted out and winked at me thinking she came up with something that was somewhat intelligent. It was my turn to facehoof. “Humans have no magical powers, Hollynight.” Twilight said turning and raising an eyebrow. Twilight pulled out a book with a levitation spell and started to walk toward us as she flipped the pages searching for something. I sighed and I knew I had to admit it. “I’m a human and I need to know how and why I got here.” Twilight went wide-eyed, “Are you serious?” I nodded, “Yes. I woke up and Hollynight found me on the outside edge of the Everfree forest. I have no memory of being a human and I want you to help me discover the truth.” Twilight looked at me cocking her head and replied, “Now that, I believe.” She put the book down. “I have a better idea.” Twilight said walking up to me, “I could try a memory spell so you could recall how you got to become a pony.” “You can do that?” I asked. “Sure I can.” “Will it hurt?” she then giggled a bit and said in a calming voice, “Just close your eyes.” Her horn glowed and I obeyed. Twilight’s spell caused my body to feel like a liquid turning around as if I was being morphed with mind. I entered that same abyss like the ones in my dream. The dark clouds were starting to form into shapes to make up a brown room. The room was being decorated by the floating whips that become what looked like to be odd voodoo looking objects, tiki things on the walls and shrunken heads. Strange candles were lit everywhere and a table with an old purple cloth appeared in the middle of the room. There was a bookshelf that appeared with both books and potions and powders of some kind. All of this and two humans, not ponies, were sitting at the table where a stack of cards had just formed. Once the last floating whips formed the last decorations of what was a memory, the scene started to play out. I was just a floating 3rd person like object observing the scene; like a narrator of a storybook’s view. The two people sat at the table. One was a man wore clothes that were brown and tattered. He had white paint on his skin. He had purple eyes which were exceptionally bright. The man had his voodoo necklace and other related trinkets on his neck and clothes. The other one was… I. I saw my 17 year old self. I was at the table. There I was with my shaggy brown hair and I looked a bit curious and nervous. “I completely understand, my friend,” said the witch doctor, “I understand that you’re in a bad position.” He started to shuffle his cards. “You’re depressed with life. You feel like you’re going nowhere.” His voice was a bit cunning yet soothing. “I know you want to start a new life in a whole new place. You want to be free and gallop from destination to destination; go where ever is your destiny is sayin’.” He chuckled with a sinister but reassuring tone as he snapped his fingers with one hand and spun the cards with his other making them vanish. The ‘me’ in the memory jumped back in my wooden seat. “I think I know just the way to help.” He said slowly. “You can do that?” I said eagerly. “Oh of course, we just got a couple rules, regulations and other quotas to establish entering this here world.” He replied as he pulled out a very old book with its pages being old and decaying. It had some unrecognizable text that was probably hundreds of years old. He searched frantically and then stopped at a page. “Quotas? Rules? World? I thought you were to help me with my life, not start a new one.” I said sounding a bit demanding. “Helping your life, eh?” he seemed to avoid the question, “I too was just like you.” He said. “I was never fortunate to gain anything enough until one day I met some… interesting beings…” he laughed with a villainous joy and sounds as if ghosts were laughing came from around the room. My memory self jumped in my chair and started to shake a bit. “Now, I am a very busy man.” He said and he pulled out an old rag to place it on the table. “I have to say it’s been awhile sense I did this old spell.” He pulled the rag up and a mini mixing bowl appeared and some bottles with materials in them. “I want to get out of this place just as much as you. I would be gone by now. The one drawback to voodoo, kid, is that enchantments have to be done on someone else. It forces generosity. Before I begin, I need to know that you’re in on this.” I went to shake his hand he held out but I hesitated. “I don’t know. Begin a new life? Start over? Completely?” I put my hand back down. “LISTEN TO ME YOU LITTLE-” he started to yell but then inhaled. “Listen, kid, you know you’re never going to amount to anything in this life and you know it. This is your chance.” My face turned from uncertainty to a bit sad and somewhat angry. “Aren’t you tired of living under the stress of the unknown yet sure to be sad future ahead? Aren’t you tired of seeing those other successful people who are only there in their places because of luck? You know, luck you never had.” My face turned from a mix of sadness and anger to anger with the desire to take action. “I am on a very tight schedule, friend.” He looked around his hut with a sense of worry at his voodoo masks on the walls. “I need an answer now!” He snapped, “Are you ready for this?” I saw my own face go from pensive to smiling with essence of despitefulness and eagerness. “I… am...” “Come now, shake my hand.” I saw myself reach out and shake his hand with confidence and enthusiasm. “YEAH!” he shouted with glee. Suddenly, strange drum beats started to play from nowhere and the candles went out to make the room’s color from a dull yellow to a dark green with purple light swirls forming and wriggling through the walls and floor. “HAHAHA! EEEYESSSS!” he hissed. He snapped his fingers and the ingredients on the table started to float in the air then mix themselves. A red powder was made and the cards on the table separated and spun around the Witch Doctor. He grabbed one and the red powder dropped from the bowl and landed on a card. “Now we’re talking!” the doctor yelled after blowing the powder and it divided into green and purple floating swirls. “Come, boys. Take us both and make sure he can’t remember this.” The doctor Beckoned. “What? Why?” I yelled over the escalating noise of the sound of the nonexistent drums. “It’s better that way, kid. Besides, I got things to do and I don’t want anybody getting in my way.” I watched myself shake with slight fear and amazement as my real self was surrounded by the green swirls and the witch doctor was surrounded by the purple swirls. Both of our bodies turned into just green and purple silhouettes and then we evaporated leaving the room empty. Everything in the room then turned into gray smoke and then the smoke formed into Twilight’s house reappeared with Hollynight, Glaciem and Twilight. Glaciem must have come while I was out. I just sat in the room with a blank look and I collapsed and put my hooves on my head. “Capidas, you were frozen for about a minute or so. Are you okay?” Hollynight asked. “I’m fine but my head is spinning a bit. How long was I out?” I replied. “You were in a state of daze for about four minutes,” Twilight said, “Whatever tried to erase your mind was pretty powerful. I had to boost the power of the memory spell for it to get through.” I felt perturbed by the memory. “What happened? What did you see, Capidas?” Glaciem asked interestly. “I saw myself as a human in this witch doctor’s hut. Apparently, I met the man to help me out with my life. I had malaise about my life. I felt like a failure and wanted help.” All of the three mares were leaning in and listened intently with wide eyes. “I needed this man and I asked him to help me out. The thing that now worries me is that he may have needed me more than I needed him.” Hollynight then look perplexed, “Why would you say that?” I stood back up on my four legs and answered, “He talked about being on a ‘tight schedule’ and instead of helping me out, he wanted me to enter a new world and he seemed eager to come along too.” Glaciem put her hoof to her chin in thought. “He wanted his pals to erase my mind so he could focus on his tasks he wanted.” I continued. I then explained every bit of detail I had in the memory to my fellow ponies. Hollynight thought for a few seconds after I finished and then she drew a conclusion, “I have drawn a conclusion! He probably is in deep trouble with somepony, or something.” “Like some kind of debt. In order to have a debt, that means somepony has to have given you something you need to pay back.” Glaciem added on. I felt my stomach churn with uncertainty and worry. “Do you think I am a pawn or was I just a stepping stone?” Hollynight walked up to me and tried to calm me down, “Don’t worry about it, Capidas. You got us, right?” “Yeah,” Glaciem jumped in, “he’s off doing his own thing right now. You gained something from it too you know. You’re a pony now and being a pony is much more awesome than being a human.” I puzzled and puzzed until my puzzler was sore, then I thought of something I hadn’t before. Maybe Christma- wait, wrong story. What Hollynight and Glaciem were saying was totally true. I did have them. They were my new family. The life I had behind me was now just my past. I could now achieve anything in this place. “The witch doctor actually did give power,” I started to say. “WHAT?” Twilight, Glaciem and Hollynight cried out in unison. “He gave me the power to change Equestria.” They all sighed with relief. I laughed a bit. “I have a new life now and I can make it anyway I want it. I now have a clean slate.” I turned to look at