Thunder. Lightning. Purple and black flames licking at the bones of mountains long since erased. Wickedly sharp, dry winds whipping through her mane, clawing at her eyes. Whistling around her legs.
"Mama?"
Tears torn from her cheeks, pebbles bouncing from her horns, her body. tinking off of the iron collar around her neck.
"Mama!?"
Pink eyes looked around frantically, tail curled under her belly, cloven hooves covered in dirt and scratches. Alone, the succubus filly could feel the tears streaking across her cheeks, her mane being tangled as the wind whipped around her, over her. Through her soul.
"MAMAAAAAAAAA!"
-----------------------------------
"MAMA!"
Umbra bolted upright, breath coming in ragged pants, eyes wide. It took her a long moment to try and come to terms and realise where the hell she was. A familiar dark room. The sun peeking up over the horizon. Early morning. Her room. She looked down. Her bed. Cloven hooves. She'd lost her disguise. Less of a problem, she was home.
As she was starting to calm, movement from next to her startled her again, looking over beside her, horns crackling with magic but...
The familiar scarred visage of Aura Surge made her pause. Beneath the covers, now partially moved off of his chest, rested her beau. Unlike her, he was most definitely sleeping well. A sudden wetness caught her attention, and reached up to her cheeks, pressing a hoof to it, surprised to feel tears. But a moment to remember the dream she'd been in and she swallowed. Heavily. Another move from Aura, and Umbra took a deep breath to try and calm herself, before laying back down, frowning quietly. Another sniff as she kept trying to hold back her tears, and this time?
"Chto eto, lyubov' moya?" the groggy voice from Aura Surge mumbled quietly. Umbra paused, considering her options, before rolling onto her side with a quiet grumble, and nuzzling her way into his forelegs, and her muzzle under his chin. His still closed eyes frowned slowly, sniffling, "Khm? chto eto? U tebya vse normal'no?"
"Equestrian darling," She mumbled quietly, "I don't speak that language, you know that."
Aura grumbled, waking up a little more, and hugged the svelte succubus to him, "Are you okay my love? What is it?"
"... A bad dream," She said quietly, "I'll be okay."
"You want to talk about it?" He answered quietly.
"No..."
"Okay."
Silence. Aura letting Umbra tuck into his chin, and smacking his lips quietly, just wanting her to be happy, and sleep. A long moment of quiet. Silence, before...
"It was a memory," She said quietly. The subtle movement of Aura as she began told her that yes, he was listening, "A memory of Tartarus, when I was just a filly... and mother wasn't there, anywhere."
"I see," He said quietly.
"My first day in Tartarus. And without my mother... I remember the collar around my neck. Heavy, cold. The winds, the fire, the storm. It was terrifying. It... still is."
"It sounds terrifying," Aura commented softly, "I'm so sorry you had to go through that."
"It... was the single most terrifying time of my life," She said softly, "And... I thought I'd put it behind me."
A long pause, and a sniffle, and Aura started to move. She felt him move to nuzzle into her neck this time, placing butterfly kisses on her throat, then jaw, and finally placing a firm kiss between her eyes, and looking at her. Light blue, into her deeper, pink eyes.
"Umbra," He said softly, "I cannot undo the past. I cannot help you let go of these memories, these nightmares and traumas. But what I can do? Right now? I can help you in your dream. Your dream to make sure the newest generation of Succubus doesn't have to go through such hellish experiences that you have. To make sure you are never hurt like that again, or afraid like that again."
He smiled, pressing one last kiss to her forehead this time as tears began rolling down her cheeks.
"Don't cry my little succubus," he teased gently, "And remember, even if it means the rest of the world turns against me. I will always love you, and stand for you. Because you are my world."
------
@modofpitchpatch
//A loving moment, not necessarily canon, between Patchy’s succubus Umbra, and my monster hunter, Aura Surge. It was inspired by a picture of a babby Umbra that Patchy posted recently to her blog, and I only hope it’s enjoyable enough.
The cafe was one of the more expensive places in Canterlot. Not really shocking, considering Aura Surge had assumed that his ‘date’ would pick something worth the money, given the reasons for her coming along with him in the first place. A fancy place called ‘Angel Feathers’, known for its five star food, six star desserts, and high price range. It was also where the higher eschelons of Canterlot were known to have a casual brunch, or preferred location of such things anyway. When they were met with a host at the host’s stand, Aura could already feel his eyes judging him. Wrapped in bandages around his chest with a sticky-bandage on his snout and with his right leg wrapped in plaster, all hiding his steel-grey coat and several of his larger scars, with his mane in its customary deep blue mohawk starting just behind his horn and with a big scar stretching down his jawline starting from up just under his left eye, Aura Surge definitely didn’t fit the bill for the regulars for such a place. Add to that the big pink bubble shield he had for a cutie mark and the long tail falling in dreadlock-like strands and he looked generally like someone who’d be refused.
