The Elements of Equestria

by trooper7051

Chapter 7

The Elements of Equestria

Part 7

The Elements of Equestria re-gathered in the main room of the Library after heavily dosing Pinkie Pie with a strong sedative and muscle relaxant; even so she still shook in place like a pink earthquake, but could sit still (figuratively speaking of course). Lemon Lime had cleaned up the remains of breakfast and the gathering could finally sit down to discuss business.

Twilight took the lead,
"Everything's set for us to go, we just have to pack and solidify our route. I've pulled a map of Equestria and charted out the most direct path." she said obviously pleased with herself, "I don't have the most experience with outdoor-type . . . stuff. What should we all bring with us? The floor is open for any and all input. I'll make a list of each item everypony names. We should start off by listing anything we might need; all ideas are acceptable for this part. Next we discuss the usefulness of each item, cross referencing its usefulness with our weight capacities." Twilight looked up to see how her idea was accepted.

A small ocean of confused looks was her only response from the others; Applejack spoke up,
"Ah thinks it's a good idea. Twilight's the one who organized the last Winter Wrap Up and saved us a whole mess of time. Let's give it a try."

The idea was met with reluctant approval. Three hours later, Twilight had, what every pony could only hope was, an acceptable list of items to bring for a prolonged trip. Rarity had initially opted to bring along plenty of bits and gems to buy food with or to trade. Applejack countered that everypony should keep their saddle bags as light as possible so they wouldn't be too weighed down. Rarity conceded to only bring bank notes instead. Pinkie Pie wanted to bring as much food as she could carry. Twilight countered that food would go bad quickly and said they should bring a field guide and rely on Applejack and Big Macintosh to find adequate and safe sources of food, since they would know what to look for better than most. Sea Blue brought up a sound point that Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Trooper all being pegasi, would not be able to carry nearly as much and wouldn't need to use a tent either. Rainbow Dash was willing to go with the idea except that clouds over the Everfree Forrest tended to dissipate almost at random, so they would need to sleep on the ground occasionally at least. Trooper brought up the idea of the three pegasi using hammocks to sleep in at night. Fluttershy brought up the point that if it rains they would still be exposed to the elements, so they should bring tarps to cover the hammocks and have them all lined up above each other so as to minimize the load.

Eventually they settled on each pony bringing certain items then the group using them collectively. Applejack and Big Macintosh elected to tote the cookware and tents respectively. Dr. Mend was the obvious choice for carrying the first aid equipment and other such items. Pinkie Pie was chosen to carry nonperishables (and subsequently unbreakables) and sanitary goods. Twilight was to gather and bring along the maps, compass, and any field guides she deemed 'necessary' (the notion of which caused a great number of rolled eyes). Sea Blue was selected to carry essentials for dealing with a camp fire and plenty of blankets. Lemon Lime was to carry the appropriate food as they found it as well as the initial amount of food they were bringing with them. Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Trooper simply brought the hammocks they would need and a blanket for each. Everypony carried a single canteen and some snacks, which Lemon Lime insisted be made up of only nuts and dried fruit.

The group dispersed to gather the proposed items and was to meet back at the Library the following morning to depart. Fluttershy met and showed around the vet from Canterlot. Angel was not very pleased but went along with it. Sea Blue met with Cheerilee and they came to an agreement about Patch, and Sweetie Belle both of whom the teacher was going to take care of in the absence of their normal parental figures. Applejack, Big Macintosh, Granny Smith, Applebloom, Caramel, and Zecora sat down to a lively discussion about how the farm was to be run. Twilight gave Spike instructions on how to run the Library in her absence and even left written instructions (in triplicate). Dr. Mend gave the nurses the news and promised to pay them extra for taking care of the clinic in his absence. Rainbow Dash went with Lemon Lime to buy a pair of saddle bags and other such things (in truth, the little yellow unicorn stallion fronted the funds for the entire trip almost by himself). As the day came to a close, each pony sat down to a quiet dinner with their available loved ones and prepared to set off the following morning.

