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Journey to Equestria: Homeward Bound

by Justin Daniels

Chapter 18: Season 2, Episode 10: The Experiment Wakes, Part 2

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Journey to Equestria

Homeward Bound


Season 2 | Episode 10

The Experiment Wakes
|PART TWO|


By: Justin Daniels



And so, our Journey continues...


There's nothing as exciting as a comeback - seeing someone with dreams, watching them fail, and then getting a second chance.

-Rachel Griffiths-


Druathica | Present Day


Carefully, Software Patch tapped on his shoulders; both of which had new diamonds that resembled the one on his chest; all of which glowed a light blue color. Then he looked over his left shoulder and asked a bird-like figure that stood in the shadow of a tree, "My scanners indicate that the Alicorn was here approximately two months ago. Can you verify the information, Nightshade?"

Walking out of the shadow of the tree, Nightshade hummed to himself before replying, "You could say that... and they were headed towards The Highlands last time I checked."

Software nodded his head, while his horn and eyes started to glow a light blue color. "The aura is still there... I am able to trace their steps, and find them... Alicorn found. Approximate Miles: one hundred thousand, five hundred, and forty two. Estimated walk time: Thirteen thousand, four hundred, and five point six hours. Approximate run time: Six thousand, seven hundred, and two point eight hours. Approximate teleportation time with current power build-up: Two hours."

With a sigh, Nightshade asked, "Are you sure that teleporting to them would be a wise choice, though? Scan for any hostiles around the Alicorn first, and make sure it isn't just a trap."

Again, Software's horn and eyes glowed. "My scanners indicate hostiles merely five meters away from the Alicorn, and allies of the Alicorn spread from hundreds to thousands of meters away, all the way down to ten; obstacles between them all. Approximate number of hostiles read from around the Alicorn and her allies: Three thousand, five hundred, and twenty four. Approximate number of of allies of Alicorn: Nine, with a few being neutral."

Nightshade nodded his head, and then replied, "Well, then... it would seem that you'll have to teleport yourself somewhere safer first, before you rescue them."

Software looked at Nightshade with a confused look. "What about you? Do you intend on saving them?"

Nightshade shrugged his shoulders, before replying, "Only if they are between here and Equestria... I have important business there, anyways."

"Like?" Software asked, tilting his head in confusion.

Nightshade sighed, before walking East. "It's... a little personal, to be honest... too personal for me to simply tell anyone."

Software nodded his head, and then followed him. "It would seem that we have a slight bit more in common than one may assume."

Nightshade then looked at him and asked, "So, you are headed to Equestria, too? What for?"

Software shrugged his shoulders. "I merely wish to speak to the princesses about my history... ever since I've woken up by the Alicorn that I seek, I haven't been able to find any information on my history... what I am... and who I used to be. I do not even know if 'Software Patch' is my name, or the name that I heard before I fell asleep... and considering the fact that you found me in, what you call, a mausoleum, I even wonder if I was asleep, or neutralized in a former battle that I know nothing of. According to local rumors, though, I have knowledge of there being three Alicorns altogether in this world... each of which having once been there to activate my power... but this one has a different reading... this one is, as far as I know, a forth Alicorn."

Nightshade hummed to himself. "Well, then... I will aid you until we get to the Alicorn... but after that, we will part ways."

Software raised an eyebrow at him out of confusion. "But... if you wish to travel alone, then why did you install the extra crystals in my shoulders, let alone lead me out of the mausoleum?"

Nightshade shrugged his shoulders. "I merely activated more of your powers, should you need it. The crystals also serve as backup sources of energy and weapons, should you need them... and considering the amount of hostiles around your destination, the chances are that you will."

Software nodded his head in understanding. "Acknowledged. Thank you for the assistance, then."

Nightshade continued walking, as he said without even turning his head, "It was nothing... the Nymphari told me to aid you... which is the only reason why I'm still in Druathica."

Again, Software Patch looked at Nightshade out of confusion. "The 'Nymphari'? Who are they?"

With a sigh, Nightshade replied, "They... are the ones who created these lands; the 'gods' of this world."

"I heard that Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were the deities, though... how is it that the Nymphari aren't the ones they spoke of?"

"They... don't speak much. They only speak to those who need them most... those who suffer prolonged pain and torment. Then, with their powers, they guide those on the right path." Nightshade then turned to Software, and continued. "The powers that the princesses have were created by the Nymphari, as well. Without them, this world wouldn't even exist." Then he turned forward again. "And without their powers, this world will fall... again."

"Again?" Software asked. "What do you mean... again?"

