The 10th Keeper

Wind whips a cloud of white snow around the bus as it lazily chugs along a long forgotten road. It's driver has ridden this route many times before, so this storm is not unusual for him. His sleeping passenger had fallen asleep only 5 minutes after the bus left Vanhoover, and now that they were nearing their destination she was beginning to wake. By the time Asuka has managed to wake herself up she finds the wrinkled face of the veteran bus driver staring directly into her soul. That was as good a hint as she was going to get that this was her stop. Taking a moment to put on her heavy winter coat Asuka stands, and shuffles her way to the the front of the bus. Coins tink as 10 bits are dropped into the busses payment box. The old driver simply grunts, signaling that Asuka needed to get off now. As she steps off of the bus Asuka turns her head back to speak. "Have a safe trip back." As the bus slowly churns it's way back towards Vanhoover Asuka turns her attention towards the tour shack in the distance. However, her eyes find something else to focus on by the time she's turned to face the shack. Between Asuka and the shack stands a familiar figure. One that looks incredibly similar to herself. She approaches the figure without any caution. Should she be struck down here for her carelessness, so be it. However, instead of being greeted with angry yelling, or getting attacked Asuka is surprised. Maddy is smiling. She's actually smiling. Asuka can't remember a time where Maddy was smiling where she wasn't employing some scheme. Though this smile was different. It wasn't an ear to ear grin, but a warm, inviting smile that told Asuka everything she needed to know. A hoof is extended out to Asuka, and without a second thought she grasps it. From there, Asuka is lead by Maddy past the tour shack, and straight to the foot of the mountain. Normally, Asuka would be highly suspicious of this kind of behavior from Maddy, but something about this situation told Asuka that she was safe. That she needed to go with Maddy. Maddy knew something she didn't, and frankly, Maddy was more or less her own person at this point. Though they were once the same, their time with Lunae had changed that. Not on purpose, but it still happened. After Asuka had managed to escape the feywild just over a month ago she'd noticed something off about herself. Though she still had occasional dreams, thoughts, and even a few visions Asuka found herself happier, and feeling more free than before. Free to make her own choices without having to worry she'd get trapped inside her own reflection. Free to tell her friends and family how she felt about them without being berated for it while trying to get to sleep that night. Now she feels as if she knows why. A single pebble clacking against stone snaps Asuka out of her trance. When she regains coherence she finds herself in a rather large stone room. Though the only light into the room comes from outside, and the room is large Asuka finds that she can see around the room as if the ceiling was made of glass. Her head swivels back and forth a few times as she tires to get her bearings. First she spots a statue to her left, around 12 feet tall. Then one to her right. Each pass reveals a new statue, or two. Once she's finally gotten her bearings Asuka totals the statues she's just seen. 10. There are ten statues here. Maddy is watching her, but says nothing. She smiles expectantly while Asuka tries to figure out what this place is. Something inside Asuka's body draws her over to the first statue on her left. As she approaches she finds that the statue is of a younger mare with her forehooves cupped to hold a resting bird. To her right is a deer, and her left, a bear. Looking down Asuka finds words etched into a stone plaque in front of the statue. "Adrealla 'She Who Watches the Stars' The First Keeper" Again Asuka's body begins to move before she can tell it to. Her right foreleg lifts up to gently place her hoof on the statue. Asuka is quietly making a wicker basket with a few of the other women from her village inside her hut. There's an excited commotion outside, followed by a man entering her hut. "Kaern! Come quickly! Your daughter has returned!" Asuka quickly stands up, and hurries outside of her hut with the other women in tow. She recognizes the fiery orange maned mare in the village center almost instantly. Asuka rushes over to the mare, and scoops her up in a tight hug as she begins to sob uncontrollably. The orange maned mare now stands in a snowy clearing. She's just finished planting a seed in the soil underneath the snow. Behind her stands a moose, and two squirrels. As the mare lifts her head she looks directly to Asuka. Her freckled face holds a serious expression, but a slight smile betrays her real feelings. "The Earth is our provider, our protector, and our mother. We must treat her with the same love, care, and respect we show to our own mothers. To do otherwise would have grave consequences." Asuka removes her hoof from the statue, and takes a moment to re-compose herself. She's not entirely sure what's happening at the moment, but her body continues to move regardless. Her body brings her to the next statue on the left. This one has a stallion carrying a staff with a single snake wrapped around it in one hoof, and his other outstretched as if offering it in aid. Looking below this statue, the plaque reads "Gyasi The Second Keeper" This time Asuka is less hesitant about placing her hoof on the statue. The rash has spread over most of her body. It burns, itches, and hurts all at once. A stallion enters the room Asuka has been waiting in. He appears to be carrying a clay pot. "Thank you for being so patient ma'am. I