Chapter 7

I ogled the small blue mare lying on the rug. Her eyes were probing me.

“And you might be?” she said, her brow arching above her bright blue eyes.

“I-... uh.... Edwin.” I spoke, dumbfounded. She grinned at this, but there was shock in her eyes. She got up off of her rug and slowly walked over to me.

“Your last name... wouldn’t happen to be Shell, would it?” The blue mare said inquisitively. Her eyes seemed to plead with me as I stumbled over my answer

“H-How did you kn-know?” I stuttered, unable to look away from this mysterious pony, who seemed utterly overjoyed at my confirmation. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she tried to blink them away. I took this chance to look away, and focused my attentions at a small, dark blue vase in the corner, in which was a white rose. I could feel Luna approaching, She leaned up, placing her snout right next to my ear

“Thank you Ed. I-” her voice broke off in a sob, tears streaming down her face. She buried her head in my shoulder and began to weep. I took my attention away from the vase as i looked down at her. Her blue body shook with emotion, my shoulder quickly growing damp with tears.

“it’s okay, Luna” I said awkwardly, trying to put my hoof up to pat her shoulders. I almost fell over the first time I tried, so i used my Numbered magic to keep myself off of the ground. She seemed to calm herself under the touch of my pale hoof. She stopped crying and dissolved into a low whimper, her body shaking much less. Every now and then I mumbled “It’s okay” to her, and she calmed visibly when I said that. I have absolutely no idea who I am to her that makes me something worth crying about. Maybe it isn't even me that she is crying about.

After about an hour of having Luna glued to my shoulder, she begins to grow limp. I look down at her, wondering what was happening, then saw the glint of sunlight over the horizon. She must sleep during the day, I thought to myself. I magicked her over to her small rug, and set her down gently. Closing my eyes, I envisioned a blanket the same color as Luna. I opened my eyes and placed the newly created blanket over her. When I was done, I shuffled over to a corner of the floor and curled into a ball. I created a blanket for me, pale white with a five on it, and basked in the simple warmth of it. I dreamt.

“luna, what are you doing? we cant park here.” said I
“what do you mean we cant? I dont see why not.” said Luna
“HOOOOO HOOOOOOOOO” said the train.
“is that a train?”
the doctor looked at us
we looked at him.
glass flew.

I awoke screaming to knocking at the door

“Edwin Shell!” A guard shouted from behind the door. I fumbled around my blanket, drenched in sweat from my dream. As I stumbled to the door, I looked out the window to find that it was already nighttime outside. I looked to where I left Luna, only to Find that she was gone. Finding this odd, I opened the door. A pale grey guard was standing there in shiny gold armour, looking up at me

“Yes?” I asked in my best impression of the Doctor.

“Princess Luna requests your presence in the Dining hall.” Said the guard without inflection.
“And where might that be, uh... what is your name?” I asked. The guard looked taken aback by this comment, and said

“My-My name is Antony.” He said haltingly.

“Good to meet you, Antony! If you would be a Dear and direct me to the Dining hall, I would be much obliged!” I said to the pony, bursting past him into the hall.

“I- I am needed in-” The Antony blurbed out

“Nonsense! Just walk with me to the Dining hall. I would be glad to excuse you from whatever duties you have to attend to.”

“Oh, well, if you say s-” Antony was unable to finish his sentence as I pushed him down the hallway.

“Antony, tell me about yourself.” I asked, as we walked down the halls.

“What do you want to know about me?” the guard asked, surprised.

“Anything.” I said.

“Well, I joined the Guards corps during the War of the Factions, about twelve years ago. The war was a brutal, cruel thing. Horrible magics were let loose on the battlefields, some of which still remain.” Antony’s tone grew somber

“It must be a terrible thing, war.” I agreed.

“Oh, I was never a part of the war.” said Antony.

“What?” I said incredulously, my eyes wide.

“I tried to join the Army, but I was instead sent to apply for the Royal Guard, because of my ability."

“And what would that be?” I asked, intrigued.

“I can summon.”

“What? Lots of unicorns can summon.” I remarked.

“Ah, Edwin, it’s not that I can summon, it’s what I summon. Do you mind if I show you?” Antony asked.

“Go for it.” I said eagerly, truly interested In this little pony. His horn glowed, and he squinted his eyes a little.

“Well, there it is.” He said, his horn glowing still.

“What are you talking about? I don’t see anything.” I remarked.

“Look behind you.” Antony said with a grin on his face. I turned around, and came to face with a large gleaming sword directed right between my eyes.

“T-That’s a nice talent, Antony.” I spoke hesitantly, unsure if i should kill him or not. He magicked the sword away from my face over to him, admiring his reflection in the curved blade

“Yes, it is. I am getting better at it, look at how ornate the crossguard is.” He said as I directed my attention to the crossguard. A small pattern of two alicorns chasing one another was engraved in a small circle. He squinted his eyes again, and dissolved the sword with magic.

“To summon swords... Such a formidable ability, Antony... I must learn it.” I said, my eyes filled with awe.

“It must wait for another time, Numbered, for here is the hall.” The grey colt said, gesturing to a door.

“I can say that my life has been all the more better for meeting you Antony. May we meet again.” I said, with an air of appreciation.

“Likewise, Edwin.” Antony said, and trotted into the labyrinth of hallways.

I nudged open the door with my hoof, and walked in. The second largest room I’d ever seen in Equestria, the largest being the Arena in the Nether. I immediately saw Luna in the far corner of the hall. I trotted over, knowing that it would be a few minutes until i reached her. I thought of what I would say to her, wondered if she even remembered what happened last night. This took up a good amount of the time to get to Luna’s table.

“Edwin.” she spoke softly into her plate of daffodils. “I’m... sorry about last night.”