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Valiant had discarded the route he had intended to follow and simply made a bee line for New Yoke through the middle of the Everfree Forrest. Since leaving the site of the petrified Diamond Dogs he had felt like he was being followed. He constantly looked over his shoulder but never saw any sign of pursuit. He had narrowly avoided having a run-in with a bobcat but had not stopped for anything since that morning. His fear had caused him to travel the whole day at a brisk trot instead of the casual walk he had been maintaining before. It was well after dark when he finally stopped to make camp. The area was not ideal but it was in the middle of a thirty pace diameter clearing. There was no stream nearby for him to refill his first canteen but his second canteen remained untouched. He hastily made camp and had his dinner cooking in a matter of minutes. The sky was unlit by the moon, the heavy cloud cover keeping the reflected light of Luna's celestial body at bay (no unnecessary comments about 'Luna's body' thank you very much).

Valiant plopped himself down in front of his tent and idly watched the fire as it softened the cauliflower he had been fortunate enough to run across. He sat thinking about what he had seen, 'I can't believe there was a whole garden of creatures that had been turned to stone. The stone marker said the Diamond Dogs were murderers. What kind of world was Equestria back then? Massacres, battles, weapons, and if the inscriptions on the bowls was true, slavery. It's crazy, I can't imagine living in a world like that. I shudder to think what it would be like being turned to stone forever...' Valiant's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a snapping twig behind his tent.

The wingless pegasus stood up quickly and turned to face the darkness,
"Show yourself!" he shouted.

A loud growl met his challenge. Valiant stepped back and put the fire between himself and the creature that made the noise. He watched as a single maned-wolf crept out from behind his tent. The wolf was auburn colored and extremely thin. The creature looked as if it had run afoul of a much larger predator. It had dried blood covering the vast majority of its left side, the blood matting its fur plastered against its body. Valiant could see its ribs poking out through its side and its eyes were sunken and haunted. The wolf was a huge specimen; it stood just a bit taller than Valiant himself did.

Valiant only knew enough about the wolf to identify it, but he figured it was the smell of the cauliflower that had drawn it close to the fire since most wild animals were instinctively afraid of the bright flames. He also knew wolves were omnivorous and sincerely hoped that it was not inclined to make a meal of pony since the cauliflower was not available. Considering the wolf's appearance, Valiant guessed that he was probably in mortal danger. His mind raced as he and the wolf circled each other and was very glad the fire was interposed between them.

Valiant considered picking up a stick from the fire and trying to use it to frighten off the wolf, but the fire had already begun doing its little dance on every piece of wood. In the light of the fire, Valiant noticed the wolf was foaming at the mouth. His mouth went dry, 'It's rabid! Not good, I won't be able to chase it away at all now. There's no cure for rabies either. You just have to let the animal die or . . . ' Valiant swallowed hard, 'Kill it.'

The thought of taking another creature's life was positively repulsive to Valiant, especially after his ordeal being a Vagabond and the cause of it. The wolf began pacing around the fire faster and faster, Valiant had to match the wolf's speed, his mind whirled, 'I can't just kill it, but if it bites me, I'm doomed! What do I do? Rabid animals don't feel pain or fear . . . ' Valiant's time for debate came to an abrupt end as the wolf sped up to a full run, chasing him around the fire. Valiant knew he couldn't out run an adult wolf and indeed the creature was gaining on him. The wingless pegasus knew he had a matter of seconds before the wolf caught him. He had run out of time and options.

In as quick a motion as he could, Valiant reared forward, planted his fore hooves on the ground, and bucked, straining every muscle in his body into the effort. His hooves connected with the tip of the wolf's muzzle to the sound of a sickening crunch. Valiant felt the pressure on his legs and pushed off using the momentum to roll forward awkwardly. He came up facing the wolf with his right fore hoof raised and struck out instinctively, swinging from right to left across the front of his body. The wolf's head came within a hair's breadth of Valiant's face as the stallion struck it aside. The wolf's entire body followed the course of its head, revealing an opening which Valiant exploited.

