At Fluttershy's Cottage.....
The group had reached Fluttershy’s doorstep after fleeing from the titanic timberwolf that nearly mauled them. They avoided hiding in Zecora’s hut for the risk of it following them there since it was still in the forest.
As they finally caught their breaths, the winded ponies, zebra and dragon collected their thoughts as to what just occurred. “Fluttershy, what happened!? Why didn’t your stare work?” Spike asked.
Fluttershy was at a loss. “I….I-I-I don’t know, Spike! Maybe I….didn’t focus it enough!? I-I could’ve sworn….”
Twilight put her hoof on Fluttershy’s shoulder. “It’s ok, Fluttershy. You probably didn’t have a lot of time to react anyway. It came right for us.”
“Yeah, but…..it should have taken effect right away. I-It’s just like before! I couldn’t make any sort of connection with it all!” Fluttershy said. “Zecora, do you think it had some kind of….immunity or something?”
“I….I am unsure. I do not know the true nature of your fabled stare, so my guesses are completely bare. Not only that…..Why was it all by itself? There was no reason for it not to call for help.” Zecora replied.
“I’d venture a guess that we simply wandered into its territory, so it chased us away.” Twilight said.
“That still wouldn’t explain why Fluttershy’s stare didn’t work on it……Maybe timberwolves aren’t really ‘animals’. After all, they’re made of wood.” Spike said.
“No, child. The timberwolves are animals indeed. They and manticores and the like share the same need. They stalk, hunt, kill and feast, as is the way of any living beast.” Zecora said. She then suddenly had a thought as she finished her sentence. “Hmm….beasts….”
“What is it, Zecora?” Twilight said.
“I may have a theory, but I must consult my tomes. In the meantime, stay well-guarded in your homes.” Zecora said before walking away. “Farewell.”
“Take care, Zecora.” Twilight said. Zecora nodded at them and disappeared into the shadows of the fabled forest. “Well, Spike and I should be going, Fluttershy. Sorry to have put you through all of that.”
“It’s fine, Twilight. Maybe we’ll get another chance.” Fluttershy said.
“Yeah…maybe….” Spike said. He and Twilight walked away back to their royal abode as Fluttershy went to tend her animals.
*****
As the hour passed by, Fluttershy solemnly fed her animals and watered her plants. She just couldn’t get that odd timberwolf out of her mind. Why did it want a bucket of wheat? Why was it without a pack? Was it trying to say something? Why couldn’t she understand it? And most of all…..how in Celestia’s name did it resist her stare!? If Zecora was confused about it, then it must have been unusual! Still…..there was something about it that felt….oddly warm as if it never meant any harm, but if that was the case, why did it suddenly lash out at them? There were just too many questions that she couldn’t answer. All she could do was wait.
As she was finishing up her watering, she heard a very familiar loud but low growl emitting from the woods. She quickly looked over to see the same timberwolf slowly approaching! “<gasp!>” Fluttershy dropped her watering can out of shock. Knowing that it was immune to her zoopathy, she could only stand there in panic. Was it here to eat her? It didn’t come roaring its lungs out like last time, so….maybe it was docile?
The timberwolf came to a stop at the small bridge she had over the little creek beyond her front yard and just stared at her for a brief moment. Just like their last meeting, Fluttershy couldn’t tell what it thinking. It was as if its thoughts were locked away from her. A closer look at revealed that it was holding something in its mouth. The timberwolf suddenly tossed what it was holding to her hooves; it was her wheat bucket! She picked it up and looked back at the beast. “Did….you come to give this back to me?” she asked it. Much to her shock, the timberwolf actually nodded and made a grunting noise as if to reply! It did understand her……so why couldn’t she understand it?
Fluttershy put the bucket down again and slowly floated over to the wooden canine. The beast itself didn’t seem to mind her presence. Once she was right at its muzzle, she slowly motioned her hoof to it and gently stroked it. The timberwolf didn’t seem to react apart from a low purr. She continued to slowly stroke its muzzle as she looked into its eyes. “You sure are an odd timberwolf. Where’s the rest of your pack?” The beast didn’t respond for a brief moment, but then just lightly puffed through it's nose, prompting Fluttershy to lay off.
There was something about this timberwolf. The look in its eyes…..it was almost as if she were talking to another pony rather than a wild animal. Little is known about timberwolves to begin with, but this particular specimen was an enigma in of itself, and Fluttershy had no idea why. Before any further interactions could be made, the timberwolf turned around and leapt back into the Everfree forest, leaving Fluttershy to further wonder about it.
*****
“Roho ya msitu, muda wangu na wewe umefika mwisho. Safari yangu sasa huanza na vita Foals, na ni lazima sasa kumuaga. Asante kwa baraka yangu kwa ukarimu japo maisha short wewe akanitunukia katika nafasi hii takatifu. Naomba kwa moyo wangu kwa mafanikio yake ya milele.” Zebota muttered.
The Battle Foals found a river on their way out of the forest and decided to take a quick water break. Shadow Shroud said that this river should lead out to Ghastly Gorge according to her map and advised her comrades that heading to a known landmark would make navigating from there easy. As they did, Zebota sat in a praying position at the riverbank and began mumbling something as Shrapnel sat beside him.
Quantum Tech walked up to him. “What are you doing, Zebota?”
Zebota looked up at her. “Ah, Quantum Tech. I am communing with the spirits in this forest, praying for their prosperity and thanking them for all they provided for Shrapnel and I during our time here.”
