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Where We May Lead

by Shadowmane PX-41

Chapter 10: Pinkie Pie and Somnambula: Medjay

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“Me? A Medjay?” Somnambula was still hyperventilating over the thought of her new title. “But I just got back from Limbo! How am I supposed to be eased back into Equestria when the pharaoh is anointing me as his Medjay?”“Uh, what’s a Medjay?” Pinkie asked, tilting her head to the side slightly.

Somnambula took a deep breath, rubbed her temples slightly, then looked into Pinkie’s eyes. “You know how Equestria has their police ponies, who handle all of the crime in the nation and maintain order?”

“Yeah. I know ‘em.” Pinkie nodded. “Once you get past their super-stuffy outsides, they’re just sweet and cuddly on the inside!” Pinkie instantly pulled Somnambula into a tight hug. “Only, not so much when it’s you they’re after...”

“Yes. Well.” Somnambula writhed out of Pinkie’s hug, not wanting her lungs to be crushed again. “A Medjay is very similar to an Equestrian police officer, but much more than that. They are all of Southern Equestria’s order. They help villagers when they have general problems to solve, combat great threats and villainous groups who wish chaos upon the ponies, and are the right-hoof mares and stallions of the pharaoh themself.”

“Oh, so, they’re like super-duper cops!” Pinkie’s smile grew wider. “They sound really important.”

“Yes.” Somnambula nodded, then looked down at her hooves. “And now, the pharaoh wants to turn me into one. And if I accept, I’ll be even more busy than ever before. I may never have time to return to the other Pillars of Equestria.”

“Oh, is Southern Equestria actually a crime-ridden cesspit of chaos and despair, where ponies are stolen from and mugged and never go to bed with any luxuries because of evil mercenaries and fear on the streets?” Pinkie asked, oblivious to how dark and horrific she was sounding. “Nah. It probably just needs some brighter decorations. That’s all.” She shrugged.

“If Southern Equestria had a problem like that, then we would call on you and your friends in a heartbeat. After all, you have quite a penchant for dispatching threats to Equestria.” She reached into Pinkie’s mane and pulled out the journal she and her friends had kept. “If this is any indication, I’m sure that we are all in good hooves if a new evil would ever arise...”

“Yeah. We’re pretty famous.” Pinkie flashed a grin as she took back the book and stuffed it into her mane.

“Even so, the thought of being Medjay is a bit too much to bear at the moment.” Somnambula’s pupils shrunk slightly as she rubbed her forehead. “It is a massive responsibility to bear. I’m basically foalsitting the entire region in your terms. I might not be ready for it yet.”

“Aw, c’mon. Foalsitting’s not really that bad, once you get down to it. Plus, if you can multitask like me, it’s as easy as counting off all your favourite types of ice cream in a triple-scoop stack.” Pinkie licked her lips. “Butter brickle cheesy flipple, super sensational sweet berries, and tangy-tastic lemon!”

“Well, thank you for the vote of confidence, Pinkie Pie.” Somnambula took a deep breath and looked out the window. “And I can’t decide right now. If you don’t mind, I think I shall at least take a look at the world I left before I decide on such a massive, life-changing decision like this.”

“Suit yourself, then.” Pinkie watched as she started to walk out of the palace. “But are you sure you don’t wanna take the job right away? I mean, being a super-police pony seems like a great job. Plus, you get to fight evil on a regular basis and right the wrongs of a tyranny-swept Southern Equestria!” Pinkie threw her forehooves up. “Meanwhile, we only fight it whenever it comes around. We’ll probably get super-jealous of you and all your fun adventures and ask if we can come along too. Speaking of which, can I come with you?”

"It would have to depend on the job, Pinkie. I wouldn't want to put you or any of your friends in any major danger." Somnambula went down the corridor and started to trot down the stairs. "Usually, a Medjay can get involved in high-profile and dangerous quests, like defeating the leader of a criminalist organization or evil cult, or fighting ferocious monsters in the deserts and beyond. And trust me; the sphinx you were read about is not the most dangerous creature out here. There are much, MUCH worse things to be worried about."

"Like what? I'm pretty sure that we've got all the pony power we need to whoop any meanie-bo-beanie monsters right on their tushies." Pinkie pulled out a cupcake and cocked it like a weapon, pointing the frosty top out to the walls. "I was specially trained in the arts of tae-kwon-dough, judough, and kung fun. My arsenal of super sugary treats are ready and waiting to deliver justice on any and all things that would dare to upset everypony. Bring it on, monsters! Pinkamena Diane Pie is ready for you!"