know you are in pain." The stallion carefully hands Asuka the pot. "Use this on your body once every day at sunrise. This should help soothe the itching, and burning. Once it's soaked into your skin, wash yourself with water, and that should create a cooling sensation to help ease the pain. Remember to drink plenty of water for your fever as well!" Asuka is standing outside of a large stone building partially built into the side of the mountain. From the windows she can see creatures in various different states of illness, and injury. Though they appear to be in pain, or discomfort they do not seem afraid. While she's watching the creatures in the windows, a stallion exits the building with a snake-coiled staff in his hoof. The stallion approaches Asuka with a friendly smile on his lips. "Compassion, and kindness are the greatest gifts one can give to another. A little smile can have a big impact on others." Without pause, Asuka goes to the next statue. This statue is of a stallion with a rather impressive, curly beard who appears to be engaged in a lively conversation with someone else who is not depicted. His plaque reads "Adrastos The Third Keeper" The warm water, and steam relaxes Asuka's body after a long day of teaching young philosophers. They are young, and full of energy, but she is old, and oh so tired. She's just begin to settle in to her bath when a stallion bursts through the front doors. "I've done it!" Asuka and the others in the bathhouse stare at the stallion. Some are intrigued, others confused, and some a little angry that their bath has been interrupted. Asuka scowls as she shouts to the man. "All you have done is ruin a nice bath!" At this point the stallion turns to face her. "My deepest apologies sir. I was simply so excited after my breakthrough that I had to share it with you all!" A group of creatures stand in a beautifully crafted temple. The 5 creatures discuss the many different questions of the age. What is a man? How should one live their life? What is the meaning of life? What is the most important aspect of one's life? After a few seconds one of the creatures excuses himself from the group and approaches Asuka. "To question is not to defy. Learning is an important part of our beings, and to seek knowledge, is to seek a better path for all." By now Asuka is fairly certain she understands what she's experiencing. Without any hesitation she moves to the next statue. This one shows a stallion in a toga with his hoof outstretched as if addressing a crowd. His mouth is agape as if he were currently speaking. "Setanus Thripium The Fourth Keeper" Asuka is in a crowd stating in the forum. Above them on the stairs is a senator in a tunic, rather than the toga most senators wear. The senator's voice is loud, and his body language is quite expressive. "The senate has forgotten who they are supposed to be fighting for! They have abandoned the people of the city to the dogs! While they sit in their lavish villas, and lament the quality of their wine, you starve, and beg for the scraps they leave behind! No more! The senate will answer for it's idleness! The people will have food! The people will have safety! The people WILL be put first!" The atrium bustles around Asuka. Creatures from all walks of life have come here to escape certain death, or imprisonment for daring to speak out against the people who forgot them. The leaders and nobles who put themselves before the people they were tasked with protecting. Should any of these people have stayed in their home-countries they surely would have perished. Out of the crowd a stallion in a toga approaches Asuka. "Do not forget your own values. Though others may try to sway you, your thoughts and feelings are you own. Fight for what you believe in, and who you believe in. Fight for a better tomorrow for the many. Not the few." The next statue is of a mare in a rather impressive dress. She appears to be reclining while beckoning to someone with her hoof. Her plaque reads "Theodora Catia The Fifth Keeper" Asuka can't stop her nervous shaking. The mare in front of her is older by around 20 years, and more beautiful than any mare she's ever seen. The old mare gives her a re-assuring smile as she places her hooves on her shoulder. "Oh my dear. Please do try to calm yourself. I know you're nervous about this, but I assure you, my gifts have never been refused. Give him the lily I've given you, and I promise he will fall head over heels for you." Couples sit or stand all around Asuka in a park filled with snow. She can tell just by looking at them that many of these couples are newly together, but they radiate a love for each-other Asuka has never felt before. While she's watching the couples bond, an older mare dressed in an overwhelming amount of finery approaches her. "Love is not a singularly targeted feeling my dear. Love is something you spread, and share with those around. Show your love for all who come to you. Not just the ones who tickle your fancy." Now, Asuka finds herself having to move to the opposite side of the cave to find the next statue. This statue shows a stallion in chain-mail carrying a spear, and shield with a wide smile on his face. He appears to be missing a few teeth. "Henry Buckets The Sixth Keeper" The fanged maw of the beast bears down on Asuka as she cowers against a house. She's certain she's about to die. "Oi! S-stay away f-from her!" Both the beast, and Asuka turn their attention to the source of the shout. A lone town guard slowly shuffles towards the two with his shield raised, and spear poking out beside it. The beast bellows a roar, and turns to stampede towards the guard. The guard responds with a terrified battlecry as he stumbles forwards to meet the