Time flows by, months pass, and things for a Cranky and Matilda keep looking up. Like a bud in bloom the lawn grows grander and greener, with each week that passes from that day back on the first of May the Doodle Donkey couple’s luck gets better and better. It’s almost unnatural, for as time flows by around them their own seems to be reversing. Of course that is only the most minor of things that are changing around Cranky and Matilda, for each month marked a greater streak of luck and prosperity than the one prior.
July
In July then couple had decided to head out to watch the local celebrations. Cranky had felt more energetic than he had in decades, and Matilda had noticed a reduction in wrinkles and crows feet on her face. Though she claimed it was due to her healthy eating habits and beauty regime, after all that was the only logical answer. During the event, as Princess Twilight Sparkle addressed the crowd about how important the day was, the loving couple had sat quietly near the back. Once during the speech, Twilight had made mention of the trying times and worried families; but promised to speak one on one with those affected. Cranky had ignored the comment, as well as the amount of people who grumbled about more needing to be done. No less than eight families at the time were in that number, and so as far as the donkey was concerned it had to be some sort of burglary spree.
After the speech was done, Cranky and Matilda walked amongst their fellow townsfolk; accepting comments about how healthy and good they looked with no reaction. Cranky won multiple prizes from the assorted booths, causing the local head weathermare to stare in shock. Matilda merely smiled, holding onto him like a youth in love. Both had much fun at the summer sun festival to their delight and surprise, after all usually nothing went right for Cranky in particular at the celebration. He hadn’t won a booth game in decades before tonight, and never so many in a row. After winning a particularly large sweet apple pie and a gallon of cream from the Apple Family booth, they both decided to call it quits on the games.
Instead they enjoyed the night, as the stars changed above them at the whim of the princess of the nights will. They decided to wander about the fair grounds, not mingling but not avoiding other ponies either. It was one of the most wonderful summer sun festivals the two had ever experienced, and Cranky didn’t snap at a single pony. Their wandering drew them to the far edges of the grounds, and they opted to merely enjoy the night side by side; Cranky pulling the prizes they had won in a wagon he had also won during the cart pulling event.
As the night drew late, a familiar bowler hat was spotted near the far edge of clearing where the festivities were held. Cranky smiled and waved his left hoof to it, and spotted a familiar glint and cream of narrow eyes and a joyful greeting returned. It seemed his friend was enjoying the night as well.
In the distance, DJ P0N3 could be heard blasting her beats to the crowd. But Cranky and Matilda preferred the calm solitude where they were, and eventually Cranky also realized his newfound energy and spry body had its limits. The couple returned home to celebrate in their own way. Before they did so though, Cranky left a piece of pie and a mug of cream on the back porch. After all, it was not polite to have such good food and not share it.
After a wonderful night with his wife, when morning came and the sun rose above the horizon; the well tired donkey checked the back porch. He smiled, for the cream and pie were gone, and in their place was a thank you letter from Lugh.
The rest of the month was a flurry of luck and good changes for the couple, from incredible harvests to the ever more common reward for being number something somewhere. And every day as Matilda was away Cranky talked to his odd friend about things, as one Is wont to do. Each week was marked by a new dark green square by the fence, but it always faded in a day or two so Cranky paid it no mind. His yard seemed to gleam in the day and shimmer at night.
Though his left hoof continued to itch, he genuinely could not remember a time things had gone so well for him for so long.
August
The Doodle Donkey streak of good fortune continued, despite rumors of ponies going missing weekly and never returning. Cranky chocked them up to runaways, mid life crisis, or fools trying to be like that Daring Do fictional character. Lugh was chipper as always, and seemed to be a bit taller than when he had begun working on the yard. Whenever luck gave Cranky and Matilda free pie and sweet cream, which was quite often, he would share some with his now very dear friend. Lugh had opened up a bit more to Cranky after one particular August day when Cranky had mentioned his years in military service. Lugh, the odd fellow, had taken quite the interest in this. From that day onwards the two odd pair of friends would spend Thursday evenings while Matilda was at Bingo chatting about their old war stories.