Hollynight and Glaciem specifically, “I need you two to teach me all about being a pony.” They both embraced me and it felt like it lasted hours. Le Story continues! Please leave criticism or any other interesting stuff belooooooooooooooooooooooooooooow "It's much easier to hate than to create." -Smart People > When things turn a corner > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- We’re all Equestrians now Chapter 3: When things turn the Corner I walked to Hollynight’s home with her. I just listened as she pointed out everything in Ponyville. She showed me the town hall. She pointed out a barn in the distance and said it was Sweet Apple Acres. “And there’s Sugarcube Corner.” She pointed out. It was that same building I saw that had the zebra-. The thought just hit me. Was that zebra the witch doctor in the vision? Why was he here? No, that can’t be. It was just a coincidence. Even if it was, it's not like it mattered. “Capidas, is something wrong? Why did you stop?” Hollynight asked me. I noticed she was ahead by about ten feet. “Sorry, I didn’t know I wasn’t moving. A thought just popped in my head.” “What thought was that?” “It’s nothing.” “Okay then. If it’s personal, you have a right to keep it to yourself.” She said and walked over to me. “Just remember that I’m always here for you.” She put her hoof under my chin to nudge it up and her eyes became droopy as they looked into mine. Her eyes snapped open became aware of what she was doing. “Let’s move along, shall we. There’s ‘Quills and Sofas’. I know. It’s weird. They only sell two things." We finally got to her house. Hollynight unlocked the door with her magic and said, “I remembered something. You could use a cutie mark, mister if you’re going to be a pony now.” “What’s a cutie mark, again?” I asked. “It’s that mark that appears on a pony’s flank when she realizes her special talent.” She responded as we walked inside. “Is it permanent?” I asked again. “Of course silly, but what would be your special talent?” she said. “Whatever it may be, I want to get some sleep.” I yawned. “It’s that late already?” Hollynight said surprised. “Yeah, considering I did sleep in and remember you showed me Equestrian history at the library before we left.” “Okay, well I hope you can get rest tonight, you have calmed down now, right?” I smiled and nodded, “I feel ponirific! Is that a word you ponies use?” I smiled showing my teeth to try to impress her. Hollynight rolled her eyes and looked annoyed. We then stared at each other with blank expressions and unanimously started laughing, “See you in the morning, Capidas.” She went to a chest next to the door I did not notice before, grabbed a saddle, and tied it on her back. “Where are you going?” “To the post office, my friends said they’d send me something while on vacation and I want to see if it got here before I go to bed.” Hollynight left and I went upstairs into her guest room. Guest room. It might as well be my permanent room. I can’t move in her house forever. Hollynight seemed to be very happy when it came to me staying here. I felt calmer than the time of the previous night. I got into the bed and lay my head on the old pillow. “Ah… things are good. I can’t wait for tomorrow.” I whispered to myself and fell asleep. I entered an odd abyss. “Not again.” I groaned. I saw a foggy orb of a few bright colors, almost a pink and a green of some kind. I heard a weak voice again. That same voice. That same weak feminine voice, only it was slightly stronger than before. I could hear it just well enough to make out the word ‘you’. “What about me?!” I yelled because I figured she was far away. “Who are you?” I cried out and ran to the orb and…. The atmosphere turned from pitch black to everything dissolving into a grey fog. I woke up again. “What was that?” I asked myself and I looked outside to see three foals covered in tree sap. “Hmm, but this time the voice was stronger.” I thought out loud, “Well, then it’s only a matter time before my dreams reveal what she said.” I walked out and turned to my left and headed to the shower that was behind that door at the end of the hallway. I opened to door to see the bathtub. “Wait a minute. I can’t stand up on two legs so how is this going to work?” Let’s just say a managed to figure it out. I felt fresh again. My pony coat felt so clean and my brown mane and tail was rather heavy with water. I sat down and dried myself with a towel I found on the rack. “Wait a minute can I… no wait, that’s dogs.” I got out of the bathroom and headed downstairs. I was only slightly home sick and wanting to be a human again. Well… I wouldn’t say it was all gone, but it no longer bothered me unless I brought it up. I trotted downstairs to see that Hollynight was up again making breakfast. Gee, that mare sure tries hard. “Hollynight, what do ponies normally do?” I asked her. “Well, my friends and I would hang out and do whatever, but most of them are still on vacation.” She replied, “Did you want to get a job or something now that you’re stuck here? Maybe we could use the extra money to redecorate this old place and you could get your cutie mark!” My face and ears started to droop a bit when she said ‘stuck'. She turned around, “Oh! I’m sorry, Capidas, I’m sorry.” She said trying to undo the damage. “Nah, that’s okay. I kinda like being a pony now. The world is so peaceful here.” I smiled lightly. “Peaceful here? Weren’t things nice in your world?” she was perplexed. “No, things weren’t nice. Some things we great for some people, it really depended on where you were born and lived. There is always some person fighting somepony else, I mean somebody else.” Hollynight looked at me as if I was a horror movie. “That’s sounds so… so…” her voice was shaking in sadness, “…horrendous!” her eyes started to water a bit. On second thought, make that watering a lot. “Hollynight!” I said surprised, “Are you crying?” “I apologize,” she wiped some of her tears with her hoof, “but I can’t believe your own kind would KILL each other.” She sobbed. “Not everyone is like that.” I said and I hugged her and stroked her mane to calm her down. “Most of us humans are opposed to killing and fight to keep others safe using force only for defensive means.” Whoa, her mane felt so soft. She's still very upset..... how could I get her mind off that? “You know, Hollynight, what was that place called? Cubed Sugar Corner?” I said to distract her. She wiped the last of her tears. “It’s Sugarcube Corner. Did you want to go there?” she asked her mood lightening. “Yeah, let’s go get something to drink.” Hollynight sniffed one last time and we trotted outside together. “It’s a family owned business with an assistant of theirs who also lives there. Her name is Pinkie Pie. She’s a really sweet pony. Both in her personality and her diet.” Hollynight joked. We walked in Sugarcube Corner with a pink pony with puffy hair. I’m guessing it was Pinkie Pie just because the name matched the color of her coat and mane. Before Hollynight could introduce me the pink pony gasped while she jumped in the air. “OhmygoshOhmygoshOhmygosh!” the pink pony squealed with a squeaky and fast voice. “You must be new because I know everypony here and that means I would have seen you before and because I can’t recognize you because you’re new you must not have any friends except for Hollynight here obviously but I knew that not because I stalk ponies well I seldom do but I know because I can see you’re hanging out with her but anyway I’m Pinkie Pie what’s your name!?” I stood frozen. How did she get all of that in one breath?!?! “Pinkie Pie, this is Capidas and he-” “CAPIDAS! Wow! What a unique name I’ve never hear anypony with that name before OhMyGosh you’re here and new and that means you never had a welcome party! OhMyGosh I need to start sending so invites to everypony in town so we can have that PARTY!” She jumped on the word ‘party’, “We need to have everypony R.S.V.P.,” she started to snicker a little, “A.S.A.P.!” said Pinkie Pie and she snorted with laughter after the punch line of her own joke. She ran out the door fast she created her own gust of wind. “Is that pony mentally stable?” I asked seriously. Hollynight just giggled a bit, “Don’t sweat it, she’s just being Pinkie Pie.” This was just plain weird, but I liked it. Hollynight and I walked over to the glass counter of Sugarcube Corner and tapped the bell on the counter. “Just a second, dearies!” I heard a voice from the room behind the counter. “Hollynight darling!” said the pony again who came out of the kitchen. The mare had a coat of bright blue and a mane that looked like different colors of strawberry soft served ice cream came. “It’s so nice to see you again, Mrs. Cake.” Hollynight said gleefully. “Oh, who’s the new stallion in town? What’s your name, dear?” the hostess turned to face me. “I’m Capidas.” I said, “I’m guessing you’re Mrs. Cake?” “That’s right, and I’m guessing you’re a good guesser.” She then looked around, “Oh no, I hope Pinkie Pie didn’t scare you. She really likes meeting new ponies, and she does tend to go overboard on her greetings.” “The welcome party is being planned now. He’ll have to be on alert until then.” Hollynight interjected and tapped me on my mane. “We’ll take two cupcakes and a vanilla shake.” Hollynight said. Mrs. Cake nodded and trotted off to the kitchen again. “One vanilla shake?” I asked, “Why not two?” We walked down and sat at a table together. “Two reasons: One: they are pretty big, and secondly: it’s always nice to share a drink with a special somepony.” I felt odd. I felt warm