Chapter Three: Scars
~BlackRoseRaven

Whisper led them deep into the forest: the mare didn't talk much, and when she did, it came in nervous little bursts. She seemed friendly enough, just... anxious. About them or about Datura, Sally was having trouble telling...

She wondered briefly what the Avatar's real name was, but it seemed rude to ask: most of the Avatars so far had acted like the name they chose was their real name, after all, and Sally guessed it was kind of prejudiced to treat them otherwise. Even if she also thought that naming yourself Lordking Godface was a little bit... silly.

Whisper was a pretty name, though, and Archibald had been nice – even if she'd never, ever met an Archibald in her entire life – and Datura... well, she didn't know what a Datura was, but it sounded like it was more than some random collection of letters.

A bit of nervousness was beginning to sink in now, which reared its head when the mare thought too much about Datura: it was starting to get dark now, and they were deep in the woods, and if he really lived here and really wanted to hurt them, well...

And then the Pegasus Avatar looked up quickly as Whisper pulled a curtain of fronds aside and said awkwardly: “Well, uh, we're... we're here. He lives in there.”

Sally slipped forwards, frowning uneasily as she and Splinthoof stepped into a weed-riddled meadow that surrounded a mangled, broken stone ruin. Sally licked her lips nervously as she looked over the building uneasily: it wasn't very large, and most of it was wrecked and badly-damaged, but just the shape of it, and the feeling that came from it...

She strode slowly around the side of the ruin, and her eyes caught on a mossy, rotten sign: it was just legible enough for her to read the name of this place: “'Stonehollow Abbey...' and he... he lives inside here?”

Splinthoof frowned uneasily at this as well as he followed after her, glancing over his shoulder at Whisper, and the earth pony Avatar nodded as she approached before pointing quickly. “The way in is on the other side, Datura... lives down in the tunnels. He... uh... I think it would be better if only one of you went in, though. He's uh, touchy about his privacy.”

Sally nodded slowly, and then she smiled awkwardly over at Whisper, rubbing at the back of her head before she said finally: “Well uh... Splinthoof, you uh. Be nice to her, and stuff.”

Splinthoof smiled lamely before he sighed and took off the satchel of journals and papers, passing this quickly to the Pegasus Avatar. She slipped it quickly on, making sure it was comfortable as the unicorn shifted a little before saying lamely: “Watch out for yourself, okay? And... good luck.”

Sally blushed a bit, then sighed and smiled despite herself as the unicorn looked awkwardly over at Whisper, who smiled back even as she rubbed uncomfortably at one of her forelegs. The unicorn waved to her awkwardly, then he turned quickly towards Sally, whispering through grit teeth: “Please be quick.”

“Stallions and men. Exact same.” Sally said dryly, and then she shook her head before she strode slowly to the other side of the fallen ruin. She found the passage leading down into the earth easily enough, but she hesitated at the entrance, studying the gaping maw in the earth and its broken board teeth for a few moments as she shifted from hoof-to-hoof, before she finally licked her lips and asked awkwardly over her shoulder: “Any... hints?”

Whisper only gave her a small smile, then she shrugged a little before saying quietly: “Just don't lie to him. He hates that.”

Sally nodded slowly, then she sighed a little before looking ahead and carefully striding down through the maw of the tunnel, grimacing a bit as she ducked under the edge before she looked uncomfortably back and forth as her hooves touched down on uneven stone.

There were a few torches burning here and there along the walls of what she quickly realized was some kind of catacomb, the mare studying the broken stone shelves and cracked stone walls before she shuddered a little: she had an awful feeling that the white dust and those narrow, broken yellow branches had once been...

She shook her head quickly, then hurried onward down the passage, but quickly caught herself and slowed her pace, taking a slow breath. The sound of her hooves clicking over stone echoed down the passage, her eyes nervously flicking back and forth as she carefully made her way through the decrepit halls.

She looked uneasily back and forth, biting her lip nervously: she could smell something unpleasant, and she kept passing niches and offshoots and rusted metal doors... and there was a strange presence here that filled her with a sense of dread. It reminded her of when she'd just been a little girl, and she'd sworn up and down that she'd seen ghost lights in the marsh...

She stopped for a moment as she reached the end of the hall: there was a large set of curling stairs here, the mare examining these quietly before looking uncomfortably up. She opened her mouth, trying to call out... but she was too frightened to. There was just something wrong with this place, and... an Avatar was actually supposed to live here? This Datura, he was supposed to help them?