He spun quickly, muscles burning, and bucked the wolf's ribs. A second crunch echoed through Valiant's ears and he realized there were already tears streaming down his face. This wasn't like fighting the chimera, this creature was flesh and blood. Valiant stopped for a moment and gazed at the wolf, heart aching. The creature's lower jaw was dripping its diseased blood onto the ground; broken teeth lay in its mouth hanging on loosely by their roots. The ribs Valiant had bucked were concave against the wolf's body and shifted under the creature's skin. Valiant felt sick, 'I did this!' his mind screamed, 'This isn't right, this isn't natural! Ponies aren't meant to kill!' his mind coalesced for a brief moment, 'How is it still standing? It should be on the ground! It should be incapacitated shouldn't it? What is going on?'

As if to answer him, the light of the moon suddenly shown through the clearing as the clouds above opened for a few moments. The wolf's body took on a state of semi-transparency, the images of stars glowing dimly from its form, its coat changing to a night sky blue. Valiant took several steps back realizing what the wolf actually was, 'Dear Luna! It's a Lupus! How do you defeat a celestial creature?' he wondered in a panic. The answer came to him and he hated himself for it, 'The armor. That's the only thing powerful enough to stop it.' he thought bitterly. Valiant hated the idea of using the power of his element to kill another creature but he had no other option.

With tears filling his eyes, Valiant began concentrating on his memories while dodging the rabid celestial beast. Valiant's mind was distracted by the sight of the Lupus and the intensity of the engagement. As a result he found his concentration slipping away time and time again. The Lupus lunged for him. He barely avoided it, dancing out of the way as he carefully maneuvered himself directly in front of a stout tree. The Lupus lunged again and Valiant dodged low and to the left. The celestial beast's powerful lunge sent it head first into the tree, knocking it senseless for a few moments.

Valiant didn't let the reprieve go to waste, he refocused his mind and sought out his memories of hope. He felt a stirring from deep down in his body and grasped at it prematurely. He held onto it like a lifeline, struggling to control it, to guide it to his bidding. It was like trying to wrestle a writhing snake that was covered in slick oil. His vision blurred under the stress and the power slipped away again. Valiant panicked, he knew that if he couldn't manifest his armor, he didn't have a prayer against such a powerful creature.

Valiant's vision returned just in time to see the jaws of the Lupus closing around his head. He ducked and heard the beast's jaws snap shut just above his head. His relief was short lived though. The Lupus began to thrash its head back and forth, worrying Valiant like a ragdoll. Valiant realized in a panic that the Lupus had his mane in its mouth. The battered pegasus tightened the muscles in his neck and immediately realized it was a mistake. The tensed muscles couldn't take the force of the motion and Valiant heard a snapping sound as several of the muscles tore. His neck suddenly lit up in an inferno of agony. Valiant cried out as the Lupus continued worrying him.

Valiant struggled to relax the muscles in his neck to prevent further injury. It was hard, by the Goddesses it was hard. He couldn't do it. The muscles had seized. Valiant feared that the Lupus would break his neck before long. His mind began to cloud as his body released natural endorphins to ease his suffering from the trauma. Valiant knew he couldn't hold on for much longer. He closed his eyes and focused his mind, his very being, into a tight little ball of concentration and sought out his memories yet again.

Valiant remembered his hope that Arabesque would come to love him, his hope that he would eventually be forgiven, his hope that he could save the bear, his hope that his pain would end as he lay on Fluttershy's couch, his hope that he could save Applebloom, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Granny Smith, his hope that Granny Smith would live . . . On and on the memories flowed, like the breaking of a dam. Power surged through Valiant's body and he felt the armor, his armor form around him. He felt the strength of all of Equestria flow into him, filling him with raw, primal might. He felt the endurance of the land flow up through his hooves, rejuvenating him.

Valiant's eyes snapped open with renewed hope, a fire behind his pupils lighting its way through to his very soul. Valiant felt his wings form on his back and flexed them up and around like a pair of hammers, dealing the Lupus a solid blow to either side of its head with the edges of each. The celestial beast released the armored pegasus and shook its head, throwing loose teeth around in the process. Valiant took a single step back and turned revealing his armored flank to the rabid creature. In a lightning quick motion his hooves connected with the great beast's head snapping it back in a shower of broken teeth.

