Chapter 8: Legacy

By the time the Tub putted its way back to Vanhoover Jackpot had already passed out and Enyi and Scarlet were not far behind, although he was getting sleepy for reasons that were different(Jackpot chugged a lot of those flasks). Scarlet's spells had long worn off and we were all completely exhausted from the, lets just say fairly traumatic experiences of the day before. I kept the shield on my back the entire time and never let it out of my sight. When I did eventually fall asleep on the docked boat I slid it under me only to find out it made a surprisingly comfortable bed. It definitely seemed to be made out of the same material as Abila's helmet as it just felt and fit so naturally to me. As long as I held it on me I felt empowered almost as if nothing could phase me, not even seeing all of those ponies die seemed to affect me right now. I liked this feeling and didn't want it to go away but the next day I had promises to keep, promises that included giving up what we found to ponies who could hopefully keep it safer than we ever could.

Indeed the next day came as I was the first one to wake up from whatever time was left of the night. Jackpot wouldn't budge and Enyi and Scarlet just shook when I patted them to wake up so I thought it best to let them sleep. The shield remained tied to my back as I took it into town and towards the Vanhoover historical museum. We were supposed to meet a representative of the Royal Historical Society and give them the relics to be properly studied and protected. The Vanhoover History Museum was indeed a large structure that I certainly would have loved to visit if I weren't on business but alas I was. Straight inside the main foyer was my contact, a rather chubby Unicorn named Dusty Scroll who was nearly drooling at the glistening shield I offered him.

“Mr. Chaser gave me explicit instructions to only accept anything from a Miss. Ivory Star, I presume that is you?”

“Yeah, I found this on the south island, you know the one with the town on it.”

“Oh yes yes. I must say though this morning I saw several boats filled with royal guards floating out that way, I hope nothing bad happened.”

“I'm sure you'll hear about it soon.” I handed over the shield into his waiting magic aura. I am very glad he turned around to view it in the light of a small lamp that sat on a desk nearby for the instant I let go of it all those images of dead ponies from yesterday came flooding back into my skull. I almost fell over due to the sheer shock of the images of actual ponies actually being killed filling the forefront of my mind.

“Did you say something?” Dusty asked as he continued to inspect the shield in his telekinetic aura.

“If I were you I wouldn't touch it just yet.” I heaved as I said this as I had now started sweating.

Dusty turned around as I certainly hadn't sounded very well, “Oh Goodness!” he squeaked, “Are you ok!”

“I'm fine, just please take that and put it somewhere safe, like a vault or something.”

“Are you sure, you look absolutely dreadful?”

“Yes, I'm just tired is all.” I said weakly.

Dusty backed away slowly(I actually looked kind of scary, hunched over and sweating profusely as I was) and waddled his way into a stairway that most likely led to their storage basement. I'm glad he left as once he was gone I let go and collapsed on the ground crying as so many horrifying emotions that I had not felt just seconds before continued to rush into my head. I laid there for a good ten minutes before Enyi crept in from the street and quickly ran over to me.

“I want to go home Enyi!” was all I could say as I lay their on the ground crying my heart out.

“The others are awake, we will be going soon.”

“Now Enyi!”

He heaved me onto his back and running as fast as he could, carried me out and to the cab where Jackpot and Scarlet were waiting.

“What happened to her?” Jackpot said as he jumped down and grabbed me as I began to slip from Enyi's back.

“She had been through too much for now, we need to let her rest.” Enyi said.

“Yesterday was horrible for all of us, honestly I can't believe how you seemed so unaffected by it?” Scarlet said as she stroked my mane once I was in the cab.

“I guess the same way you seem to be handling it.” Jackpot snarked back at her.

“I'm a doctor, I've seen ponies die before but I wouldn't say I'm exactly handling it.” she was right, she had put my head in her lap as she sat in the cab and even I could feel her legs shaking as she talked.

“Well, I got my flasks and a naturally hardy constitution as for Enyi here, I guess Zebra's are just made of tough stuff.”

“I mourn in my own way.”

“See, tough.” Jackpot said while not seeing the unappreciative look Enyi was giving him.

The train ride back to Canterlot gave me some time to decompress, the other let me rest in my own little stall with only Enyi and Scarlet popping in from time to see how I was doing. I just sat there the entire ride back staring out the window and trying and failing to sleep. Every so often I would hear the raised voices of my companions outside but what they were saying I could not hear. I sat there thinking about what happened on the island and what I had heard and saw there. To get the images of dead ponies out of my head my mind kept flashing back to Goldie and I tried focusing on how much I hated her but that only inevitably led back to the image of her killing those five ponies and the knife she nearly shoved into my head. Then suddenly I remembered some of the things Goldie had told me about Jackpot.

“What did she mean by those things.” I could barley do it but I managed to lift my hoof to my stomach, “Why did she think I was pregnant?” and with that a more important question entered my mind, “What did Jackpot do when he worked for these ponies?” He certainly didn't seem like a bad person, a little inconsiderate maybe, but not bad or evil in any way like Goldie definitely was.

I think I was the only one not to sleep at all on the train, the raised voices outside my stall eventually quieted and all sound gave way to silence as our train ride entered the night phase. We would arrive back in Canterlot late in the night as we unloaded the old scrolls and papers we had been gifted by the citizens of Money.

Standing on the station floor was Silver, “About time you three came back...who is this...and you all look terrible!”

“Scarlet, Silver...Silver, Scarlet.” Jackpot quickly pointed his wings at each of them as he said their names. He was busy with Enyi unloading the old scrolls and papers we had been gifted by the citizens of Money.

