My Little Tactics

Chapter Three: Monsters and Duty.

The sound of bubbling and the crackling of the fire was heard as Dustan stood outside of the hut a good bit away from where he stayed with the shaman that had become his friend and teacher. His job was to watch the cauldron as it produced a new brew which, both of them had nearly found out almost too late, needed a lot of ventilation, more so then was already present in the hut. With her rhyming ways Zecora had posed this as a challenge for her week long apprentice. This was good as the last week had brought up many mysteries and some thinking time was what the human had wanted so he took up the challenge in stride.

Wrapping the cloak his friend had given him he looked up into the sky where the moon rested. “I wonder how far before season one I am?” The reason for this question was the many craters dotting the surface of the moon in the shape of a mares head. “For that matter am I even in the canon universe. Multiverse theory is always a popular subject when it comes to ideas like this. Am I even in the world the T.V. show portrays or am I in some weird world where everything is not even close?”

He had only recently found out that it was even spring at all from his teacher. When he was asked how he could not know what season it was all he could respond with was: Ponies control the weather so absolutely that sometimes it’s hard to tell. Zecora bought it but only because she explained that there were not enough pegasi from her homeland to control the weather like in Equestria. It made Dustan feel horrible for having to lie to her like that but what was he to say?

Making and learning potions was actually fun as well, which he found out did count for the Chemist job class but with a REALLY slow income. So far since that night he had only been to the ‘Class Room’ as he called it twice and was still unsure of what triggered him being pulled there. The first time back he really took the time to roam around the dark and surprisingly he did bump into statues now and then but could neither see nor could he remember how they felt. The only thing he could recall about them is the sense of not being ready for them.

Skills were another story as well, he had no way of knowing how to equip them or execute them. He was still unsure even if the Throw Stone skill was activating when he threw a stone or not. There were also the inconsistencies with his own job class: Squire. The first time he thought it was odd but skills were darkened out or removed completely sometimes and he could neither make out the names of what skills there were, or even comprehend what it was they were supposed to be from his memories. Then there were the ones that appeared randomly that one spooked him the most.

It was during the second trip that he was in the Class Room when he looked at his Squire job listing. He was in the middle of trying to remember the skills of the squire and as he did so he couldn’t help but chuckle remarking that while Tactics wasn’t the first Final Fantasy game that came up with the system it for sure felt like one of the best. He remembered Five’s system, even the other Tactics games. Forgotten in his memories he had turned away from looking at the chart in front of him so the screen flickering and turning to static briefly scared him. It was that scare that woke him up quickly, but in that moment his skills were gone, blacked out or removed he couldn’t remember which, all he could remember was that the list was completely different.

That was only one of the mysteries about himself that he wondered about, the other two he was currently polishing: His sword and Virgo. The sword, Zecora was uneasy around it every time often asking him if he was ok every time she saw him with it out. He asked her about it once in she explained that she felt like it had a hunger as well as a need. The problem was it was a good and bad thing but teetered on the realm of the dangerous. Well she didn’t say all that as she had made it rhyme but that was the overall message. His crimson saber, the bloody blade, it was a wooden sword originally and then became real at the hands of the Merchant that had stabbed him. Was it because it was wood originally that it soaked up his blood or was it something that man did to it to make it do so?

While his sword frightened him because it had become real, the next possibility scared him even more. The sapphire stone that had the symbol of the virgin born into it: Virgo. The holy stone, the Auracite, the Zodiac Stone, the crystals of the Zodiac Braves as well as the harbingers of the Lucavi all of those and more were the name for what was in his hand. If the Merchant had turned his sword real, what did that mean of this stone? Sure the other Merchant the friendly one had given it to him, but did he have the same powers as the other to change things? If that was the case in his hand was either the single most powerful thing in this world, or the most deadly. He thought about burying it somewhere safe but he knew that if that crystal was the real deal it would call out to someone or something to unearth it.

‘A strong will can use this stone for good or evil.’ Dustan thought while holding up the stone towards the moonlight making sure he didn’t miss a spot on it as the rag in his other hand could attest to finding each and every so far by the dirt spots on it already. ‘Marach was story dead, not just battle dead. That means that his death should have been final yet he was perfectly revived thanks to the stone. Even worse while I could have chosen any other stone, I pick the one that can call the big bad of the game down: Ultima. Yes in the game she…or was it a he I could never tell, regardless he was a chump compared to other enemies. Hell even end game Mindflayers killed me more times than him-her screw it I am calling Ultima a her. Ultima was designed in the game as a being of supreme power…how would that translate if somehow Ultima came out here in Equestria?’