and fuzzy inside. Was Hollynight... .nah..... But then again, It wouldn’t hurt to ask. “Hollynight, did you-” “Here you are, you two.” Mrs. Cake gave us a platter with our order on it and went back in the kitchen. “Here’s to us!” Hollynight said and grabbed her cupcake and held it up. I grabbed mine and we hit them together in a toast. My mind suddenly surged with pain and I collapsed backward on the ground. “Cap-!” Hollynight’s voice faded away as the room turned to grey smoke and then to the black abyss. I lifted myself back up. Aw, this again… I looked around the abyss. I sat on what felt like the floor but was nothing to be seen. I waited for that same voice. “COME ON! I KNOW YOU’RE CAUSING THIS AGAIN!! SHOW YOURSELF!!!” I stood up and shouted in rage. I heard nothing. Then the orb popped up in the distance and glowed much stronger than before it did. “I am here, human.” The orb glowed more brightly and it morphed into a white pony with a mane and tail very different from other ponies. It was animated and flowing. She was different than the other ponies in one… or two… other features; this mare had both a horn AND wings and she had a cutie mark of the sun. “Capidas, I am Princess Celestia. You must understand that there is a growing threat in Equestria.” The white mare said. “Are you one of those wise leaders that rhyme when they speak?” I asked her. “What did you say?” “Oh nothing! Growing threat, uh? Oh great.” I rolled my eyes; “I knew the happy feelings and thoughts were too good to last.” I mumbled and my ears drooped. I’m starting to get used to my ears helping me express my emotions. “There is a human out there, an enemy, someone I thought I had banished quite awhile ago. This man is Chaoi-Wa.” “Chaoi-what?” I asked. “He’s the man who brought you here, Capidas. He entered this world through the help of dark spirits. They are evil beings that have ravaged several worlds other than our own and consumed all of them. My sister, Luna, and I had fought these spirits before and they fought me with great power and swiftness. They wanted to feed on the joy and love felt by all ponies in Equestria and collect their souls for their own twisted uses.” The Princess said. “What does this have to do with Chaoi-Wa, Princess?” I asked, Celestia shook her head, “I don’t know too much. The spirits need him to get them to Equestria. But the spirits are not his minions, they are his masters.” I cocked my head in slight confusion, “Really?” She nodded, “Yes, this much I know is true. Luckily, he is not as strong as they are and they have grown much stronger in the world where I banished them.” I thought for second, “It was Earth. Wasn’t it?” Celestia nodded, “Yes.” “Why, Princess?” She closed her eyes and hung her head. “I’m sorry. There were too many of them to contain them here in Equestria, so I did what came first in my mind. Luna and I just teleported them into another world.” “My world. Then they met Chaoi-Wa.” I said. “I don’t know that for sure… but yes, they are working together and Chaoi-Wa is going to bring them back.” She paused for dramatic effect probably. Pfft, Princesses, think they’re so much better than everypony else. “It is up to you to stop them.” I became fearful of what I was to do next. “Why me, Princess? Why am I the one to stop him?” Princess Celestia started to fade out. “Because I you’re a human with a strong heart and mind, Capidas, and only someONE like that can stop this man and his monsters. I’m sorry this burden has to be on you.” “I understand Princess.” I nodded to show my comprehension. “One last warning, Capidas.” I perked up once more, “Yes?” “The only reason you are here is because of him. The spell is still bound to you. Should something happen to either one of you, the spell will be broken and both of you will leave Equestria. Is that clear?” It was like the Princess slapped me across the face. “So you’re saying that, once Chaoi-Wa is defeated, I have to leave this place?” I asked. The Princess nodded one last time. “I apologize again, Capidas.” She faded away and the black abyss turned to gray smoke and I woke up. > To Everfree > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- We’re all Equestrians now Chapter 4: To Everfree “CAPIDAS!” Hollynight yelled, “Oh my goodness,” she gave me a hug as I lied on the ground. “You were out completely,” she started to giggle a bit, “I am so glad you’re okay.” I was all sweaty and panting. I looked around to see an orange pony with a yellow mane and cowboy hat looking relieved. “Shoot, ah thought ya’ll was never gonna make it.” She said. “Who are you, and what happened exactly?” I said still panting. “Mah name is Applejack, stranger.” She gave a tip of her hat, “Ya’ll were on the groun’ squirmin’ a bit when ah entered the store. Ah heard Hollynight cryin’ out fur some help and ah thought ah’d come in to see what ah could do. Ah was about to get help, but then ya woke up from yer seizure.” She smiled and I shakily got up. “Hollynight, Applejack,” I started to say, “we have to go right now, there’s a great threat lurking over Equestria right now. “Huh?” Hollynight and Applejack asked in unison. “I had a vision where this mare named Princess Celestia appeared to me and warned me. She told of a human named Chaoi-Wa who has come to Equestria and works for some dark spirits.” “Dark Spirits?!” Applejack jumped, “Whoa Nelly! Why are they comin’ here, Capidas?” “They've already BEEN here before, girls.” I said, “and they are coming back to feed off the souls of ponies.” Hollynight and Applejack stared at me looking frightened. “What are we going to do, Capidas? What can we do to help? Just tell us where you want us and what to do.” Hollynight questioned. Her worry switched to determination in an instant. Oh crap. What to do? What to do? Why didn’t the princess give me any advice on what to do!? “I… uh… I don’t know, exactly.” I had an embarrassed look on my face. Hollynight facehoofed and thought, “I got an idea, but we should get Glaciem, Capidas. Applejack, we’ll go fetch Glaciem to help us, what should you do?” Applejack face lit up with an idea, “Ah think it may be time ta get the Elements of Harmony! Ah’ll go get the others. We got ourselves a villain to beat.” Wow, her accent is just so FREAKING SWEET! We galloped out of Sugarcube Corner and went our separate ways. Hollynight and I started to go to Glaciem’s house. “Hollynight, this is my entire fault, the one who is bringing those spirits back was the man I met who turned me into a pony.” I said. “Capidas, don’t blame yourself for this. You didn’t know after all, right.” She replied and we turned a corner. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. I still can’t help but feel guilty.” “Don’t be hard on yourself yet. We need you to stop this guy.” Hollynight assured me. “Hollynight, what are the ‘helements of armory?’” I asked. “Elements of Harmony. There are six of them: kindness, laughter, generosity, honesty, loyalty and magic. Only six ponies can use their power, you’ve met three of them. Pinkie Pie, Twilight and Applejack. They are the most powerful things in all of Equestria. Only they can stop this monster and his allies.” We made it to Glaciem’s house and she knocked on the door. No answer. “Oh great, of all the days…” she said, “We’ll never find her. She could be anywhere!” I turned around and saw Glaciem trotting away happily. “There she is!” I exclaimed. “GLACIEM!” Hollynight yelled and ran over to her. “Glaciem, we need you right NOW. We ha- uh, what’s with the bag with herbs in it?” “Oh. I need them for somepony I met.” She said and used her wing to open the bag briefly to show us its contents, “he needed it to perform this amazing spell he said could help my flying ability to help condense clouds!” she closed the bag and started to trot off. “Hey, maybe he could help you two as well.” “We don’t need silly spells right now! We need you to help us-” “Who is this pony?” I interrupted and we followed her where she was going. “He’s not really a pony. He’s a zebra. That same zebra we bumped into when I first met you, Capidas. I finally got to my promise to see him again.” That zebra. That same zebra! “Glaciem, he’s not the zebra you think he is.” She stopped in her tracks, “Huh?” “Glaciem, that zebra is the same man who transformed me and himself to equines and brought us to Equestria.” I told her. She looked at me funny. “Are you sure?” I then nodded. “What’s even worse is Hollynight and I know what he’s after. He wants to bring his Voodoo friends back here to feed on ponies’ spirits.” Her look went from a bit skeptical to a more nervous state. “Oh dear.” She said, “Maybe these herbs weren’t for the spell he said he was going to cast.” Hollynight then spoke up, “Where is he right now?” “He said he wanted me to go to the Everfree forest to produce the spell, but he first wanted to meet me near the library so we could go together.” “Hey, Glaciem. He doesn’t know that you know who he really is.” I started to scheme. “Hmm, yeah.” She said slowly. “If you two are going to Everfree, we can delay him long enough for Applejack to round up the Elements of Harmony and her friends to defeat him.” I firmly planned. “Capidas! You’re a genius!” Hollynight called out. She gave me a quick hug, “Let’s do this, everypony. Let’s save Equestria.” Hollynight and I watched from behind a bush. Glaciem moved up to the zebra, Doctor Choai-Wa. We saw them speaking and they started to walk toward the Everfree forest slowly. We snuck to the entrance of the library. The door swung open and we were grabbed and pulled in to the