“Hello there Miss. Scarlet.” Silver did a little bow as he said this.

“Ooh, an actual gentlestallion.” Scarlet did a little curtsy of her own.

“I have a cab waiting by the street, you guys can load up that chest in there if you want.” Silver said gesturing towards the chest full of scrolls.

As everypony helped carry the heavy chest to the street I pulled Silver aside, “You said that you had heard of Sable Granite before right.”

“Yes, why was... was he there?”

“No, but Goldie was.”

Silver's face scrunched up a bit at the mention of her name, “She was trying to stop you I presume?”

“Yeah, and she nearly succeeded.”

“Well, it seems you all made it through and even picked up a new friend along the way.” Silver said with a smile on his face.

I didn't smile back, “Based on what you've been told, what kind of pony do you think this Sable Granite is?”

“Ooh, I really can't say. As I said his name is really all I know, in fact as far as I know that's all anypony knows.”

“I wonder.”

“Wonder what?”

“Something Goldie said.”

“What did she say?”

“She used Sable's name the same way most ponies use Celestia's.”

“What do you mean?” his smile gave way to some concern.

“I mean I've read enough books with enough villains to know a bad guy who has ponies refer to themselves like some kind of deity is a very bad thing.”

“You're talking about Gold Mane right, from the first Dash Venture novels?”

“You know Gold Mane?”

“Yeah, I told you I love adventure stories and Dash Venture and Daring Do are the best(finally another pony with some sense).”

I stood there for a second as an idea hit me, “Hey Silver?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you think you could maybe, since you have been before I mean, get a meeting with some of Goldie's bosses and see if you can get anything from them?”

“Wait, you have a mission for me?”

“Yeah.”

Silver's face lit up like an exploding Hearths Warming tree, “Yes! I..I..I would love to...I mean I may not be able to actually go out and fight bad guys with you but this I can do!” I could see the excitement exploding in his eyes. “Ooh, an actual adventure for me, how exciting! I won't let you down Ivory, I'll go right over tomorrow and...and...and I'll pitch some expeditions. That should get those money grubbing wing-nippers begging for some part in whatever loot they can scratch up and then I'll just cleverly wring out information just like some kind of super spy pony and then..and then”

“Ok ok I get it, you're excited. Just try and keep your calm, this could really be a big help if you can pull this off.”

“Hurry up you two!” Jackpot yelled from outside, “We gotta get Enyi and Scarlet settled into the house!”

“One minute Jackpot!”

“Don't worry Ivory, I want to help, I've got this!” Silver darted off into the Canterlot night sky very obviously filled with excitement.

I was completely exhausted by the time we got back to Grit's house and I was far from the only one. I took my own room(of course), Scarlet got the third floor guest bedroom and Enyi got to sleep in Grit's old room. This is the first time I had spent a night here since Grit died and for the first time ever in my life I felt uncomfortable in my own bed.

*****

The next day I woke up after the first proper full nights sleep I had gotten since Luna knows when. I woke up around noon and stumbled down the stairs, half asleep, into the kitchen. I stuffed some toast into the toaster and carefully poured out some orange juice with my mouth placed ever so carefully on the carton as to prevent a spill. Carrying a full glass of juice as an Earth Pony really made one jealous of Unicorns and heck, even having wings would make this a good bit easier. I had brought down stairs with me a first edition copy of Dash Venture and the Wild Wasteland(not one of his more coherent books admittedly but a weird enough tale to always keep me interested) which I proceeded to open and read between bites of toast and sips of my favorite kind of juice(oranges beat apples any day).

“Good morning Ivory!” Scarlet said cheerily as she popped her head in from Grit's study.

“I would appreciate it if you would stay out of there.”

“Oh, I'm sorry but you never told me you knew Grit Stratum!”

“Didn't we mention it?”

“Not that I recall but this must be his personal study, and the floor above us has some really interesting knickknacks in it!”

“Yes, I'm well aware.”

“What are you reading?”

“A weird book.”

“Ooh, can I see.” Scarlet popped over my shoulder and scanned the book with her eyes, “I should have figured a friend of Grit Stratum would be reading one of those books of his, whats this one about?”

“You haven't read it?”

“Oh, I haven't really read any of them(intense inner screaming).”

“What!?”

“Well, I've always been more into books about body parts and organs but I've heard a lot of his books were really good.”

“Well, this one is about Dash Venture traveling into another dimension.”

“That sounds kind of silly.”

“Yeah, but its fun, if you want to read it I've got another copy you could borrow.”

“Oh you don't have to do that, I just got here and I wouldn't want to impose at all.”

“It's no trouble at all, here.” I hopped to my hooves and walked over into the study, making sure to hug the wall and avoid the center of the room as I went. I bent over to a small drawer filled with books and pulled out an older and more ragged copy of Wild Wasteland. I held it in my mouth and set it down on the table for Scarlet.

“Wow, thanks Ivory, I'm sure I'll find it really fun!”

“Just watch out for that ending, its pretty....well its gonna hit you pretty hard.”

“Don't tell me, I don't like spoilers.”

“Sorry.”

There was suddenly a loud WHAM on the door as jackpot came stumbling in from outside.

“What was that about.”

“This Silver guy pays REALLY well, I was up all night at Joe's.”

“It sure smells like it.” I said.

“That's just my natural musk.”

“Well tell your natural musk to go away please.” Scarlet said holding her nose.

“You and your breath stink Jackpot, just accept it. We got a shower if you want(please take the very obvious hint).”