Dustan knew he was no Ramza; he didn’t have a single ounce of training, any comrades, nor any good equipment or even spells which to use. Dustan was just…a Squire for now. Could he change class, likely, did he know how? About as much as he did for using skills. If it came down to what would happen in the future, he hoped Celestia, Luna when she returned…IF she returned, Cadence, and the Mane Six could handle it. Till then he swore to himself he wouldn’t let this stone fall into the wrong hands…hooves…appendages.

The pop from the fire under the cauldron brought him back from his thoughts as he gave a sigh and stuffed the stone back into his pocket. “Time to get some more firewood.” Luckily he had the foresight to have brought some around earlier when he got called for the duty. “Hehe proper planning and all that.” He chuckled to himself while moving the wood around with a poker before stuffing a few more pieces under the giant metal pot.

After putting the last piece under the pot he was about to go sit down when a rustling in the distance got him scrambling to find a tree. Said tree turned out to be the hut itself as it quickly moved to hid in the branches pulling his cloak around him for camo. The noises had caught his attention as they were not the shuffling of wood from Timberwolves, or the soft light steps of a Cockatrice, and if it was the heavy steps of a Manticore he would have ran inside. No, these steps were cautious, deliberate, and not made with hooves.

What came into the firelight of the made his eyes go wide and his blood turn cold. The creatures were small and had brown fur, they were hunched over and sniffing around with almost pig like noses. Long pointed ears came out of the sides of their head and were marked even more striking against the red cone like cloth hats they wore. Undershirts of an undyed variety left them with a light tan coloration that was a stark contrast to the heavy brown of their fur. More so they wore bright red that doubled also as shorts for the creatures. Feet covered in large socks and leather shoes was what he heard as they marched a moment ago.

‘Goblins!’ Thought Dustan as he spotted the three. What surprised him even more was that among the three one was armed with a yellow gold looking dagger. ‘Goblins DEFINITELY do not belong in MLP. Did I bring them here somehow? Or were they always something here in this particular universe. Shit this brings up way more questions then I really want right now. Wait shit they are saying something, I missed it.’

Listening closely they were indeed saying something. “Me though you said you smell good eats. Me smell sick foods.”

The one who said that was the same one who had the dagger and was obviously the leader of the three with how the other two shrunk away at his voice. “Me sorry, me thought me smell eats we look for.”

“Bah, you know nothing.” Said the leader to his shirking comrade. “We find promise field and eat fill. Me report back to big caps for bit reward. You small caps get small reward.”

That seemed to get the third member going as he, least Dustan thought it was a he since there has never been a female goblin the games that he could tell visibly, jumped up and down excited. “Yes, me eat good, me eat lots, me eat red like caps.”

For a moment Dustan thought the goblins might set up camp around the cauldron but it seems the smell urked them more than a little as they soon made off singing of red caps eating red. It seems stealth was not their strong suit as he could hear them leaving for quite a was just by the noise they made, he must have been lost in thought more then he could imagine if they had gotten as close as they had before and him not to notice. He climbed down, quickly stoked the fire under the cauldron, then he made a quick lap around the area just to make sure they were truly well and gone.

He had kept his sword out just in case they came back around or more showed up. ‘Ok, Goblins are a thing, are they new, have they always been here? Is it just them or are there more. REALLY hope there are no Ahriman those things were always creepy, or Malboros. I really really wish I could get to a library, from the scrolls and books that Zecora has English is a thing in this world it seems, or Common Equish as she called it.’

“Lost in thought?” Zecora found out what happened when startling the Squire as did the Squire himself as his sword stopped just an inch from her face causing her to drop the drink she had in her hoof causing the mug to shatter on the ground with the liquid it held spreading out and soaking into the ground. “Well that was your drink that I had brought.”

“Sorry sorry, just a bit high strung. Got a visit from something nasty last night and it has me on edge.” Pulling the sword away from her he gave the back of his head a rub. “Sorry about that.”

Hearing about the visit though had the Zebra looking curious. “Pray tell what is it that has given you a scare. Is it bad enough where I or others should care?”

“Do you know of any creatures that can speak in this area, about yay tall, brown fur, wears clothing typically in red, possibly in black or even green?” Dustan really really hoped that she would say yes and that they had been here before.