Every part of her wanted her to just turn back. To escape this place before something terrible happened. But at the same time, she knew she couldn't, that she was here for a reason... and more than that, she felt something... calling to her. Even if her skin was crawling with terror, she felt...

The mare bit her lip, shivering a little before she slowly stepped forwards and made her way carefully down the steps. She felt that sense of malice intensifying... but under it, there was something else, so clear, so distinct: there was a thrum, like a beating heart, like...

She reached the lower hall, and her eyes immediately locked on an open metal door at the end of the passage. She couldn't see very well into the room beyond, but it was clearly where she had to go... and the mare took a slow breath before she rose her head and called out, in as brave a voice as she could: “Excuse me, Mister Datura? I'm... I'm here to talk to you about... something...”

Her voice wavered, becoming reedy and weak even as she forced herself to step forwards. But after the first step, it grew easier to push back against the fear twisting through her body, the mare's wings fluttering nervously at her sides as she made herself concentrate on just putting one hoof in front of the other...

She stepped into what had likely once been a shrine, but most of the decorations had been torn down and the edges of the room were a clutter of broken stone and shelving and old, rotting furniture. Several lanterns hung from the ceiling, and their dim light was augmented by the candles that sat all around the edges of the room, most of them half melted, their waxen frames bleeding over stone and dusty, uncared-for wood.

But what drew her attention was the stallion seated in the old, blanket-covered chair in the center of the room, like a forgotten king upon his hollow throne. Her breath caught in her throat as she stared at him, unable to hide her fear as he looked at her through a straggly purple mane that was streaked with black. His gaze was piercing... and frightening, because while one violet eye was normal, the sclera of the other had turned dead black, motes of red floating through it, and the iris looked as if it had shattered, thick white lines coursing – almost pulsing – over purple eye.

His coat was a mottled green, too tight against his thin frame, and all manner of bruises and scars covered his body, most of them a jarring, ugly white. He was a unicorn... but even his curved horn had fractures running through it, and unlike the rest of the ponies she had seen, there was almost no sign of care for his own body: he had shaggy fetlocks hanging around his hooves, his mane and coat were dirty, his body was thin, ribs visible with how emaciated he was, and yet she saw cords of muscle flexing through his coat, and even slumped he seemed to loom over her...

“Hello, Clarice.” the unicorn who could only be Datura intoned ironically, and Sally winced a bit at this before the stallion leaned towards her, gesturing at her with a hoof that looked... cloven. “You're an Avatar, right? But you're here on business for Celestia. Trying to indulge a fetish for the princess, are we?”

“N-No!” blurted Sally, and then she glared balefully at him... or at least with as little fear as possible as she did her best to repress the trembles running through her body. “I'm... I'm here because... that's none of your business! Look, Celestia-”

“Actually, it kind of is my business why you're here, considering it involves me and all.” retorted Datura, looking back at her icily as he turned his head slightly so he could focus his distorted eye on her, and it made Sally shiver and wince away: she didn't think he had sight in that eye... but something told her it wasn't as blind as she hoped, either. “If you're here because you're just trying to impress Celestia, then I really have no reason to help you. Unless you're here for either a game or a lecture on nightmares, that is.”

He grinned, and Sally stepped back from the stallion before shaking her head hurriedly, forcing herself to take a breath before she said in a trembling voice: “L-Look. All I really want is to go home. I'm surrounded by magical talking horses and men who apparently like watching a show for little girls. B-But I promised to help Celestia get you and... I was taught not to break a promise.”

Datura frowned, turning his gaze towards her, his eyes sharpening as he studied her silently before he leaned forwards. Something briefly flashed over his features: was it interest? Some mutant form of empathy, or maybe even some whisper of concern?

But then it was gone, the stallion studying her almost clinically before he gave a bitter smile and leaned back, crossing his forelegs as he said moodily: “So you're 'proof,' is that it?”

Sally didn't know what else to do but nod, and Datura looked at her coldly for a few moments before he snorted and rolled his eyes, muttering: “You're not much proof. So what, one person slipped through who isn't fascinated with the show and fanbase. You're the exception that proves the rule, that's all. Go home.”

