//------------------------------// // Into the Everfree // Story: The Wild Card // by Tyrant //------------------------------// Since I had come to Equestria I hadn't gotten to spend almost any time inside the Everfree Forest. I had come to it's border but never within it's confines. I wondered what lay within almost constantly. There were nights were my dreams would just show me an amazing maze of trees, paths possibly blazed by a brave pony, and a deep foggy mist that would just cover the grassy floor. I had heard from my co-workers that a zebra decided to live here, and they said she was some kind of voodoo doctor, a few others said a type of shaman, but to me whatever she was didn't matter. I wasn't here to visit nor try to have her direct me around this place. I wanted this experience to be my own. I wanted to see these green woodlands without any navigation from anyone. Mossy was running ahead of me and thought I was playing chase with him. Why we decided to break into sprints right as we entered I had no idea, I started it and than Mossfoot just followed after me, than the game became chase, and so far the damned pup was winning. Remembering what I said to myself about two legs vs four legs earlier I decided if having four would let me run that fast, I'd consider the trade! "Slow down Mossy, I swear you're going to make me lose you." Turning back to me Mossfoot just ran back and forth urging me on. Where the hell did this pup have so much energy from? Didn't Angel help him burn it off? As I came up to him, Mossfoot turned on his back and waited for a belly rub. Taking a knee to catch my breath I obliged the puppy for even giving me the break I needed right now. After catching my breath I felt the need to speak aloud, the forest air had been quiet since we entered. "Now where are we going to bury this, huh boy? Should we just make a sort of, ex marks the spot, eh? Should we bury it in the ground, or by a tree. There's even the chance we can find a cavern and bury it there, where no one would think to look." I only had the idea of going in to Everfree to hide the book. Knowing that not many ponies liked the idea of a forest where they had no direct influence on the animals or weather didn't deter me at all. They grew up in having the ability to control such things, either with their magic or by counting on one another, at least that was my guess. Myself on the other hand, hell, I believe back home we were at the mercy of the elements. Sure we adapted, very well I would think, for being at the mercy of storms and rain and sunshine even back on Earth. Sometimes we would almost manipulate the entire idea of nature to our will, but it always won over us. There was no argument there I'm sure, some people could and I'm sure they'd make excellent points. However I think that once face to face with volcano's, earthquakes, hail storms, and a place I like to call Tornado Alley the argument would just become ridiculous. In the end most people just endure, or choose not to populate near those area's. We could only build stronger shelters to withstand it all in the end, and even than there was a chance it would fail. I suppose that is why the Everfree didn't make me feel unease at all. I almost welcomed the change, almost. I could feel a light breeze kick up, and I looked through the emerald green sea of leaves to make out a dark ominous sky that was becoming more gray by the minute. It was odd because before I exited Pony-Ville there wasn't a cloud in the sky, and I recall that I read the paper this morning, the weather report said no chance of shower, now I had to wonder if the rain would come down like a sheet. I wondered if Mossy would want to spend time in the rain though, being a wolf made out of timber. The only thing I really had to worry about for him was camp-fires, wildfires, and being under a lens with the sun out. "Rested up now boy?" I was, though I knew he'd have more energy left in him. At least out here he could run free without a random pony acting fearful of a puppy that she or he had no idea was more docile than the creatures they had heard rumors about. Honestly, sometimes ponies just needed to see with their own eyes. We started to get ready for another run when I heard a rustling from a nearby underbrush, pausing in our steps both me and Mossy looked to the questionable bush awaiting what was going to pop out. At first it was the head of a chicken and Mossfoot just began to wag his tail barking playfully at it, but than it began to rise higher and I knew something was up. "A cockatrice, great." I recall the warning Fluttershy gave me, but for the life of me could not figure out why I was to be afraid of this thing. It almost reminded me of Discord, a lizard like tail, and scaled wings, but the main body was that of a chicken. "How the hell is this thing supposed to be scary? I seriously wonder if these ponies are alright in the head, maybe the magic makes them loopy." Suddenly it opened it's eyes at us and gave a very menacing glare, I noted that the eyes were much different of a regular chicken. However, I still could not understand why the ponies were afraid of such a creature. With haunting ruby like orbs for eyes I couldn't even see pupils within them and merely continued the staring contest it initiated. Suddenly it took a menacing charge at us and stopped only a few steps. I had heard Mossfoot jump back and than hide behind my leg beginning to bark at the nefarious chicken. Annoyed with his barking, it turned it's gaze toward him and I heard him yelp in surprise. Turning to better see what was going on I could witness that half his body was slowly being turned to stone. Now I understood what was going on, an emotion resembling fear or uncertainty must be the reaction it needed for it's magic to work. Great, more magic. I was barely beginning to get away from it all when I now needed to understand more of it. But I needed to stop this, and now. Thinking quickly I cooked up a plan that would work, hopefully it would. "Oy! You feather-brained midget." I quickly ran toward the cock-a-trice and knelt to stare into it's eyes with a hardened glare. "You stop that right the fuck now, or I will do something you will find most unpleasant and possibly painful." It tried to play hardball with me, again attempting to stare at me with a menacing gaze. "You don't get it do you, feather-head. I'm not from Equestria in case you haven't already noticed. But here's a newsflash for you, one you might want to think about. On my world, I eat you. Understand?" That suddenly got it's attention, it began to cower away and I used my hands to creep slowly toward it. "Yea, I think you understand perfectly. See, your kind gets eaten. A lot. Fact is we compare other foods to how you taste like." I snapped my teeth twice to get my message across. "So if you don't turn my little friend there back to normal in the next three seconds: I. WILL. EAT. YOU." A loud cry came from the once tough bird and it ran toward Mossfoot with it's wings outstretched, touched him with the tip of his tail, and flew away from us like a bat out of hell. All within three seconds, damn that little bird can move. I looked to Mossfoot who was whining on the floor as if he'd been punished. "C'mere buddy, come to daddy." Slowly he got on all fours and walked with his head down. "Your still a pup, don't let it get to you. One day you'll show that chicken who the real chicken is." Mossy wagged his tail in response and licked my arm as I petted behind his ears. "Don't you worry boy, we're going to be coming here a lot more now. But first thing is first, we have to bury this, and now."