“Hello sir,” The host said, barely hiding his contempt, “Might I ask your business here?”
Aura felt his eye twitch, but before he could speak his date pushed forward a little, “Now Dusty, that’s not how you treat a customer, is it?”
The mare in question, a lovely mare named Umbra, regarded the host in what looked like a rather pleasant smile, but anyone who had an ounce of perception, or was just used to how Canterlot functioned, would recognise the threat beheld within it. The host stopped eye-judging Aura for a moment, looking to his companion. Unlike the thicker build of her monster hunter escort, Umbra was much slimmer, and had a sandy coloured coat, with pale pink hooves. A flower decorated her rump, and she had what had become known as ‘old blood’ features. A lion-esque tail, a slimmer horn generally a slimmer build than most ponies.She was also several inches shorter than Aura, and her pink eyes held a hint of warning to them.
“This stallion is with me today Dusty, and you will seat us both at the nearest available table.”
If the look on said host’s face suggested anything, there wasn’t going to be any argument concerning this demand.
~*~
“Well. That went smoother than I expected.”
Aura’s comment didn’t go unheard as the pair were indeed, seated at a table within the cafe, and Umbra chuckled quietly, taking a seat gracefully and smirking. “Well my dear, monster hunter,” She commented back, “Not that I’d expect you to know, but I do have several quite powerful friends in the aristocracy, and it’s not my first time here.”
“So I gathered, given your knowing the host’s name,” was Aura’s reply, as he, rather awkwardly, sat opposite her, “And his clear wariness of you. Have you beat him like you did me by chance?”
This actually earned a laugh from Umbra, and her smirk turned into a coy smile, “Well, maybe I have, maybe I haven’t. Maybe not as bad... you were quite the opponent, after all. Though, not as bad as I expected, given you saying you were a monster hunter.”
That earned a grimace from Aura, who had to pause as a waitress came over, dressed in a tight outfit that was clearly designed to accentuate her very pretty features.
“Hello, and welcome to Angel Feathers! My name is Frilled Lace, you can call me Lacy if you like. Have you dined with us before?”
Aura shook his head quietly, and Umbra smiled, “Yes dear, I have. I’m afraid my poor acquaintance here has not, however, had the pleasure. He’s often far too busy keeping ponies safe.”
Lacy smiled and nodded, looking to Aura.
“Well, Allow me to welcome you to Angel Feathers for the first time! These are our menus,” She handed them both a lunch menu, “I’ll give you both time to peruse it at your leisure so as to decide upon your meals! And if you need anything at all, please don’t hesitate to let me know.”
She sent Aura Surge a small wink at the end of that, and Umbra smirked, having caught it.
“Hm. Apparently, she likes the big tough soldier boy,” She teased Aura gently, “Now. What is it you wanted to know?”
Aura picked up the menu to peruse, reading it slowly, “Simple really. Like I said, I wish to know about your species. Clearly, the legends and history written and spoken of your species is very incorrect.”
This made her smile fade a little, “Yes. Clearly. If you were so ready to see me as a monster. And think you could beat me with a little magic. Then yes, I would say it’s very wrong.”
“You must understand your people have been gone for a very long time,” Aura began before Umbra cut in.
“I’m well aware, Monsieur Surge, of how long my people have been locked away in an extraplanar dimension that felt like it was designed by the queen of hell herself,” Umbra’s response was snippy and clearly a warning. Aura nodded.
“You’re right,” He agreed, “You would. And I’m not going to bother trying to deny it. And I won’t attempt to say that I know what your people have been through. After all-”
He paused. Lacy was back, and Umbra’s smile returned as she looked at the young mare. Lacy smiled back, “Hello, I’m back! Have you decided what you’d like to eat?”
“Yes dear, I think I have,” Umbra was first to reply, “The spicy eggplant Korma looks excellent, I’ll take that. And my acquantance will have..?”
Aura looked up, before turning attention to Lacy. “Ah, yes. I’ll have the Mushroom Parmigiana. And if you have any Sour Cream, I’d like some of that on the mushroom.”
“Of course sir. I’ll go and put your orders in! Oh, what about drinks?”
“Just a glass of water,” Aura said quietly, something Umbra also asked for, and Lacy walked away. Aura returned his attention to Umbra, “After all,” he continued, “My mother’s people may have been persecuted for many decades, but we were never put into the situation you were.”
Umbra went to answer, and paused. His mother’s people?
“Are you not a pony?” She asked curiously, her previous snippiness seemingly vanishing, a curiosity that escalated as he chuckled quietly.