The Lupus swung its head back down and snapped its jaws at Valiant's backside. Valiant hoped forward and swung his left rear hoof in a circular arch hitting the Lupus in the lower jaw with a solid thump. Continuing his motion, Valiant swung out his left wing and his left fore hoof, both striking the beast in the jaw again with each. The wingless pegasus reared back, leapt into the air, brought his hooves together above his head, and swung both together in a downward arch. His hooves slammed down onto the great creature's head with a loud crunch. The Lupus' eyes rolled up into its head, it let out a shuddering breath, and collapsed onto the ground.

Valiant stopped moving and blinked away the salty liquid obscuring his vision. The Lupus breathed out a death rattle and was still. As Valiant watched, the Lupus' body dissolved into bright yellow glowing motes and blew away on a non-existent breeze, leaving behind only a single panting wingless pegasus stallion. Valiant panted heavily and breathed out a shuddering sigh of relief. His armor vanished from his body leaving him exhausted and drained both physically and emotionally.

Valiant sorrowfully tromped back to his dinner, which was a soggy mess, and pulled the pot off the fire to let it cool. He sat down in front of his fire and hung his head, 'I killed it.' he thought, tears streaming down his face, 'What have I done?' As the night wore on, Valiant cried himself to sleep without even touching his dinner.

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Celestia's sun rose, breaking over Ponyville with resplendent glory as the citizens began their day.
Unsurprisingly Applejack and Big Macintosh were the first to arrive at the Library. Applejack knocked on the door and Lemon Lime let the two Earth ponies in. The small physical therapist was up and about having already started breakfast.

Lemon Lime gestured for the two farmers to set their packs down in the middle of the common room,
"Come on in and take a load off. I'll have breakfast done in a few minutes. I want to let Twilight sleep for as long as possible. I went out yesterday and bought a ton of food for Spike to eat while we're gone. I also left him some money; do you think ten-thousand bits will be enough? I sure hope it's enough. Should I leave him more or do you think it's enough?"

Applejack's eyes had gone crossed from Lemon Lime's machine-gunning, she shook her head clearing them,
"Ah think it'll be more than enough, Live Wire. Ah take it we're the first ones here?"

"Huh?" Lemon Lime asked pulling his head out of the kitchen pantry, "Oh yeah. You two are the first ones, except for Twilight, Spike, and I of course. I don't want to make too much of a mess for Spike to clean up, so are cinnamon rolls alright? If not then I can make something else it's really no problem at all. So if you want something else just tell me and I'll fix it . . . "

"Live Wire." Big Macintosh said.

"But then I'd be leaving an even bigger mess for . . . " Lemon Lime continued obliviously.

"Live Wire." Applejack said.

"And that just wouldn't be fair to him, so now that I think about . . . " Lemon Lime continued, still oblivious.

"Live Wire." Dr. Mend addressed walking in.

"I figure just because one pony doesn't like . . . " Lemon Lime continued.

"LEMON LIME!" Twilight yelled from her bedroom loft.

Silence reigned in the Library following the unicorn's outburst. The librarian groggily made her way down the stairs. Her mane was a mess, her tail was in a thick tangle, and her eyes were baggy and bloodshot. She stumbled as she reached the base of the stairs but caught herself before she fell onto her face. She peered around the common room and pinpointed Lemon Lime, fixing him with a fierce glare. The small unicorn stallion laid his ears back and lowered his head submissively, backing into the kitchen silently.

"Thank you." Twilight said simply.

A thunderous crash into the wall of the Library ominously foretold of the arrival of a certain rainbow maned pegasus who was definitely not a morning pony. A rapid series of knocks assailed the door followed by a bright pink load of energy dragging Rainbow Dash who still had stars circling her head. Before anypony could move to close the door, Rarity and Trooper trotted in, the latter sporting newly mended saddle bags which bulged suspiciously. The sounds of furious clanging in the kitchen alluded to a subdued, "Ouch." from within that followed shortly thereafter.