“Of this I can say yes I have heard of such a creature.” Dustan gave a sigh of relief. “However all that any pony knows is they only recently became a feature.”

‘Shit!’ Dustan thought suddenly hoping that it was really just a coincidence.

“Why do you use a curse that loud?” The shaman asked looking at him only for him to tilt his head slightly before she continued. “Ahh you didn’t realize you said it with how deeply your head was in the cloud.”

“Sorry its just…they are called Goblins where I am from and they can be very nasty.” He told her hand on his chin as he put his sword away trying to think now what they want.

Seeing him start to pace had the shaman slightly worried even though he missed the look on her face. “They are known to be hostile yes. Though hopefully they will stay in the forest and not cause a mess.” Putting a hoof on his hips to stop him from moving she looked up at him. “In the mean time you should head to bed. If I am gone when you awaken it is because I have gone to town to buy some apples of delicious red.”

“That sounds good actually, staying up all night isn’t good and will likely mess up my sleep schedule.” He said with a chuckle.

Nodding and giving him a smile she patted him gently. “Rest well friend. I hope that rest will give your nerves time to mend.” Stretching out her legs she looked around and spoke to her. “I just wish my presence had not been given a ban. Otherwise I could buy the apples I need from the Apple clan.”

Chuckles and waves to her good night, or rather good morning as when he got inside he could see that it was approaching five in the morning. He threw his cloak off first the coloring reminding him of the Goblins.

‘We find promise field and eat fill.’ The voice of the Goblin leader came back to Dustan only for it to be followed by the excitable underling. ‘Yes, me eat good, me eat lots, me eat red like caps.’

In a way he couldn’t help but find the Goblins adorable in a way how simple they were. ‘If they want red things to eat so bad they should just head to…oh fuck.’

As he thought of that he grabbed his cloak and put it back on and ran out the door towards the orchard that one of the Future Elements of Harmony: Applejack. With the Everfree bordering the ponies land it meant he could make good time without anypony seeing him. What was more was that he had to be quick but not heard either.

‘Shit, shit, shit.’ Dustan thought the entire time while getting closer to the field. ‘If those Goblins are really after the apples on the farm then that could pose a problem not just now for Applejack and her family, but in the future as well as that much food could literally feed an army of Goblins for a good bit.’ All the while he was hoping beyond hope that his hunch was wrong and that they were looking for mushrooms or something along those lines. Hell he would take meat as an answer as long as it wasn’t pony meat.

Sadly after nearly an hour of patrolling the border to the farm his fears were confirmed as he could hear the source of his trepidation come to fruition in the noisy source of grammar wincing sentences. “Look, look. Me see field of red!”

A string of curse words raced through the Squire’s mind as he heard that. Luckily with how loud these creatures were none of them heard him as moved looking to get behind them in a more favorable position.

“See Me did it.” The leader spoke to them waving his knife around. “Wait, Me see something else.” The small blade pointed in the direction where he spied what it was. “What be that?”

The scolded Goblin looked as did the excitable one before the one who was reprimanded early spat in the direction of the structure. “Pony home.”

All three started to give a growl before the enthusiastic one started to pounce. “Maybe we kill ponies. Get nice bloody red meat to go with nice reds sweets?”

The Goblin leader gripped his knife hard as his off color teeth gleamed in the moonlight. “Yes, good idea. Me glad me think of it. We kill ponies in sleep, eat meat, and then eat red sweets.”

“NO!” right away the monsters turned and took up combat stances as Dustan gave himself away with that exclamation. ‘Well that was not what I meant to do. Too late now.’

“What be that?” The Leader asked the other two.

The bouncing enthusiast of the group just shrugged and smiled. “Me no know, but me think it may taste yummy.”

Sensing that there was no talking to the three, that and details of their HP and MP popping up meant that talking wouldn’t happen either making Dustan draw his sword from its sheath. However it seems the overly enthusiast of the monster group couldn’t take it and rushed at Dustan. Said squire couldn’t believe it, yes the red cap’s CT meter was half way when he looked at him, but it charged so quickly that he knew there would be no time to avoid the heavy fist.

Dropping low into his fighting stance as quick as he could he knew that he wouldn’t be able to take the Goblin in one strike nor would he be able to dodge from the speed the Goblin was coming so he had to focus. That was the moment he felt something happen power surged through him and down to his sword making the outline of the red blade glow faintly. Dustan didn’t question what was happening nor why, instead he slashed upwards with his sword making contact with the Goblin’s chest just as its fist connected with his own.