Nightshade sighed. "I do not know... the Nymphari never told me about that... and they told me it wasn't my place to know about the world before."

Software nodded his head. "Very well, then... I will cease the next twenty five questions that I had stored, and proceed to the twenty sixth one." Nightshade sighed again, before looking away again, as Software continued his next question. His next question, however, caught Nightshade by surprise, and made him turn his head back to Software. "What are you?"

Nightshade pondered the question for a moment as they continued to walk. Then he looked directly in front again, and replied, "I... never really knew that, to be honest. The Nymphari told me that I am simply 'One'... and that I am a 'Cursed One'... that I was once an ordinary creature; now turned into what I am... and for who I was, I can no longer remember... and as for why I was cursed... that, too, I do not remember."

Software shrugged his shoulders, before asking, "I take it you seek the princesses as well, then?"

Nightshade thought for another moment, before shaking his head. "If it is something that the Nymphari say I shouldn't know, then I see no reason why I should ask them. Besides... they might be too busy for the likes of me, anyways."

With a nod, Software remained silent through the duration of the next two hours.


Canterlot | Equestria


From the top of a golden throne with a red cushion on it, a six foot tall Alicorn with a pure white coat and a blue, green, purple, and pink striped mane and tail that flowed freely despite the lack of air, sat down; pondering the news that a certain letter from her faithful student, Twilight Sparkle, wrote.


Dear Princess Celestia,
I am writing to you on an urgent matter! My friend, and the Element of Laughter, Pinkie Pie, has been missing for the past three weeks, now! I was told by Rainbow Dash that she just wanted to go to Gryphonia for a week, but doesn't a trip from here to there only take three days? It doesn't add up! She even said that she expected to be back yesterday, but she never even showed up! Please, Princess Celestia, could you look into the matters for us, since none of us are familiar with the world outside of Equestria?

I anticipate your quick response.

Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle.


As soon as Celestia finished reading the letter, her ears perked up at the sound of the throne room opening. Looking towards the source of the noise, she held an uneasy expression as her sister; a dark blue coated Alicorn with a mane and tail that flowed similarly to Celestia's and resembled the night sky; the stars even shining through both.

Celestia stood up and asked, "What's wrong, Luna?"

Luna breathed heavily, before replying, "There's... there's an unknown source of power in Druathica... one that could compare to our own power!"

Celestia's eyes widened at that statement. "Is it headed towards us?!"

Luna shook her head, and then replied, "No... it is headed in the opposite direction, thankfully... but there's something odd about the readings that I'm getting from it."

"Such as?" Celestia asked; her head tilted to the side in confusion.

"Well you know that there's only three of our race at this time, right? You, me, and Cadence?" Celestia nodded her head. "Well... its power revealed a forth one."

At that statement, Celestia gasped. "Another Alicorn?! What else do you know?"

Luna sighed, before shrugging her shoulders. "I know little, sister... but pray tell that you have a plan, at least."

Celestia rubbed below her snout with her right hand, and then hummed for a second. "Well... if we were to send guards there to investigate, it could be taken as a hostile action, due to them being in foreign lands... so that is a no-go." Finally, her mouth formed a smile. "But if we were to send one who disagrees with violence, then we could probably find out more about this... 'Forth Alicorn'... and perhaps this Alicorn's knowledge of this power reading you've received."

Luna nodded her head, and then asked, "Well, I shan't delay my sleep any longer, so long as the situation is taken care of... good night, sister..."

"Good morning to you, my sister." Celestia replied, giving her sister a hug. "If you want, I can handle the moon for you tonight, so you can rest easier."

After they broke from the hug, Luna smiled at Celestia and nodded her head in appreciation, before turning around, and stepping out of the door, and into the hallways, aimed towards her room. Then Celestia walked up to her desk, and started writing a letter to a recent friend of hers that she made... one who aided her in her latest speech about Luna's innocence across the borders of Equestria.


Sandstone City | Saddle Arabia


From within the magnificent, high-rising sandstone walls of Sandstone City, a large number of Horses and Slithians walked through the streets; going on with their day-to-day lives.

From inside a humble-looking tavern, a pair of Horses spoke to one another; talking about the latest news from their neighboring kingdom, Equestria. According to the rumors, the route for taking Airships was closed down, mostly due to a Gryphon from Gryphonia causing trouble with the locals. "I tell you, Muddy Mane... things are going from bad to worse, nowadays..."

The other Horse huffed, before replying, "Well, I sure hope that lousy Gryphon gets what's coming to her at Gryphonia! This could be problematic for those who wish to go to Equestria!"