dark room. “SURPRISE!” A large room of ponies shouted and Pinkie Pie jumped out from the crowd and into the middle of the room. “Hi there Capidas I’m Pinkie Pie do you remember me do ya do ya do ya and I threw this party for you of course it wasn’t a surprise party considering I let slip that I was planning one for you. Buuuuuuuut was it expected that it would be RIGHT NOW! Were you surprised? Huh huh huh?!” She bounced and said in her high-pitched squeaky voice. Again, I know this is a serious situation, but SHE IS SO FREAKIN’ CUTE! “Pinkie Pie! This is no time for a party!” Hollynight interjected angrily, “We’re trying to save Equestria fro-” “Don’t be so frustrated, silly!” Pinkie Pie shoved a cupcake in her mouth. “Calm down……. now….. CALM RIGHT BACK UP!!! Isn’t this great? We got a pony’s welcome party to celebrate!” she bounced off into the crowd. “Hollynight, don’t we need her to activate the Elements of Harmony?” I raised my voice to drown out the loud music and chatter. “I guess Applejack never got to her yet.” She yelled back to me. The door swung open. “What in tarnation?” Applejack said. She trotted over to Hollynight and me. “Applejack, did you get the others?” I asked. “Well, Ah got Rainbow Dash to get the elements and ah got Rarity an’ Fluttershy. Then ah made my way here ta get Twiligh’, an’ ah’m seein’ this!” she slammed her hoof on the ground in frustration. “Well, Pinkie Pie-” Hollynight started to say. Applejack facehoofed. “Great, ah hope we can find Twilight here.” “Hollynight, you go fetch Pinkie Pie and Applejack and I will go find Twilight in this mess. Meet back here as soon as we fulfill goals.” I said and we went our separate ways. We ran around the place. Ponies. Ponies everywhere (I hate that meme by the way) Talking, laughing and playing games like… ‘pin the tail on the pony’? What? But, they ARE ponies. Why not pin the tail on the dog or cow or ANYTHING! Anyway, I turned to Applejack. “Applejack, I’m taller, maybe I could stand on you so I could look around.” “Ya’ll stan’ on me?!? Now, ah don’t like ta sound like Rarity but I have ta be ‘onest sayin' this: Have some manners will ya. Ah’ll get on yer back.” I rolled my eyes, “Fine. Just don’t- GAH!” She hopped on me and her rough hoofs dug into my thin back. '' “ARG!” I cried in pain. “She’s thar!” Applejack exclaimed, “For Equestria, parner!” she cried and pushed her way through the crowded mob. I galloped through the path cleared by Applejack. “Twilight! We need ya, it’s an emergency.” We tapped Twilight on her back. She turned around, “Hello, Applejack and Capidas. Capidas, how has adapting to pony life been going. If it’s okay with you, I can get my notes and we can write down how you’re adjusting.” She rambled on. “Good gravy, girl! Will ya stop goin’ on about yer studies and listen! We got a really CRISIS at han’ and the Elements of Harmony are the last hope we have!” Applejack blurted out. “Crisis, what crisis? What’s going on?” “This weird spell caster weirdo McWeirdy is gon’ bring his spirit buddies and they’re gon’ be here any minute now unless we do somethin’!” Applejack said quickly. “Glaciem met with the zebra and she’s being taken to the Everfree Forest. We tipped her off that the zebra was working for the spirits while she was on her way to meet up with him again.” I explained. “Zebra? Is it Zecora?!” Twilight asked shocked. “Nah girl, it’s this weird witch doctor named Choai-Wa. He’s on his way ta summon dem righ’ now with that Glaciem filly. We gotta meet up with Pinkie Pie and get goin’ ta Townhall where Rainbow Dash should be thar with the Elements of Harmony.” Applejack rapidly defined the situation. Applejack then made her way through the crowd to the center of the room. Twilight and I followed as we struggled to make our way through the loud and obnoxious crowd. We saw Hollynight with Pinkie Pie who looked depressed. “Hello, ladies.” I cried out as we finally made our way to the center. “Capidas! I’m so sorry we had to cut your party so short I mean you just got here and now we have a super duper nasty wasty evil creepy villain to defeat. Hey, I know! We can reschedule your welcome surprise party to another time or we could just make it a welcome party because-” “PINKIEEEEEEEEE” Twilight screeched. “Sorry, Twilight.” Pinkie shrunk cowardly down. “Glaciem has to be in the Everfree forest by now, but don’t we have to meet up with Fluttershy, Rarity and Rainbow Dash with the elements?” Hollynight laid out for everypony to update themselves. Applejack was pensive for a second or too, “Ah have an idea! Capidas, Hollynight an’ Twilight will go an’ hold off Chaoi-Wa an’ the rest of us’ll get Rarity, Fluttershy and Dash with the elements.” “Sounds great, now we got to hurry, Chaoi-Wa could be at his destination by now.” I said and we ran out of the library to execute our assigned tasks. We started to race off until... “Twilight! Wait for me!” a voice came from behind us. “Spike! This is dangerous and it’s no place for a small dragon like you.” Twilight countered. “Ah come on, Twilight! All of you go on adventures all of the time without me, could I just go on this one, please!” he dropped to his knees and begged to the point of kissing Twilight’s hoofs. “FINE!” Twilight groaned and used her magic to float Spike gently on her back. Spike now had an ecstatic look on his face. “Forward, mush!” Spike claimed in a triumphant tone and Twilight rolled her eyes. After a few minutes of travel, We entered the Everfree Forest. We made our way through the forest and Hollynight stopped to pant, “Hey, guys?” Twilight and I halted and looked back. “Let’s take a small break. Besides, there’s a pond there that’s not mucky like the rest of this place.” We caught our breaths which also gave Hollynight the opportunity to explain the whole situation to Spike starting from Hollynight discovering me. “Capidas, do you like being a pony?” Twilight asked me and sat next to me as I stared into my own reflection in the lake. “Minus the fact that there is a crazy witch doctor out to destroy the place, it seems so tranquil here in Equestria.” I said, “The world is quiet here and I…” I looked up just as my eyes began to tear and I weakly smiled, “Oh how I love this place. I really do love being a pony, Twilight.” I turned to her and saw that she had a concerned and melancholy look. “So you don’t miss being a human?” she asked. I thought about what the Princess Celestia had said to me about not being able to stay here once that’s done. “Not at all, like I said, the world is quiet here. My home world is nothing like here. It's awful, starvation, wars, constant killing, people who rise to power through the help of foolish masses....” I smiled and tried to stop my depressing thoughts from popping back up. I won't be here to last. Once the connection is broken with Chaoi-Wa, I will leave. Wow, just like that. I was kicked into this world not knowing why or how and wanting to get home. Now, I really want to stay. Should I tell Hollynight? I'm going to have to leave and I can't break it to her. She really cares about me too much. If I told her, I'd only crush her feelings and that's not a great mood when fighting a bad guy. “Okay, everypony, we’ve rested enough and due to the hoof tracks I think they went to the ancient castle of the royal pony sisters.” Hollynight came up to us which made me jump a bit. I had almost completely forgotten her and the situation. “Capidas, you look a bit scared. Are you worried we’re not going to win?” Hollynight asked me. “Oh it’s nothing. Let’s go girls.” I took one as drink of water. “Ah, that’s the stuff.” (Reference drop to those who got it. No? You wanna piece of me, boy? Go! Go! Go!) We galloped to our destination. Hollynight and Twilight lead the way except this time Spike was on Hollynight’s back. A few more minutes passed and we at last reached a ruined castle that was broken by nature. “I’m guessing that’s it?” I predicted. “That’s right. But hold on a second, were we supposed to meet up with the others?” “I don’t think we planned that.” Twilight said flatly. “Fantastic. Well what do you thi-” “SHH!” Hollynight whispered, “Listen. Follow me.” She waved her hoof, motioning us to join her as she quietly trotted to the entrance. “Any way, Mr. Chaoi-Wa…” we heard Glaciem say. “That’s DOCTOR Chaoi-Wa to you, Glaciem.” Chaoi-Wa snapped back. We looked through a crumbling window sill. Glaciem was there with her back turned to us. Chaoi-Wa was drawing some weird marking around a circle painted on the ground surrounding a single pillar with five pillars sticking out. Chaoi-Wa had finished drawing his markings, “Now, give me the herbs.” He requested her. Glaciem obviously remembered our plan and started to stall. “Herbs are nice! Did you want me to get some for you at the store or something?” Chaoi-Wa just looked at her as if she spoke Greek. “Listen, filly, give me the herbs.” Chaoi-Wa insisted and he held out his hoof. “That’s a great idea let’s go get them from outside! Nothing like the herbs being fresh from the wild!” she quickly turned around and we ducked out of view now that attention was being drawn to the entrance. “I think I know what’s going on here.” Twilight, Hollynight, Spike and I started to sweat with nervousness. How could he have caught onto our plan? Is he THAT SMART!? “What’s that, doctor?” Glaciem turned to ask attempting to conceal her worry just as much as we were. “You don’t want to get a flight enhancement spell after all,” he shrugged, “I understand.” Our four jaws dropped. Is he THAT STUPID!? We peaked out the hiding spot