Echo's Adventure - Chapter 6

>Hollow Shades was always extremely humid.
>So humid, in fact, that it was one of the many reasons why outside p0nies hardly ever paid the town a visit.
>A bat p0ny’s fur was significantly shorter than that of an outsider so, naturally, they thrived in the humid climate.
>However, this night was different.
>As the three bat p0nies walked through the dense, luminescent forest surrounding Hollow Shades, Echo found herself shivering.
>As she looked over at her friend, Echo saw that she was not the only one who found the unusually cool air less than desirable.
>“Mouse, where are we going? Why did you make us bring our satchels? If we keep at this, sooner or later I’ll end up chewing my tongue off!”
>Spark was walking with her head down, her teeth chattering wildly.
>“Don’t worry dear,” Mouse replied, “We’ll be there soon enough.”
>Spark grumbled quietly to herself.
>Echo turned her head toward Mouse.
“I don’t mean to be rude, but weren’t you going to tell me how you knew about all of those things you were speaking of back at your home?”
>“Yes, I was. And I will.”
>Mouse returned Echo’s stare.
>“I guess now’s as good of time as any other.”

>At the front of the small pack Mouse stopped in her tracks, turning to face the two p0nies.
>“Echo, the reason why I know so much about your mother, and your family history for that matter, is because I was Stone’s second in command at the time of your mother’s joining.”
>Echo’s jaw dropped and Spark’s eyes widened.
>Echo was taken aback.
>She knew that she shouldn’t be too surprised, what with everything that was revealed to her last night, but this was one more thing that left her completely speechless.
>Spark, however, was quick to reply.
>“So…So you’re on Stone’s side? You helped her kill Echo’s mother?!”
>“Oh no, no. Of course not. Stone was the reason why I left the Order.”
>Echo could only look with at Mouse with eagerness in her eyes.
>Mouse got the hint and began to explain to Echo.
>“I was young and stupid back when I joined the Order. I believed everything they said about the need to fight for the ‘cause’ that they always mindlessly preached about.”
>“I joined under Stone’s father’s rule and was one of the best thieves in the Order. So good, I was pretty much given the position of the ‘unofficial’ second in command. Of course, your grandfather was much better and he would have received that title had it not been for the family rivalry.”
>“Once Stone’s father passed away, I thought I was sure to get the position of the leader. Nevertheless, Stone’s father had Stone, who was still very young, inherit the position in order to ‘keep the Order pure.’”
>Mouse scoffed to herself as she said those last words.
>“As I began to grow and become less naïve, I started to see just how corrupt the Order really was. And as I learned more about the history of the Order, I realized just how far off their ideologies strayed from the founder’s intentions.”
>“I had no part in Stone’s killing of your mother. Stone kept all of those plans to herself. In fact, your mother was one of my closest friends. You and Spark remind me very much of the bond that we shared.”
>Spark grinned and gave Echo a little nudge.
>“When I found out what Stone had done to your mother, I was naturally furious. I tried to start a sort of coup in the Order. No one would join me. I guess some p0nys stay naïve forever.”
>“I decided that something needed to be done, whether with help or without it. I realized that my plans would most likely be discovered by Stone sooner or later, so I struck as soon as I could.”
>“I caught her off-guard one night and we got into a nasty fight. To tell you the truth, I wasn’t planning on making it out alive. Obviously I did, and other than the fact that Stone now carries those nasty scars on her face, I did no permanent damage.”