Somnambula looked at Pinkie Pie, seeing a big flame appear over her, with a similar one lighting up in her eyes. "May Celestia have mercy on all the souls who dare to cross this young mare..."


The village of Somnambula was lively on that day. Ponies were standing by their stalls, hustling and bartering with the ponies who came round, trying to prove that their merchandise was worth the price. Some stands sold jewels, others were selling incense, and there were some that held on to some items that seemed to come from outside of Southern Equestria. The other villagers were either purchasing from the stalls, chatting to each other by the fountain in the plaza, and the fillies and colts were playing board and ball games by the building walls.

Once the ponies saw Somnambula, all of the attention focused on her. But this time, instead of mobbing her and lifting her against her will, they were instead praising her from afar, telling her that she was a legend among ponies and deserved all the fame and fortune in the world. Most of the time, she didn't pay attention, but she did blush and grin slightly at some of their compliments and kind words.

"I still cannot believe that the ponies revered me this much since I defeated the sphinx and left to aid Starswirl and his compatriots." Somnambula looked into the eyes of the ponies that were watching her, almost as if she were a mirror for all of them. "Such a mere task isn't much in my eyes; especially considering the dark road that Stygian took, nearly thrusting upon us an eternity of despair and torment."

"Wasn't really as much despair and torment as it was another Nightmare Moon situation," said Pinkie Pie. "She was the evil version of Princess Luna. Just so you know."

"There is an evil version of everyone, Pinkie Pie. It comes as no surprise that even the princesses themselves have a darker half." Somnambula looked up to the sky, putting one of her hooves up to shield herself from the light of the searing sun in the distance. "Every being I have ever known has had something like it. Light and darkness cannot function without the other to keep it in balance. That is why new evils are always spawning, just when we think the world is truly in a state of peace and tranquillity. Even Twilight Sparkle herself; the supposed leader of your inner circle must have some malefic abhorrent self, waiting to unleash its' power."

"Yeah. But even so, it's totally up to them whether or not they become evil. I mean, when did you ever see a guy become evil because some bub wanted to hijack them for some sick and twisted games?" Pinkie rolled her eyes. "Heck, even Stygian chose to be a bad guy. And that was just because of a little friendship issue."

"In hindsight, we ourselves are not as level-headed as you and your friends can be." Somnambula shook her head, slightly shifting the headdress on her mane. "We jumped to conclusions too quickly and paid the price for it."

"We all make mistakes. Trust me. Applejack does it all the time, and she's supposed to be the one who's got it all under control," said Pinkie.

"There is no such thing as mistakes. Ponies will always have a reason as to why they tread their dark paths."

Pinkie and Somnambula turned to see a group of five ponies standing before them. Some had horns while the others had wings, but they all came in a variety of different colours. One was a purple unicorn with a black mane; the second was light-blue Pegasus with a topaz mane with white stripes; a third was dark green and had brown hair and wings, the fourth one was a silver unicorn with a golden manestyle, and the fifth was gold and also had black hair, along with a majestic set of wings.

"Ponies are often known for disguising their motives with innocence and pleas for mercy, but in the end, all of them are judged all the same." The purple unicorn with black hair stepped forward. "And we, the pharaoh's newest elite, will make sure that all of the wicked evildoers of this world answer for their crimes."

"Who are you?" Somnambula tilted a head at the newcomers. "I don't think I have ever seen ponies like you here before."

"The answer to why we are newcomers is simpler, Somnambula. It is because you are a millennial. And one who has staved off death in a most peculiar manner worth exploring." The silver unicorn approached as well. "The world you know has been torn down and burned to ash over a thousand years. It is only natural that there are nothing but new faces to greet you upon your return."

"We are a new unit of Medjay ponies chosen by the pharaoh. Known collectively as the Order." The gold pony with massive wings stepped forward. "My name is Isis. Leader of the Order."

"I am he who is known as Anubis." Said the purple pony with black hair. "My arcane arts shall grant evil a swift passage to the afterlife." His horn crackled with power, but he casted no spell.

"My name is Nekhbet." The other Pegasus unfurled her wings. "Like a vulture, I ensure that my prey has no chance to slip away; even when they can move no longer."