“You know what, I just might(Praise Celestia!)!” for whatever reason he sounded very superior as he said this before tripping over himself trying to climb the stairs.

“And remember don't try to use your wing, it might fall off!” Scarlet yelled a little too seriously.

“It's just a cut.” I said.

“It's a pretty nasty cut and beside, telling him bad news will only make him happier when it doesn't happen.”

“You sure that's how that works?”

“Hasn't failed me yet!”

I just rolled my eyes, sat back down and continued to eat. Enyi now came walking down the stairs still yawning.

“Jackpot smells unusually odd this morning.”

“Who knows what he spilled on himself last night.”

“He seems to enjoy those odd drinks of his a lot.”

“Well I can say they make you feel better for a while.”

Enyi just shrugged to this before going to sit down next to me at the table, “What are you reading?”

“Apparently its weird.” Scarlet said, sitting down herself.

“Is that good or bad?”

“Both.” I said.

Enyi just looked confused but again just shrugged it off. The rest of the morning went by very peacefully which given how my life has been the past few weeks was very surprising but not unwelcome.

Do you have a radio anywhere in this house?” Scarlet asked.

“Yeah, second floor, in the main trophy room, can't miss it.” I said finishing off the last of my breakfast, “You want anything Enyi?”

“I suppose you do not have any Kola nuts?”

“Can't say that I do but I do make a mean toast slice.”

“Well that will do then.”

“Do you know what toast is?” Scarlet asked while lightly stepping down the stairs holding a small radio in her magic grip.

“Yes, I do.”

“Well, I know Zebra's aren't from around here and I just didn't know if...”Scarlet looked over at Enyi with a small look of worry on her face as she said this.

“It is ok Scarlet, You meant no offense.” Scarlet's face calmed down.

“I'm sorry, I've never really met and Zebras before I just...”

“It is fine, I understand.”

“Thanks.” she gave me a very awkward look as she sat down.

Is it kind of weird to say I'm glad I wasn't the only one who asked Enyi a bunch of dumb questions upon first meeting him. But Scarlet put the radio on the table as I showed Enyi how to work our old and admittedly 'more complicated than the average toaster' toaster. Scarlet fiddled with the radio switches until she found everypony's favorite station, Hero Studios.

“That was those two new little DJ’s BubbleRap and Snicker Doodle, two locals from right here in Ole Marewaukee!”

“You like her?” Enyi asked Scarlet.

“Who doesn't!?”

“She still seems a bit loud to me.”

“NOWHAVE I GOT SOME NEWS FOR YOU! I'm sorry this is a bit late but I just had to gather up all the bits I could before reporting it. It seems our lovely sister city of Vanhoover had a little bit of a whole lot of stuff go down two days ago. On the southern island of Luna Bay it seems some mysterious ponies attacked a little camp of ponies situated on the island. Some strange lights and sounds were heard before authorities hit the scene.”

“That was us! We're on the news!” Scarlet squeaked.

“With the sad news that many of our pony friends did not survive the encounter the survivors name the pony who saved the rest of them as get this...the legendary Grit Stratum's former apprentice Ivory Star and a few of her friends! What!? You didn't know he had one of those, well he did and now it looks like she's following in his hoofprints by taking the fight to some bad guys!”

“Ivory, that's you!” Scarlet squeaked again.

“Multiple unconscious suspects were apprehended and are being questioned but I gotta say this little Ivory Star girl is really gonna make Grit proud! I am now issuing an official invitation for her to come down to Ole Marewaukee and pay us here a visit, I for one would love an interview! That's all for the Battle of Luna Bay(trademarked) y’all have a nice day now and Ivory, seriously come on down!”

With that the broadcast ended and a sample set of an old classical DJ set began playing. As Enyi and I sat down I slumped my head down on the table. I know Hero didn't mean it but did she have to remind me that a bunch ponies had just died in front of me. I guess Enyi noticed this and began stuffing his face into the slices of toast.

“This is very good, I would eat this all the time if I could!” he gave me a smile as he said this with Scarlet going along.

“Thanks guys.” I lifted my head up from the table thinking just how cute Enyi's little rhymes were.

“You still moping!” Jackpot said as he finally trotted down the stairs still soaking wet from presumably just standing in the shower this whole time..

“Jackpot, the bandage on your wing came off!” Scarlet said in a startled tone, “I'll get you another one!” Scarlet ran off past Jackpot and up the stairs.

“Come on Ivory, lets get going before she turns me into a mummy.” Jackpot pushed me out of my chair and towards the door.

“We're goin to Joe's, you can come to Enyi if ya want.”

“I think Ivory just needs some time...”

“Yup time with our wonderful friends at the bar, come on kid!” Jackpot hurriedly pushed me out the door.

“I guess I will just work on the journal some more!” Enyi called from within the house just as Scarlet rushed down the stairs with a pile of bandages.

“Jackpot, stop pushing.” I said as he ignored me.

“Come on, this'll cheer you right up.”

“Fine, but you're buying right?”

“Sure sure.”

“How are you not sick yet?”

“Can't get a nahgover if yer always drunk!”

“Wait, what!?” Jackpot eventually stopped pushing me as we got nearer to Cider Joe's. I was thinking that at least he might answer a few more questions I had if he stayed all...the way he was.

*****

“Back again Jackpot, this new job of yours must pay really well if you can still afford to come back.” Cider Joe said.

“Ivory here needs some cheering up! She's had a rough couple of days and needed a good time so who gives a fuck about money!” Joe just shrugged and nodded along.