Sally only shook her head at this, almost glaring at the strange, unicorn-like creature across from her before she said in a sharper voice: “I can't! Look, I.. I promised to bring you back, and then Celestia is going to teach me how to get home and I can forget about all this-”

“Thank you.” Datura said almost kindly, and the Pegasus Avatar blinked before Datura's mismatched eyes darkened as he said in a colder voice: “You just revealed a favorite truth of mine. There's no such thing as actual 'altruism.' You're not helping because of your promise, or because it's the right thing to do. You're helping because it ultimately serves your own interests.”

“N-No!” Sally snapped, shaking her head vehemently before she bit her cheek... but the stallion was riling her up, and fear was quickly being outweighed by anger at his... stupid, patronizing, stupid self-centered... “I... I want to help them because it's the right thing to do, okay? Because-”

“Because they probably told you that if you don't help them, this same thing could happen to your friends or family, yes?” Datura interrupted, and the mare's eyes widened in surprise before the unicorn smiled indulgently at her, like she was a stupid little girl. “That would be cute if you weren't trying to pretend there was something more noble about it than herd instinct. Which is ironic, considering that now you're a magical little horse.”

Datura flicked one hoof at her in a dismissive gesture, and the Pegasus Avatar felt one of her eyes twitch before she slowly ground her teeth together, trying to get her temper under control. She breathed slowly in and out, glaring at him, but Datura only continued to smile mockingly at her as he turned his head to study her with his damaged eye. “Here's the kicker, though: if I'm right and you appearing here is just a freak accident, then your family was never in any danger and you've been lied to. Yet you want to believe that I'm the liar, don't you? Because I'm the freak, and if you've been played for an idiot... then you're not a noble idiot anymore, you're just an idiot.”

“What is wrong with you?” shouted Sally, and she almost leapt forwards, glaring at him as her wings snapped open, raising her head high as she glared into the stallion before snapping: “I'd rather be an idiot than a coward like you, and...”

She shook herself back and forth, then finally tossed off the satchel, the unicorn's eyes widening in surprise as it popped open and several of his old journals spilled out. “I expected a lot of things from you, but I didn't expect you to end up being such a... a...”

Datura had stood up, glaring at her, and the mare quailed a little: when he stood at his full height, he easily had more than a head on her. She bit her lip... and then her eyes widened when he rose a hoof and she saw the cloven material flex-

His hoof snapped apart into five distinct pieces that shifted like flesh, even though they maintained a strange, almost metallic texture. She stared in disbelief at what was now a claw instead of a hoof before she shied back when he gave her a dark look, fearing for a moment what he was going to do...

But all the stallion did was reach down and pick up one of the books with his claw, studying it intently before he shook his head slowly and muttered: “These are from the old days. These are the old me, not who I am now...”

He stopped, then looked coldly up at Sally before he tossed the journal carelessly aside. And Sally trembled a little as his other hoof snapped apart into a claw as well before he took a step towards her, narrowing his eyes. “I think you should leave. I don't get along very well with other Avatars.”

“I'm... I'm not leaving without you.” Sally whispered, trembling as she looked up at him before she took a slow breath, then straightened, furling her wings tight to her side as she nervously plucked at the ground with a hoof. “Just... please. Look, it doesn't matter why I'm here, it matters... that I'm here, and... they need your help.”

Datura didn't look at all convinced by this, only scowling a little before he leaned slowly forwards and smiled... and the Pegasus Avatar winced away as he revealed large fangs and sharpened teeth. A carnivore's teeth, in the jaws of a pony... “And again, I already told you, I'm not going to come with you. Not unless you give me a real reason. Is Equestria burning? Has the machine ripped reality open? Are there actual humans wandering around?”

He snorted in disgust, then shook his head and turned away, pulling himself back into his blanketed throne before his claws snapped loudly back together into hooves as he settled himself down, muttering: “They don't need my help, and I'm no hero. Besides, any Dream Weaver should be able to resolve the barriers. Except, oh, right, Dream Weavers usually go insane after they reach a certain level of proficiency, and then Celestia has them locked away in either a cell or a monastery!”

Datura reached up and firmly shoved a hoof against his own temple, looking contemptible before he said moodily: “They're all as crazy as I am now. Some are even crazier. So they watered down the Dream Weaver training to quietly hide the existence of us freaks from the rest of the world, pretend we all just went mad as hatters for our own personal reasons. No, no, there could never be an oversight on the part of the pretty preening princesses...”

Sally shifted uneasily, looking at him silently before she said quietly: “That's no reason not to help. It still means we need you, Datura. You... this is their world, and you've been here for a long time, right? And you said... you made a promise. You can't break a promise.”

