WinterBolt

"Y-...you could say that!" Ash cried over the rush of air around his ears that was making it quite hard to think, much less hear, what the pony had said. He clamped his mouth shut and tucked his head close to the colt's neck, afraid that if he spoke anymore he'd jostle himself right off the pegasus.

Thanks Appleshy and pondus! (D'aww, Ash is gettin' all the love >w<) And to answer your question Appleshy, Big Mac, Fluttershy, and Rarity were done in Photoshop, and my OCs and Blueblood were done in SAI. Each picture didn't take me too long to do, maybe a couple of hours at the very most, while doing other things at the same time. If anypony is interested, I actually did a speedpaint of my picture of Rarity! I'll post a link if anyone is interested in seeing it (it's kinda oldish lol)

Thank you both! <33 Haha, Ash appreciates the love~

10/10 Simple name, cute too! <3

"Wa-..ahhh!!!" Came a quite involuntary whinny as Ash suddenly found himself higher in the air than he had ever found himself before, even higher than when he had slipped into Ponyville that one rare time to help re-shingle a roof using his magic. Leaping off Larva's back wasn't an option either, not unless he wanted to end up six feet under the next morning. Barely able to contain any more screaming of shock out of suddenly being in the frigid night sky, Ash clung to the pegasus' back with all his might, absolutely careful not to pin down the wings that were the only thing that kept them from hitting the ground.

The unicorn simply stared, mouth agape, for the longest time, before it finally clicked in his mind to extend a hoof to the pegasus. To this day he didn't know why he did it. He should have run....escaped these springs a long time ago, since his first encounter with the phantom. Somehow however...he had the feeling that even if he did escape, move to a different location perhaps, that this pony would follow. He did come when he uttered that strange phrase he had been given. So, Ash stood and stared expectantly at Larva, waiting for that aforementioned explanation.

Wow, thank you! I plan to have more art to share with you guys in the future

Thanks everyone! I really appreciate the kind welcomes ^^ I've really enjoyed myself so far, and I've only been here what, 3 days? X3

Ash was thunderstruck. All he could say was, "Y-..you....it's you....." Ok. Yes. Officially no longer a dream. This was reality. Cold. Hard. Terrible. Reality.

For a long time, the poor unicorn was frozen in place, unable to move or think. His first instinct was to use magic- but he abandoned that fancy quickly. What would that do!? Prolong his death, surely. ..Then, as if on a whim, or through something deep in his subconsciousness forcing him, he screwed his eyes shut tight and yelled, "V-...Ve...nite...ad.....me...custodem!!"

For the moment, Ash had closed his eyes, and didn't see the apparition. Not at first anyway. But when he did take the initiative to open one eye, just to peer out into the darkness one last time before sleeping- out of paranoia- he could feel his heart tumble into his hooves. Faster than he knew he could move he scrambled to his feet, a loud, throaty gasp erupting from his throat as he stared at the fox in front of him, looming like something even MORE horrid from his nightmares than the pony. Ok...now it was getting really hard to make himself believe this wasn't happening.

The unicorn put on a fake smile- not that hard to do, surprisingly- for the last few ponies that left his springs. His horn felt hot from all the magic he had used today, probably way more than necessary, because he was being careless. Absentminded, and careless. So he only had himself to blame for the pounding headache that blasted through his senses, and the throbbing pain that racked his bones. If only he knew how to use his magic to get rid of that- but even if he did he was hurting too much to be able to. With a loud, throaty groan, he almost threw himself to the dirt not far from his shack, not bothering to curl up. He simply lay in a quite awkward position, but here he would stay. He was just way too exhausted to move.

Ash woke up to his entire body aching down to each hoof, splayed oddly on his back, all four raised high in the air, the nearest blocking out the sun. He wanted to understand what had happened. He wanted to understand if it REALLY happened. But the incessant prod at his consciousness, telling him to get up, told him it didn't. So, it didn't then. He would pretend he never met the pony, and it never happened. Another day, another morning heating up spa-esc springs for appreciative ponies. Or at least...Ash Cloud HOPED they appreciated his work. He did it all for them anyway. But as he trotted to each pool, pointing his horn at it to give it its normal dose of magic...the aching remained.

Ash stood, numb, staring blankly into space, the pegasus' last words to him ringing in his ears like a siren's song. He didn't understand the words, but he would never forget them. And then suddenly, a horrible feeling of exhaustion overcame his body, and before he knew it, the colt fell to his knees in the dewy grass, panting. Shaking. His nose bowed, resting between his forelegs. A nightmare. This is a nightmare. Come on Ash. Wake up. Wake up. But Ash didn't wake. He simply fell into the deepest sleep he had experienced in a long time..