“What was the name of that one drink you got for me before Jackpot, you know that pink one?” I asked.

“Pinkie's Surprise.”

“What's the surprise?”

“The surprise is that Pinkie Pie herself came up with it.”

“Wait, you mean that Pinkie Pie, the element and friend of princess Twilight?”

“Yeah, what you didn't know?”

“Know what?”

“Pinkie helped Joe here set this place up!”

“I find that hard to believe.” I gave a glance over at Cider Joe and he just nodded, “How? Why?”

“Well, apparently she was friends with Joe's grandpa back in the day and she liked all the weird drinks Joe here would mix up so she made one of her own and lent him some bits to start this place up.” Jackpot said as Joe set down two glasses Pinkie's Surprise.

“Yeah, she used to come in here all the time like ten years ago when I was first starting out.” Joe said.

“Wow.” I looked down at the small glass of pink liquid with a slight level of new found respect for the creation of a pony that was probably almost as famous as Grit(nopony is better than Grit). I slurped it up as Jackpot did his own glass, it tasted just as sweet as I remembered and still hit me with a minor punch as it went down.

“See, ya learn cool things when you hang out with me!” Jackpot said in a tone happier than his usual one.

Now was my chance to clear up some things, “Hey Jackpot?”

“What is it Ives.” he said with a smile.

“Ives?”

“What you don't like it, that other friend of yours has a nickname fer ya, why can't we?”

“Well, I won't stop you but whatever, anyway it comes to my attention that I don't know much about you while you know pretty much everything about me.”

“Seems to be the truth.”

“So then, tell me what Goldie was talking about when we were tied to that tree.” Jackpot almost spit out the next drink he was drinking(almost).

“I uh, don't recall what she said.”

“Why did she stick her hoof in my stomach and think we were a couple.” I said too embarrassed to actually say out loud the possibility of us..doing...the other things that she thought.”

“Why you so interested in this?”

“Listen Jackpot, my life has taken a sudden turn to fucksville and I want to know why?”

“Well, your language certainly has taken a turn towards fucksville.”

Oh my Celestia he was right! I had barely even noticed that I had recently been using words that would have made Grit douse my mouth with gallons of soap. Well I guess hanging around Jackpot would have some things rub off on me but the sudden realization of just how much swearing I had done certainly surprised me.

“Jackpot, this isn't what I wanted my life to be like.”

“Huh?”

“I saw ponies die Jackpot, a lot of ponies and I just...I just...Grit's adventures weren't like this, Daring Do's weren't and even Twilight fucking Sparkle's weren't and she constantly dealt with the fate of the world for Celestia's sake!” I slammed my face down on the bar counter where Jackpot and I had sat down.

“Ok, I see where this is going.”

“How could you, you're you! Nothing seems to bother you, except for fucking Goldie and I want to know why!”

“I told you, she's crazy.”

“It's more than that and you know it. You said that you and her never...you know right?”

“Yeah and it's true.”

“Then what was she talking about and why did she mention hurting you!”

Jackpot took another shot of Pinkie's Surprise, “You really want to know?”

“Yes! Whenever I don't know something I just feel uncomfortable, especially if I know somepony else knows it and isn't telling me.”

“Ok look, the truth is...” he though for a second, “The truth is, I've known Goldie pretty much my entire life.”

“Wait, what!?”

“Yeah, we were each born into that life. Our parents were members of...you know what let's just call em the Family, cuz that's what they are.”

“So, you were born a member of Sable's criminal organization, this Family as you call it?”

“Yeah only Sable wasn't a thing back then, he came around maybe...a little over a decade ago or something like that.”

“Jackpot, how old are you?”

“What?”

“How old are you, I just want to know.”

“Twenty six.”

“When did you leave them?”

“Well technically you don't leave them. I just stopped doing jobs a few years back when I started hanging out with Grit. Haven't had much contact since then but I think that once they figured out what Grit was doing they figured me for a traitor...which I suppose is true.”

“This is when you joined Adventure Incorporated?”

“Yeah, Grit wanted to use my connections with the Family to make it seem like he was gonna work for them again until he was ready to go all out with his little plan. First step was to get me to join his little club so we could work without suspicion.”

“And you're sure you don't know what the full plan was?”

“He never told me.”

“So you and Goldie were a...couple(gives me the shivers to think about that)?”

“Yeah and about the hurting thing, lets just say she didn't like me deciding to leave her.”

“That doesn't answer my whole question.”

“I may be drunk right now but there are some things I won't say no matter how bad I get!”

I took a breath, “Well thanks for sharing that much. I had no idea, growing up must have been hard for you.”

“Oh, it had its good times or at least what I thought were good times at the time.”

“Like what?”

“Joe get some more drinks! This conversation is getting a bit heavy for something thats supposed to cheer us up.”

“You're right Jackpot, I need to take my mind off some things anyway.”

“That's the spirit!”

The rest of the day started to go by fast, and as it turns out my emotions(and vocal chords) go kinda wonky when I have a lot of Joe's cider, but I kinda already knew that...just not to the extent of today.

“You know what Jacky!”

“What Ives?”

“My life is pretty fucked up now!”

“Yeah, I was there.”

“And so was I!”

“Yeah, I know!”

“And you...a pile of manure.” I chuckled to myself.

“What's that supposed to mean!”

“The first time you met Grit! Man you were a loser!”

“That piece of shit, I told him never to tell anypony!”

“Well he diiiiiiiid, and it was hilarious!” I started laughing some more.