Lugh, as it just so happened, was a veteran of many conflicts in his home country. Though the names and places were unfamiliar, Cranky was as fascinated by Lugh’s takes as he his. Some of the characters in Lugh’s past seemed to have bad luck when it came to names, after all what kind of pony or any creature at all would name their filly Dearg-due? Apparently she was quite a looker though, but might drink you dry if you were not careful. Hearing about her made Cranky very grateful for his Matilda, how he ever managed to keep such an angel on his arm he would never know.
It was during this time that Cranky ran into a bit of a problem with the amount of bookmarks, or missing fliers that Lugh hid within in his book in the living room. He was unfortunately out of space for Lugh to put the them in the book without ruining the binding. Fortunately his clever friend was willing to give him a different book to use. It was an odd one, with a dark brown bark cover and hemp bindings; the words were indecipherable to him and all he could make out was what looked to be a picture of a hill and hole within it decorating the cover. It was unusual, but holding it made his left hoof stop itching.
But Cranky accepted the gift and gave Lugh more pie and cream in return. His friend really loved the stuff, acting as if it was the greatest gift possible.
Ponyville stopped reporting missing ponies by months end, apparently the problem had moved on to elsewhere. Cranky was sure all of those who had vanished would reappear eventually. The dark green squares had no moved to the left side of the shed when they appeared. But the fertilizer and feed was working, for his lawn was an almost magical shade of green.
September
With the start of school came less possible problems with the local foals. After all they can’t cause trouble if they are at school learning. Not like the local children had been around lately anyway. They had stopped coming near the Doodle Donkey home back in July, claiming a monster lived there. Foals will be foals, superstitions and all.
However September was a particularly odd month for a few reasons.
First off was a new plant. Matilda found in her garden. It was unlike anything she had ever seen before, seeming to be a translucent green yet bearing fruit the color of the rainbow. As an experiment Cranky and Matilda tried the fruit one evening. The results were very unexpected, almost primal. Upon waking in bed the next morning both found that the fruit had an unusual side effect, well besides the rather enjoyable one of course. It seemed the rainbow colored fruit had literally turned back time on the Donkey couple.
What were the chances of finding a fruit of youth?
Of course the effects were not all permanent, but Cranky and Matilda made it work. It was better they look like their old selves most of the time anyway, after all if any pony or creature found out about the fruit besides themselves and Lugh, their home would be flooded with ponies and others; whose presence would destroy their peace and Cranky’s beloved lawn.
The second oddity was when Lugh was invited to dinner. It was mid September, and Matilda had left for the weekend to visit family. Cranky had set up his supper upon the back porch. Just some orange juice, a fruit salad, fresh grains, and strawberry pie with cream. He had set it out picnic style, desiring to be as close as possible to the lawn that now shimmered day and night. The greens glowing like water, perfect and serene. He had been startled to see Lugh staring at him, a hungry look on his face and his eyes focused on the pie and cream.
Cranky had wasted no time inviting him to supper, even preparing a plate for him from a spare he had been using to keep the orange juice off the stone patio. It had been rather delightful, they had talked about things; with Lugh commenting on how good the feed and fertilizer available in Equestria was. Cranky had agreed, the fertilizer was rather good and likely due to the magic that permeated the ponies who made it. Lugh had simply agreed, saying that the ponies really did make a huge difference with feeding the lawn and fields.
After the meal had finished though, a Lugh had posed a question to the old no longer grumpy donkey.
“Ye like what changes be happenin’ bout yer home an life?” His friend with the bowler hat had asked.
Putting plates atop each other so they are easier to carry inside, Cranky responds affirmatively.
“ Of course I like them. I’ve never had so much good fortune in my life, it’s changed everything for the better my friend. My lawn is perfect, no beyond perfect, and just gets greener every day. My finances are so well stocked I can hardly believe it. My wife and I’s table is always filled with delicious food, and the both of us seem to be getting younger day by day. Not to mention we have been more, intimidate, than we have in years, with anyone. It’s like we have stepped from the drudgery of a dull pointless life and into one where everything is going better every day, and our prosperity keeps growing. It’s as if all our hard work in life has been paid back to us a thousandfold. Lugh, I want things to continue this way forever.”
The creature, no his friend, smiles like a child on winter wrap up. His eyes grow large and his hands clap together as he does a quick jig; snapping up the last bit of cream while he is at it. His face is almost sparkling with eagerness and glee, his voice so filed with joy that it seems as if it will burst.