Quantum giggled. “That’s….thoughtful of you. Do you think we could trouble them to grant us some good luck for the road ahead?”
“They cannot bless us if we aren't in their domain, now can they?” Zebota replied.
“Ehh….I suppose. You’ll have to excuse me, darling. You and I live in completely different worlds.” Quantum said.
Zebota nodded. “Yes, but more so than us than the others.”
Quantum cocked her head. “What do you mean?”
“During our duel, you said something about an age old conflict, yes?” Zebota inquired.
“You mean between nature and technology?” Quantum replied.
“Yes, and you were quite right. Since the dawn of civilization, people of all kinds have struggled to find true balance between what they need and what they want. More and more have we strayed further and further from the realm from whence we all once came. We have allowed our curiosity to override our restraint, and the world suffers because of it. There have been times when I heard spirits weep, yearning for us to sacrifice our curiosity just so that we may truly remember them and what they have always given us. So when I first saw your war machine, I must admit that felt a great deal of resent towards you. To me, it was a blatant disrespect to the primordial forces, but now that we are allies, I am not so sure….” Zebota said.
Quantum sat next to him. “Zebota, you might be right. It is quite easy for us to live life a tid fuller than nature might have intended, but it’s because of nature that things such as technology can exist. We create technology from nature. We use science to further understand the universe and its laws so that we may live in it more prosperously. Think about it: what you’re using right now is technology. Your tomahawk, your boomerang, your sling, even your Beastcraft could loosely be classified as a sort of science, and you attained all of it from nature, correct?”
“That is indeed true, but nature chose to provide these tools to me. My Beastcraft is a form of communion with the spirits, and Shrapnel is a symbol of our pact.” Zebota said as he looked up at his beast. Shrapnel grunted. “By contrast, your machine is made from materials that you took yourself. While that is well within your right, being overcome with a desire to seek more can have destructive consequences. Just look at your friend over there.” He said as he pointed to Crazylocks.
Crazylocks was paddling through the river like a duck and even making quacking noises. She was magically revolving random rocks and algae she ripped from the river around her as she exhibited her randomness. “Ducks need a daily dose of headache!” She dropped one the smaller rocks onto her head, which bounced off of her and back into the river below. She cackled.
“I understand what you mean, Zebota, but Professor Gene Splice was driven to madness. I somehow doubt he could comprehend anything around him, even his own research.” Quantum said.
“And do you know why? It is because he allowed his curiosity to turn into greed. He grew a horrible lust for knowledge far above all else, even the life of a foal.” Zebota said.
Quantum sighed. “I know….it’s saddening that he would lose any sense of responsibility as a scientist, but I learned everything I know about biology from reading about his research. As such, I can succeed where he failed.”
“And where is that?” Zebota asked.
“I will use my understanding of living things not to satisfy my own curiosity, but to enlighten the world. And I won’t even stop at biology! Science will always run in my veins in all forms. As such, I seek to use it to better the world around me as best as I can while maintaining a respect for it. I will unlock its secrets and solve its mysteries to grant everypony their right to knowledge…..knowledge that we can all use to enrich life itself.” Quantum said.
Zebota creased a small smile. “That is…..admirable of you, Quantum Tech. Perhaps I was blind.”
“Perhaps…..but you reminded me of why I chose to walk a path of science and how fraught with delicate steps it is. I thank you, Zebota.” Quantum said.
Zebota nodded. “Of course. However, you must remember that nature is its own entity, and she too holds secrets that she may wish to remain as such. You must respect that.”
Quantum giggled. “As do we all, darling, but even the deepest secrets are bound to be revealed within due time, our own notwithstanding. It’s simply a matter of when they decide to reveal themselves, wouldn’t you say?”
Zebota chuckled. “Indeed.”
Shrapnel lowered his head to nuzzle Quantum Tech. His wooden muzzle tickled against her neck as he lowly purred. She giggled. “Shrapnel, you’re as terrifying as you are just a sweetheart.” She stroked his jaw.
Fire Fight then called out to everypony. “You guys all ready? We’re almost at the edge of the forest where the gorge is!”
Quantum Tech got up and walked over to her mech. “Yes, yes! Let us be off.”
Zebota and Shrapnel got up right after. “As are we, aren’t we?” he said he looked up at his titan. Shrapnel let out a little howl. Shrapnel then stood right over his master and opened his chest as a green light emitted down from it onto Zebota. Zebota’s brooch glowed as he slowly levitated into Shrapnel’s opened chest. The light faded when he grabbed onto two parts of Shrapnel’s chest and held onto them like handle bars. Zebota looked down from his perch. “Shall we?”
The other Battle Foals looked on in awe at them. If it wasn’t obvious already, Zebota and Shrapnel were truly at one with each other. “Well, hot diggity!” Kickback said.
Quantum looked on from her cockpit and smiled. She held out one of her railguns in a hoofshake fashion towards the duo. “May nature and technology find balance.”
Zebota made his brooch glow, causing Shrapnel to law his claw gently on the railgun. “We second that.” He said. Shrapnel grunted in affirmation.
“He says ‘In due time, young ones’.” Crazylocks said. Shrapnel and Quantum broke off.
“Alright, all we have to do is follow this river and-” Fire Fight was about to lead his entourage, but he was interrupted when an ominous noise came from within the overgrowth nearby…..