once more. “That’s exactly it, Chaoi-Wa.” She bowed her head. “Please forgive me, sir.” “I still want my herbs.” “That’s not possible!” Glaciem retorted. “How so, young one?” Chaoi-Wa asked, leaning in, obviously acting suspicious. “Girls, we got to help her out now!” I whispered to my friends. “Agreed.” Hollynight said back. We turned the corner rapidly to enter through what was supposed to be the door. “Stop right there, Chaoi-Wa!” I cried out, “I know who you are and what you’re planning to do.” “Me? Planning? I was only trying to help this needy Pegasus enhance her flight with my enhanced flight spell!” he said with an innocent tone stepping back as if taken aback. “You’re not fooling us, doctor.” Twilight asserted and stepped forward in front of Hollynight and me, “In just a few minutes, our friends will be here with the Elements of Harmony to stop you!” “What is it that you three think I am trying to do?!” Chaoi-Wa asked us, sounding a bit frustrated and scared. “Do you think this guy is telling the truth or putting on an act?” Hollynight whispered in my ear. My ears perked up. Oh no, what if we got the wrong guy! “Twilight?” I gently addressed her. “What? What do you mean?” Twilight said back. “Do you think we got the wrong, one?” “Uhh… good question.” “We’re here with the Elements!” a sky-blue Pegasus called out. “Rainbow Dash!” Twilight cried out in relief. “We’re all here now, so let’s melt the crony!” Dash said and she gave Twilight her crown that matched her cutie mark. “Rainbow, I think we made a mistake.” Twilight said and pointed to Chaoi-Wa who was now covering himself with his front legs and quivering in fear. Rainbow Dash peaked behind Twilight and noticed the zebra. “Oh jeez, uh.” Rarity, Applejack and Pinkie Pie already had their necklaces on and entered the now crumbling royal entry hall. “Ladies,” Rainbow Dash turned to address them, “I think it just a small tiny possibility that maybe we could have accidently nailed the wrong pony.” She looked as embarrassed as Twilight now. “So I stopped my hooficure for NOTHING?!” a white mare with a purple mane whined. “Of all the worst things that could happen…” “This is… THE WORST POSSIBLE THING!” She drew up an old ancient bench with her magic and fell on it. “OH EW GROSS! DUST AUGH!” “Rarity! Ah quit goofin’ aroun’!” Applejack said and helped brush her off. “Now what do we do?” Pinkie Pie asked hopelessly. “I guess we just pack up and go home, false alarm right?” Twilight addressed them. They all nodded and took off their necklaces and put them in each of their saddle bags and Twilight put hers in Rarity’s bag. “I don’t get it. Celestia told me about the threat and the name of the pony and everything.” I questioned. “Maybe it was just dream?” Glaciem suggested. “No, no, no.” I assured her, “we just need to find the right one.” “But who is it, anyway?” Hollynight stomped. “It was I the whole time.” Chaoi-Wa jumped up and laughed, “Are you really THAT STUPID.” The witch doctor slammed his hoof and was surrounded by purple swirls that engulfed his body. Once the wisps cleared, he looked exactly as he did in my memory. He wore the same brown and tattered cloak; he had the same tiki necklace and white paint on his dark skin. He was a human once more “I love acting, isn’t it fun?” he snapped his fingers and all of us were flabbergasted as nine voodoo spirits slithered out a saddle bag in his cloak. They were thin and tall with arms as long as their bodies with just a tail for legs. They had fingers long, slender and clawed looking. Each one was as black and night except for the mouth which, when open, was one hundred percent transparent. They all had bright purple eyes that moved as if the edges were on fire. “I luckily got myself a few to tag along for the initial ceremony, kid. Soon, PONYVILLE WILL BE ALL MINE! THEN, EQUESTRIA WILL BE OURS!” Leave your critique and/or any other comments in the section beloooooooooooooooooooooooooooow "It's much easier to hate that to create." -Smart People > It's lore no more. > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- We’re all Equestrians now Chapter 7: It’s lore no more. “Now come, my acquaintances,” Chaoi-Wa called out with glee, “get them!” Glaciem threw the bag on the ground and started to rip up the herbs. “Hollynight, Capidas!” she cried. “Are they edible?!” I spat out. “Yeah, why?” I started to eat the herbs and they tasted like a rotten apple core that’s been wrapped in moldy hay and dipped in dragon perspiration. “AHAHAHA!” Chaoi-Wa cackled, “I can always get more. You’re just delaying the unenviable, FOOLS! Get the Elements of Harmony from the bags!” The voodoo spirits moved swiftly and dove for the mane six. “Girls, quick!” Twilight frantically cried, but it was too late. The spirits shrank and dove into their bags and exited with eased and went back at Chaoi-Wa’s side. “Good, friends. Now what do with them, the ponies and the Elements. My only order is to keep them alive and the elements intact. Voodoo magic is such an amazing power.” Twilight Sparkle remembered something. “Everypony, grab the torches on the walls,” she commanded, “their weakness is fire; we can use it on the Voodoos!” Spike laughed a bit when Twilight said ‘Voodoos’. All of us grabbed a ruined torch on the wall with our mouths and Spike blew fire on each one. “The flame is from Spike, so it will be harder for it to die out.” “You six,” Chaoi-Wa turned and addressed the six sprits holding each of the Elements of Harmony. “Hide them in the forest and protect them! Remember, your only here on a weak link, ya’ll can’t go too far away from me so just run and keep in the woods if you see them!” Chaoi-Wa ran down the entrance hall into the next room and his three extra minions followed as the other six dispersed. “Oh my! What do we do now?” the yellow pony asked. “Fluttershy. You, Rarity, RD, Pinkie and I are gonna have ta hunt those varmints down! The res’ of ya’ll hunt down Chaoi-Wa and stop him from gettin’ his last ingredients.” Applejack said. We all nodded in confirmation and went our separate ways. Glaciem, Hollynight, Twilight, Spike and I followed Chaoi-Wa. There he was with his servants and all four of them were sketching out another ritual summoning area on the ground. “Chaoi-Wa! Give up now, you’re surrounded.” Glaciem said. The five of us cornered Chaoi-Wa and the Voodoo spirits; torches at the ready. “You know what to do.” Chaoi-Wa ordered one of the spirits and it took off. “He’s off to collect my last ingredient.” He sneered, “Now it’s three against five. You have clearly out matched me.” He paused and put the back of his hand on his forehead while leaning back, “Oh woe was me!” “Let’s just get him, guys!” Spike said. Without a second to react, Chaoi-Wa spun around and pointed his first two fingers and a purple bolt of lightning shot from the tips blasting Spike off his feet and knocking him against the wall. “SPIKE! NO!” Twilight screamed and tears burst from her eyes. “Spikey! No!” Chaoi-Wa mocked and laughed harder than ever. Twilight simmered with more rage than she had ever generated before and blasted a ray from her horn at Chaoi-Wa. The two voodoo spirits swirled together as if in the yin-yang shape in front of their leader and spun around rapidly forming a shield. The white beam Twilight shot bounced off them and flew into Twilight and she ducked down. The beam smashed the pillar behind her. The voodoo spirits went back to their spots at the witch doctor’s sides. “Thanks, fellas.” he said, “Feeling a bit mad I see, was he a… close… friend to you, filly?” “Twilight! He’s just stalling!” Hollynight told her. “Let’s charge, everypony!” The four of us with the torches back in our mouths galloped straight for the two voodoos considering we could take them out easier than Chaoi-Wa. The spirits melted and formed into shadows and then appear behind us as Chaoi-Wa snapped his fingers to evaporate and reappear at the same broken archway door where he entered and ran off. The spirits followed him swiftly after pulling our legs out from under us. “Why is he running away?” Glaciem asked and we got up and shook off the pain of hitting the cold hard stone floor. “I think he doesn’t want to risk it.” Hollynight said, “He’s just avoiding us until his lonely pal can get the herbs he needs to do the summoning spell.” Twilight ran over to Spike who was on the ground. “Spike! Spike! Are you okay?” Twilight said and nudged his body so he was on his back and tilted his head up. Spike just groaned. “Twi-ligh….” He moaned. “I’m here, Spike!” she said and smiled with relief that he was okay. She went to give Spike a hug. “Not now, Twilight,” Spike grunted, “ARG! I think I broke my arm. I’ll just slow you down.” “Twilight, we have to stop Chaoi-Wa before it’s too late! I’m afraid we’ll have to leave him!” I commanded. “I’m sorry, Spike.” She said and all of us took off in the direction Chaoi-Wa went. We found him back in the entry hall casually lying on the bush that had grown on the sphere of the center pillar. “This is quite nice up here, ponies.” He taunted. His assistants laughed a ghostly hallow laugh. Chaoi-Wa looked at his hand, flipping back and forth as if examining his nails. “If you’ll excuse me now, I need one of ya’ll with whom to swap my friends. They’re getting a mighty impatient.” He jumped down and stepped forward, “Any volunteers?” he sneered. All of us got back in our battle positions. Chaoi-Wa swung his arm and shot another purple lightning bolt at Glaciem which she dove out of the way in the nick of time. Each spirit split off to flank us