"You may call me Sobek," the green pegasus said as he showed his gaping jaws. "The rivers of Southern Equestria have always been my home, and I utilize them to my fullest when carrying out my orders."

"And I, Osiris, am the brother of Isis, and a potent magic user myself." He chuckled as he used his own horn to cast a projection of another horn onto Isis's head, making it look like she had become an alicorn. "Though it looks real, it only persists so long as I will it. Otherwise, she has no magical power of her own."

"Brother, I wish you didn't have to keep doing that." Isis wiped the horn away with a wave of her hoof. "I am well-versed in using my own magical runes for that. There really is no need to make me look like one of the royals of Central Equestria now, is there?"

"True, but there may come a time when the enemy starts to counter your runic magic." Osiris lifted his hoof. "And when the day comes, it never helps to have a little insurance. After all, it is better to have and not need, than to need and not have."

"Ooh! So the five of you are all super-police ponies?" Pinkie zipped up to the five newcomers, making them step backwards quickly. "Well, you're in luck, because Somnambula just got the offer from mister pharaoh guy himself to become a Medjay too! And if she says yes, then all of you can go on adventures together, just like me, my friends, and all of her new friends!"

"Pinkie Pie." Somnambula used her wing to cover Pinkie's mouth, then dragged her backwards to give the other ponies some breathing room. "I apologize for her... erratic nature. She is from Central Equestria. Discipline and severity are almost non-existent there. Especially when Princess Twilight and her friends are enforcing friendship."

"I see." Anubis looked up and down at Pinkie, examining her from mane to tail. "Well, Somnambula, she seems harmless. But there's no use in leaving stones unturned." He closed his eyes and crackled his horn, firing a small beam of purple light at Pinkie's chest.

All Pinkie could do was giggle as the beam penetrated her body and struck at her heart, conjuring a screen with characters similar to the one in the pharaoh's chamber on the side. On the middle of the screen was a beating heart, being weighed on scales. Above the heart was a white beam, and below it was a black one. The scales wobbled and shook slightly before the one with Pinkie's heart on it started to lift, higher and higher until it hit the white beam above. Then, the magic disappeared.

"It seems that she is pure of heart. And because of that, there should be no more suspicions that she will betray you." Anubis bowed and stood back upright. "Before you ask, what you just witnessed was my magic. I have the unique power to weigh a pony's heart, and determine whether or not they are good or evil because of it. Because her heart ascended to the heavens, that means that she is a good pony; and one who could never become evil under any feasible circumstances."

"The power to weigh a pony's heart?" Somnambula parroted, then watched as Anubis returned to his colleagues' sides. "I must admit, I have never heard of that kind of magic before."

"I think it's super neat-o! And it was super-duper tickly as well!" Pinkie giggled, wiggling her arms to show the emphasis. "I felt like my hooves were turning into snakes for a second."

"Anubis crafted this spell with the help of my brother, Osiris." Isis stepped up. "With it, he became a valuable asset to the protection of Southern Equestria, and the pharaoh immediately welcomed him as a Medjay. With his power, he can see evil coming before it ever arrives, and dispatch the threat with little resistance."

"By dispatch, you mean—"

"Deliver them to the pharaoh. They handle the rest from there." Nehkbet unravelled her wings and flitted forward. "We ourselves only act when the pharaoh wills it. It is rare for a Medjay to be judge, jury, and executioner without the orders."

"Interesting." Somnambula stepped forward. "It has been quite a while since I was back in this part of the world. Maybe the rules have changed..."

"I assure you, the old ways are but a thing of the past now." Sobek nodded and prowled forward, almost like a crocodile would. "In this modern day and age, the new Medjay ponies are given more control than ever. And more often than not, they are responsible for ending wars, solving terrorist problems, and dealing with any and all kinds of messes, no matter how big or small they may be."

"And I could be a part of this new legion of Medjays..." Somnambula thought longer and harder about the pharaoh's offer, nearly losing herself to those thoughts along the way. She didn't even notice the ball that bounced off of her head and back to the fillies and colts playing with it.

"Oh. Sorry about that, miss," said a colt.

"Huh?" She snapped out of her train of thought and picked the ball up. "Oh, it is no problem. Now you all go off and play again." She gently tossed the ball back to them, and they ran off giddily with it before she returned to her mindscape.