Datura narrowed his eyes at this, and then he suddenly smiled before leaning back in his throne and whistling sharply. Sally frowned at this... and then her eyes widened slightly as heard hoofsteps, turning with surprise to watch as another mare calmly pushed in through a side curtain.

She was a beautiful white Pegasus, with a long, flowing blonde mane and radiant blue eyes. She was short, with a lithe build, and at first, Sally thought she was flawless with how she almost shone as she approached... before her eyes widened slightly as the mare passed by her, and she saw that countless scars were hidden all over her body by her pure-white coat: claw marks, faded bites, signs of... of...

She shivered a little as the mare calmly approached Datura with a smile, and the Avatar reached up and stroked gently through her blonde mane before he said pleasantly: “This is Angel. She and I have a certain understanding between us... you see, she's very fond of pain, and I'm very fond of causing pain.”

Datura drew a claw back before he slapped the mare roughly, Sally flinching slightly at the way Angel staggered... but then the Pegasus mare only giggled and lowered her head, blushing slightly as Datura remarked softly: “Isn't she a good little girl? Doesn't speak out, isn't rude. Like you. Why don't you leave, Avatar? I have a better mare to amuse myself with. One who knows her proper place.”

Sally was silent for a moment, studying Datura... before she rose her eyes bravely and said quietly: “You're a coward.”

Datura smiled at her mockingly... and then he frowned slightly as Sally smiled herself, daring quietly: “Why don't you hit her again?”

The stallion narrowed his eyes as Angel frowned a little, and Sally reached up and calmly touched her own cheek, saying softly: “I grew up in a farm town in the middle of nowhere. Daddy took good care of me, but there was always one or two old country boys who liked to get drunk and hit their wives or girlfriends. You hit her, but you didn't hit her. Just like you're just trying to make me angry or upset by going right for what you think is going to make me give a big gut reaction.

“She's a Figment, isn't she?” asked the Pegasus Avatar, and Angel frowned at this as Datura scowled a little as well, and Sally forced herself to be cool, forced herself to be careless as she said: “Why should I care what happens to her anyway, then? It's not like she's real.”

“Angel is my friend.” Datura said icily, reaching up to squeeze the Figment's shoulder as Angel smiled up at him gratefully... and then the stallion frowned slowly before he allowed his eyes to moodily slip closed, muttering: “Crap.”

Sally felt a faint, weird feeling of victory... and then Datura calmly pushed Angel aside before he glared at Sally as his horn lit up with dark, malicious light, and Sally was unable to look away before Datura's eyes flashed, and she felt a sense of vertigo rip through her...

The Pegasus Avatar groaned and shook her head, clenching her eyes shut and grabbing at her face before she gritted her teeth and looked up... and then she looked back and forth in shock as she saw the room was empty now. No chair, no ponies, just candles all around her... and the doors were all shut, and the light was dying...

The world trembled, and dust hailed down from the ceiling as Datura's voice echoed quietly around her: “I think you should leave now. You're annoying me.”

Sally looked up at the ceiling... then shrieked and covered her head as it suddenly dropped, immediately spinning around before she cried out in terror as the walls began to close in all around her, dust and grime splashing down over her body as she looked back and forth in horror as Datura's voice remarked calmly: “Or you could stay here forever, trapped inside this tiny little box...”

Sally shoved wildly at the walls around her, and then her eyes widened as she felt one of the enclosing walls shift before she threw against it, the bricks collapsing out of the way and letting her leap through the hole, wings spreading as she felt thin, open, blessed air around her...

And yet all the same she fell, spiraling down through darkness before her eyes widened in horror as she saw a casket waiting for her below, the tiny box gaping open and waiting for her as she screamed in terror before she smashed into it, the wooden walls seeming to clutch her as the heavy door of the coffin shut with a clank, sealing her inside a crushing hell as she screamed again in fear, her mind going haywire, unable to process that this was all just a terrible nightmare...

In reality, Sally gurgled as she twitched on the ground, her body stock stiff and her eyes staring sightlessly as she writhed in terror, Datura looking down at the Avatar moodily as he silently stroked through Angel's mane. Then he frowned a little as Angel reached up and quietly touched one of his legs, looking up at him compassionately before she said softly: “This seems wrong, darling.”

Datura shifted a little, looking grumpily away, but then the Figment leaned up and hugged him around the waist, dropping her head against his stomach as she closed her eyes and said in a murmur: “Maybe she's right. Maybe we should help... she seems honest.”