“I am a pony,” He corrected, “A Unicorn. However, my mother and her people, Romany, are not often accepted around Equestria. They’re old style equines, and old style often is judged. Romany were often judged as immoral or against the princesses. I don’t think I have to tell you what happens to so many when you don’t make it clear you support the princesses.”
Umbra raised a brow, amused, “I couldn’t tell you were a unicorn. Really. It was a complete mystery.”
“And you a succubus,” Aura replied drily, “In more ways than one.”
“Aura Surge,” She replied with a wide grin, perhaps with a little more tooth than normal, “Are you saying you think I’m pretty?”
“It’d be a complete lie if I told you otherwise,” Aura admitted, “So yes. I am. Will that be an issue?”
“Not at all. It’s just not every day you get your attempted hunter telling you you’re pretty.”
Aura nodded silently in acceptance, accepting the explanation gracefully. It was right around that point that Lazy reappeared, carrying both a plate and bowl, set down in front of both of their respective equines.
“Thank you Lacy,” Aura said quietly, “Much appreciated.”
“My pleasure, please don’t hesitate to let me know if you need anything else.”
As Lacy left, Aura sniffed, and looked up to his meal partner, who was already poking at her Korma with a spoon, looking at it hungrily. But she paused and looked up at him with a raised brow.
“Yes?” She asked. Aura blinked.
“Shall we begin?” he asked, pulling a tome full of a variety of papers out of his saddlebags, and she chuckled.
“Not even going to try your food?”
“I will,” He admitted, “As we talk about your people, so I can help spread the word about you all for truth’s sake.”
Umbra pouted, but nodded slowly, “Alright then tough guy, If you can talk and eat and write, we can begin then.”
~*~
It took nearly two hours for the pair to finish their time, with Umbra explaining the history of her people as she’d learned it, and her history as she remembered it. And, hearing it straight out of the horse’s mouth (As it were) as opposed to the annals of history written by the victors (Ponies), made a lot more sense than the heartless creatures that the written histories made them out to be. And during this time, they’d had a main each, a dessert, and Umbra had also had three glasses of very expensive wine.
They also hadn’t made it through half of what Umbra had to share, and Aura was frowning as he looked at the bill, limping away beside Umbra as she clip-clopped happily along, having earned a free meal and wine for talking.
“I still have more to tell you, by the way,” She reminded him as they travelled through the streets of Canterlot, “There’s still plenty more, so we’ll have to do this again sometime soon, yes?”
Aura hummed quietly, “I’m not sure my purse strings could handle another lunch, or dinner, with you just yet ma’am,” He admitted, “Your Pannacotta alone was worth forty-seven bits.”
“Well, yes,” Umbra admitted, “But you said anywhere I wanted, and anything I wanted, and I wanted Pannacotta. They get the Vanilla beans all the way from the Crystal Empire you know, and it’s all hoof-made.”
“I understand that,” He agreed, “But I’m a hunter. That’s an entire job I just used to pay for this meal alone.”
“Awww,” She pouted playfully, “Is the big stwong hunter regretting giving me creative control? Little old me?”
Aura blinked, and looked at her with a raised eyebrow and responded with, “No. This information was well worth it. And I will require more, so I will have to work before we can do this again.”
“Oh, mister monster hunter,” She laughed, bumping her shoulder into him, ignoring his pained wince, “Are you asking me out on another date?”
“This wasn’t a date,” He corrected, “This was both an apology and a way to pay you for information, in a way.”
“Then you didn’t enjoy my company?”
That made him pause, and consider his next words. Did he enjoy her company? He glanced over at her again, and she was looking at him expectantly. She was a very beautiful mare, with slim, nicely angled features, and very pretty eyes. He shrugged eventually, and sighed, “No, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy your company. You have been a pleasant lunch companion, and I would not turn down an invitation to join you again.”
“Ah, so you would date me then? Good to know,” The mischievous smirk on Umbra’s face made him roll his eyes, but a tiny smile made his way to the corners of his mouth. Something Umbra noted rather victoriously.
“Alright then. Well, if you’ll follow me then, good sir?”
Umbra lead him around the side, into an alley besides a very nice apartment building. Aura couldn’t help but frown in confusion, but followed her, yes. As he did so, about halfway down the alley, she paused, and about-faced, turning to face him again, and he felt a tingle of dread down his spine. That mischievous smirk had returned, and was wider.
“Well then, this is me,” She said lightly, before slowly shaking her head, her horns reappearing, and her mane lengthening, sclera being yellowed, and Aura paused, tensing a little. But, the mare merely smirked and pronked up to him, “I do hope we get to do this again, and soon too. Because honestly? Lunch was...”
