//------------------------------//
// Chapter Six 
// Story: The True Shape 
// by ArtaFactia 
//------------------------------//

A healthy dose of skepticism was never astray when it came to the sciences, keeping one from jumping to conclusions or blindly accepting whatever was placed in front of them. But there were times when every skeptic realized they were wrong.

Tarnished had definitely been wrong. And boy, was he ever glad about it.

Tarnished, Chrysalis, and Chief Thunderhooves sat around a small, crackling fire in the midst of the tent, the smoke rising through the hole at the top, where the twilight sky could be glimpsed. Another kind of smoke drifted through the air, sweet and pungent, rising from the pipe and the mouths of a pony, a buffalo, and a changeling goddess. Chief Thunderhooves was very relaxed, able to enjoy the effects of the pipe fully, instead of merely finding some small relief from his aches. Tarnished, on the other hoof, experiencing a buffalo pipe for the first time, was more jelly than pony now, slumped against Chrysalis, smiling lazily and nuzzling at her side. Chrysalis, for her part, seemed no different; the pipe appeared to have no effect on her whatsoever.

"Is the kinnikinnick good? Are you enjoying it?"

"Ohhhhh yeahhhhh," Tarnished murmured. "S'good stuff..."

"It's effects do not touch me, but I do like the smell of it. It is like incense to me. I will accept this sweet-smelling odor." This response seemed to please the Chief immensely. Any compliment from her would, really, with the buffalo hanging on every word that she spoke. "It seems Tarnished is quite enamoured with it." She giggled, looking down at the stallion at her side, reaching down to stroke his snout, drawing a happy whinny from him. "Adorable."

"Other ponies who have partaken of the pipe have reacted similarly." The chief took a deep pull, then passed the pipe back to Chrysalis. Chrysalis breathed it in and then out, blowing the smoke lazily into the air, letting out a soft buzzy sigh and closing her eyes. Then she handed it down to Tarnished, who wasted no time in taking another relaxing, body-melting hit of the burning herbs. The smoking of the pipe continued for several minutes before Chrysalis spoke up again.

"Chief Thunderhooves, I would be pleased to hear the buffalo's origin story, if you would be so kind as to relate it."

"O-of course! I am happy to tell it.  It has changed some in the telling over time, and more details have been added to it as we learned more about Equestria." He took another puff of the pipe, then snuffed it out, laying it beside him. He evacuated the smoke from his lungs, cleared his throat, and began:

Back when the world was young, back when the ponies had not yet found their way, when the hooves that walked the world were still few, the All-Mother, black as night and yet radiant like the day, saw fit to create more life. The ponies were the first knowing life to grace the earth, and to them she gave the meadows and the rolling fields. But it was not enough. Though they were her favoured children, her divine womb yearned to bear more. More she bore, the thunder in the heavens the cries of her birth pangs, and the gentle rain that followed her tears of joy at what she had made. Each species she created, she gave them a home, a place on this earth that would be their own. To the griffons, the mountains; to the dragons, the caves and the gorges; to the deer, the forests; to the goats, the valleys. And so on.

When our Mother looked at the plains, she knew that the ones who would inhabit it would have to be resilient, able to handle the heat of the day and the cold of the night, able to make much of little, to survive and thrive even in times of scarcity. A vision formed in her mind of what the Children of the Plains would be, and the vision entered her womb, taking shape. The sky rumbled and shook over the plains, our Mother trembling and crying out as she gave birth, and then a light rain fell, feeding the thirsty ground. All-Mother descended from her birthing bed in the sky and carried down the first two buffalo, their eyes opening for the first time as their hooves touched the ground.

“My son and my daughter, look! I give to you the plains, they are yours, and no one will take them from you. Be strong, for the plains are not always kind. Become many, and fill the plains, and subdue them!”

To the bull, who could run the plains in less than a day, who could pummel the ground with his hooves and make streams appear, who could speak the tongue of every animal, she gave the name He Who Will Run Always.

“You will be called He Who Will Run Always. Your hooves will be restless and you will make the measure of your land. You will conquer it and know it. And you will mount your cow, and she will give birth to many calves, and their hooves will be your hooves, running long after you are gone.”

To the cow, whose sweet song could banish strong winds, whose coat was always free from dust and dirt and always soft, and who could never be burdened or slowed by her young, she gave the name She Will Become Many.