beast. The beast is just about to pounce when another armored figure body-slams the beast into the ground, and finishes it off with his sword. The guard approaches Asuka, and offers his hoof to help her up. "Are you alroight miss? Yoohr noh hurh are yeh?" A group of creatures stand in front of a row of training dummies. Behind them stands a stallion in chain-mail shouting orders. "Slash! Stab! Bash!" and so on. This process repeats for about 20 seconds before the stallion orders them to continue without him. The stallion approaches Asuka with a big smile which appears to be missing a few teeth. "Just cuz you aren't great at foight'n doesn't mean you're not a foighter. Find yer own way to stick up for yourself, and others, and you'll be able to protect the ones you care about." Asuka moves to the next statue. The stallion in this statue appears to be tinkering with some sort of device. He's wearing a pair of goggles with some sort of adjustable lenses attached to them. "Lorenzo De'Feltro The Seventh Keeper" Asuka watches intently as her master shows her how to properly attach hinges to a device. "There! Now let's go see if this new invention of yours works hm?" The stallion grins at Asuka behind his strange goggles. She nods excitedly as the stallion picks up the device, and begins to head outside. Looking around Asuka can see quite a few other creatures at their own work-stations working on all sorts of devices. The workshop around Asuka is filled with activity. Though she does not recognize them, some of the greatest minds of Equestria are gathered here to collaborate, and create new inventions to show the world. One of the stallions in the workshop excuses himself from a group working on a rather large object. He then approaches Asuka. "Innovation does not always mean material! You can create something new without needing blueprints, and materials. Find your own way of doing things, and innovate the way to help others." The next statue features a stallion wearing a straw hat with a piece of hay in his mouth. He appears to be reclining on a rocking chair, taking a nap. "Ol' Billy Left Hoof The Eighth Keeper" "Quick! In here!" Asuka doesn't have time to question whether or not she should trust the stallion motioning to her. She hurries inside the house the stallion is motioning from, and is quickly lead to a back closet. The stallion opens a compartment behind the closet, and helps her fit inside before closing it behind her. Not long after she hears banging on the front door, followed by shouting. "Have you seen a dragon around here?!" She then hears the stallion's voice. "No sir. I's just been havin' me a nap." "You should know there's a dragon running around town by now! You're telling me you didn't see ANYTHING?!" "No siree. Not a thing." "Stupid hick! You're lucky we arrived when we did, or the dragon might have eaten you!" A stallion sits playing a banjo for a group of young fillies and colts inside a cozy cabin. The stallion looks up from playing his banjo to look to Asuka. " 'Scuse me chill'uns. I gotta speak with an old friend." The stallion gives a small chuckle as he approaches Asuka. "Didn't think I'd be seeing you again so soon missus!" Another small cackle. "Puttin' yerself in harms way to protect others is a noble sacrifice, bit that don't mean you gotta get yerself killed doin' it. Always take time to survey the situation yer in, and come up with an appropriate response. The next statue depicts a stallion with a newsboy cap who appears to be dancing an irish jig. "Roray Kenik The Ninth Keeper" Asuka takes a bag of grain from a young stallion, and passes it off to another stallion behind her. The stallion in front of her goes back into the grain store and comes out with two more bags to hand off. As he exits the building the light of an electric torch shines down a nearby alley. The stallion hands Asuka a bag of grain, and whispers to her. "Run!" Asuka and the others sprint off down the street towards their hideout where they'll be able to store the grain until tomorrow. Once the coast is clear they're going to take all the grain they've managed to steal, and hand it out to the poor of the city. The scene is all too familiar to Asuka. She's standing inside the tour shack with Roray staring at her. He slowly lifts the divider keeping him behind the counter, and comes over to hug her. "Everyone has a purpose in life, but nobody's is chosen for them. Choose your own path, and Lunae will help you along." The last statue Asuka finds is one depicting her with her thrusting a pair of drumsticks up in the air. "Asuka Yakushi The Tenth Keeper" Asuka is staring up at herself. Her vision is slowly fading as numb pain shoots throughout her body. Sitting above her, she grabs her own hoof gently, and quietly sings a lullaby until her vision finally fades fully. When Asuka removes her hoof from her own statue she turns to gaze back at all the statues around her. She's surprised when she finds 9 figures standing in a V shape in front of her with Roray at the head. "Well lass. You're the keeper now. There isn't any set of rules, or regulations you're expected to follow as the keeper other than to be selfless, and kind. Help every soul that makes it's way to Lunae. Guide them the way you think will best suit them, and Lunae will do the rest. And if you ever need us, we'll be there for you." Roray places his hoof on her shoulder, and after a few seconds, he's gone. The others then approach her one by one to offer advice, congratulations, and even a few hugs. Once the other keepers have all vanished Asuka turns back towards the entrance of the cave. Maddy extends her hoof to Asuka again, and Asuka grasps it with a smile of her own. There was work to be done.