Twilight took care of the one on our left and Hollynight swung at the one on our right. Chaoi-Wa generated another bolt that I dodged and ran up to him head butting his stomach and knocking him into the center pillar. He brought his hand up and grabbed me with a levitation spell. Glaciem flew into him and knocked him down once more. I turned around to see only one voodoo spirit; Hollynight and Twilight were diving at it every which way. The final spirit arrived with the needed herbs. Chaoi-Wa evaporated and reappeared at the entrance to the castle. “Give me those, hold them off, will ya, but leave the green one alive!” he left the place leaving the voodoo ghost to take out Glaciem and me. I threw my torch straight for the beast’s forehead as it charge at me and the torch went through the monster and the dark spirit disintegrated from top to bottom. Hollynight and Twilight dispatched the last ghost and all of us marched outside to find Chaoi-Wa desperately mixing his supplies in small bowl. “We have you now.” Hollynight said. Chaoi-Wa snapped his fingers once more to cause a frenzy of enchanted vines to pop out from the ground around us and started whipping at us. “DON’T SAY THAT LINE; YOU’LL JUST JINX US!” I shouted. The four of us fought back, but with a swift stroke by one vine, Glaciem was smacked in the head and passed out as Chaoi-Wa ran back inside the castle. A vine came down on me and I slid to my right and ripped it in two with my mouth. Twilight and Hollynight blasted the remaining vines. “We got the Elements… AGAIN!” Rainbow Dash cried out as she and the rest of the mane six galloped to us triumphantly. “Quick, put it on.” Rarity said and tossed Twilight her crown. Hollynight and I got Glaciem on our backs. “Capidas, Hollynight, just leave her on the grass, we got to hurry.” Rainbow Dash said. “All right girls, assemble!” Twilight commanded the mane six and they all spread out as their necklaces began to glow. Chaoi-Wa leaped on the grassy top of the center pillar and the markings on the ground began to glow as well and dark shadows started to come out at embed themselves in Chaoi-Wa’s chest. Chaoi-Wa grew in size and the mane six started to lift up in the air. Dark clouds formed rapidly with a growing wind and Chaoi-Wa raised his hands in the air with purple lightning injecting him with large amounts of energy. The energy of the lightning lashed out everywhere as it incased his body and the clouds disperse. Hollynight and I backed up in the corner and watched as a rainbow was released from the mane six and it hurled itself at Chaoi-Wa. However, the witch doctor held out his hand and once the rainbow touched it, its color drained from the end that touched his hand to the casters, and the mane six were knocked down. Hollynight and I stood aghast at what we just saw. The most powerful force known to pony kind had been beaten back by a single man with one spell. “You are such FOOLS! I AM NOW MORE POWERFUL THAN YOUR GREATEST WEAPON!” Chaoi-Wa yelled and cackled cynically. He lifted up Twilight and placed her in a small circle inside the larger circle. He snapped his fingers and old rusty chains appeared and shackled her down. “Prepare to enter the shadow world, filly, and my friends are gonna be mighty fine replacing your spot HERE IN EQUESTRIA!” Chaoi-Wa blew the powder on Twilight and stretched his hands in the air and a storm cloud formed above. Winds started gusting again and loose debris in the area was being flung around at top speed. Green beams shot from his open hands and connected with the clouds causing water mixed with electricity to slide down into him. The speed of the winds quickened and Chaoi-Wa started to grow in size, surging with energy. My shock turned to anger and I ran at top speed, my adrenaline pumping harder than ever and I leapt up in the air. I leapt higher and faster than ever before and I slammed into Chaoi-Wa, but was knocked back by a lash of lightning as soon as I touched him. I fell back and felt like my body was on fire and then it rapidly cooled. “CAPIDAS!” Hollynight screamed. Chaoi-Wa laughed and zapped Twilight with lightning and Twilight evaporated into the shadow world and a massive funnel of voodoo spirits started spewing out of her spot. The mane six were dumbstruck. Their friend had just been sent into the shadow world and then the whole place started to shake. “We got to get out of here, everypony!” I shouted and all of us ran out of the castle, “we got to find somewhere safe to go!” Hollynight and I picked up Glaciem. “Where should we go?” Rainbow Dash asked loudly over the sound of the tremor. “What about Spike?” Hollynight stopped on a dime. “I’ll get him!” I yelled. “We should make our way ta Zecora’s, she could give us some advice on what ta do!” Applejack hollered. “Let’s go everypony! I can leave some confetti along the way so Capidas can find his way after rescuing Spikey!” Pinkie Pie cried out. Hollynight and what is now the mane five ran over the bridge and I ran back into the entry hall; the ground was still quaking. “Oh, Capidas… or at least as you’re now called… don’t you ever learn.” Chaoi-Wa was hovering in the air with a white hot purple glow around him and sent another bolt of electricity at me. I just kept galloping to the next room as zap after zap missed me and… “DO A BARREL ROLL!” I shouted triumphantly and saw Spike on the ground. “I gotcha, Spike.” I said and bit him on one of his spikes on his head and hurled him on my back. “Grab on, buddy!” “Urgh. Hurts… so… argh.” He grabbed my mane with his only good arm and jabbed his heels into my sides to steady himself. I ran back and the last of the spirits filled the sky and they flew out across Equestria. “It’s so easy when you’re evil.” Chaoi-Wa said and turned to me. “Oh kid, I got to say I owe a lot to you.” He sent one more bolt at me and I held up my hoofs to stop it. I was shocked that the bolt actually reflected off my hoofs when an odd yellow glowing shield like wisp formed from my hoofs then disappeared. It reflected straight to Chaoi-Wa and hit him square in his gut. I just ran as fast as I could to find the trail of confetti to meet back with the gang. What was that? How did I do that? Why is the Elements of Harmony’s power shattered under him and my unknown ability work? I made my way in the forest and saw that same cream colored pony. She was crouched down and looking around nervously. “Hello, there. What was your name again?” I asked. “EEK!” she squeaked and flew inside an old log. She poked her little head out just enough to see who it was. “Oh, it’s you.” She sighed with relief, but still refused to leave her hiding spot. “I’m Capidas, who were you again?” I jumped over a log and I approached her. “Oh, uh, I’m… Flu-” she started to mumble and she hid her head behind her mane. “Okay then, Miss Fluh.” I looked back at Spike who was passed out, probably due to exhaustion. “Do you know where we’re supposed to meet with the others?” “Oh yes, they wanted me to be brave and wait for you.” She pushed her hair out of her way with her head and stood up a bit proudly. “Great, just show me the way…… Fluttershy right?” Fluttershy nodded and we made our way through the forest. “I can’t believe Twilight just disappeared like that.” Fluttershy whispered and then looked down. “I know,” I assured her, “that’s just scary.” “So, you’re the human one, right?” “Yeah, I was sent here by the guy we just fought. He transformed me and himself into a pony and teleported us both here.” I let out a sigh, “He used me to get here; he had no real interest in helping me.” “Oh, I’m sorry.” She assured me, “Don’t feel too bad about. We need everypony we can to beat this mean… uh… meany. How was that? Did I sound tough?” she looked at me with her dark green eyes and a little smile and nudged me with her head. “I guess.” I wasn’t in the mood for any petty judgment or guessing games. Spike made a moan and with that Fluttershy perked up and lifted herself in the air for a brief few seconds. “There!” she pointed and I looked and saw an old odd looking hut. “That’s Zecora’s place, Capidas. Let’s hurry before somepony gets us.” She zoomed to the hut and slammed the door behind her before I could even register a pathway to walk over the tangled mess of forest that seems to be more of a jungle. I peeked inside and saw a Zebra, Hollynight, Glaciem and the mane five. I pushed the door open and stepped inside. “Capidas, we’re so glad you made it.” Glaciem said with a sigh of relief. I put Spike down on a bed and Rarity and Fluttershy started to operate on his broken arm. “I can’t believe it,” I said, “Twilight’s gone.” I sat down and buried my hooves in my face. “Fear not my dear,” Zecora told me, “for the doom of Chaoi-Wa is near.” The Zebra went over to her cauldron and dumped some weird plants into it. “You have acquired a new skill to help you bend Chaoi-Wa’s spells to your will. Take this to the Canterlot Castle where Chaoi-Wa will be. Celestia will be sacrificed there you see.” All of us leaned in and listened intently. “The shadow lord seeks to enter our world; Celestia’s power is needed for him to pass through the portal. Go now all of you; Twilight will fight her way out soon. When she breaks out of the shadow place, she’ll need some helping hooves. Make haste. ” We nodded our heads in agreement. Spike jumped off his bed. “Come on everypony, we got a friend to save and Equestria to defend!” Sorry It took so long. School Werk haz been tough. they tell us we gotz tah youse correck gramer > Last Stand > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- We’re