A ripping sound came from flesh and cloth as the sword did as it was designed to do as did an echoing thud that sent Dustan skidding in the grass barely keeping from falling over. For a moment the pain in his chest left him without breath but seemed to ease off a tad almost right away almost like his body changed its mind on how much pain it should be sending to his brain. His opponent couldn’t say the same though as he too was flung back as his howl of pain quickly died down when he landed on his back, the gash in his chest bleeding profusely for a moment or do then slowing considerably as Dustan seen the HP of the Goblin read as zero. The next thing that popped up was a timer that the Squire recognized as being the death timer for the amount of time it was still possible to use a reviving item or skill to bring someone back.

He took too long recalling the timer fact that he almost got himself killed as the leader of the three managed to get up close to him and slash him along his right arm tearing a big gash into him. The scream that he let out from the gash was so loud that it scattered every bird in the area…if it existed that was. Instead when he went to let loose the scream no noise would leave his throat. There was a good long moment as Dustan tried to gain distance from the leader that he tried to speak again maybe to taunt the enemy but found his voice was completely gone.

‘Silence, that is why I know that knife, it’s a Mage Masher. A decent type of knife early game that can give the silence status effect.’ The human found himself too lost in this thoughts though as the other Goblin had come around and flanked him and tackled him to the ground.

Before he could even react he felt blows start to rain down on his chest barely managing to cover his face in time. Then the blows and the feeling of hands picking him up made him look. The one pummeling him was doing the lifting as the leader came over and started to make Dustan his punching bag. Blow after blow came showing that this Goblin got his status justly as they were quite a bit stronger than his underling. There was even a point where on the second to last blow that it felt like something gave just a big in his chest and he started to taste blood.

“Me think this one has learned how strong me is. Apologize to lesser Goblin before me kill.” The leader told him before grabbing hold of him by his leather armor and tossing him over to where the dead one lay.

Dustan wouldn’t lie, this was the worst pain he had felt in his life, compound that with the ever growing taste of blood on his tongue and his trouble breathing made him realize that something was very wrong in the inside of his body. He was having trouble even moving at this point his eyes slightly unfocused and staring the dead body of the orange capped goblin.

‘Wait orange?’ Forcing himself to rise and focus a bit more, a feat that felt more than a bit miraculous at the moment he realized that the cap wasn’t orange, it was still red just bathed in yellow light. ‘That can’t be what I think it is, can it?’

“Say bye bye now Me tired of waiting.” The leader said fingering the knife. “Oh wait, Me forget strange thing can’t speak cause Me magic sword.” Obviously the creature thought greatly of his knife referring to it as a sword.

‘Well if they aren’t going to stop me, best for me I suppose.’ Reaching over he plucked the crystal from the air, the same crystal that was emitting the yellow light.

The hiss of both of the brown furry creatures caught his attention as the leader held out his knife waggling it accusingly at him. “Where you get shiny?”

However before anything else would be able to speak or act the crystal shattered swirling around Dustan. When the light and dust vanished he emerged without a trace of harm on him looking refreshed. Testing his arm that was cut earlier he found no trace of a wound though his sleeve was still torn and stained with fresh blood.

“Huh that is neat.” The Goblins looked shocked to hear his voice as he smirked using this to his advantage. “Oh don’t you know about crystals. Neat things they are, heals up all wounds and makes someone stronger with the right conditions.”

The formerly excited one started to resemble his dead friend as he stuttered over his next words. “W-why tell, w-why let us know?”

“Because I know you won’t be telling anyone.” He then looked at the murderous creatures with a gaze that frightened them. “That and cause you threatened to kill an innocent family and eat them.”

Both of the Goblins roared out as they charged at Dustan now. The leader though reeled back yelling as a rock hit him between his eyes thanks to the stone the Squire launched at him. This left the excitable one charging at him in a one on one situation. A wild charge that was ill planned and reckless as it was predictable.

The charge didn’t end well for the Goblin who grew stiff after his charge was dodge and the crimson sword bit into his back and dealing enough damage to him to cause him to fall in battle. With the leader getting his sight back he was able to witness the fall of his comrade making him just as wild as his follower. He charged swinging his ‘sword’ around wildly marking up a few trees in the process before even getting close to the Squire.