“You will be called She Will Become Many. Your beauty will radiate throughout the plains, and it will never be dulled. Your song will quiet the wind and be borne along by gentle breezes, and all will yearn to be comforted by you. Your bull will mount you, you will crave him and present yourself to him always, and your womb will produce many calves. You will become mother to many, and your daughters and sons will take up your duties after you are gone; you will multiply long after your passing.”

Her pronouncements concluded, she stood before them, looking upon them with love. Her form was polished obsidian, smooth and strong, and she towered over them. Her hair was like many rivers, and her eyes as green as summer grass. When He Who Will Run Always asked why they did not look like her, her response was:

“My son, know that the original vision will eventually arrive, but it has been delayed. To the ponies it will be given first, for they were made first, and to the other races in order of their creation. Know that when you see me again, the day will be near.”

“When will we see you again, Mother?” asked She Will Become Many. The All-Mother looked upon her, and smiled, a smile conveying not only love, but also mischief.

“That is for me to know...and for you to find out.”

And with that, she was gone in the blink of an eye, and the rain stopped, the heavy, gray clouds blowing away. White, fluffy clouds dotted the brilliant blue sky, and the first buffalo began to run and to graze, and in time, they multiplied. And we are still many, running the plains, grazing, and giving life to more calves, the cycle unending. We—  

Chief Thunderhooves abruptly broke off the narration of the story, narrowing his eyes at Tarnished, who was giggling. Chrysalis had a wide smile on her face and looked as if she was desperately trying not to join in. "What is so funny?" The buffalo demanded.

"Heeheeeee...j-just...for me to know...you to find...hahaha!" It seemed like getting a completely coherent answer from the laughing stallion was not going to happen. Chrysalis, trembling slightly with held-back laughter, answered for him.

"I believe what we find humorous is the contrast in statements. First, my mother is making all sorts of grand, sober, and divine pronouncements...and then she responds to She Will Become Many with such a flippant comment. I am not surprised, really. My mother is a playful creator. She is a happy goddess." The frown gradually washed away from Chief Thunderhooves' face, and even he smiled.

"I see. I guess we did not really find her final remark to be all that light-hearted, despite the myth mentioning mischief on her part. We take our stories very seriously, and we do not often share them with those we do not know well. If not for your presence, Chrysalis, I should not have shared it with those who are just guests."

"I am honoured that you shared it with us." Chrysalis let her divine voice fill the teepee, the teepee seeming so small and pitiful as she spoke, as if it should just pull up pegs and fly away. Even in his inebriated haze Tarnished could feel the power of it, and his laughter died away. He nuzzled at her, eyes full of adoration. She leaned down to press a kiss between his eyes and he could only nicker and whinny, too overcome to properly speak. "Ah, Tarnished, I believe your nourishment is here."

Two cows meekly entered the tent, bearing four large bowls of food as well as two mugs of drink. Two of the bowls had what looked like some sort of off-brown mushy porridge, and the other two a heaping portion of some sort of root, peeled and cut into little chunks. Steam was rising from the mugs, the drink likely some sort of tea. They left the food in front of Tarnished and Chief Thunderhooves without a word, then departed. "Dig in, Consort of Chrysalis. You must be hungry." Tarnished gave the food a quick look-over, and then began to snarf it down, the long day of travel combined with the appetite-enhancement of the kinnikinnick making him rather ravenous with hunger. The chief smiled appreciatively and started chowing down on his own meal, eating with the same lack of decorum as the pony. Tarnished was much too ensconced in the simple delight of eating to comment on the food, and that left Chrysalis sitting there quietly watching them. She waited patiently until the uncouth sounds of chomping and slurping died away, Tarnished and the chief licking their lips and washing down the food with the sweet tea from their respective mugs.

"As my mother said to your forebearers, Chief Thunderhooves, the original vision had been delayed. But now I have awoken from my slumber, and I am the implement of change. One day she will appear to you and your kind, and the offer of the True Shape will be extended to you. But first, I go to the ponies."