“I... I don't want to.” Datura said moodily, pushing awkwardly at Angel, and then he sighed a little when she refused to let go, only looking up at him silently with those... big, pleading eyes of hers. “I thought I was supposed to be the master and you were supposed to be my pet or servant or... whatever you want to call yourself these days.”

“Yes, darling. I am. But... it would be remiss of me not to point out... when you're being a little silly.” replied Angel quietly, and Datura sighed again as he shifted uncomfortably before the Pegasus reached up and silently touched his shoulder. “Don't be like this. I know you're scared. I know you just want to be left alone. But what's the right thing to do?”

“I don't want to do the right thing. I don't want to... try anymore. It's too hard, it's...” Datura quieted as Angel reached up and touched his lips, and then he closed his eyes before sighing softly once more as he reached up to silently take her hoof away, and then he touched her face gently. “What do you want me to do? Why should I give the world another chance?”

“I don't think you should, darling. Maybe none of them deserve another chance. Maybe you're right about all of it, that we're all nothing but ego, and puppets to our desires.” Angel replied tenderly, looking up at the stallion with a quiet smile. “But who says you have to do this for the sake of the world? Why don't you do this for yourself, darling? Or do you really think you don't deserve even a single chance yourself?”

Datura bit his lip, looking moodily away for a moment before he swore under his breath and flicked his horn grumpily, and Angel smiled and nestled herself against him as Sally gasped and writhed on the ground, then flung herself up to her hooves, flapping her wings wildly and stomping around in a circle, almost whinnying as the unicorn stared at her with surprise.

She was more pony-like than any other Avatar he had ever seen: sure, after a century, he had certainly adjusted to his body well enough to the point where he even thought of himself naturally as a stallion these days. But this stranger, whoever else she was, claimed to know nothing about the world they were in and acted as if she hadn't been here for more than a day or two at most, and yet...

He studied her intently as she turned towards him, glaring at him... but he could see that she was scared, too. Sure, she had called him out, but he had just shown her that he had plenty of better ways than hitting someone to retaliate with if he was pushed... and he hoped that she knew he was not a stallion who would sit back and let her push him around, whether her intentions were good or bad.

They looked at each other for a few long moments, and then Datura finally asked the Pegasus Avatar grudgingly: “What's your name?”

“Sally. Sally O'Connor.” the Pegasus Avatar answered, and then she asked impulsively: “What's your name? Your real name, I mean?”

“Datura.” the stallion replied sourly, and the mare gave him a dour look before he sighed a little and rolled his eyes, sitting moodily back in his covered seat to glower at her darkly, turning his head slightly so he could see her better through his distorted eye.

Sally winced a bit at this as the pupiless, broken iris glared out of the bloody darkness of his socket at her, and then she swallowed a little before asking nervously: “Can... can you actually see things out of... I mean, you...”

She stopped, then studied him silently for a few long moments before asking the question she had really wanted to, since she'd first set her eyes on him: “What happened to you?”

Datura snorted at this, but he finally lowered his gaze, closing his eyes before he muttered: “When we come into this world, as Avatars, we take the form of precisely what we've always wanted to be. But it seems that once you spend too long in this world... who you really are bleeds through, one way or another.”

The unicorn looked moodily down at his hoof before he grouchily pushed Angel away, but the scarred Figment only smiled at him tenderly as Sally backed up a step automatically, leaning away from him nervously but trying not to give up too much ground as the stallion approached her, then leaned down, studying her.

He smelled faintly of earth, and copper; Sally shivered as she almost tasted that bloody scent, as Datura loomed in and said contemptibly: “I'm not interested in helping you, Sally. At this point, I hate this place. I really, really do. I hate everyone and everything. I hate you, too, just so you know.”

Sally wanted to shrink away, but instead she forced herself not to back down, to try and hide how much he intimidated her... and to her credit, her voice only quavered a little when she said: “But?”

Datura's eyes narrowed slowly at her... and then he gave a thin smile, shaking his head slowly before he said in a resigned voice: “But... there are some things I hate more than others, and you and I agree on one point, at least. You don't break a promise.” He snorted, turning away and muttering: “No matter how many people have broken their promises to you.”

Sally shifted uneasily, watching the stallion stride moodily back to his blanket-covered chair to stroke silently along it... and then he sighed a little, dropping his head as he asked suddenly: “Can you fly, Sally?”