Sword vs knife, both of which the users of barely knew how to use. The winner proved to be reach as the length of the sword was once more bathed bloody as the knife found itself dropped to the forest floor. The other hand of the trio’s leader was grasping at the blade embedded in his throat as the light was leaving his eyes. He tried to say something, what it was Dustan would never know, as all he could manage was gargling noises and coughs before the Squire’s boot hit his chest launching him off the blade and on his back dying seconds after he landed.

“HAHA I won, I did it, I…I…” The joyous feeling of victory quickly was pulled away and snuffed out as Dustan looked upon the battlefield. Three slain by his blade. Three INTELLEGENT and aware creatures lives snuffed out by his hands.

He wasn’t sure how long he was there for but he knew that once he was done giving the Goblin trio a shallow burial with his bare hands and no tools fit for the job, he had no more tears for today.

The next few days saw Dustan go back into a slump once more, this one worrying to his Zebra hostess for she saw him come back, bloodied, tired, and with the dagger of his fallen foe clutched in his free hand. It was hours before he even found the strength to ask for something to help with his parched throat and wasn’t till the next day that he told Zecora that he was now a murderer.

She tried her best to comfort him as after he explained the situation she said he was defending others and not out to kill for pleasure. That seemed to only intensify the feeling of self hatred though as he told her he had felt pleasure from killing them of being the ‘Hero’ even if no one would ever know about it. He still took life, something irreplaceable and horrific in that life could never be replaced.

Zecora would try for the next few days to console him but he seemed to only be on autopilot for the next week or so. It wasn’t for a random conversation about what the Zebra would be doing that brought him out of his pit.

“I will be gone for a week or so my house guest, I need to gather the ingredients for my next brew so I will leave you here to rest.” The striped shaman told him as she got her cloak and saddlebags prepped. “I must go to another town to gather ingredients before the celebration of the summer sun. With that going on nothing in Ponyville will be getting done.” It really startled her to hear the door to her hut slam open as Dustan came out looking wide eyed.

He could see her startled her and gave an apologetic look but merely asked. “The Summer Sun Celebration is soon? How soon?”

She smiled a bit happy to see him up and about even if it was about something as random as this. “The celebration for the sun is in but a week. With that I am off to gather what I seek.”

As Zecora was leaving she faintly thought she heard him speak about needing to explore ‘that place’. What ‘that place’ was not on her mind at the moment as she was going over the mental checklist she memorized as she headed towards the train station from a roundabout route.

Dustan had spent his time keeping busy for nearly a week after he got out of his funk thanks to the message of his teacher. He went about his work quickly brewing up as much of a certain concoction as possible as well as scouting the forest as best he could. There were even a few days where he gathered up vines upon vines and made sure to double secure a rickety bridge that looked close to collapsing. He found his time spent on the final day setting out small clumps of moss that smelled of the herbal stuff Zecora had used to keep away most Everfree creatures from her hut.

He knew this wouldn’t be totally foolproof as anything bigger then a Timberwolf would ignore the scent as he had to distill it down even further to make enough to line the trails that he guessed the Mane Six would go down. The only one he was totally sure of that they would go down was the one leading to the bridge which sadly had more than one path leading to it. The concoction SHOULD last for a day or so even in its weakened state. He had guessed from the show that what would happen would come to pass in the morning when the sun was to rise and last for a good bit but the show had never given a definite time frame of how long.

“Well that is literally everything I can do, aside from escort them myself. But just interacting with Zecora might have put a damper on things as it is. I REALLY don’t want to mess with the story too much as it is.” Looking at the sun then wiping some of the sweat from his eyes he headed back to the hut to gather up some supplies for fishing as it HAD been a while since he had any real meat thanks to his moping.

Yawning a bit as he marched onwards he figured all his hard work would earn him a nice nap as well once he got there if nothing proved to be biting. The river was heard long before it was spotted trickling rather rapidly it seemed as he took a seat by the bank. He briefly wondered if this river ran into the one that the girls would travel across. Yawning again he struggled with setting his line into the river as well as to recall how it was the girls got past it.

“I will remember after a nap. Been a busy week and I need the extra sleep anyways if I am going to stay up tonight to make sure it’s THE night.” He said to himself showing just how exhausted he was by not keeping his thoughts in his head this time.