Twilight headed back up the stairs to her loft and began brushing out her mane and tail, still trying to wake up completely. Spike stirred in his bed and turned over mumbling something about 'three diamonds on a canvas of the purest white' and went back to sleep. Twilight smiled down at her assistant and began planning, 'Alright then. Lemon Lime will finish breakfast and we can set off right after that. The shortest route to Haysburg is straight through the Everfree Forrest. We can handle that; we already have a couple of times. I calculated out the time it will take to make it through there . . . what was it . . . two weeks, that's right. After we make it through there, we have simple flatlands after that for one week and two days if we push it, better make it three. Then the swamp that runs along the river until we reach Haysburg. The swamp might give us some trouble but I figure three days should do it. Let’s see that's twenty-seven days total there and probably twenty-six for the way back since we'll know the terrain a bit better. Woo, that's more than fifty days, fifty-three to be exact. I sure hope Spike will be alright while I'm gone.'

Twilight decided to rouse her assistant so he could join everypony else for breakfast before they left,
"Spike." she said prodding the young reptile with her hoof, "Spike, wake up."

Spike responded by waving her hoof away with a small claw and rolling over again,
"It's too early, Twilight." he whined.

Twilight leaned her head down and bit the end of Spike's blanket, pulling it off him and tossing it onto the floor,
"Come on, Spike. We're going to be leaving soon, don't you want to say goodbye to everypony?"

Spike waved his claw once more, sleepily saying,
"Goodbye to everypony."

Twilight pursed her lips and nudged the baby dragon from his bed with a gentle push of her muzzle,
"Oh no, you're not getting off that easy. Come on get up." she leaned over and whispered in his ear, "Lemon Lime is making breakfast."

Spike finally raised his head,
"Don't you mean 'Live Wire'?" he asked.

Twilight sighed heavily,
"His name is Lemon Lime. When have you ever heard me call any pony by a nick name?"

"You call me your 'number one assistant'." Spike pointed out.

Twilight shook her head,
"That's a title, Spike. I've never called Applejack 'A.J.' have I?"

Spike blew out an exasperated breath,
"Yeah I guess so, but he likes being called Live Wire. He said it's what his friends call him right?"

"True," Twilight admitted, "But it's not proper. If I called him Live Wire, it would sound like I'm too familiar with him."

"Since when did you care so much about being proper? I thought that was Rarity's department. Everypony else calls him Live Wire." Spike said coming more awake, "Do you not like him or something, Twilight?"

"I 'like' him just fine, Spike, but I wouldn't say he's my favorite pony. Maybe it'll just take time for me to warm up to him. You have to admit he does talk a lot." Twilight said neutrally.

"Well yeah, but he's got that mental condition. Actually he kind of reminds me of Pinkie Pie, besides he's a great cook. I've never had food as good as his that wasn't gems. Is it because he's got a crush on you?" Spike asked.

"Why does everypony keep saying that?" Twilight asked rhetorically, "Even if he does have a crush on me, I don't like him like that. It's like with you and Rarity."

"There IS a difference there, Twilight. Rarity doesn't know I have a crush on her. Why not give him a chance?" Spike pointed out.

Twilight stomped a hoof on the floor, somewhat overdramatic for her,
"I just don't like him like that! I'm not a romantically minded mare! I have my studies and my obligations to Princess Celestia!" once she began speaking, she couldn't stop, the floodgates had opened so to speak, "When am I supposed to have time for some brain-damaged, vertically challenged, underweight, love sick stallion whose only redeeming quality is that he can cook!" Twilight regretted the words even as they left her muzzle, 'I didn't mean that.' she thought, 'Why did I say that?'

Spike waved his claws in front of her,
"Shh! They'll hear you. This IS a loft after all."

Twilight suddenly realized just how quiet the Library had gone,
"Oops." she said quietly, then sighed heavily, "Looks like I need to go on down and do some damage control."