She leaned forward, slinging her forelegs over his shoulders, around his neck and, shocking Aura entirely, licked his face slowly. And when she was finished, leaned back far enough to chuckle, “Delicious.”
And, without giving him a chance to respond, she was on all fours, turned around, and started clip-clopping away, running the spade tip of her tail up his neck to his chin as she left. As he blinked, watching her leave, her disguise returned, back as a unicorn. She turned the corner and was gone. Aura fell on his rump, lifted a hoof to his face and touched it, confused.
//FINALLY FINISHED THIS THING! It took me way too long to do this, and I’m really sorry Patchy for the amount of time it took, but here we are! The first, unofficial ‘date’ shared by Aura and Umbra, and her subsequent teasing! Also, adorable. I love it, I’m actually quite happy with it, which is rare for me and my writing.
@modofpitchpatch owns Umbra
Aura Surge belongs to me of course
BATTLE THEME: https://youtu.be/nm-CWZieL2Y
BATTLE INTRO:
VICTORY: “Sako peskero charo dikhel, And now your dish is empty Cyka”
DEFEAT: “Bury me standing, for I’ve lived my life on my knees.”
ASSIST: “They will not break my shield, my friend!”
TAUNT: “Kon khakhavel o balo wi leste si I shuri. I fed you, and now I hold the knife.”
REACTING TO TAUNT: “Bengesko Gryphon.”
FLEE: “He who survives, lives to win another day.”
REACTING TO FLEE: “Wise move. Na bister your tailfeathers.”
TIE: “You’re paying for the medical bills Fenix. Throwing a tantrum like a chick like that.”
PERFECT VICTORY: “You thought you could beat me? What have you been drinking?”
FINISH MOVE: “This is over. Give in, or get out.”
There were, and are, a lot of monsters in Equestria. A lot of monsters in the surrounding countries as well. Most of them are dealt with by the Royal Guard and militia set up by the various villages and towns within Equestria. It’s generally not very well handled. Bounty Hunters aren’t seen in a favourable light by most ponies, given their ‘lovey dovey non-violent’ stand on the world.
Aura Surge was not like the rest of them. Born of Romany parents, and brought up as such, learning of the dangers the world faced, the danger these monsters posed.to the population. And, as a result of seeing ponies hurt by them, promised himself he’d face them some day. To help ponies, make sure nobody ever got hurt if he could stop it again. Which was why he was in Canterlot at the moment.
Out of his element, out of his own environment and surrounded by ponies who looked down on him, Aura had taken a job to find a serial killer that was rumoured to be a monster. Bite marks, bodies drained of magic, it was a horrible look. So, he took to finding them. But he had to admit, after almost a week of searching, a week of tracking... he had to admit, he was concerned.
And now, in his hotel room, looking over everything, he’d opened up an old book from his mother. Filled as it was with old stories and legends. And one of them in particular stood out to him.
Succubus.
Legend tells of a race of beings that are able to hide amongst the pony population in order to feed upon the magic inherent within all of ponykind, capable of draining them dry, not to mention their true forms, equipped with both a pair of sharp horns and a mouth full of fangs capable of tearing off limbs...
Aura sighed, heavily, and shut the book. His scarred body told tales of many close encounters, and dangerous fights. Clearly he was no stranger to danger. But this... this was a much more potentially dangerous fight than he had been prepared for. If this was true. He’d been fighting monsters for years. Decades. And he had never seen a Succubus. But it fit. It all fit. Teeth marks. Drained of magic. Killed in secret.
They were meant to be banished to Tartarus. Where the hell did they come from then? How did they escape? If it’s even real.
A quiet frown. He’d read the book. He couldn’t figure out any other possible monster. But if he could prove this wasn’t a succubus, he could rationalise that this wasn’t a monster. It’d been proven recently unicorns could drain magic from others. It wouldn’t be too difficult to fake fangs with magic after all. It’d take... well, theoretically, if it was anything like Changeling magic, he could probably manage to see through, at least partially, the transformation with a true sight spell...
With a deep breath, Aura sighed quietly. He wasn’t after changelings. He wasn’t after anything. Just hoping to prove that his fears weren’t actually worth listening to.
The day was overcast. Apparently, rain was scheduled for the day by the Canterlot weather service. But that hadn’t stopped the many, many ponies who had decided that yes, they were going to step out and do things today. It wasn’t raining yet, but it would relatively soon. And out and about with them, with the crowd parting for him with a weird mix of respect and fear, strode Aura Surge. With his magic building before, after a pause, he cast his spell.