He wasn’t sure how long he slept for but he could feel by the creaking of his body that it was longer then he should have done while wearing his leather armor. While wearing the leather armor wasn’t the most restricting of cumbersome of armor types it still made for poor comfort, that and sleeping on the hard ground didn’t do him any favors either.

“Note to self, if tired find bed.” He chuckled to himself at the poor excuse for a joke giving one more stretch before going to the spot where he lodged his pole. As he came to retrieve it he found the line pulled taunt. “Oh come on, a snag? I honestly shouldn’t be surprised considering its night already.” Looking up he could see the moon with the mare silhouette in all its glory still up there. “OH crap its night already. Better reel this in and get to the edge of the Everfree. Just because I can’t do anything to help them doesn’t mean I can’t watch over them to be extra safe.”

As he went to pull the line hard either looking to tear the line or pull the hook from the snag, it had other plans as the pole was jerked from his hands and the scaly form of a giant purple serpent with orange hair and mustache appeared. Dustan didn’t even have time to exclaim a curse or any noise of surprise before one of the serpent’s arms grabbed him and held him tight, REALLY tight.

“Here I was getting my beauty rest when SUDDENLY I feel something tugging at my glorious mustache.” The way he pronounced the word mustache put way more emphasis on the first syllable as well as with an effeminate air to it. “Only to find the one doing it to be a gross and ugly…I am not even sure WHAT you are but you are hideous.”

Not able to stop himself he gave the purple serpent an unamused look. “Thanks a lot I love being insulted about how I look.” He even gave an eye roll for added effect though cause of it his eyes landed on the moon. Watching as the silhouette vanished from the pale surface when four stars moved behind it. “Well shit.”

“Oh how crass. I simply cannot believe I am even holding one such as you. Just hurry up and remove your stupid hook from my fabulous follicles and be gone with you.” The serpent whose name he couldn’t recall from the show, eased up his grip allowing Dustan to free his arms to remove the hook from it, or at least try.

“Give me a moment, line is really tangled up in it. I will be quick and not a hair will be out of place when I am done.” It really was tangled up good, likely from Dustan sleeping so long and letting the line free float.

The sea, or rather river, dragon like creature crossed his remaining arm over his chest and gave a hurrumph. “Just hurry, my mustache is my pride and joy. It pulls my look together so well. I mean just look at me, I am fantastic.”

The squire could only roll his eyes again thinking of at least they got his character right in the show with how flamboyant he is. “There all out.” He said after a good solid five minutes or so of untangling it. “Anyways mind setting me down on the bank I need to get back to-”

“Muhuhahahaha.” Came a voice from the woods and before either human or serpent could even question what it was there was a snipping sound followed quickly by a splash as a purple cloud raced by.

“GASP!” Dustan had to look at the sea dragon as if to say ‘really’ with just his eyes as the dragon said that as well as gasped at the same time. “My mustache!”

The air whipped by the sword carrying human as he was thrown like a ragdoll catching just a glimpse of the serpent chasing after his severed ‘stache as the river carried it away. That was before pain and the air leaving him as his back slammed against a tree. He tried to struggle for breath but it came to slow and too shallow causing him to pass out.

He wasn’t sure how long he had been out for but as he came to the river was a rapid with how turbulent it was. Information came slow to him as his body ached all over from the impact he received before. Slowly he came to remember why he was out here as well as the purple cloud that had cause Steven Magnet to-

“That was his name! Steven Magnet. FUCK that means the girls are already on their way.” Quickly he ran along the bank looking to find the path he had put the moss along. The more he ran the more he remembered certain landmarks, such being more like a wetlands with its damp ground and mud, on the way quickly leading him to realize he was no longer on the side of the bank he was fishing on before. “Damn it. That means that I won’t have time to cross the river and spy along the way.”

The sounds of the rapids slowly started die off and return the river to its calm state. This only lead to Dustan grinding his teeth more and more as that only meant one thing. The girls were crossing the river at that exact moment. He rushed towards the nearest pathway and he got lucky, catching glimpses of color in the every growing green that the path became as it became once more like a forest. He knew the bridge was up ahead and smiled knowing that it would be sturdier and not out of order this time.

“What is that thing?” That raspy but feminine voice was one that he recognized, the same one that had made his ribs sore for a good while as well as a line that he didn’t remember her saying. Looking out onto the path he spotted why the prismatic mare had asked that question too.