“Tha be what ah want t’ hear Cranky me friend, tis nah’ of’n one responds as ye did now.” He pauses and winks an eye at Cranky, the glittering jewel seeming to burn brighter in the evening light.
“O’ course, Ye need naht tell me bout yer wife and ye’s antics. Tis hard not t’ hear em each night. Ye both be going about it like t’ gods the’selves fer Others sake. If’n ah not know Ye be wise n’ well lived n’ life; ah would think Ye a set o’ young lovers n’ t’ hay.”
Cranky grins, trying to stave off the blush of embarrassment he feels at the knowledge that his friend can hear that each night. The donkey did not think they were that loud, after all the neighbors never complained.
Lugh, quite pleased with the reaction it has gained from its contractee and friend, continues on with a short chuckle.
“Ha, tis be fine indeed Cranky. Now, Ye be sure Ye want this t’ be th’ way thing be forev’r? Ye certain these be th’ words Ye want t’ use my friend. After all, Ye never asked bout t’ price tha’ be paid fer this.” The last sentence is delivered in a mock serious tone by the yard worker.
Cranky already knows the answer, he talked it over with Matilda last week. They both want the same thing now, after all, having lived like this for a mere few months they already can’t imagine going back to the way they were before. Nodding at his friend, Cranky states the fateful words he can never take back.
“Yes Lugh, both Matilda and I want things to stay this way forever. For things to always be more prosperous, for my yard to be an beyond perfect green and her garden to bear the most bountiful of harvests. We both agreed, no cost is too high for this life, for a long and joyous future as well. Of just for us either, I want you to stay forever Lugh you...”. With a gulp the donkey speaks the last part of his sentence. “You are my best friend besides my wife Lugh, ever since you appeared in my life I’ve had everything I’ve ever wanted and things I never knew I desired. So yes, I want things to be this way forever.”
As the final words leave the donkey’s mouth, a warm wind scented with clovers passes over the two. And the smile on Lugh’s face grows wider, to one who did not know him well they would describe his expression as a devil who had just sealed a jackpot of a deal. His eyes glimmered, as he responds with a voice that can best be described as bubbling.
“ In tha case ah m’ gonna offer ye th’ chance t’ meet me kin. E’ry year we hold a celebration on th’ eve o’ th’ first day o’ fall Beltaine. Tis a marvelous thing, with feasting an dancin’ an ritual galore. If’n Ye make it th’ night n’ pass th’ test n trials me relations set fer ye, yer life as it is now will be tha’ way forever. Ye will nev’r grow old o’ die, Time herself will reverse for Ye, an the bounty an harvest be prosperous for’ever more. Tis in the fine print o’ th’ contract that this be possible, but only if’n Ye desire it n’ agree as ye just did.”
Cranky can hardly believe his luck and ears. If any other creature had spouted such things he would have had questions, or been suspicious. But as he had told Lugh, this creature was his best friend, and the donkey believed him. Smiling, barely containing his joy, he asks, “When is this fall Beltaine then? I’ve never heard of it before, so I’m unsure on what day it falls.”
Lugh, still grinning, responds. “Oh, tis the day after the eve of All Souls, October 30 in yer time system it be. Ye will meet me here at 6pm, alone, wi’out yer missus, and ah will take Ye to th’ celebration. No need t’ dress fancy o’ the like, me kin will oblige ye a proper costume when we arrive.”
It sounds absolutely perfect to Cranky, and Lugh’s family seems so polite as well, to have clothing and costumes ready for him as well as the feast. The donkey knows that Matilda will be off in Manehatten volunteering for the week of October 28-November 2nd. So he says what anyone would to an invitation to feast and meet family of a friend.
“Lugh, I’ll be here ready to go on October 30th, on time and ready to attend this gathering. I can’t wait to meet the family of one who had done so much for my wife and I.”
The creature called Lugh nods, turning to head over to the shed and check on the feed. His response come back on the wind as he goes, feet not bending nor touching the grass below.
“Aye, they be most eager to meet Ye too Cranky me friend. Now be off to the inside o’ ye home, ah have work t’ do so th’ grass be green er in th’ mornin.”
