Forest of Lost Foals

by Dusk-Spark

Ch. 1: "Scaredy Ponies."

“Aaaahhh! Hahaha!” Pipsqueak screamed at the sudden twist at the end, but then burst out laughing. He was a horror junkie, through and through despite being so young, even so that was just such a ridiculous twist ending. His critical eye for bad writing might’ve had something to do with his dad. The old stallion spent most of his days writing all kinds of stories (horror mostly), naturally Pipsqueak learned to love that world. Plus, he was friends with Pinkie Pie. Giggle at the ghosties and such.

“It’s not supposed to be funny! That was supposed to make you wet yourself!” Scootaloo insisted, slamming her hooves on the hardwood flooring of the Cutie Mark Crusader Clubhouse.

“Sorry Scoots, it’s just…Hahanaha! A flute playing unicorn ghost, that‘s just silly!” Pipsqueak mimed a ghost wiggle with his forelegs, “Oooh, look out! I’m gonna play off-key music at you~” Pipsqueak stifled another laugh.

Scootaloo puffed out her cheeks in indignation, “Why can’t I tell it as good as Rainbow Dash.” She muttered under her breath, huffing and puffing to turn away from Pipsqueak (the jerk) and towards the unicorn filly on her left, “Saphira, back me up here! You thought it was scary right?”

The green maned, pale unicorn wasn’t listening to their conversation. She was too busy staring out at the landscape with that haunting gaze of hers.

Pipsqueak followed her gaze, “ ’At way is the Everfree forest?”

“Yeah.” Scootaloo answered hastily, "I've been there tons of times, went to go see Zecora last week." She then got up on her hooves and stared at the two ponies. “We should probably start heading out soon. If we don't show up, we'll never hear the end of it.”

“It’s a right shame, Applebloom an’ Sweetie Belle couldn’t be ‘ere.” Pipsqueak said while stretching out his legs.

“Yeah, but what’re ya gonna do? Applebloom’s visiting family in Appleoosa and Sweetie Belle went with Rarity to that three week fashion show.” Scootaloo flapped her tiny wings and leaned coolly against the wall in a very Rainbow Dash esque manner, “So I thought; Hey you know, I should spend more time with my good friend Pipsqueak and maybe befriend the new pony in school, Saphira.” Scootaloo was trying so hard to emulate Rainbow Dash, even adopting her speech patterns and mannerisms.

Pipsqueak stifled a laugh. He figured Scootaloo would probably bop him on the head or something if he dared to laugh at her when she was pretending to be Rainbow Dash, “So I guess we’re really going?” Pipsqueak sounded hesitant.

“Never go into the Everfree forest.”

Was the very first thing he heard when he came to Ponyville last year, and now they were doing the exact opposite. Foals will be foals. Plus, the chance to show everyone that he wasn't just a short pony, that he WAS the brave adventuring super hero he envisioned himself to be (even though he was still a blank flank).

“O-Of course we are!” Scootaloo’s wavering voice displayed her fear as plain as day. She could try to act like Rainbow Dash all she wanted, but she wasn’t Rainbow Dash, “What, are you a scaredy pony?” Scootaloo teased the brown patched earth pony.

Pipsqueak faced her suddenly, “N-No, of course I ain’t scared! I‘m Pipsqueak the hero!” He beat his chest triumphantly with his hoof, ‘Ow.’

“Oh really? Well, I bet you run out before I do!”

“Oh yeah?!”

“Yeah!” They were practically touching foreheads. It was very evident how much smaller Pipsqueak was compared to Scootaloo, "I'M JUST A LATE BLOOMER!" He would tell everyone who pointed out his short stature.

“….”

“Pft.” The two ponies broke out into a chorus of laughter. Of course Scootaloo and Pipsqueak would never fight, they had so much in common and were really good friends. Heck, Scootaloo was the one who showed Pipsqueak where everything in Ponyville was (even introduced him to Zecora out on the edge of the Everfree forest). While the two silly ponies laughed and rough housed like ponies did, there was one pony who still wasn’t laughing.
Ever since she got to town, Saphira was…quiet. That was really the only way anyone could ever describe her. She almost never spoke (not even to Cheerilee). She was always alone, constantly staring into the Everfree Forest, she was a blank flank but didn’t seem at all bothered by her lack of a cutie mark (not even the teasing of Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon could get under her skin). She never even spoke about how she got that scar over her left eye. There were so many mysteries around her, it was almost unbearable. Why had she agreed to go with Scootaloo and Pipsqueak to the Cutie Mark Crusader clubhouse? Why was she spending time with them? Were they really friends or…

While holding Pipsqueak in a headlock and giving him a noogie, Scootaloo addressed her; “Hey, Saphira.” Scootaloo dropped Pipsqueak (ignoring the oof from Pipsqueak), then approached the unicorn, “If you don’t wanna go then we don‘t have to. I mean, I don‘t want to be known as a scaredy pony but, I don‘t wanna force you to do it if you really don‘t-”

“No.” Saphira suddenly spoke. The room was dead silent. Saphira had spoken. SAPHIRA had spoken. That was such a rare occurrence it was like seeing a mythical beast before your very eyes... “I want to go.”

“O…kay.” Scootaloo squeaked out, in a tone barely over a whisper. Saphira’s sudden forceful tone even caught Pipsqueak off his guard.

He smacked his shivering hind leg, ‘Guess I’m more afraid then I thought…’ Over the horizon, Pipsqueak could see the sun setting. It was nearly time to meet up with the other ponies from school. “Let's do one more check.”

“Y-Yeah! Of course. Okay then,” Scootaloo read the checklist nailed to the nearby wall out loud, “Sleeping bags?”

“Yep.” Pipsqueak had it rolled up and attached to one of the straps.

“Snacks?”

Pipsqueak took a bite of one of the carrots in his saddle bag, “Yep.” He said as he chewed the carrot.

“Lanterns? Rope? First-aid? Map of the Everfree?”

Pipsqueak knocked his lantern, watching as it lit up the dim room. “Yep. For all of them.” Pipsqueak pointed his tail to the stuff on the table.

“Weapons?” Scootaloo didn’t put that on the checklist. What the hay?

Pipsqueak pulled out his wooden sword from the saddlebag. He nodded a ’Yep.’

Scootaloo just sighed and rolled her eyes, "Okay. I think that's everything then." She started putting the things in her saddlebag, dividing up the stuff with Pipsqueak's bag.

“You missed something.” Saphira used her unicorn magic to levitate three objects from the table and dropped them in front of each pony.

“Oh right, the Rune Stones.”

“Runes Stones?” This was the first Pipsqueak was hearing about any Runes.

“Yeah. They’re supposed to allow you to leave messages.” Scootaloo explained while wrapping the string holding the stone around her neck, “You just touch your hoof to the stone, concentrate…” Scootaloo’s hoof started to glow, “Then put it down somewhere and, write the message.” As Scootaloo’s hoof made motions that vaguely resembled letters, words started to appear over the clubhouse floor.
“Just like this.” The message then turned to vapor and disappeared as if it were never there.

“Only ponies with another Rune Stone like these can find the messages.” Scootaloo stretched. “Anyways…last thing is the costumes. It is Nightmare Night, after all.”

Pipsqueak pouted, he was still not happy about missing valuable candy time.

“Oh don’t look like that, watch. We’ll just do the challenge, prove we’re not scaredy foals, head back into town, gather as much candy as we can and then come back here to trade.”

Pipsqueak nodded, “I ‘ope no one runs outta Luna Bars.”