Now, alteration style magics, weren’t really Aura’s style. But he’d learned long ago that True Sight was a very important spell. And as he looked around, he was taken aback once more by the magic he saw around. Unicorns were magic filled beings, ever more so than even their cousins. And looking around, he grimaced, increasing his more intimidating appearance. This was going to hurt his eyes after a while. And the worst part was he knew he couldn’t turn it down from eleven.
I don’t know if it’s an illusion, or proper transformation. It’s not recorded. I have to know if this will work.
So, as he took a deep breath, steeling himself for the waves of magical light he was about to put himself through, Aura stepped off, and headed towards the most popular area of Canterlot. The Canterlot Marketplace.
Walking through Canterlot, and barely having to worry about bumping into ponies was... well, it was gratifying in a way. If the clearly ‘noble’ ponies weren’t looking at him like he was trash, it’d be better, but... In any case, he tried to look at as much as he possibly could. It was difficult. There was a tonne to see around the Canterlot Marketplace. And it was hard for Aura to focus on the job. Especially when passing jewellery stands, of which he was quite fond of. After almost an hour, he was close to giving up when.
What in the name of..?
He paused, looking quickly. He’d caught something in a flash. Something bright, and not normal. With a frown, Aura started pushing through the crowd, looking for the source of the bright light he’d seen just a moment ago. Still pushing, he felt the first drop of rain hit his muzzle. Rain. Great. It wasn’t the first time he’d been caught in the rain... but he had to be sure that this was just a powerful unicorn. He had to be sure.
And as the crowd started thinning, it became easier to see. So much so, that he found the bright light. And it was very bright. It was coming from a slender mare, about his height, if a little shorter, with a flower of some kind for a cutie mark. Aura had never been great with flora. he knew the basics of herbology but not much more. And, as the rain began to fall, she’d paused. And, ignoring the quickly scattering ponies around her, the mare looked at the sky, closed her eyes, and smiled. Smiled as the rain poured down upon her. Aura, standing about thirty meters behind her, frowned. He’d never met a pony with magic this bright. Or diverse. It seemed every colour of the rainbow. A touch of fear chased down his spine, and he tweaked his True Sight spell just a little. Then a little more. Something was showing wrong. Something wasn’t right. for a split second, there was a pair of horns on her head. It was only a moment, and Aura couldn’t be sure he actually saw them.
After standing for two minutes in the rain, the mare began to move again, her bedraggled coat now the colour of wet sand, stood up and began walking again. And this time, Aura Surge followed her. Staying a good twenty meters behind her at all times. But, given where they were going...
When she turned down an alleyway, he frowned. He’d been found out. Possibly since he’d even started following her. That meant she’d picked him out as her next target. But...
He took a deep breath, quietly cancelling his True Sight spell. He was going to need all the power he could spare for this coming fight. This...
It was still raining. His mane was plastered to his neck, his scalp. And his tail hung heavily over his rump. As he walked down the alley, he saw his target, who had turned around and was regarding him, eyes narrowed, hostile.
“What do you want?” It demanded, “Why are you following me? Answer me!”
Aura’s eyes narrowed in return. It looked like a mare. Spoke like a mare. This was a very convincing disguise. Had he not been using True Sight, he probably would have missed it entirely. In fact, he probably would have thought its’ disguise was quite beautiful. He had it trapped now though. And it had trapped itself.
“I know what you are, Succubus.”
It was, honestly, a gamble. He had no real evidence to prove it. No evidence. Except the stricken look that swept over its face as she realised what he said.
“You’re crazy!” Was its answer, “There’s no such thing as a Succubus!”
“Stop lying to me. I see you for what you are,” He replied, his horn sparking with magic, “I’m a hunter of monsters, Succubus. Don’t worry. I promise to attend your Pomana.”
The shock vanished from its face, replaced with a calm, cool anger. Her horn started glowing in return. And, as he watched, its form changed. The horn was replaced by a pair of long, slender horns growing from its forehead, curving back over its head slightly, its mane grew longer. The tuft of hair at the end of its slender tail was replaced with what looked like a blade, a pair of fangs grew out of its mouth, over the bottom lip. But perhaps what caught Aura’s eye the most?
The eyes. The sclera had turned yellow, and it now had pink irises, and slit pupils. A grimace took to his face. It was a succubus.
“A monster slayer. Here to slay the monster then?” It growled angrily, “Come and try it then.”
Both horns sparked and, in a brilliant burst of power that Aura just barely managed to dodge, a bolt of pink burst against the ground behind him, leaving a blackened mark on the pavement. Surprised, but not one to be beaten, Aura brought his own magic to bear against his foe. Or would have, had he not had to use it a split second later to block another magical blast.
These bolts aren’t random. They’re targeted, and controlled. This creature isn’t firing randomly. It’s testing me.