>Echo’s mouth finally allowed her to articulate words.
“So what happened after? Where did you go?”
>“I left and went to-”
>Mouse stared into space, a look of longing briefly flashed in her eyes.
>Spark chimed in.
>“Went to where?”
>“Nowhere that you should concern yourself about,” Mouse said quickly.
>“I did not return to Hollow Shades for many years, and when I finally did, I built a small shack deep in the forest that I now call my home. I have not stepped hoof into the town since. Not until now.”
“So that’s where you are leading us? What for?”
>Mouse’s face had a look of seriousness that Echo had never seen from her before.
>“Echo, I’ve been thinking about this. You are going to go to Stone. And you are going to finish what I have started.”
>Echo’s eyes widened.
>”Was Mouse serious?” Echo thought, “How could she ever expect a p0ny like me to accomplish a task that great?”
>“I believe that Stone is planning something. Something bigger than we can imagine. And I believe that other p0nies are in grave danger.”
>“What would give you the reason to believe that?” Spark was looking hard at Mouse.
>“Truthfully, I cannot say. All I can tell you is that last night was a sleepless night for me. I spent it awake, piecing together every detail about my past, Stone, the Order, previous events, and everything leads me to believe this. I can call it little more than a hunch. I will not waste your time by trying to make up lies to make it seem like any less of that. But what I do need you to do is believe me. Can you two do that?”
>Spark slowly nodded her head.
>Echo, on the other hand, was skeptical.
>Not about the validity of Mouse’s words, but about herself.
“N-no Mouse I could never do that! I-I’m not good enough to- I mean we are just three p0nies, why would we ever think we could go up against someone as large as the Order?”
>Mouse shook her head.
>“Echo, you need to stop spending all of your time doubting yourself. And besides, you will not be alone. Along with your friend Speck, you will have something of a small battalion with you as well.”
>Mouse noticed the confused expression on the two p0ny’s faces and continued.

>“The only way you two can defeat Stone and the members of the Order is if you have an advantage in numbers.”
>“Simply put, you are to go on a journey. A journey to find a group of bat p0nies that has been lost to legend. In olden times they were called the Forsaken One’s after their exile from Hollow Shades. Ask twenty of the p0nies in Hollow Shades about the story, and nineteen of them would write it off as merely a myth. But they are out there and I have seen them long ago. I can tell you the general location of where they may now reside, but it will ultimately be up to you to find them.”
“Why can’t we find p0nies in Hollow Shades to help us?”
>“If Stone got word of a plot to overthrow her, she would strike sooner than she was planning to and we wouldn’t stand a chance.
>“Huh. So that’s just it then? You are going to send us off on a journey across Canterlot to go searching for some band of misfit bat p0nies so that we can somehow convince them to join us? Then you expect us to make it all the way back to Hollow Shades, and foil an evil plot that Stone may or may not even be plotting in order to save who knows how many p0ny’s lives?”
>“Exactly. I wish I could give you more time to get prepared, but I’m afraid that you must leave very soon.”
>A large grin spread across Spark’s face.
>Echo was surprised.
>“I’m in. What do you say, Echo?”

>Echo’s mind felt like it was caught in a haze.
>So much had happened to her these past few weeks; she felt like she hardly knew who she was anymore.
>She closed her eyes and remembered the desire that had been with her all of her life.
>Her dream to join the Royal Guard.
>Echo had to think twice to know for sure if she still held that dream after all of this.
>It felt like a distant memory but that passion was still as strong as ever.
>With her connection to the Order severed and her banishment from Hollow Shades, she could just run away from all of this, move to Canterlot, and pursue her dream.
>However, as she was thinking about this, Echo felt something else well up deep inside of her.
>It was a new desire.
>This desire was stronger than her dreams of being in the Royal Guard.
>It was the desire to avenge her mother, and make right all what Stone had made wrong.
>She had to have this. Her previous dream could wait.
>Echo opened her eyes and stared at her friend.
“I’ll do it.”
>Spark gave her a small nod of approval.
>“Then I will go get your supplies immediately. I believe it is safe for me to return to Hollow Shades after all of these years.” Mouse gave gestured to the two bat p0nies, “Hand me your satchels and I will fill them with what you need for your journey.”
>Echo and Spark handed them over.
>“You two should return to my home and get a good night’s rest. I’ll be back in the morning with the supplies, and then you should head off.”
>The three exchanged good nights and Echo and Spark turned to head back.
“And to think,” Echo thought, letting out a small chuckle, “just a few moments ago my deepest concerns were about the weather.”