Leaving his friend to his work, Cranky grabs the plates and cutlery and takes them inside. Sitting down in his chair after placing them in the sink, he wonders what Lugh’s family is like. He does not think it odd that everything in his life has changed since meeting the creature and signing the contract. The sheer amount of changes seem merely the result of years of hard labor. The magical fruit, the youth, everything that had changed he feels is what is due to him. The missing don’t even cross his mind despite using the fliers to mark his books. It’s almost as if he is under a spell of some sort, but that’s preposterous, no such spell could make things like this happen. No, it’s merely true good fortune Cranky earned, that he deserves.
His hoof no longer itches, though an odd mark seems to have embedded itself within it. Starting at the fetlock and ending in the center of his hoof, is a long branchlike braided marking. His left eye has an emerald gleam to it, right in the corner. Cranky thinks it makes him look dashing, and wonders what awaits him at the feast of Beltaine.
Canterlot Castle - October 1st - Department of missing ponies - DOMP
“I don’t understand! It makes no sense. Ponies just don’t disappear and not leave a single trace behind. We’ve tried everything Princess. Every spell, every technique, we even called in the Rovers to try to sniff them out. Nothing works, it’s like they vanished off the face of Equestria.”
Subtle Trace slams her hoof down again causing the papers on the desk to fall to the floor. Folders and folders from Ponyville to Fillydelphia of missing ponies that have disappeared over the past five months without a trace. 16 from a Ponyville, 12 from Neightucket, 20 from Fillydelphia, 15 from Trottingham, and more from surrounding provinces. Not a single one has been found, not hide nor magic trace. It’s as if they just vanished from existence.
The subtle silver grey stockings on the otherwise solid grey batpony mare with pale bronze eyes contrast against the yellow of the folders littered about. The previous mess of organization made even worse by her outburst, the mare with the cutie mark of a sliver of the moon over barely visible hoof prints just shoves the remaining folders into the floor. Much to the chagrin of the one listening to her report.
Standing before the desk is Princess Luna, who has been involved in the search since the beginning. The DOMP falls under her jurisdiction, and with the sheer amount of ponies going missing it’s getting frustrating for her to keep calm. Subtle Trace is right, not a single sign of the missing has been found. Not in the waking or dream world. She has spent nights trying to find them, only to learn the next morning of another pony joining the unfortunate missing souls.
With a tired voice she asks, “Are you sure you have tried everything? Because We have scoured the dream realm and had no luck. My strongest scrying spells can’t locate or predict the next victim. It’s as if something foreign to Equestria itself has invaded our world and begin stealing our ponies.” The final word is followed by a series of coughing sobs that cause Subtle Trace to rush over to comfort her liege.
The batpony allows Luna to use her to steady herself, the princess of the night exhausted from four months of searching on little to no sleep. As Luna’s breathing slows down and her sobs cease she quietly asks, “What.. what could do something like this? Make them all just vanish, and so many. One every night, young and old. All those poor innocent foals, just gone. Why can’t we find them?”
The Princess of the night stares down at the veritable sea of folders on the floor before her. Each one numbered, with a name and date they went missing on the front of every one of them. But breaks her heart are the photos, the images of the missing attached to the front of each manilla folder and protected by preservation magic. All those faces looking out at her, every single one having seemingly vanished from the face of Equestria without a trace.
Her eyes move towards one folder in particular, the oldest of them all. Her eyes tear up anew as she sees the young colt’s face. The plump little grey earthpony with a messy dark brown mane and blue eyes, his cutie mark a fork and spoon. He was the first to disappear back on in May. His parents claimed he had been out with friends that evening, those friends said he had headed home after they finished playing a game of ball. Poor little Truffle Shuffle hadn’t been seen since. The worst part was his friends disappeared in the following weeks, all of them young foals.
Luna can’t hold it in anymore, and lets loose the tears she has held in for these five months. Subtle Trace sniffles, trying to hold hers in to be strong for her princess but fails completely. The two mates sit amongst the folders of the over one hundred missing, sobbing and crying for those who seem to have faded from this world entirely never to return. They also cry because deep down they know, there will be a new folder in the morning. A new face to add to the pile of the lost.
Beltaine eve, October 30th , 5:59pm, Cranky’s home, Ponyville.