After the Pony of Shadows incident, is it my destiny to become a Medjay? She scratched her chin as the rest of the noise around her was muffled out. To act as a permanent guardian for my people? What would Starswirl and his followers think of the decision? And is it really the right one? To break away from the allegiance of the six most powerful ponies in the world for the sake of one part of it?

"It seems like you are busy for the time being. We shall leave you to your pondering, Somnambula, the Optimist." Sobek turned back to his fellows and they all began to walk off. "We shall meet again in due time, though. And when we do, the decision you choose whether or not to pledge yourself to this continent will have been made."

"Medjay or not, you could become a beacon of hope for everyone again, Somnambula. No longer a legend that vanished into the pages of mystery," said Isis. "But it is all up to you. Far be it for the five of us to twist your hoof and make the decision for you. It's not in our will to provoke or decide the fate of a goddess, after all."

Somnambula didn't even say goodbye to them or wave them off in response, still buried deep within her own little world, debating the pros and cons of being a Medjay and siding with the order and the pharaoh. Though she was known for her hope and undying faith in her cause, even now, she was beginning to sweat bullets and couldn't think of a clear-cut decision.

"Uh, Somnambula?" Pinkie waved a hoof in front of her face. "Hello? Equestria to Somnambula? Are you in there? Don't make me have to get the tickle fingers out. They've been itching for a good tickling ever since I last babysat the Cake Twins..."

"I assure you, Pinkie Pie. This is a colossal matter to think about." Somnambula finally broke out and brushed Pinkie's hoof away. "I cannot just jump to conclusions on the spot. It might even be days, or even weeks before I decide on an answer. And no matter what I choose, I have an important part to play in the fate of the world. Medjay of Southern Equestria, or Pillar of Hope. Both of which are equally vital to the infrastructure and protection of this realm."

"Maybe you just need to take a breather and see more of the sights." Pinkie slid back behind her and slipped her hoof around her shoulders. "There's still plenty of Somnambula left to see, so why don't we just do it?"

"True. I still have a lot to observe here in this town." She nodded. "In fact, I have not even been to my actual home yet. Maybe we should head over there right now, to see whether or not it is still standing..."

"Then let's head on over there right now! After all, what better way to feel at home than to actually be at home?" Pinkie smiled. "Last one there's a rotten egg!" And she scurried off down the road, leaving nothing but dust in her wake. It wasn't long that she came back, poking her head out of one of the corners at the end of the path. "Uh, where is your house, anyway?"

All Somnambula could do was smile at Pinkie's antics, and used her wing to motion her to follow. "Come with me, Pinkie. I'll show you." And with not another word, she trotted along the other way, leaving Pinkie to dart back to her side and walk almost like she was glued to her.

Author's Notes:

If any of you are wondering about the Order I introduced in this chapter, let me explain each of the gods below:

Anubis: Egyptian God of the Dead. With the head of a jackal, he waits for the spirits of the dead, and weighs their hearts on his scales before sending them off to the afterlife. There, he accounts for EVERYTHING in that human's life, both good and bad.

Sobek: Egyptian God of the Nile. With the head of a crocodile, Sobek is often worshipped to ensure good fertility of both crops and people. He is also called the Lord of Faiyum and is considered to control water itself.

Nehkbet: Egyptian Goddess of Vultures. She is what she says she is. Where she goes, vultures usually follow. And we all know what vultures are capable of.

Osiris: Egyptian God of the Dead and Ruler of the Afterlife: In addition to those titles, he is also considered the Egyptian God of Resurrection and Fertility, though those titles are lesser known. He has had a hand in a lot of Egyptian magic, is the brother and consort of Isis, and the father of Horus.

Isis: The Egyptian Goddess of Magic and Life: Also believed to be the Egyptian Goddess of Maternity, Isis is a kind-hearted spirit, with the power to heal many ailments and restore people to peak condition. She is also gifted in magic, thanks to the help of her brother, Osiris, as well as many other Egyptian gods.

If you think that they are portrayed well, then that is good. And if you think that they are not, then please let me know how I can improve on them in future Pinkie and Somnambula chapters.

For now, have a good night, and I'll be seeing you all again soon...

Next Chapter: Applejack and Rockhoof: Rebuilding Estimated time remaining: 1 Hour, 37 Minutes
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