“I... I don't know. I haven't really had a chance to try yet... I only arrived yesterday and...” Sally shifted a little, rubbing slowly at one shoulder as she looked uncomfortably across at the stallion, trying to summon up the little bravery she had left. “So are you going to help or not?”

Datura frowned over his shoulder at her, and then he looked at her thoughtfully before a smile curled across his lips, turning towards her and saying casually: “I'll help... but on two conditions, Sally. They're both simple enough, though, I promise you won't have to do a lot more than give me your time, not any effort.”

Sally didn't like the sound of that, frowning uneasily before she asked in a slow, suspicious voice: “What do you want? Because I don't think there's a whole lot I can offer you...”

Datura gave a mocking smile as he looked across at her, and then he said softly: “First of all, it's autumn. This is a very important time of year for me, and I have one little social obligation that I have to take care of. You're going to help me deal with that before we head for Canterlot. You might have to work an odd job or two, but I promise you won't have to get your hooves too dirty.”

“Hooves too dirty. I've done more hard work in a single day than you likely have in your entire life, you... you ass!” snapped Sally before she could stop herself, and then she winced a bit, gritting her teeth and leaning back a little as her eyes automatically dropped.

But Datura only looked at her with that same mean-spirited smile on his face, which just made her all the more worried before he said calmly: “Second condition: you promise not to leave until I do. In other words, you can putter around Canterlot with all the other Avatars or whatever you want while I do whatever job Celestia has for me, and then you make sure I get back to my home here nice and safe and sound before you go back to your own home. Fair?”

Sally gritted her teeth at this, leaning forwards and opening her mouth... but she caught herself, her eyes widening as she realized what he was doing. Testing her again, as she saw past that self-satisfied smile and that cold shell and saw all that squirming bitterness behind his mask...

“Fine.” she agreed, before she even realized what she was saying, and the stallion's eyes widened in surprise before Sally rose her head gamely. It was hard to say... it was hard to promise this, with how eager she was to be home, but... if he wanted to play this game, then she would show him she played hard and didn't back down easily.

There was silence for a few moments as he studied her moodily, and then he nodded shortly before saying finally: “We'll see.”

Datura grumbled under his breath as he reached down and shoved the journals back into the bag still on the ground, then he threw the satchel over his back before turning and shoving his way through another door as Sally looked uncomfortably after him. After only a few moments, though, Angel spoke up in a gentle voice from where she was leaning against the throne: “Don't worry, darling. Datura is just getting a few things, and then he'll be right out. I think this is going to be good for him, though.”

Sally looked at Angel, biting her lip before she asked hesitantly: “I... I hope this isn't too rude to ask, but Datura... he didn't... create you, did he?”

The Figment only smiled softly, shaking her head and replying quietly: “No. Do you know much about us, darling? How entire races of Figments have come into being, become very intertwined with Equestria... but not all of us are monsters or animals, darling, and you don't have to feel rude asking about it.”

Sally only smiled lamely before Angel reached up and calmly brushed her own mane back, saying softly: “There are many Figments like me, hidden here and there among your pony-folk and Avatars. We are simulacrum: more real than many Figments, of flesh and body and blood, but still... created. In my case, I am a product of... fantasies of pain and pleasure, my dear. Datura adopted me, and I am his servant, and he is my master.”

“You're... you're saying that you were basically created from bondage fantasies.” said Sally disbelievingly, and Angel shrugged and smiled tenderly again before the Avatar shivered and turned away, muttering: “Oh God.”

“Figments like myself come into existence because nothing like us has ever existed before in this Equestria. Before the Avatars came, it was a place of innocence, of... purity. Child-like.” Angel continued to smile as she explained: “The ponies have a natural need to form friendships and protect each other. They are simple folk, with simple desires. But the Avatars... had to make them all complicated. Had to give them depth. Had to take away their childishness and force them to adapt, to grow. 'Be better!' they said. 'Be stronger!' they ordered. 'It's for your own good!' they promised. But really, all the Avatars wanted... was to see their visions enacted as reality.”

She stopped, then shook her head slowly and said softly: “That is what Datura has taught me. But he thinks too little of his own kind. He forgets, too easily, that many of the Avatars have done great things... and feels too much guilt over things that were never his fault.”

Sally frowned uneasily at this, leaning forwards, but then Angel simply smiled once more before she complimented: “You're very pretty, darling. You should indulge yourself while you're here. Nothing you do here will carry over to the world you come from, after all. This place could be paradise, and you could enjoy every forbidden pleasure you ever wanted. The worst that happens is you die, after all, and then... you just go home, that's all.”