The first one nodded his head, before turning towards a shadowy corner; his eyes now locked on a mysterious figure that was sitting on a table, reading a scroll.

Then the horse said to the shadow-covered figure, "Hey, Heavenly Quill! What do you have to say to this? You did speak with Princess Celestia about two months ago, after all! Did she give you any heads-ups on this?"

The figure looked up, before humming in a slightly medium-high pitched masculine tone. "On the contrary, I've just received a letter from Princess Celestia! Word on the grapevine says that there's a forth Alicorn somewhere... and she wants me to investigate." Then the figure stepped from the shadows, revealing his appearance.

He was a six-foot, two inch tall, faded green-coated horse with a cloudy white mane, baby blue eyes, and white pupils directly in the center. He wore a red button-up u-collared shirt with black slacks over his waist, down to the bottoms of his hooves. Over his shirt, he wore a long, dark-green coat that lowered to his knees in the front; parted from the center of the blue foot-high belt that held his coat in place, and rose to the middle of his thighs on the sides, before lowering again halfway between his calves in the center of the back. The edges of his coat were a sky blue color, and on top of his head, he wore a green musketeer's hat with a blue feather attached to the left corner of the light blue ribbon on the hat. From below the back of the hat, hanging between it and the collar of his coat that were raised; covering the sides of his face, his mane was tied in a ponytail that lowered one foot down his back. On his back, he wore a large brown backpack filled with miscellaneous goods any traveler would bring, and from the bottom of the backpack, a strap wrapped around his belt; carrying two small pouches in front of each thigh, and a large saddlebag over his left thigh; directly on the side.

Before he could reply to the other creatures' next comments, he quickly walked out of the door of the tavern, and hummed to himself. "Well... if I'm going to go to Druathica, where the signal came from, I should at least be prepared." Then he reached into his saddlebag and lifted a small notepad. After that, he reached up, and picked the feather from his hat, and silently said to himself, "Tinta Eterna."

Suddenly, the quill started to glow; causing him to smile. "Alright, then..." he opened the notepad, and began scratching the quill across the paper; leaving a glowing blue ink where each letter were to be placed.

"Chariot... Transport... Self... Druathica!" the words in the notepad said. As soon as he placed the dot in the exclamation mark, however, the words suddenly disappeared. Then, just mere meters directly in front of him, a glowing blue chariot materialized out of thin air.

With a smile, Heavenly Quill closed his notepad, placed his quill back in his hat, and placed his notepad back in his saddlebag. Then he walked inside the chariot, and watched as he was quickly lifted up, and flown across the ocean in a fast pace. "I only hope this trip doesn't drain me too badly..." He said to himself, as he looked down at the ocean that separated Saddle Arabia from the rest of the world.



Author's Notes:


FINALLY! THIS CHAPTER HAS BEEN RELEASED!


First off, I am really sorry for the long delay! A lot has been happening lately! (Plus, I... confess that I might've gotten a Wii-U recently, and was playing "Monster Hunter 3: Ultimate" on it. :twilightblush: )

Anyways, thank you all for your continuous support!

By the way... "Heavenly Quill" is, from what y'all might be able to guess, another AOC! (Applied Original Character)! He belongs to an awesome new future author by the name "crimson lost"! There's a difference in this dude, though! He wants to actually write a story of his character as well, so y'all be sure to give him as much support as y'all can! (And please be nice to him, too! He's new to writing stories, so if y'all want to be a critic, please be a positive one who doesn't say "you suck" or anything of that nature! Just merely help him with advice and stuff like that! Thanks!)

Oh, and expect there to be a crossover moment in the next chapter, referring to his story! Remember to keep your eyes peeled on the "GREEN TEXT", because that'll be a link to his story!

Anyways, thank for your undying support, My Little Bronies! Please stay sharp, and remember!

"Even those we look up to had to start somewhere! And to get to where they are now, they had to walk in the shoes of those that look up to them!"

UPDATE: As of right now, Heavenly Quill is planned to be shipped with Rarity, so now she is officially off the list of bachelorettes! (Thank you, "zeroxdoom", for pointing that important note out! :twilightblush:

UPDATE 2: Ah, I forgot to add the link to Heavenly Quill's story! I'll post it HERE for now, and throw in the link in the chapter TWO steps up as well! (I kinda used the next one as a cure for a small case of "Writer's Block" that I was getting, and needed a special event to happen that could knock it out of my system! :twilightblush:

Following THAT link will be what the event was referring to! (All I will say is this... keep your eyes PEELED.)

Next Chapter: Season 2, Episode 11: Tales of a Forgotten Child Estimated time remaining: 4 Hours, 3 Minutes
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