all Equestrians now Chapter 8: Final Stand We all stepped outside of the hut. “Good my pony friends do not fret, for the Equestria’s fate has not been sealed yet.” Zecora told us, “Twilight will come back soon, and save her to bring Chaoi-Wa doom. We all nodded. “If Twilight is fighting through the shadow world, where will she break out?” I asked. “If her pace is timed as I imagine her power, it would be in Canterlot tower.” Zecora replied. Spike hopped on Rarity’s back. Rainbow Dash flew up and peered into the distance and came back down. “We gotta hurry, everypony. There’s a whole storm brewing over Canterlot!” We galloped through the forest, jumping over tree stumps and ducking under the low branches. “Ah still dun know about this, everypony.” Applejack started, “If the Elements of Harmony can’t do anything ta that monster, how can we stop him?” We exited the forest and looked upon Canterlot. A large dark cloud was spinning around the top of the highest tower. Purple lightning struck some of the buildings. “How can we stop him if we’re not going to make it in time!?” Glaciem said pointing at the castle in the distance. “I can take care of that, girls!” Pinkie Pie jumped behind a rock and moved it aside to reveal a trap door. We all peaked in it. It was heading down at what seemed to be a 45 degree angle. There were stairs of dirt leading down that were crumbling with a few bugs crawling around. “Pinkie? How did you…” Rainbow Dash looked in the hole and looked up at Pinkie. “Oh I always keep random trapdoors to Canterlot! You know, in case of emergencies like this one!” Pinkie assured. We all looked at each other with perplexed looks, “Does she always do this?” I whispered to Applejack. “That’s Pinkie Pie.” She told me and shrugged, “Jus’ go with it, partner. Pinkie Pie doesn’t make a whole lotta sense anyway.” She winked at me. “Come on, everypony! In! NOW!” Hollynight commanded and we entered single file. Rarity lit the tip of her horn as she trailed in the back as Hollynight had her own glow at the front. The tunnel flattened out and was at a normal 180 degrees after about eight straight minutes of venturing down. The tunnel was still large enough for us only to queue up in single file. “Pinkie, how long does this darn thing go?” Applejack asked. “Well, I have quite a few secret tunnels that go every which way… so…. I don’t know.” Pinkie said. “Ugh” Rarity moaned, “this is going to take forever.” “Hey,” Hollynight said, “Look everypony! The tunnel goes up again! We’re almost there.” “Pinkie, where does this exactly lead?” Rainbow Dash asked as we all started to see a small sliver of light at the top of the tunnel. “Right to Canterlot tower!” Pinkie squeaked happily, “Aren’t we lucky, Dashie! I had to make it like this because the audience may want to finish this story faster and the writ-” “What was that?” “Oh nothing.” “Okay, everypony,” Hollynight turned back to address all of us, “By the sounds I can hear out there, it looks like we don’t have much time. So as soon as we open that door, we’ll run up the staircase to the barred doors of the throne room. I’ll blast it open and Spike! Light us some torches.” Fluttershy reached into her bag with her snout and pulled out one torch at a time which Spike lit and passed out. “Take out as many of the spirits as you all can. Capidas and I will get Twilight.” Hollynight looked on us confidently. We all nodded in the affirmative. “GO!” she yelled and we charged out of the tunnel and to the stairs. The area was dark all around us and the wind howled at such a high volume. Black clouds covered the sky to the horizon line. Leafs, sticks and other debris were all flying around the castle as dark clouds blanketed the sky. There was a glowing light at the top as the Canterlot tower had lightning shooting up from it and shooting back down from the clouds. Voodoo spirits by the hundreds, maybe thousands were all swirling around it as if charging it up. The door had been sealed with chains of shadow around it. “Uh… didn’t see that one coming.” Hollynight’s face and ears drooped. “Oh dear!” Fluttershy squeaked. I reared up and concentrated hard. My front hooves turned into darkness and I quickly smashed the lock. Then I turned around and Applejack and I bucked the door open. “Good enough for me!” Rainbow Dash cried. The whole place was torn up and we could hear laughter. “Oh Twilight, you’re quite the struggler, aren’t you?” Chaoi-Wa chuckled. All of us ran up the stairs and made it into the throne room. He was om nom nom noming on some grapes with his legs kicked up, leaning backward on the throne. The throne itself was glowing white-purplish as it was pumping energy up through the ceiling into the tower. To Chaoi-Wa’s right, Celestia was gagged and under lock and key with four voodoo spirit guards around. Her horn and wings were black, a curse making her unable to use either. To Chaoi-Wa’s left, Twilight was kicking inside her clear dark gray bubble that was floating next to Chaoi-Wa as he relaxed on Celestia’s throne. “What’re you doing here?” Chaoi-Wa asked, “Can’t you see I’m about to turn your very dimension into smithereens? Once this baby is done charging, our great leader will have finally come back! I couldn't have just summoned him at any old place. Oh Celestia, your magic seems to have rubbed off quite well over this place.” He conjured some green liquid and took a sip. He snapped his fingers; one spirit appeared in front of each window pane along the room. “Hold them off for me, I’ve had a rough day.” “Okay,” I addressed my eight companions. “Spike, your fire could break Twilight’s encased prison, Fluttershy can lift you up as Rainbow Dash guards the two of you. Hollynight, Glaciem, Rarity, you have to free Celestia and protect one another. Applejack, Pinkie Pie, you and I can start taking” I turned back around. Chaoi-Wa was falling asleep. “Well, all I got to do is wait a few more minutes for the summoning to call for my final channel. Stark! Wake me when it’s time.” He yawned and lie down on a dark cloud floating just in front of the throne. The spirit next to him nodded. “GO!” I shouted. We all divided off into our groups; Rainbow Dash’s group to the right, Hollynight’s group to the left. I had tunnel as I charged along the red carpet to the throne. Spirits rushed face first to me. I jumped over them. I whirled my neck around for a quick glance to see Pinkie Pie bouncing toward me and Applejack swatting at one, vaporizing it. Rarity was smacking the cursed bindings of Celestia with her torch and Glaciem had slain three spirits with Hollynight. Spike was desperately melting the jinxed bubble in which Twilight was held. Rainbow Dash was getting exhausted keeping Fluttershy safe who had both her hooves on her eyes. She was struggling to keep Spike afloat. Chaoi-Wa woke up and stretched. “Jeez, can’t you give it a rest kid.” He made it so that the rug slid out from under me, causing me to gallop in one place. He formed a glowing clear purple orb in one hand and flung it forward. I made a noise that was equal to a muffled cannon and it blew me back, knocking me on my stomach. “It’s really quite pathetic.” He did the same to Applejack and Pinkie Pie. He slid down the rug and towered over me. He kicked me in the mouth. “Capidas!” Hollynight screamed. She dashed as fast as she could toward Chaoi-Wa. “Not so fast!” Chaoi-Wa spun on his heel and grabbed Hollynight in a magical grip. “Go on! Shoo, you dirty mule! Maybe you ought to be thrown into the shadow world?” He was starting to open a portal under Hollynight’s floating body. I saw the reflection of the opening in her eyes and the fear that coupled with it. I regained my strength and stood up. I charged into Chaoi-Wa and hit him square in the back. The portal closed and Hollynight fell straight down with a dull thud. Chaoi-Wa grabbed me from behind as he fell forward and shattered one of the window panes. We fell down the tower; both kicking and gnawing, okay, I did the gnawing as we fell. I smacked him in his forehead with my front hoof and he punched me in my gut. I went to bite him in the chest and I noticed a weird necklace with a voodoo tiki on it that was glowing an odd orange color. I grabbed that instead of his flesh and he and I smacked against the tower and were tumbling down the cliff. I grabbed a dent in the mountain’s edge and grabbed a thick branch with my mouth to stop myself in my slide downward. Chaoi-Wa latched on to a rock of his own. “Oh you fool….” He opened his hand that was not clinging to the edge and opened his palm at me. Nothing happened. “Wait, what!?!?” Chaoi-Wa was just as shocked as I was, “I don’t understand, I-” he felt and looked around inside his shirt and then back at me and was wide-eyed. I still had his necklace in my mouth. “Oh no…” he moaned and I jumped down. I smacked him in the face with my back hoofs on the fall then grabbed another secure spot. I peeked down to see him falling a way to a plateau. I slid down on my hooves, gently maintaining my balance. Panting as I arrived at the bottom. Then it dawned on me. This thing I had in my mouth was the key to Chaoi-Wa’s presence. I grinned. “No… wait, what are you doing?!” he was bruised and no longer able to use the power from the necklace to make him resistant to injury. I dropped the necklace at my hooves and reared up. “STOP! NOOOOOO!” Chaoi-Wa yelled. I put together all the strength I had left and brought it all down on the tiki part of his necklace with my hoof. It shattered into several pieces. All of which soon started to fizz