“I... I wouldn't feel right about that.” Sally muttered, looking down before she shook her head slowly, feeling disgust and terror at Angel's words... and worst of all, a terrible twisting sensation in her stomach, and a hiss of temptation... “No, it would make me... spiritually sick. I... I don't want to imagine that maybe my grandparents are lookin' down at me from Heaven and seeing me...”

She grimaced a little, shivering a bit, and then she glanced up as Datura returned... before the mare flinched in shock as she saw that now he was wearing a cracked skull over his own face, one of the sockets covered by a cloth patch. If she had to guess where the skull had come from, from the broken horns it had once been a dragon... and she had the unwelcome sensation that Datura had likely hunted it down himself. One way or another, that mask was a... a trophy.

He had a large, leather satchel on either side of his body as well, and then the Pegasus Avatar frowned as Datura asked curiously: “Are you religious, then?”

“I... not really? Easter and Christmas, mostly... but I pray sometimes. I believe in... God, and Heaven, and uh... angels...” Sally couldn't help but feel her eyes flick towards the Figment, who only looked back at her with a smile.

“I'm an atheist.” Datura said mildly, and Sally only looked at him uncomfortably for a few moments, waiting uneasily to see where this conversation was going to go... and then she frowned in surprise when the stallion simply strode past, saying moodily: “Let's go. We're keeping Whisper waiting. I don't like to be rude.”

“I never would have guessed.” mumbled Sally, and Datura gave her a sour look over his shoulder as the Pegasus Avatar fell in step behind the stallion, the Figment following them last at a leisurely pace.

Sally studied Datura as he walked, trying to repress her shivers of fear and... not quite revulsion, but close. She could see his spine, flexing through his coat with every step, and his ribs, and even the picture on his hip was all... thorns and a poisonous-looking flower against a splotch of bitter night sky. Every last thing about him was just... she didn't want to say 'evil...'

“How... how do you know Whisper?” Sally finally asked, unable to think of any other decent topic of conversation... and admittedly, more than a little curious how such a nice pony could know something like... like this.

Datura only smiled moodily over his shoulder, looking distastefully at the Pegasus Avatar for a moment before he muttered: “Some people you just naturally end up being pulled towards. It's like magnetism... or a disease. You can't help the draw. You can't do anything about it, but ride through it, until one day...”

He quieted, lowering his head before he sighed and shook himself briefly as Sally frowned at his back, before Datura added distastefully as he looked over his shoulder at her, single visible eye glaring at her through the socket in the skull: “But maybe you can try and keep your questions to yourself for now. Talk to Angel. Angel likes to talk.”

“I do, darling.” Angel agreed with a smile, striding up beside Sally, and the Pegasus Avatar gave a lame smile in return to the Figment before the white mare leaned in and whispered softly: “Give him time to come to you. Don't push him, my dear, or he'll push you back, and much harder. Haven't you learned anything about stallions yet, darling?”

“I guess not.” Sally said moodily, and then she looked uneasily at Angel... but apart from the scars mostly-hidden by her pristine white coat an the faint sense of creepiness Sally felt when she looked at her, the Figment at least seemed... well, more sociable than Datura. Although that wasn't saying much.

Still, Sally didn't try and press either of them for any conversation until they emerged from the hole in the ruins. And Sally only watched as Datura strode calmly over to Whisper, who looked up at him with a small smile as he looked back at her, then glanced nervously over at the other ponies... but then, to Sally's surprise, he stepped forwards and silently hugged the earth pony Avatar tightly against his chest.

He leaned down, whispering something to her, and Whisper frowned at him before muttering something in return, and then they seemed to trade looks, speaking with their eyes. Finally, Datura reached up with one hoof and shoved it against the earth pony's head, and Whisper grumbled and slapped at him until she finally managed to shove his hoof away.

The two looked at each other again for a little while as Splinthoof nervously crept his way around towards Sally, staring with something like horror at Datura, until Whisper finally nodded before she looked over at the unicorn and the Pegasus Avatar. She smiled a little after a moment, then said quietly: “So uh, I'm going to head back home. It was nice meeting you guys.”

Sally smiled and gave the mare a wave, calling a 'thank you' before firmly elbowing Splinthoof, and he lamely rose a hoof and gave a weak chortle before swallowing thickly, his eyes flicking fearfully back towards Datura. Not that Sally could entirely blame him for being a little scared: she guessed that with that skull-mask on, Datura probably looked like a pony version of the grim reaper, and he emanated such... nastiness.