"I understand. We would not dare to challenge Our Mother, to say her ways are not adjusted right. Our respect for her is boundless. Whatever word she would give us, we would not fail to heed. We shall remain patient, and look forward to seeing her again." Chief Thunderhooves looked at her, earnestness in his eyes, as well as a note of longing. "I do not know how long it will be, but I hope I will still be drawing breath when the time comes. I want to meet my maker." His normally rumbling voice grew soft and quiet, and with the shifting light of the flickering fire, one could see the calf within the bull, young and hopeful, buried under the weight of his position and the ravages of time. Even Tarnished could sense the change, and he looked on somberly at the buffalo.

"Thank you very much for your hospitality, Chief Thunderhooves. By your leave, we will head to the tent you have prepared for us." Chrysalis spoke softly, getting to her hooves, crossing the tent to gently run a hoof through his shaggy head of hair. She gestured with a turn of her head to Tarnished, who stumbled up onto his own hooves, moving quietly to stand at her side.

"It is my pleasure, Chrysalis, O Daughter of Our Mother. You and yours will always be welcome here." He said, his eyes moving from Chrysalis to Tarnished, and then back again. "Have a good night, and may Our Mother watch over us all."

Bidding him good night, Tarnished and Chrysalis left the teepee, stepping out into the cool night air, the expanse of the starry heavens seeming to hover just at bay above the plains, as if it might descend upon the flatlands. Chrysalis smiled and blew a kiss at the sky, and Tarnished did the same, following her lead. She giggled and tussled his mane, making him squirm and laugh as she gave him a full-on noogie, and he had to bat her hooves away before she rubbed the hair right of his head. "Chrysalis, honestly!" He said, trying to chide her, but he couldn't hide the amusement in his tone.

"You are just too adorable, Tarnished. I cannot resist. I am glad you gave a kiss to Xzalamat, though. Mother loves kisses. Well, that, and many more forms of affection." Fades Into Shadows and Runs Swiftly Toward Dawn approached them, and Chrysalis left the implication hanging. Tarnish was glad that blushes were not as easily seen in the dark of night.

"We have been waiting out here for you." Fades began. "Tonight, my brother and I will share our father's teepee, and our teepee is yours to slumber in." Runs Swiftly pointed at a teepee a short distance away. 

"How kind of you!" Chrysalis leaned forward to give them each a kiss, and the two young bulls stood there with drunken smiles. "Sleep well, you two. Sleep, and may you awaken refreshed." Having given them her blessing, she left the speechless buffalo, her tail curling around Tarnished's flank, guiding him forward with her.   

Stepping into the smaller teepee, they saw two sleeping mats side by side, as well as the requisite firepit, which was now cool, a few glowing embers just barely hanging on. There was not much in the way of belongings: a few figurines in the shape of various creatures that lived upon the plains, a pile of thick blankets, and then two necklaces rife with feathers and beads. The buffalo life was a simple one, it seemed, not given to much in the way of material goods. Tarnished practically collapsed on one of the mats, and Chrysalis nosed curiously at the figurines before joining him, curling her legs elegantly as she lay beside him.

"Is your hunger satisfied, my love?" She asked, nibbling at an ear, and he nodded slightly, letting out a happy sigh.

"It is. Not sure what I ate, really, but it was a lot tastier than it looked. I especially liked the root. It was spicy, had a bit of a kick to it. And the porridge, if that's what it was, was this wonderful mixture of savory and sweet." He gushed about the food, then looked sheepish. "Y-you don't really eat, so...maybe that doesn't make a lot of sense."

"Not really, no." Chrysalis shrugged, then kissed her way from his ear down to the corner of his mouth, enticing him into a kiss. They'd kissed before, but there was a new intensity to it, and he found himself growing hungry for more than just food. Chrysalis was the one who parted the kiss, her tongue lolling out of her mouth, and she looked at him with lidded eyes. "You aren't too tired, are you?" She asked, and he shook his head. "Good...then that gives me a chance to tire you out."

The buffalo were no strangers to the sounds of mating, and usually tuned it out, but the pleasured cries of their guests got their attention, and it was a while before anyone was able to get to sleep.

"He is lucky, that pony." Fades murmured to his brother, the two of them laying side-by-side in their father's teepee. Chief Thunderhooves was out like a light, and he did not stir, the sounds unable to waken the heavy sleeping buffalo.

"I will agree to that." Runs Swiftly replied, and the two shared a grin, their ears perked, listening intently like voyeurs to the sounds of the goddess and the stallion making love to each other. "Very lucky indeed."