Another bolt of energy, but this time Aura dodged, and started to rush his prey. He regretted, for a moment, having to leave his knives at the hotel. They’d have come in handy here. Another dodge of another bolt of magic, and he reached close enough.
“Where are you looking?”
His eyes went wide as his sense of danger kicked in and he summoned a new forcefield to his left, looking over at it as a tendril of power resembling lightning slammed into it. But it was lacking. Weak.
Devious bitch!
He looked back at it just in time to catch a pair of hooves to his nose, sending him staggering back several steps, reeling from the surprising strength of the buck, then leapt back several more steps to avoid its barrage of magical missiles and energy arcs. Already tired of this fight, and not willing to give up so easily, Aura brought his magic to bear once again and, finally, managed to summon up a pair of magical shields, one on either side of the target, and slammed them together. The Succubus squealed in shock and pain and Aura took a moment to catch his breath.
Then he felt it, and looked at her, eyes going wide. It was absorbing the magic making up his shields! The anger in its eyes as it glared at him, absorbing his magic made him reassess, and he dismissed the shields. If it meant it would get stronger if he attacked it with magic, this was going to be ever more a difficult fight. Once again, he regretted leaving his knives back in his hotel room.
Its tail whipped angrily, and it fired off a barrage of more bolts, forcing him to summon up a barrier before him and weather them. Each bolt was tougher to weather than the last, and, not wanting to waste his magic on nothing, he altered the shield, turning it into a triangular ram and rushing it yet again, planning on slamming his shoulder into it at the last second and, hopefully, knock it out.
It summoned up instead a beam of magic, slamming into the point of his ram, slowing him down as he charged anyway. He heard it yelling. This beam had to be draining its magic reserves. It was sure as hell draining his. And he was feeling the kick to his nose. But just before he could collide with it, suddenly it was gone. His eyes widened as he stumbled forward. He’d already dismissed the ram. Where had it gone?
“I am not. A monster.”
He spun around and saw it. Standing tall where he had once stood. He could see the magic swirling around it. Being absorbed by it. It was...
How is it doing that? Is it absorbing the magic in the air?
The magic came to a zenith between its horns, and desperately Aura threw up another barrier, but the power of the beam levelled at him broke it down like it was nothing. Unable to replenish his magic as it clearly was able to, Aura’s barrier finally failed him, and the beam slammed into his chest, sending him rolling head-over-hooves down the alley. He felt something in his foreleg break and he finally lost his composure and let out a yell of pain, before he felt himself slam into something. Somehow, he was still conscious. He could feel his chest burning. His nose bleeding, and his leg... he was pretty sure it was broken. probably in several places. And, with a cursory glance, he could see he was in a pile of trash.
Heh... typical city folk...
The sound of a hoof clopping on pavement in front of him caught his ear, and he looked up, battered, bruised and broken, at the victor of his fight. Standing over him, horns still lit with readied magic as it glared down at him.
“Well?” He asked, wincing at just the pain it took to speak, “Go on then. Finish it, like you did those others.”
It looked down at him, anger changing to horror.
“You think I am responsible for those reprehensible acts of violence?” It asked in shock, “That’s why you hunted me? That’s why you tried to kill me?”
“Monsters are forever a danger to equinekind,” Aura heard himself say, “You Succubi... you’re not even meant to exist. You’re a folktale. A bedtime story, meant to scare disobedient little foals. Magic thieving creatures of vicious intent. Go ahead. Do it.”
Shock and horror changed to anger, quivering in its eyes, and for a moment, her horns glowed brighter. Brighter. Aura closed his eyes. waiting for the end.
It never came.
“I am not a monster, Aura Surge the monster slayer,” he heard from above him, “Much like you, much like all ponies, there are good, and there are bad succubi. But none of us are monsters.”
Aura opened his eyes, though the edges of his vision were blurring, and looked at it. It looked... troubled. Still angry, no doubt. But...
“I have a name,” It continued, “A mother. A Father. I feel just like you do. I enjoy the rain on my coat, and the warmth of the sun. I have friends, just like the rest of you ponies do.”
Aura frowned. This... wasn’t going how he had expected when he lost that fight. At all. It was speaking. Intelligently. And... were those tears?
“I don’t know what my ancestors supposedly did,” It continued flatly, “To deserve banishment to Tartarus. And quite frankly, I’m not sure I’d believe they did it if I was told. But know this, Slayer of Monsters. My people have been banished, exiled, imprisoned for more than three thousand years. And, in my relatively short time here, I’ve discovered the majority of you don’t even know we ever existed.”
Aura could feel himself slipping, his vision darkening. The Succubus noticed this, and scowled.
“Hey, don’t you fall unconscious on me! Not when I’m talking to you, I’m not finished with you yet! HEY!”