with energy and jumped around like mini fireworks. I backed away as he crawled frantically to the pieces that dissolved into ash. “No… no no no…. no no no no! That was critical for my pals to get their pay. I-” he nervously spat out. I heard the same odd drum noises as I did back in the flashback of our first encounter. “Oh no.” Chaoi-Wa looked up at Canterlot tower as did I. The cloud above the tower spat and raged and a beam of green light came from it and engulfed Chaoi-Wa. The witch doctor shield himself from the brightness and shook in fear. I heard a thunderous raging language that sounded as if no living creature spoke. It literally shook the ground with every syllable uttered. The voodoo spirits came out from the broken window and started to swirl around the tower. I saw a shadow hand with three fingers and a thumb that were quite long and slender creep down the green light that connected from Chaoi-Wa to the white swirl in the dark cloud above Canterlot tower. “Please! Please, no! I beg you! Have mercy! I can pay off my debt to you, please! You don’t understaaaaaaaaahhh!!!” The dark hand ignored him and continued to make its way down. Chaoi-Wa ran, but the green beam followed him as if it was a searchlight. The hand kept following the path until… “ARRRRGHHH!!!” Chaoi-Wa exhaled and gasped for air. The hand was squeezing him tight. I could just watch in awe. I noticed out of the corner of my eye the broken window from where Chaoi-Wa and I fell. I could barely make out my friends and who I think is Celestia watch as Chaoi-Wa struggled in the grip of the shadowy hand moving him into the top of the dark cloud. “I just need another chance! Please, another chance!!! MORE TIME! ANYTHING! PLEASE! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!” Chaoi-Wa was sucked into the white swirl and the rest of the voodoo spirits were sucked into bright spiral of light. The dark cloud was next to go. It covered the sky as far as the eye could see and contracted into the bright light. The light exploded with a red wave spreading in all directions (Think Sonicrainboom!). The sun radiated proudly once more and the harsh winds were now a gentle breeze. I felt an enormous sigh of relief. I could stand in the warmth of the sun forever. “Capidas!” Hollynight ran up and tackled me in a big hug. “You did it!” She was in tears. I hadn’t noticed how long I had stood in that spot, apparently long enough for everypony to come down and praise me. “Thanks, Hollynight.” I hugged her back, “I’m so glad you’re safe.” “Aww!” Rarity sighed, “now don’t you two make an adorable couple!” Both of us jerked our eyes open and backed away from each other awkwardly. Then we just laughed. “Oh my gosh! Did you girls see that! Chaoi-Wa went all ‘blaaah!’ and Twilight was gone there for a minute, oh my gosh! Twilight, you must have been sooooo lonely! Spike here was super duper confident tha-” “PINKIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE” Twilight and Rainbow Dash shouted in unison. All of them got into a big group hug of their own. I felt a strange tingle inside of me. I looked down at my hoof and saw little beads of golden light were forming and then quickly evaporating. It was almost like I was sweating gold air tears. I could see that I was ever so slowly fading. My heart sank. Oh no. Chaoi-Wa’s spell was the only thing keeping me here in the first place. “Capidas? Capidas what’s wrong with your fur?” Hollynight trotted back over to me and grabbed my hoof. “It feels light as a Pegasus feather. Are you okay?” she her cheerful voice turned into expressing concern. I felt my ears droop and looked back down at my almost transparent hoof. “Chaoi-Wa brought me here,” I started, “I was here under his spell. It was the only way he could have entered this world. He needed another human. I was that human. The disguise he used also applied to me.” I dared not to look up at Hollynight, not yet at least. “Now that he is gone, the magic keeping me here has faded at last. I can no longer stay, Hollynight, I am so sorry.” I looked up to see her eyes as tear filled as mine. “So, you’re just…. leaving?” I nodded. A golden bubble of my own slowly incased me. I could only sit and watch Hollynight sob. “You’ve been a great friend, and I will NEVER forget you, I swear it.” I told her. “Neither will I, Capidas.” I put my hoof on my shell like transport. She put her own in the same spot and the sphere closed around me and sealed itself at the point where our hooves touched. I floated away. What I think was minutes felt like hours. Suddenly, my bubble became clear and I looked around and saw I was literally in the middle of the universe. I could see what felt like the entire cosmos around me. It was truly breathtaking. I saw galaxies and stars and even a raging pulsar star and one galaxy eating another. My bubble just floated me along to what I think is home. Why was I still a pony? I held my hooves up and just stared at them. Shouldn’t I have at least turned back by now? “HAIL CITIZEN, WE HAVE HEARD THE TALE OF THOU, THE GOOD HUMAN, WHO HAST CONQUERED THE VILE HUMAN IN AN ATTEMPT TO DESTROY US AND OUR WORLD!” I just about fell over. “Who, who are you!?!?” I hid by curling myself up in a ball. “MUST WE REPEAT OURSELVES?!?!?” I saw a dark blue pony with a horn and wings. “No, but you could turn your volume down by a tincy little bit.” I felt like Fluttershy. “Oh, sorry, you must excuse me, I forgot that nopony uses the uhh…” “What was that?” “Oh nothing!” she said. “Who are you?” “I am Princess Luna. You may know of me as Celestia’s younger sister.” “Why are you here.” I asked. “I am here to tell you this: You have a friend who is now heartbroken. She misses you dearly, Capidas.” Luna turned around in my bubble, which I had just noticed had grown, and casted a spell to cause a mirror to appear that showed the spot where I had left. “I still don’t understand.” Hollynight had her hooves in her face, constantly wiping away tears. “What don’t you understand, Hollynight?” Twilight asked her and went over to pat her on the back. “Why didn’t tell me this if he knew this was going to happen?” she sobbed. “Considerin’ how heartbroken you are righ’ now,” Applejack went up to comfort her too, “he must’ve felt the same pain of leaving and wanted to delay the pain for as long as he could.” All of the mane six, Glaciem and Spike were depressed with my leaving. Pinkie Pie had a fountain of tears and loud sobs going off. Celestia flew down from the tower and addressed all of them. “Like all things, they come and go.” She came over to the group and all of them but Hollynight turned around. “But Capidas will always be in your heart, Hollynight. Friendships can last for more than one lifetime, I am sure of it.” “Oh Capidas….” Hollynight lied down in the grass and put her head between her hooves. “Stop it, Luna!” I looked away once again saddened, “I can’t take it anymore.” “I know you can’t. That’s why if you truly care, if you truly love your friends; it’s possible for that love to create its own bond. If that is true, you can go back.” My ears perked up at the last word. “I can!?” I jumped. Luna nodded. “I… I… I… don’t want to leave. I want to stay longer. I want to be with my irreplaceable friend.” I put my right hoof where I think my heart would be located. Hey, I’m not an expert in horse anatomy. Maybe I should learn more about that… The bubble slowly became a dense gold again; I could no longer see through it. I then passed out. I woke up, as if something had awoken me just like when I fell asleep. It was nighttime. For how long was I gone? I looked down to see Hollynight, Glaciem and the mane six with Spike on Twilight’s back were trotting over the bridge at Ponyville. Hollynight was in the rear looking the most downtrodden, as her nose was nearly touching the ground. Hollynight sat down. The bubble of mine lowered down to the middle of the bridge after they all had crossed it. Spike looked back and stood frozen in shock. “What is it, Spike?” Twilight stopped to ask. Spike just stared, his jaw dropped. Twilight turned and so did the others, one by one. All of them gathered around me. It was one big hug fest. “Hollynight! There’s somepony here that would like to see you!” Glaciem called out. Hollynight turned around slowly and was in a combination of shock and jubilance. She galloped toward me as fast as she could and tackled me yet again with a hug. She rubbed my nose with hers and she helped to lift me up. “Hey, you know what this calls for?!?!” Pinkie Pie started to bounce up and down. “A PAR-” “Pinkie, not now, it’s late. We’re all exhausted and I, for one, need to get my beauty sleep.” Rarity flipped her mane, “How else do you think I maintain my elegant figure with such a beautiful crinière, darling?” All of them laughed, except for Rarity who was apparently being serious. “Come on, Capidas. Let’s go home.” “Home, I guess this is my new home. Here in Equestria, as a pony.” We walked off into Ponyville; that was good. I looked up at the clouds in the sky and saw Luna perched on one of the clouds. I nodded at her and she did so to me; that was good. Hollynight and I made our way into her house… … and that was very good. DA FREAKIN' END.... maybe I could write an epilodge or however it's spelled or something.... Like and favorite if you thought it was somewhat decent or something. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I don't even know why I finished it considering its positive rating is less than 50% by now (Nov. 24). As long as somepony likes it, it's good enough for me! : D