Cranky Doodle Donkey stands on his patio waiting for Lugh to appear so they can head out. As the twilight grows he hears a shuffle in the perfect deific green grass. Turning his head his eyes widen as he sees the lawn seem to part, folding up like water to reveal an old wooden walkway beneath made from bending boughs of long dead branches. At the far end of the path, in front of the shed, is Lugh. The fellow waves at Cranky, gesturing for him to come over.
The donkey puts a hesitant hoof in the pathway, shocked at how solid it seems. A few more hooves and he is standing upon it, marveling at the beauty and strength in the wood. A whistle draws his attention, his friend gesturing urgently for him to hurry up. Without a second thought as to the strangeness of the situation, Cranky trots down the walkway of braided boughs until he reaches Lugh at the shed entrance.
“Where is your family Lugh?” He asks, confused for all he sees is the old garden shed door.
Lugh, his eyes twinkling like fire and beard twitching with excitement, grabs the handle to the shed door and turns the knob. He is noticeably taller today, though still not as tall as a full grown pony. As the door open he gestured inside and says.
“Why, they be waitin’ jus’ beyond’ th’ passageway thru th’ entrance ere’ Cranky me friend. We be th’ last t’ arrive too, all th’ other guests arrived long ago. Jus’ follow me an all will be well.”
With that the creature walked into the opening beyond the door, that at the moment seemed to be pitch black. Without a moments hesitation, Cranky Doodle Donkey follows at Lugh’s heels. His left hoof making a “crick crack “ sound as he moved forward following the green bowler hat with the red band. Following it through an impossibly long passage of inprobable distance, as the hat gets closer and closer to eye level as of rising up from the ground.
Finally, Cranky takes a step forward and finds himself no longer surrounded by darkness. All around him are countless hills of the most perfect green grass. What plants besides the blades of green exist blend perfectly with the landscape, as if some otherworldly entity had painted them there in a moment of absolute inspiration. The sky above is a dark greenish black, with shades of purple that seem to twist and twirl into shapes he cannot discern. Further along the path he stands upon, the same boughs as before though larger and definitely alive based on the sprigs upon the edges, he can see a great green and silver light covering an entire massive clearing beyond.
Within that clearing a celebration is occurring, hundreds of ponies and other e titles dance and feast away in front of a pile of fruit and grain. Their eyes sparkle, and songs of merriment echo up the hill to the donkeys ears. His jaw is loose, eyes sparkling green in awe as he looks upon the ideal festival in the most perfect of fields. Cranky is jarred from his state by a familiar voice speaking to him from his left.
“So, Ye wish to stare at th’ celebration all night, o’ do Ye wish to join them and meet me family an kin as friend and kin o’ me Cranky?”
Lugh is much taller now, up to Cranky’s height in fact. His face is now more noble, though still similar to how he has always been. His tail thicker, his hands slightly more predatory, and his coat resplendent in shimmering fireflies. He grins at the donkey, his teeth a mix of carnivore and herbivore oddly comforting.
Cranky grins back in kind, “I would like to join them, to meet your family, and celebrate the wonder of this land and all Ye have done for me.” He says, with a slight unusual accent that goes unnoticed except by Lugh.
The creature grins wider, gesturing towards the light beyond.
“Come on then Cranky, we be like kin soon, best not dally when the light is ju’ o’er there.”
With that said, the two odd friends walk down the path, towards the festivities beyond. The boughs not bending beneath their weight, and the fires welcoming them to the feast of the otherworld.
Beneath the boughs though, unbeknown to Cranky as he walks towards the light and Lugh’s kin, there lie the foundation of which the boughs grow from. Brilliant white tibias and sections of hooves criss cross with the great plants that feed upon what remains of their marrow and minerals. Most are old, older than Cranky by hundreds of years or more. Glittering white and yellow bones, skulls in all sorts of shapes and sizes can be spotted amongst the bone field below the boughs. Some limbs seem to be reaching up towards the branching prison above, as if grasping for a vain hope of being saved from their fate. Those skeletons that remain intact, are connected by vines and roots that wrap about the long rotted to dust corpses like muscle. Each one of these vines leads up to the main boughs, twisting into the path that Cranky and Lugh are now reaching the end of.
Each of these unusual skeletons has one thing in common, the vines and roots begin on the end of the front left limb. The same place as the mark on Cranky’s hoof.