Jackpot had a stack of about seven shot glasses in front of him now while I was up to about ten. We each had ordered like a dozen hayburgers and just started handing them out to other ponies when we couldn't eat anymore. Jackpot had, I think, kept ordering us stronger drinks because I certainly remember not liking the taste of some of them, but I couldn't be sure.

“You know what Jackpot.”

“What?”

“I'm really depressed that I couldn't save all those ponies that Goldie killed.”

“Hey, you did a damn fine job on that island! A damn fine job indeed!”

“Yeah but so many ponies got hurt and Goldie got away and...”

“Ya wanna know sometin Grit told me wance?”

“Huh?”

“He said Jackpot, don't do what ya think ya should do but do what ya know ya can do and evrytin else'll happen after, ya know?”

“Whuts dat suppose ta mean?”

“It means, ya did whut ya culd and you shuld be proud ya saved all the ponies ya did.”

“I guess yer rite but, *hiccup*,I still just can't forget about them. Am I even supposed to be doin this.”

“Yer doin fine Ives!” Jackpot gave me a friendly slap on my back with his bad wing, “See doesn't even hurt anymor and I'm sure Grit uld be prod of ya!”

“Really!” I almost fell over when I said that.

“Totally!”

Hours whizzed by us as we stayed ther, all of the bar ponies I was coming to recognize popped in from time to time. They all seemed so impressed that my name had been mentioned on the radio and they all bought me celebratory drinks to congratulate me.

“So Jacky! Dat Scarlet huh, she's pretty cute!”

“Well duh! But lets not tilk bout her, I wanna kno whuts betwn you n Enyi ya little scamp!”

“Whuut! Hes cute ok and his rhymes can be soooo funny somtims!”

“Ya want some private time wit him when we get ba...*burp*...ck?”

“Really!?”

“Yeah, jus say da wrd!”

“Ur da best Jack!” now I slapped him on the back.

Night came on us sooner than expected, and we had pretty much spent almost all of the money we had gotten from Silver for the job.

“Ya know wat we shuld fnd out Ives?”

“Huh!?”

“Dat thng on ur rist, whut els can it do?” Jackpot said while pointing his wobbly hoof at the now retracted bracelet on my hoof.

“Umm...it blows stuff up?”

“Ya shuld giv er a name, ya know?”

“Yeah, callin er the braclt all da tme ull get boring, ya got any ides?”

“Hows bout...boomy!”

“Naw...I always kinda wantd to be namd Pearly.”

“Dats stupid.”

“Fne...how bout Sparky, cuz it shuts out sprks!”

“Sounds fine ta me!” Jackpot yelled extremely wobbly.

Then in my last moment of clarity for the night I asked, “So everything you told me is true right?”

Jackpot looked down at me, “Yeah, it is, coltscout's honor.” Jackpot tried to pull off the coltscout salute but just ended up falling off his bar-stool.

After that it was hard to remember what happened. I think Joe ended up shoving us into one of the spare rooms in the back because that's where I woke up. It was dark as the room didn't have any windows but even so it was warm. There must have been a bed or mat or cot or something that I was laying on because I could feel one under me. On top of me was an equally soft and warm blanket, let it never be said Cider Joe doesn't know how to take care of his incapacitated customers!

I was just laying there in my little corner of bliss when something very strange began to happen, my blanket began to move around on top of me. This has to be my imagination, I mean who ever heard of a living blanket right? Here I am just trying to sleep and my blanket just up and comes alive on me, what nonsense would that be am I right? These thought poured my brain as I crept my eyes open to see what exactly was disturbing me. There was this strange pot or bowl or something just sitting there in front of my face. I couldn't tell what was in it but there was something shiny that seemed to be sitting at the top and inside of the bowl. I opened my eyes further to see it was indeed a pot of something...gold that was it, it was a pot of gold...and it was alive! It soon began to moan and groan as if in some kind of pain which I thought was kind of weird as pots and blankets don't exactly have mouths to make sound with but sure enough there it was right in front of me. After a second of my eyes adjusting I found that the pot had a leg attached to it...and beyond the leg some kind of body with weird feathery arms or something.

“Crap!” I shouted as I shot up finally realizing just what(or whom) was laying on top of me. As I did this I failed to realize the ramifications of quick and sudden movement as well as shouting in the condition I was about to find myself in.

I found myself very disorientated as I tried to jump up only to knock myself and my former blanket onto the floor. I then found myself feeling extremely sick and nauseated and vomiting all over Jackpot. He seemed to take to this rather poorly as he also shot up and after one quick look at himself vomited all over me.

“Oh luscious Luna, what happened!?” Jackpot moaned as he tripped over back into the pool of vomit that now spread across the floor.

I was almost too sick to even answer but I managed a few mumbling words, “What...did...we...do?” I looked up at what we had been laying on and sure enough it was a small cot that was only big enough for one us us to comfortably fit on.

Jackpot heaved his aching body up to take a look at the bed, “Looks clean enough to me so I would say nothing.”

“Your wing.” I managed to squeak out.

Sure enough Jackpot's wing seemed a bit crumpled, the gash hadn't reopened but it certainly didn't look any better and had began to swell up in some places. Jackpot's face then went pale white as he collapsed on the floor cradling his injured wing.

“Shit! Shit! Shit! My wing!” he moaned.

“Jackpot, I can hardly move.” My body felt so weak and my stomach churned with a gross feeling every time I tried to move about the vomit covered floor. It soon got worse as the vomit began to stink up toe small and enclosed room and the sweaty body odors that now emanated from Jackpot and myself did not help the matter.