The last thing Aura heard before losing consciousness was the Succubus’ voice, yelling ‘Don’t you dare!’ before his head hit the ground.
He was moving. He knew that. He could feel it. Vaguely. His chest hurt. So did his leg. He nose. His whole body hurt, but those. Those more so. Just breathing hurt.
“Mph... Celestia dammit, why’d it have to be so far?”
That voice... it sounded so familiar. So familiar... Aura tried to move.
“Stop that! It’s hard enough to do this without you struggling.”
Still so familiar. He did however stop trying to move though. It hurt too much anyway. It hurt so badly...
“Fuck you’re heavy! What the hell do they feed you where you come fr-oops!”
He felt himself fall. Intense, searing pain up his foreleg, and he blacked out again.
It smelled... clean. And not in a good way. The sound of rhythmic beeping. Something rough on his back. His chest felt compressed. Aura opened his eyes slowly. And the first thing he saw was a white roof. Slowly, he blinked, and looked down at himself. His chest was wrapped in bandages. His foreleg wouldn’t move. Unsurprising, since it was wrapped in a cast. A slow look around showed him a beeping heart monitor, attached to his chest.
Am I... in a hospital?
“Ah, you’re awake! Good.”
The voice drew his attention, and he saw a nurse approaching him. A slow blink, “You were attacked last night in an alley. Do you remember anything about it?”
“I...” he paused, considering that with his slowly awakening brain, “How did I get here?”
“Oh, a nice mare brought you in,” She replied, looking over his chart, “A lovely mare. She told us she found you in the alley and brought you here! she didn’t stick around though, and you’ve been out since last night so...”
He frowned slowly, but nodded his acceptance. So. The succubus had brought him to the hospital. Instead of killing him.
That doesn’t fit with the Succubus stories. And they’re not meant to be... well, they’re not meant to cry. To feel emotions. And it... It? Should I call a being that seems sentient ‘it’?
His frown deepened. This was... This wasn’t anywhere near as simple as he thought it’d be. And it... she? Dammit, he didn’t know anymore.
Dammit Aura Surge, clearly she was female. And if she can show emotion like that, and talk like that. How can you say she is just a vicious creature drawn to killing and absorbing the magic of their prey? How can you call her that? Is that even real? Possible? Cyka Blyat, this is...
A sigh escaped him, and he looked up at the nurse, who looked back at him, raising an eyebrow.
“Thank you,” He said quietly, “For the treatment. I do appreciate it. Tell me, how long am I expected to be here, if I might ask?”
“Well,” The nurse answered, looking at the sheet, “You had three broken ribs, fairly severe burns on your chest, your foreleg was broken in two places and fractured in two others, and you have a fracture on your snout. So, my estimate, without having consulted your doctor? At least a week.”
“Okay...” He nodded slowly, “If you could please contact The Elegant Fetlock, and let them know where I am and to please not give my room away, I will pay for every day I am here the moment I return.”
The nurse smiled and nodded, “Of course sir. I’ll arrange it for you.”
A quiet nod in thanks, and the nurse left, leaving Aura to his own thoughts. Leaving him to consider just what he was going to do when he got out. what he would do with this situation. And what he was going to do with this succubus, hidden away in Canterlot.
The next time Aura Surge found the Succubus, it was broad daylight. And this time, without hesitating, he limped up to her on his three usable legs. It’d been a week since their battle, and Aura was still in a cast, with his chest bandaged tightly to keep his ribs in place. The Succubus, upon seeing him froze, eyes widening. It was broad daylight. In the middle of a crowd. He approached slowly, and sat down before her. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion.
“What do you want?” She asked coldly, “Here to try again?”
He raised an eyebrow at her, and looked down at his physical condition, then back up at her.
“I’m fairly certain, if I tried like this,” He said in quiet amusement, “You would have little problem defeating me again. But no, I assure you, that is not why I am here.”
He lowered his head slowly, “I am here, instead, to apologise.”
“Apologise?” She asked, quiet confusion overwriting her suspicion, “You? Apologise?”
“Yes. I feel I owe you both an apology, and an explanation. As such, if you would be so graceful Shukar Raiyi, I would appreciate the opportunity to treat you to lunch, and your place of choice.”
A narrowing of eyes again, and the succubus regarded Aura Surge closely. Eventually, she sighed, “Fine. But you’re paying, and you’re buying dessert. And so you don’t keep calling me things I don’t understand, my name is Umbra.”
Aura nodded, “I will buy you dessert, and any drink and meal you so choose. And, as a reintroduction ma’am, My name is Aura Surge. We can speak more once we have a place to ourselves to eat.”