Spike peeked his head over the rails and looked down. Everypony had been staring up at the loft, but suddenly noticed a variety of other things that seemed to require their immediate attention. Spike looked around but fortunately didn't see Lemon Lime anywhere. He leaned back over the rails and wiped a claw over his forehead.

Spike turned a confused eye to Twilight,
"I've never heard you say anything like that before, Twilight. Are you feeling alright? This doesn't seem like you to be so . . . I don't know, fussy I guess."

Twilight hated to admit it but, Spike was right,
"I . . . I don't know, Spike."

"You know," Spike said scratching his chin, "You've been acting kind of weird ever since the guys showed up, come to think of it."

Twilight gave the observation some thought, but came up with nothing solid,
"That's true, I was the most objective one when we dealt with Zecora for the first time, but what does it mean?"

Spike shrugged,
"You got me. All I know is that you need to be more careful of what you say. Maybe you're worried about Valiant?"

"I am worried about him a little, but I'm certain that's not the problem. I never acted like this when I was worried about Applejack. It has to be something else." Twilight said thoughtfully.

Spike cradled his chin in his right claw,
"Hmm," he grunted in thought, an idea popped into his head, "Let's try something here. What do you think of Sea Blue?"

Twilight shrugged,
"He seems nice enough but, I don't agree with most his ideas. He seems like a bit of a snobby 'know it all'."

"What about Trooper?" Spike asked.

"He's as dramatic as Rarity, if not more so, and his problem with Rainbow Dash is nothing short of ridiculous. He seems to be balanced on a razor's edge with fury on one side and dramatic exuberance on the other. Honestly I'm not very fond of him." Twilight said sourly.

"What about Dr. Mend?" Spike asked.

"He has his quirks, but he knows his business and he's smart. I trust him." Twilight answered.

"O.K. how about Big Macintosh?" Spike inquired.

"He's quiet but from what I've seen, he works as hard as three ponies. He cares about his family and he went out on a limb to help Valiant. He seems as reliable as Applejack." Twilight said.

"What do you think of Live Wire?" Spike asked and quickly added, "Objectively."

Twilight rolled her eyes but answered,
"He doesn't seem to be a total idiot, but I wouldn't call him brilliant either. He's almost as random as Pinkie Pie and talks even faster. He does cook a good breakfast, I'll give him that. He's moved into the Library like he owns it and besides his cooking, he hasn't contributed anything to Ponyville; Dr. Mend and Big Macintosh at least have jobs that are necessary. I can't think of anypony who needs physical therapy. He seems, I don't know, superfluous I guess."

Spike arched an eyebrow,
"Super . . . what?"

"Unnecessary." Twilight said in simple terms.

Spike lowered his claw and nodded his head as if coming to a conclusion,
"I HAVE seen you act like this once before; and I have an idea about why you're so touchy right now. Remember the first night we came to Ponyville? You said 'all the ponies in this town are crazy' but then after you spent a whole night with them, you were best friends. I think you were overwhelmed and that's what's wrong now. You don't always adjust to change very well, Twilight. Did you notice, you didn't say anything negative about Dr. Mend or Big Macintosh, but you found reasons not to like Sea Blue, Trooper, and Live Wire? If you think about it, it does kind of make sense. You're alright with ponies you already know but you don't like the new ones."

Twilight nodded her head reluctantly,
"It's possible." she admitted quietly, "You know me better than anypony. So what do I do? I don't want to seem like I have P.M.S. all the time."

"P.M.S.?" Spike asked.

"Don't worry about it Spike, it just means Prickly Mare Syndrome." Twilight fibbed, thinking quickly.

"That's easy, just give them the benefit of the doubt until you get to know them better. Don't try to analyze everything all the time, try trusting them. Live Wire, Trooper, and Sea Blue haven't done anything wrong so don't treat them like it. Think of them in different terms." Spike peered over the railing, gently dragging Twilight's head with him, "Look at Trooper," he said pointing with a claw, "Think of him like an actor who’s out of work." Spike shifted his pointing claw to Lemon Lime who had just emerged from the kitchen, "Think of Live Wire as a guy version of Pinkie Pie. Do think you can do that, Twilight?"