The only reason she was able to stay steady on her hooves was because she had realized that sinister presence wasn't precisely malice. And so far, Celestia had been right about the stallion: so long as she was cautious with him, he seemed to appreciate even when she was bold. He wouldn't hurt her, so long as she handled him with care. Whatever the hell he was.

Datura looked at her coldly, and Sally made herself stay calm as she looked back at him. And eventually, Datura looked away... then smiled thinly under the edge of the skull mask as Splinthoof immediately grimaced and stepped backwards, looking uneasily at the scarecrow-thin Avatar. “Let me guess. One of Celestia's Royal Guard, here to escort the little girl to me and safely back home.” He stopped, then remarked ironically: “I like your neckerchief, Fred.”

Splinthoof's eyes flicked down as he shifted nervously, biting his lip before he stared in shock as Sally looked up and asked evenly: “Does that make you Shaggy or Scooby-Doo?”

Datura looked at her for a moment, and then the slightest of smiles quirked at his mouth before he said quietly: “Don't be silly. I'm the monster. The only difference is that I'm not just some guy in a costume, Sally.”

There was silence for a few moments as the two glared at each other, and then Sally forced herself to take a breath before she rose her head and asked quietly: “Can we work with each other?”

Datura began to open his mouth... then sighed tiredly when Angel walked up to his side and gently touched his shoulder, the scarred stallion looking moodily at the Figment before he nodded briefly to her.

Angel smiled at him tenderly, and Datura grumbled under his breath before his eyes flicked towards Sally. “I'll cooperate. But remember our deal.”

Sally nodded, then she looked uneasily up at the sky: night was well on the way to setting in, now, and she didn't think it would be very long before it would be too dark to see in the forest, even if stars were already shimmering in the sky above. “How far is this place that you wanted us to go first?”

“Wait, uh... wait a minute, I'm sorry. We have to head back to Canterlot, and as it is, we'll be lucky if we get out of this forest while there's still a bit of light left in the sky. And there are dangerous things that come out here at night. Even for... Avatars and Figments.” Splinthoof interrupted, frowning and looking distrustfully over at Datura and Angel.

The Figment only gave one of her eternal smiles, however, while Datura took this with much less grace, glaring at him through his mask as he asked moodily: “You afraid of the dark, little tin soldier? Or do you just want to try and impress miss sunbeam?”

Splinthoof glared over at Datura, opening his mouth, but Sally quickly stepped between the two stallions, gritting her teeth and holding up her hooves... but admittedly, she was feeling much more anxious than confident as she almost pleaded: “We can't start fighting between ourselves already! We're together in this, okay? Okay, guys?”

Splinthoof looked unsure, and Datura grumbled and rolled his eyes... but Angel, at least, seemed to be in agreement, nodding as she strode up beside Datura and encouraged gently: “You know she's right, Datura. You are my master, and I will do as you say, but... you have always told me to study the wisdom of others as well. To... speak out when I feel something strongly enough. And I feel, strongly, that we should work together, darling.”

Datura looked less than pleased... but at the same time, he also seemed to be considering Angel's stance. At least, until Splinthoof muttered: “'Master,' oh boy. That's not going to get old fast or anything.”

Sally winced and smacked her unicorn friend as Datura gave them both an ill look, before the Pegasus Avatar implored: “Please, just... let's just take tonight to get to know each other, work things out. Splinthoof, I made a promise to Datura, and... Datura, right after this, we're going to Canterlot and you're going to help. Okay?”

Both stallions grumbled under their breath... but then the tall, emaciated creature gave a slow nod before he muttered: “Fine. Maybe your friend can cast a light spell for us, and Angel and I will show you the safest route through the forest. We can make camp in a nice little place I know, close to our destination. Give ourselves plenty of time to... 'talk.'”

Splinthoof looked less than thrilled with this idea, but he nodded moodily after a moment when Sally smiled at him encouragingly, the unicorn muttering: “Yeah. Talk. I'm looking forwards to it.”

Without another word, the Royal Guard flicked his horn and created a sphere of light that floated eerily above their heads, and Datura grunted as he turned around. Angel lingered only a moment longer, smiling encouragingly at the two ponies before the Figment turned calmly around to follow in the wake of her so-called 'master...' and Sally only hoped that this whole mess was all going to be worth it at the end of the day.