On the path blocking them from their destination was a creature that all Final Fantasy players hated. Its glowing bright blue eyes shown with hatred for all living things as its bright orange body flickered and pulsed as it floated there. Its round body easily the size of one of the ponies as the light it gave off darkened the path even further. A volatile creature of flames and hate: A Bomb.

Its body was dripping small embers that hissed on the wet grass below it, still too damp in the area to catch alight thankfully. “Twilight any clue what that darn thing is?”

The mare who asked with a Southern accent wore a beige Stetson with blond mane coming out from under it and tied into a pony tail. The apple trio on her orange flanks marked her as the one and only Applejack.

“I have never seen anything like it but I heard the guards up in Canterlot saying they were dangerous.” Tisking lightly he moved as Twilight continued to speak, the lavender colored mare with the six star cutie mark looking scared at the horrifying creature. “They never said how they defended against it and they made it sound like.” There was an audible gulp as Dustan pulled his hood up. “It was deadly.”

The girls were about to panic and panicked ponies were dead ponies as far as he was considered when up against something like this. “Alright you hot head, over here!” He exclaimed loudly as he pulled out a candle and lit it. “I know what you like, you like what makes things burn don’t you?”

He was hoping that it wasn’t just oil Bombs liked but anything combustible. He was rewarded as the monstrosity turned from the six mares and looked right at his candle before shaking its body and making a hissing sound. A hissing sound that he thought sounded strangely too much like a lit fuse for his liking.

“Yeah you want this huh, come on then! COME GET IT!” He shouted at the Bomb as the candle burned, barely showing any of his hooded self except a minor outline as he hoped to provoke it. It worked, oh boy did it work.

The creature was fast, likely because it didn’t have to deal with terrain as Dustan quickly started to move, steering it away from the path and the mares destined for what was to come. The sound of hooves quickly moving made Dustan smile though as that meant the girls continued what they were doing and were on their way to the repaired bridge.

Grinning, he couldn’t help but taunt the creature any time it seemed to start losing interest. “Come on, look at this nice flame, this wax candle must have a good wick to make the flame so nice and bright.” The splash at his feet said he had run long and hard enough as he quickly turned around. “So why don’t you TAKE IT!” Yelling that out he tossed the candle up into the air which of course the Bomb’s eyes followed hungrily as it bounced trying to get higher up off the ground to reach for it.

As the candle came within range the burning creature caught it only for a loud hissing sound to come from below it not of its own doing. Dustan had used the distraction and had managed to ram his blade nearly up to the cross-guard in the round blazing body that the Bomb possessed.

“Yeah how do you like that?” Rather than looking surprised the creature merely took on an angrier visage as the flames coating its body seemed to spark and flame even hotter forcing Dustan to let go with a yelp as his hands heated up from contact on the metal. As he backed up though the flames being bolstered had not stopped and the Bomb seemed to be inflating. “Oh no you aren’t doing what I think you are doing are you?” Was all he managed to ask before cracks started forming in the body of the ignited monstrosity. “Oh shit you are!” turning around as quickly as he could the Squire managed about five steps before the Bomb used its most famous move, the one that gave it the name that it possessed. It self-destructed.

Laying in the sand and mud of the river bank one of his hands was wet and that was the feeling that he woke up to, that and pain, lots of pain. Slowly he would stand up and just as lucky he found his sword had been thrown into a nearby tree where the Bomb had sent it when it detonated. Looking down at himself as he walked over to it, slivers of wood were all sticking out of him aplenty. Nothing fatal it seemed but it would no doubt be a time and a half to remove every single splinter of wood that had managed to complete the cactus of wooden needles he currently was.

As he removed his sword from its wooden sheath the light reflected back into his eyes for a moment blinding him though at the same time making him smile. “Welp, happy endings for the start of the series so far I hope.” Taking his first step towards the water he winced. “Well happy in that hopefully Luna was rescued successfully and that I don’t get an infection from all this.”

For some reason he smiled, happy about how things turned out, even starting to whistle the opening prologue of most final fantasy games.

Author's Notes:

I did a little something different in this chapter at the end there. I put a link to a specific piece of music from Final Fantasy. It is optional to listen to it and not needed at all. However it is absolutely one of my favorite pieces of gaming music of all time and it was fitting. Always did that song play when the story got into proper motion, sometimes at the start, sometimes mixed in with other pieces of music. Though the fondest memories of it were from Four when it spoke of the crystals shining its light softly. For me this matches up with the moment in the story where it is.

I hope you all enjoy.