Twilight rested her head on the railing,
"That might work, Spike. I'll try." she looked down and sighed, "We need to go down there. We'll be leaving soon."

Down below, a short yellow unicorn gazed up at the loft,
"I'm not brain-damaged." he choked out, blinking back a forming mist from his eyes.

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Everypony ate a group breakfast, chatting amiably while they ate. Nopony seemed to notice that there was zero conversation coming from the little cook. Cheerilee had shown up with Sea Blue so she could take the two fillies with her when their guardians left. Patch and Sweetie Belle stuck to Sea Blue and Rarity (respectively) like glue. The combined groups of Elements finished their meal and began assisting each other with strapping on their saddle-bags.

They readied themselves and grouped together just outside the Library for a final rundown of one of Twilight's famous check lists,
"Applejack," she began, "Pots, pans, plates, cups, and bowls."

"Check." Applejack said.

"Big Macintosh," Twilight continued, "Four large tents, capable of sleeping three ponies each."

"Ayup." Big Macintosh replied with his most common comment.

"Dr. Mend, medical supplies; as much as you can carry." Twilight said.

"Got it, Twilight." Dr. Mend said.

"Pinkie Pie, did you follow the list I gave you?" Twilight asked.

"Yup!" Pinkie said pulling the list out of her saddle-bags, "Ith righ her!"

Twilight levitated the list out of Pinkie's mouth,
"Did you put the things I wrote on the list, in your bags?"

"Yep! I can show you if you want." Pinkie offered.

"Applejack, would you please?" Twilight asked.

"Sure thing, Twilight." the farm pony agreed.

Twilight moved on to the next pony,
"Sea Blue, what did you bring?"

"I've got plenty of napalm and c-4. Good to go." the counselor said smiling.

Twilight's eye twitched several times in rapid succession, Sea Blue dismissed the facade,
"I've got two dozen magnesium sticks, fire-starter logs, matches, a bucket for dirt and sand, a shovel, and nearly a dozen blankets."

Twilight grimaced,
"Thank you." she said curtly.

"Lemon Lime," Twilight sighed, "Do you have the food?"

"Yeah, I have it." Lemon Lime said quietly.

"Good." Twilight said.

"Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Trooper, do you have your hammocks and blankets?"

"Um, yes." Fluttershy said almost whispering.

"Sure do." Rainbow Dash said.

"But of course." Trooper said.

"Does everypony have their canteens and snacks?" Twilight asked universally.

The purple unicorn's question was met with a chorus of affirmative type answers, she nodded,
"Alright everypony, say your goodbyes and let's get moving."

Spike, Patch, and Sweetie Belle said their goodbyes, mostly without tears . . . mostly. There were a few tears but Sea Blue and Rarity finally extricated themselves when Cheerilee came over and rounded up the distressed fillies. Twilight pulled out her map and read over it one more time, then pointed toward the Everfree Forrest and set out levitating the map in front of her. Everypony followed her into the ominous forest and toward unknown danger.

AUTHOR’S NOTE: I thought I was being perfectly clear but apparently I’m not. Twilight IS NOT BEING JUDGEMENTAL. Is that clear enough? Why is everyone calling O.O.C. especially after episode 3? If any writer had written out what happened in episode 3 people would be screaming O.O.C. The way I see it is that there is still quite a bit that we don’t know about the characters. I for one was not expecting Twilight to become so . . . Invader Zim-ish. Let me reiterate, Twilight is not being judgemental! In real life, when a person becomes overwhelmed, they become irritable, irrational, and touchy. Twilight has been saying things she doesn’t mean, SHE’S NOT BEING JUDGEMENTAL! Seriously, if all you got out of this last chapter was ‘Twilights being O.O.C.’ then why do I freaking bother writing at all? For anyone who doesn’t get it, IT’S CALLED CHARACTER AND PLOT DEVELOPMENT. If for some reason this is not clear enough, bring it to my cell phone.

Comments

[RadBunny]

Seems in character to me!
"Prickly Mare Syndrome."

0_o

BAHAHAHAHAAA!