After a minute there was a knock on the door to the room, “Hey you two, got somepony here to see you!” Cider Joe's voice yelled from outside. “They might still be sleeping, they were both up pretty late last night.” the voice then said.

I groaned again and this time the door opened with Joe and Enyi standing on the other side of it. I looked up at Enyi who just killed me with the stare of extreme confusion and disappointment as he and Joe stood there looking at me and Jackpot lying in a pool of vomit next to a small cot.

“I've got a hose out back.” Cider Joe said to Enyi.

“That will do.” Enyi said back. Cider Joe whistled and a couple of Unicorns(I recognized them as some of his regular customers) popped around the corner and began to snicker once they saw Jackpot and me.

“Can you two do us a huge favor?” Cider Joe asked pointing at us with his hoof.

“Happily!” they both said before wrapping us in a magical grasp and carrying us out the nearby back door.

I laid there on the ground in the hot noon sun when a fast and freezing burst of water rammed into my body. Jackpot was next as we were shocked awake by being drenched by streams of frigid water in our faces. The water at least cleaned us off(mostly) but the smell really didn't go away immediately.

“Enyi, I...”

“You must get home now, something requires your attention.” Enyi said flatly and stone-faced.

He bent down and with Joe's help hoisted me onto his back, Jackpot he left moaning on the ground, “I will tell Scarlet where this place sits, but seeing you like this will give her fits.”

“I'll watch him until your friend gets here.” Joe said, looking at Enyi.

“Thank you.” Enyi bowed his head and carried me off.

“Enyi, we didn't...”

“Quiet now Ivory, save your strength for the inquiry.”

“What?”

“Some royal guards wish to speak to you.”

This couldn't be good.

*****

When Enyi finally reached the house what I saw immediately shriveled whatever remained of my stomach. Blaze was standing out front, looking as unpleasant as when I last saw him, I could see several royal guards within the house as Scarlet just sat in a corner staring at them.

Enyi brought me inside and gently sat me down on one of the kitchen chairs, “As you can see she is not well, doing this another time would be swell.”

“We're sorry miss, but this can't wait.” said a unicorn guard in a rather fancier suit of armor. I recognized him as Freelance, the current captain of the royal guard. I had met him a few times in passing and from what I heard of him he was a very highly respected and reasonable pony.

“What is it?” I asked weakly as I tried to sit up as straight as I could without upsetting my slowly exploding insides.

“Well, it is regarding the...incident that occurred in this place of residence nearly two weeks ago.”

Had it been that long already, two weeks since...I shook my head as much as I could to get the thought out of my head.

“What about it?” Enyi thankfully said.

“Well during our initial investigation we cataloged the items withing the house to ensure nothing was stolen so as to rule out or discover a potential motive.”

“Are you saying something was stolen?” I asked.

“Yes, in fact most of the items in the house are stolen.”

“WAIT, WHAT!?” I shouted only to recoil back into my chair as my stomach felt like it was about to burst. Scarlet and Enyi just stood behind me silent.

“Yes, as it turns out many of the personal items kept within this residence are cultural artifacts from within and without Equestria that have all been reported as illegally smuggled out of their region of origin.”

“That's impossible! This stuff has been here for years!” I turned my head only to see several more royal guards clomping down the stairs with boxes that contained many of Grit's treasures on their backs or in magic aura fields.

“Be that as it may many of these items are illegally obtained cultural relics from Equestria, Griffonstone, Khaweth and the Crystal Empire. I am here to inform you that they are being confiscated and that a further investigation into recent actions by Professor Grit Stratum are currently underway.”

“This can't be happening, I can't be hearing this.”

“I'm sorry Miss Star, but no evidence we have uncovered has implicated you in any way, most of these items were taken long before you ever entered residence with Professor Stratum or before your stated date of birth.”

“Grit would never...” But would he. The memory that he had in fact worked under the Family for at least a short time did reenter my mind but even so there was far too much stuff here for him to have acquired in that short of time. But Grit had even told me stories of how he had attained some of his treasures.

The royal blowgun from the Mane-hunter Isles, the chalice from the Obsidian City, the Golden Minotaur Horns, and even the suit of ancient Changeling Carapace Armor. No way these things were stolen, they had hung on these walls since Grit's earliest adventuring days with some being from before Adventure Incorporated was even founded.

“Listen,” Freelance said, “I've heard about you and you seem like a good pony but the facts are the facts. I wanted to tell you before we made this information public because I heard what you did for those ponies over in Vanhoover. It's nothing personal, I'm just doing my job ok?”

“I understand.” My face(and heart) sank. As I looked down at the newly christened Sparky on my hoof I remembered the day I first dug it up, now almost a month ago. Grit had gone off with Emerald where I saw all those packages moving back and forth from the tent. And right before I left for Khaweth she said she wanted to tell me something but never did, what did she want to say! I had assumed she was going to ask me out or something but maybe...maybe it was something else. Could my best friend and hero have been doing this? No, Emerald would certainly never. But what if she didn't know, what if Grit had just been using her without her knowing!

I couldn't believe the thought going through my head, of course Grit would never do that, he was the greatest hero of Equestria since princess Twilight Sparkle, her friends and archmage Starlight Glimmer. This had to be Sable Granite's doing, another warning or maybe a way to try and divide my friends or destroy my resolve. I had absolutely no idea what was going on and I just sat there completely entranced in my own quickly escalating thoughts when Blaze entered the room from his spot outside.

“Blaze is all this true?”