Ash shook his head like a caged griffin, rage and frustration clouding his mind for a moment. He was so confused- he wasn't about to ask why this darned pony had fangs of all things, just a moment ago. Like...like some kind of monster. It wasn't natural, and anypony with eyes could see that. Yet the more he glared at the colt, the more the hidden, shaking pony that was inside revealed itself to him. Trapped in his own body like a prison, being puppeted by a force beyond any hopes of his control. But what could this be...? If Ash tried to tell other ponies about this, he would be laughed at. If he tried to go to Canterlot and request an audience with Celestia herself, he would be dismissed as mad. Possibly even locked up. And what then...? This pony was dangerous....and as a unicorn who had experienced it first hand, he could do absolutely nothing about it.

A part of him? "Hold on now, hold on!" Ash found himself exclaiming, blinking hard, his long tail flicking with confusion. "A part of you...? I'm afraid I...don't quite understand...." After this, Ash bit his tongue. What was he thinking?! He was just chatting away with the pony who had almost, quite literally, eaten him. Finally allowing his better sense to take over, he backpedaled, digging troughs into the dew-soaked earth in his haste to get away. "Never mind. Never mind just...just go!" He whinnied, having half a mind to rear up and pound his hooves into the ground for emphasis, but he didn't. "Don't you think a...about hurtin' any ponies in Ponyville!"

Seeing the tears in the pony's eyes....that was almost enough to turn Ash's outlook on him completely. To any sane pony, those tears would have been fake, and they would have cleared out a long time ago. But not to this unicorn. Something about this pony...Something changed in him almost, it appeared. Against his better judgement, Ash took a shaky hoofstep closer, lowering his head to get a better view of a pegasus, "...come on now....d....don't cry." He whispered. "....I'm...sure y'didn't mean me no harm.....you seemed....posessed er....somethin'...." Posessed? Sure, why not. It was the only explanation he could think of, but it still didn't make any sense.

Sorry? Sorry? This pony had to be kidding. Either that, or he was completely off his rocker. Or bipolar....or perhaps a combination of all of that. Ash decided to settle with the latter, and carefully he used a hoof to brush his forelock away, gazing with a thunderstruck expression at the trembling pegasus. "...w-...." He tried to speak...but no words would come.

Now this. This--It HAD to be a nightmare. Ash scrabbled backwards a foot or two, unable to tear his gaze away from the writhing colt on the ground. Whatever was going on, it was horrifying. Was he....dying...? The poor unicorn didn't understand- and the simple, kind pony inside him wanted to do something to help. But what could be done? Nothing so far was making any sense. So he could only hope and pray that this really wasn't happening, and he would wake up soon.

The trembling, stiff legged colt took this opportunity to right himself, every muscle in his body feeling strained. He still throbbed all over from the thrashing, but that much he was able to ignore. The fear- the terror- was also still there, but using an incredible amount of will he was able to shove that to the back of his mind too. Perhaps unicorn magic was aiding him here as well...he couldn't be sure. At any rate, he had managed to stand, his head hanging low over the mute, greenish-blue grass. Through his matted forlock he watched his assailant thrash, as if a seizure of some sort had overtaken him. Whatever the case, the only thing Ash knew was that this incident had most likely saved his life. Now, he could only stand...and watch.

Hearing the sudden outcry shocked the colt, causing him to close his eyes even tighter, pulling his hooves even closer to his fluttering chest. This was it- he waited for the worst pain yet, of being murdered... or apparently eaten alive by this cannibalistic pegasus, who had driven his head forwards towards Ash's neck with jaws open wide. But the pain never came, and this is what stunned him the most. After waiting for a moment in stiff silence, he could hear the rustling of the grass as the pony suddenly fell back, his legs kicking and thrashing as he hit the ground. What was going on here...?

Thank you! Likewise, nice to meet you as well!

Oh Celestia... things were just spiraling into the depths of bad to worse. Much, much worse. Ash made it a point to hold his tongue as Larva rolled him over, his hooves kicking madly in the air for a moment out of instinct. Then, he quickly tucked them to his chest, staring up at the horrible pegasus, his large, brown eyes practically begging for mercy. The unicorn closed his eyes for what he was sure would be the last time- but if he really was going to die, it was not going to be groveling to a murderer he didn't even know. No- he wouldn't grant him that satisfaction. Dropping a few octaves, Ash growled in the most intimidating voice he could muster, "Fine then. Kill me if that's whach'yer after. Do it quick- do it slow, I don't care. Just get right on and do it." He sneered, now glaring full on into the other pony's eyes.