//This piece was inspired by the relationship between my Bounty Hunter/Monster Hunter Romani pony Aura Surge and @modofpitchpatch‘s Succubus pony Umbra, and writing up how they met. Their relationship did NOT start up well, despite how well they get along now. I only hope that Vernille enjoys this piece, and I haven’t let her down with it.
“I met a Diamond Dog named Bethany once,” Aura admitted, “Didn’t look like much. Well, pretty for a diamond dog. Until she decided there was a rock in our way. She crushed it with one swing of her tail. It was fairly amazing. I hear she’s a Bodyguard for the rich and famous nowadays.”
He nodded, “She was pretty cool.”
Aura Surge raised a brow at the asking pony, and nodded curtly, “Yes, actually I do. Currently, I am engaged in courting the lovely Umbra. She’s a lovely lady, and a bit of a scamp if I’m honest.”
//Umbra belongs to the lovely Pernille, the mod of Pitch Patch. She’s been very busy lately, but she’s a wonderful gal.
[Fenix] “I just feel like everything is falling apart.“
Aura looked over at his apprentice with a raised eyebrow. They’d just gone after, and had subsequently obliterated, a nest of gravelings, small undead creatures that, whilst not terribly scary on their own, were quite dangerous in packs. Right now, they were on the train back to Las Pegasus (Ground quarters) to turn in said bounty.
“Probably because they are,” He replied bluntly, keeping his accent carefully under wraps. Too many ponies on this train, “Your wife and son left, and do not keep in contact, you were drowning yourself in bars, and you had a bad attitude, which is why you had no job.”
Never let it be said that Aura was diplomatic. Because he wasn’t.
“But,” He interjected before Fenix could let himself fall further, “You are clawing your life back together. You have work. You are being paid. You do a good thing to help this land you now live in. Yes, everything is falling apart. But when the dust settles, you will have what you need. From there, you can work on building up what you want.”
Aura’s return to the little soiree he’d been taken to by Umbra was, for him anyhow, dull. A bunch of rich ponies milling around, and Umbra showing him off, introducing him as her ‘personal bodyguard’, which wasn’t too far from the truth he supposed. He would defend her from any attack. Speaking of which....
“Harlot!”
Aura wasn’t much of a high profile pony. He didn’t know all the etiquette involved in high society, and he didn’t give two shits about what spoon he’s using to eat his soup. But he did understand that yelling out such an accusation is the paramount of abhorrent behaviour. Whilst everypony else looked around, startled, Aura merely looked over his shoulder at the perpetrator.
It was a younger stallion, good looking in an expensive suit, a . And he was looking directly at Umbra. Aura’s mood went from dull to dark. So, he turned to look at the young stallion, eyes like shards of steel.
“Quiet yourself kid,” He advised darkly, “And take back your foolish accusation.”
Beside him, Umbra sighed theatrically, “Facade, I didn’t know you were here. Is your father here as well?”
The young stallion turned his nose up at Umbra, an incredibly rude gesture indeed, “Father has more important things to do than to watch me denounce a harlot and her plaything!”
Aura got the distinct impression this boy was referring to him. His eyes narrowed, “Lady Umbra and I have a business deal. And, as both her bodyguard and trusted friend, I will stand to hear no more filthy lies from the knife wound in your face I can only assume you use as a mouth.”
There was murmuring from the guests at such a savage reply, and Umbra lay her hoof on Aura’s shoulder gently. Facade, now red faced, did his best to ignore the older stallion, instead focusing his attention on Umbra, “You might want to leash your animal Umbra,” He sneered, “It’s unthinkable really. A common mercenary animal. You spurned me for such filth, an insult of the highest caliber!”
With a flourish the fool probably thought was dramatic, he tore off a shoe from his forehoof and threw it at Umbra’s hooves, “I challenge you! A duel of honor!”
Aura could only blink, battling with his rising ire to not simply smack the insolent whelp down where he stood. But it was Umbra who answered, “a duel? With me Facade? Really?”
At this point, the hosts of this party arrived. Fancy Pants and his partner Fleur, and both looked scandalized at best, horrified at worst. Fancy took one look at the scene and scowled at Facade, “Young Sir, whatever do you think you’re doing!? This is a peaceful soiree.”
“Not anymore.”
Curiously, it wasn’t Facade who spoke, but Aura Surge. His growl caught the attention of everyone. Gently, the shoe at Umbra’s hooves floated over to Aura, encased in his pink magic. With a negligent toss, he threw it back. The silence of the room allowed the clang of the metal shoe hitting the floor to echo loudly.
“Your challenge is absurd, and I throw it back in your teeth,” Aura growled, “Your insults to myself and my charge, Lady Umbra, are unwarranted and I find them personally offensive, arrogant and crude. Stupid children should learn when to shut their mouths.”