Blaze took a glance outside, the guards had left the house and began to trot on down the street, “I'm sorry.” is all he said. He didn't need to say anymore, I probably wouldn't have listened anyway in the state I was in. Blaze turned to leave but took one look down into Grit's study, his face turned towards the floor for but a mere second before snapping back up as Blaze left.

“Oh dear.” Scarlet said.

“Ivory are you alright?” Enyi said putting his hoof over my shoulder.

“Enyi, can you carry me up to my room, I need to lay down for awhile?”

He nodded as Scarlet helped hoist me onto his back. Enyi carried me up the stairs, past the now mostly empty second floor and up into my own room on the third floor. He set me down gently on my bed.

“I will stay downstairs if you need me ok?”

“Enyi, can you just stay here for a while?”

“I need to direct Scarlet to Jackpot but I will be back soon.”

“Ok.”

With that Enyi left and I curled up inside the warm darkness of my blankets. My mind was racing with thoughts I didn't even know could fit in a pony's head at the same time. Sadness, disbelief, anger, disappointment, disbelief and a profound sense that I failed to see or even guess this in any way depressed me further.

“Am I really that naive?” What had Grit been thinking? What was he really going to do? What were his plans for me? Was he trying to make me follow in his hoofsteps? No that's not it, his reasons for keeping me inside Equestria so long and away from Adventure Incorporated until I seemed old enough seemed to show that.

I curled up even further and took a look at my cutie mark, the messed up compass never seemed so annoying as it did right now. What did this stupid thing even mean at this point, what was the point of even continuing on with this insane mission I was on.

“Wait!” I yelled as I suddenly shot up in bed which instantly proved to be a very bad idea. My stomach just twisted in on itself as my mouth quickly filled up with vomit. I was still way to sick and way to depressed to be making such sudden moves like that. I somehow managed to hold my mouth and swallow whatever had just come up from my guts(probably my guts) before laying back down only now with my mouth tasting like vomit.

The thought that had just entered my mind though, that could mean something. Goldie had called Grit a fraud back in the Luna Bay! This means...Sable...it was his fault. He probably made Grit do these things, yeah that had to be it. Or maybe he bought somepony off and they made the guards think those things were stolen. Sable Granite and Goldie Grail just keep fucking up my life!

“Ivory?” Enyi's wonderful accent said from outside my covers.

I slid my head out, my eyes swollen from the tears I hadn’t even realized I had been crying. Enyi had a look of extreme concern on his face as he looked at me.

“You do not look so good, but perhaps listen to me you would?”

“Listen to what?”

“Back in Khaweth, do you know if Grit took...anything with him back here?”

Of course I knew what he was talking about and I was very tempted to just tell him everything as he certainly deserved to know what Jackpot and I had been keeping a secret from him. The news of what Grit had apparently been doing for years...this had to be some kind of sign to come clean and just tell him. But on the other hoof I didn't want him to leave me now and with the helmet being the only thing that would make Sparky work I needed it for the now two ponies I had to take down. It hurt to say and it hurt to say it to Enyi specifically, especially since he was standing right here in front of me...with those deep yellow eyes...his slightly noticeably growing muscles...but I couldn't, not yet. I thought to myself the moment I got Goldie and Sable I would tell him and give him the helmet and even personally deliver it with him back to his people with him but for now I still needed it.

“No I don't know if he did or not.” seeing as I was the one who technically found it and Jackpot probably was more responsible for getting it back I probably wasn't lying that much anyway.

Enyi took a deep breath, “I believe you, thank you for saying as such.”

“Sable Granite.”

“What?”

“It's all him. Goldie probably goes where he tells her to, he must have ordered her to kill Grit and those ponies in the Luna Bay.”

“Sable Granite? His name is in Grit's journal yes, who is he?”

“Wait, I haven't told you?”

“It appears not.” Enyi said with some disappointment.

“Well, Jackpot only told me a little before we left for Vanhoover but he is the leader of the group that Grit was trying to stop, the one he wrote about in the journal.”

“They are the ones looking for these artifacts?”

“Yes.”

“Then they must have gotten to the helmet before us?” Enyi mumbled to himself.

“What?”

“It is nothing but I think I am beginning to piece together what their plan is.”

“WAIT, WHAT! HOW!” bad idea, bad idea, bad idea, still sick, still sick.

“Ivory, what I am about to tell you must remain between us.”

“Why?”

“You know that we Zebra are...secretive about our ways and history.”

“Grit mentioned it yes.”

“It is not something I particularly like about us but as a Storyteller I am bound to keep the oaths I swore.”

“Where are you going with this?”

“Abila.”

“What about her?”

“There is more to her story than I think even Grit ever knew.”

This suddenly got me very excited. Something even Grit never knew!

“You may tell the others what I believe the plan to be but you must promise to never tell them the story I am going to tell you.”

“I promise.” I said perhaps a bit too quickly and eagerly.

“Abila was born over two thousand years ago in something even we know very little about, the first Zebra Empire. This empire stretched from Khaweth to what you call the Crystal Mountains in the north, Griffonstone in the east and Luna Bay in the west. She was born in this empire's final days as it was destroyed by the time she reached adulthood.”

“Wait, so a long time ago Equestria belonged to Zebra's?”

“According to our history, yes.”

“What happened to the empire, how was it destroyed?”

“I believe you have already seen it.”

“Where?” I honestly had no idea what he was talking about.

“At Numnah, on one of the tomb walls I saw a city surrounded by darkness, you saw it also correct?”

“Oh yeah, I did see that. Was that a Zebra city or something?”