“It’s alright... Want to talk about it?” I asked in a gentle tone, sitting on my haunches next to her.

“I... I can’t. I’ve made a promise. One I am loathe to keep.” She said, her voice filled with disgust. I looked at her beautiful face wrenched into such an emotion, feeling sad that I had no way to stop it. I thought about what she could possibly have promised, and realized i knew next to nothing about her. I watched her eat a flower off of her plate, slowly chewing it.

“Why did you ask for me, at this hour?” I asked legitimately, wondering what use Luna could put me to so late at night. She looked up at me, her eyes lightened.

“Edwin, how can i make it up to you? For last night?

“You don’t need-” I began, and then I remembered Fluttershy showing me around Ponyville, and how much fun we had.

“Show me Equestria, Luna!” I shouted, my voice full of passion

“What?!” She exclaimed, her eyes full of surprise.

“Yes! Take me to see the outside world, Luna! I crave adventure!” I yelled, my eyes pleading with her.

“Well... There is a garden in the courtyard we can go see..."

“Lead the way!” I said with passion in my voice.

"What is this one called?” I asked, holding a deathly pale flower up to her nose. She snuffled it away.

"It is called Alicorn’s tears.” She replied in a soft tone, her nose twitching.

“What about this one?” I asked again, holding a hardy red weed up to her face.
She blew it away from her, saying:

“Witches bane. Edwin, why are you asking me about all of these things?” I scooted up close to her and held out my hoof, gesturing at a nearby peach tree.

“Out there, out into the wild lands of Equestria, is an entirely new world that my mere pony eyes have yet to see. Thousands, perhaps even millions of other trees like this exist in every region of Equestria.” I bounded away from Luna up to the tree, my face ending up close to a lone peach. “Under the cover of your night lies an entire continent, ripe for the picking. And you know what, Princess?” I said, looking into her eyes.

“What?” she said, looking back at me with large blue eyes, filled with awe.

“I intend to reach out and grab it!” I said, snatching the peach off of the tree. I admired the round, firm fruit and bit into it, moaning of the sheer flavor of it.

“The flavor... It is of things unexplored!” I shouted into the night, rearing up on my hooves, laughing with joy into the night. I looked down at Luna, looking at me with rapt attention

“Edwin...” she said with a longing in her voice. “It has been years, nigh on centuries since I have seen someone with your passion for anything, let alone the whole of Equestria. I would really like to-”

Time paused.
I looked at Luna, her mouth half open, wondering about the words she was about to say.

“Well, if it isn’t the Numbered. Edwin, I presume?” said a voice behind me. I turned around, expecting to see the Doctor, but saw something i could not put a name to. It was in a pony guise, with a coal black coat and ashen grey mane. His horn matched his coat. It’s eyes... It’s eyes were definitely not belonging to that of a normal pony, for they were red as fresh blood. I shuddered at the metaphor.

“What kind of creature are you?” I asked to the pony, approaching it slyly.

“Why, Edwin, how can you not know? Has Othello been lax in his teachings?” The red-eyed creature said, his voice smoother than velvet.

“Just tell me, beast.” I spat, trying to move the pony away from Luna.

“I will not harm the Night, for she is needed. I only come for you.” The pony said as it seemed to pluck the thought out of my head. The pony looked me in the eyes.

“I do not have to kill you, Edwin. But I will if i have to.” The pony spoke in the velvet voice, free of inflection. I locked down my muscles, feeling the electricity flow from my core. I pointed at the creature I knew to be an Angelic and flung the lightning from my hoof, the thunder knocking the wind out of me. I watched the bolt fly and strike him. It was strong enough to cook a regular pony. I cut the flow of energy to my hoof. I looked to see how damaged the angelic was, and was surprised to see him standing, his mane smoldering.

“What a magnificent talent, Edwin.” Said the pony as he looked me right in the eyes, his pupils wide. I fell to the ground as I felt the familiar, crippling pain, burning like fire. I stared at him as I summoned another bolt, this one from the sky. It struck him and he laughed.

“Step aside, foal. This fight is for those stronger than you.” he spoke with quiet authority. He pushed me aside with magic as he unpaused time, striding towards Luna. I summoned a ball of lightning, screaming with the effort it took to contain it. I hurled it at him and watched it streak twords his face. He laughed it off like it was a beach ball, flicking it out over the horizon with a flick of his hoof.

“Silly child, why fight that which must be?” the angelic spoke in his smooth voice, as if he just finished walking through a park rather than electrocuted. He strode toward Luna, his eyes filled with intent. The princess stared at him with wide eyes, suprised to suddenly see me battling an angelic when seconds before i was exclaiming the beauty of peaches.

“Luna, It would be best if you came with me, I do not wish to cause bloodshed.” The foul beast spoke in a voice belonging to the rustling of fall leaves. The Princess looked at him as her horn began to glow. The angelic stopped dead in his tracks, fearing what magic the princess may cast on him. When nothing happened, he advanced on Luna with knowing eyes. I imagined his black hooves reaching for her. This filled me with disgust, imagining him near Luna, whom I was bidden to protect. My feelings of rage and defenselessness melded into an odd strength. I lashed out with my mind at the angelic, feeling energy lash out at him

I heard the most horrific scream. I opened my eyes to see the Angelic standing over me, blood streaming down his angry face. He was bleeding profusely from a stump where his leg was as well.

“You have injured me, Numbered. But, when I am back, pray that I am lenient.” The Angelic snarled as it faded into thin air, his eyes matching the blood rushing down his face. I panted, Rolling onto my side.

“Luna...” I panted, exhausted from the battle.

“Edwin!” she screamed, rushing over to me.

“Get a doctor...” I whispered as the world turned black.