“No, I do not know what city that was but in our oldest tales we Storytellers speak of the Great Darkness. It was...some being or force that engulfed everything it touched. It spawned demons, twisted nature, and ravaged our empire and people. One hundred years it is recorded that we battled before our last city fell, but before it did the last Zebra Magicians scryed that the Great Darkness had thoughts of a far away land and its destruction. Abila was chosen to go there and warn them of it's coming and to help them prepare so they at least might be saved.”

“That sounds...amazing. From a purely historical point of view I mean.”

“Do not worry, I understood. But go she did and what happened there nothing tells but when she returned over a decade later she brought you ponies with her as well as many other creatures.”

I looked down at Sparky, still on my foreleg, “Everypony on this bracelet, they must have all come from this place then, right?”

“They are the same as those that came with Abila, yes. But that is not all, Before she returned some few Zebra that remained in hiding told tales of the Darkness returning as well. Only after it followed some great light magic that sealed the beast away in the deepest pits of Tartarus. The legends say leaders of the tribes that came with Abila ventured there and sealed away what they found with a powerful magic. If the Sable Granite seeks the friends of Abila to unseal something as it says in Grit's journal I am guessing he wishes to unseal the Great Darkness and use its power for his own ends.”

“Hmm, well that certainly sounds bad.”

“Ivory you do not understand. There are many stories of this beasts power and I would tell them but I have no desire to hear such things spoken aloud ever again. The Darkness permeates our histories and is to us what you would call a bogeymare. We Zebra see these myths as historical fact and you would be hard pressed to find one of us who does not even fear the mention of it.”

“Ok ok, so this is pretty bad. How bad exactly would you describe this boogeymare of yours to be?”

“It is said it devoured cities, spawned legions of demons, twisted even the Immortal Dragons to its will, created the nightmare lords, Balaur and Lazilob, and threw down a millenniums old empire. I have heard of similar monsters in Equestria's past as well but they seem as only the twisted remnants of what came before.”

“Come to think of it, there a lot of unexplained mysteries of Equestria that nopony really knows the answer to.” my thoughts went to princess Twilight Sparkle and the Elements of Harmony. She was famous for battling legendary monsters such as Discord, Tirek and other villains that seemed to have no real past or history.

“If I am correct and Sable is able to succeed then he will have unleashed a power that makes the deeds of even your country's legendary Elements of Harmony seem like mere parlor tricks.”

“Ok I get it, it's bad.” I was understating this, it was very bad!

“As I said, it is merely a thought and I do not know for sure if this is their plan or not.”

Today was just the worst. Of any and all bad days that anypony probably ever had this was the...worst...possible...day...EVER! My hero ripped to shreds before my eyes and soon the eyes of all Equestria, the seemingly unending ick my body was pushing on me, the most powerful and evil thing ever possibly being thrown loose on Equestria for Celestia knows why and to top it all of my mouth still tasted like vomit.

I sat up as quickly as my body would allow and slid my hooves over my face, “I don't know Enyi, this is..this is all just too much for me today. First Grit and now this. How many times is life just going to screw with me before it ultimately dumps me in some hole somewhere.”

Enyi sat down on the bed next to me, “You have been through a lot since we first met Ivory, I have seen you handle things most ponies and even Zebras would shrink away from. But you faced them and you came out on top all things considered.”

“It sure doesn't feel that way.” I said falling back down onto the bed and almost losing control of my stomach again.

“But it is true! You defeated a Pyth for spirits sake! And let us not forget how you saved that strange town of ponies on the bay.”

“Yeah and I got even more of them killed.”

“That was not your fault, if you had not been there Goldie would have killed them all, including Scarlet! And Jackpot certainly would not have gone to help them, I believe it was you who changed his mind on that as well. And let us not forget how you inspired me to stand up and help you when but a month before I would have cowered and run away!” suddenly Enyi's face turned red. He immediately stopped talking as I just looked up and stared at him.

“No way I did that.” I said with a small smile forming on my face.

“But you did. I believe that is why Whisperwind's tomb came for you and nopony else, because you chose to help those ponies instead of looking for the treasure. You did the right thing Ivory and you did the best you could at it. Yes it is true you did not save everypony but you did save some, and perhaps next time you will save more and Scarlet, Jackpot and I will be there to help you.”

“Wow, that was...wow. But don't sell yourself short Enyi, you definitely played a bigger role than you think. Remember you freed the villagers and got them to safety while I was busy being captured by Goldie.”

“You know what, I suppose I did do that.” Enyi cracked a small smile.

“It was us as a team Enyi, without Scarlet we couldn't have saved the ponies in the mine and Jackpot helped me get to Sparky here and fought off Goldie so we could go save the ponies to begin with.”

“Sparky?”

“Oh yeah, Jackpot and I decided to name it Sparky.”

“It is a good name. May the sparks of Sparky never grow dim, so we can catch this Sable when we find him!” Enyi waved his hoof in the air as he said this.

This made me laugh a little as I laid there looking up at Enyi. I just looked at him for what seemed like forever. Enyi's words had managed to cheer me up and even revive my drive to see this adventure through! And without even thinking about it I leaned up and kissed him straight on his lips. When I finally realized what I was doing Enyi's face was frozen in a state of extreme surprise that quickly turned his face green and almost sick looking. Oh crap-baskets, my mouth still had vomit in it!

Enyi quickly pulled his face away as the fumes from my mouth certainly had slunk over into his. He began to heave slightly as I shoved my tomato colored face under the covers of my blankets.

“I will go get you some water.” he coughed a little after saying this.

“Yes...p-p-please do that.”