//------------------------------// // Chapter 10 // Story: Pony of Everfree // by Wild Vine //------------------------------// "You think he's going to be ok?" Fluttershy's voice echoed. "Totally, after all, he's the second coolest pony I've ever met!" Rainbow Dash replied. "Second? Who's the first?" Pinkie asked. " Big Mac?" "No...me, of course!" "Alright girls, please keep it down, Wild's trying to sleep." Twilight's voice interrupted. Resting in a soft bed back home in Twilights little library tree house, Wild's ears twitched from all the talking, slowly waking him up. Sitting up in his bed he groaned lightly, feeling a sudden headache, rubbing his forehead with one of his vines. Slowly opening his eyes, he saw that the mares had surrounded his bed, staring at him, making this a little too awkward. "Good, you're awake, you had us worried there darling." Rarity said, she had climbed into bed with him and gave him a snuggle. "What...what's going on? Please tell me I didn't do anything in my sleep that I might regret later." Wild asked, in a tired voice. "Oh if only..." sighed Rarity. "No, nothing at all, we all were watching you sleep ever since yesterday. To make sure you were doing ok." Twilight explained. "You...were watching me sleep? All day? Kind of a scary thought..." "No, you silly billy, we took turns!" Pinkie giggled. "Taking turns to watch me...that's strange in itself.." Wild climbed out of bed, getting back on his hooves. "I can't remember what happened last night...all I can remember was seeing my friend getting killed, then I lost it.." "Don't worry, we handled the dragon. It was sent back to a far away volcano, it won't be a problem anymore." Twilight levitated a tea cup for him, "Drink up, you were really tired from the fight." "I'll be fine...I really need to go back and search.." Wild tried going for the stairs until Rarity blocked him. "Oh no you don't, you get in that bed and snuggle me- I mean recover...that's what I really meant." She giggled nervously. "And what do you mean go search some more?" Rainbow asked. "It's...nothing. I wanted to go out to find the cure for this strange scent I have on my mane...how it attracts almost anyone who comes in contact with it." "Oh, that reminds me!" Twilight ran downstairs for a moment to get some of her books and notes. Applejack, meanwhile, for some reason was facing in the opposite direct, apparently more amused by a coat rack than Wild's recovery. A few seconds later, Twilight returned with a book and a scroll on her back. Opening the book, she turned to a certain page, a picture of a slim flower, three stems branching off with little leaves, as well as having a royal blue color to it's flower buds. "Here's the answer to all our problems, I can't believe I didn't see this before." Twilight explained. "Twilight, I doubt a book would solve all our problems, I mean sure, a cook book can be pretty helpful at times and that flower probably would have quite a few recipes, but that's not what's troubling Wild, silly filly." Pinkie commented. "No, darling, I believe she's found the...cure.." Rarity didn't sound so pleased but acted interested, to say the least. "This is the Bad Romance. It has very similar properties to that of Wild's mane, in that they both give off a powerful smell that is strong enough to effect the part of the brain that stores emotions. In which case it strongly emphasizes in attraction for scent." She smiled feeling proud of her discovery. "Bad rome-whatnow? Mind dumbing it down a notch, some of us don't speak in fancy." Applejack asked, still not facing in their direction. "It means that the flower gives off a smell that is irresistible, and makes anyone in contact fall in love. It's more or less like the love poison only this one is more controllable." "How?" Pinkie asked. "Simply smelling the flower or being in contact with its petals will cause the reaction, the cure is simply taking the buds of the flower and making it into a juice. Applying it to yourself or some other pony will cancel the reaction. Kinda like taking a tomato bath to get rid of skunk smell." "I suppose it's possible I could've slept in such a flower bed of these flowers without knowing the effects...but if that's true, then I must have a strong scent, considering I've lived in the forest nearly all my life." Wild thought out loud. "What if...now this is just hypothetical...what if some pony doesn't want that aroma to vanish?" Rarity asked, seriously. "Well, to be honest Rarity, you don't really have a say in this, who knows if this is a permanent effect or not. You'll be chasing Wild Vine for the rest of your life." Twilight explained. "You do know that's not convincing me, right?.." "Regardless, it's in the best interest for Ponyville and Wild we set our attention on finding the Bad Romance." Twilight took a look in the book for any info on the flower's location, only to have the book suddenly vanish. Reappearing next to Rarity, she smiled as the book was in her possession, "I'm afraid I can't let you do that. You are not ruining my one chance at true love." "What about that one snooty pony you wanted to date? That unicorn...what's-his-face..." Rainbow tried to remember the time at the Grand Galloping Gala that had more disasters than memorable moments. "Why do I feel like the third party here? Look, I want to live a life chase-free, thank you. I going out to.." Wild was suddenly glomped by Rarity, petting him like a cat. "Hush now, Wild! Don't let these so called 'friends' of mine ruin our love. It feels like only yesterday we confessed our love for each other." Rarity sighed in a dream like daze. "What!? Are you crazy?! I never said a thing! It's been literally at least 2 days ago since we met... I'm no expert, but I think that's not a appropriate length to fall for some pony.." Wild corrected her, only tightening her glomp hug even more. Twilight sighed, "Ok, calm down everypony. Now Rarity, drop the Wild Vine and step away from him. We can work this out; you're just under the Bad Romance's spell, is all." "Oh puh-lease, you want him for yourself. Frankly, my dear, if this is the cause of some flower, then really I rather enjoy the scent of this musky stallion's mane. And if you don't, you can go on back to your books." "Ok, you're really starting to get at my nerves, Rarity. Take your hooves off of that stallion this instant!" Before she had a chance to speak again, Rarity’s grip was loose enough for Fluttershy to steal away Wild Vine. He flumped onto the floor near her hooves as she smiled, petting him almost the same way as Rarity had petted him. "Not you too, Fluttershy..." He sounded as if he was begging for mercy. "I'm sorry...I can't help it. Rarity always get the attention, it's high time I be a little more assertive." "Oh geez. Careful Wild, she gets really crazy when she's assertive." Rainbow sarcastically warned. "Fluttershy, are you betraying me as well? How could you? Then again, I expect nothing less from you since you are always trying to get Wild all alone." Rarity turned her attention to Fluttershy, butting heads with her. "Looks who's talking you meany....mean face.." Fluttershy was never good at snappy comebacks, in fact that's about the extent of her mean vocabulary. "Girls..." Twilight tried to stop them, as Wild Vine managed to escape into the other room. Pinkie Pie noticed and quietly snuck away, following Wild. "Is that the best you can do, darling? I've heard better comebacks from a pin cushion." Rarity laughed. "Well...your...dresses are ugly!" A sudden gasp of breath from each mare in the room upon hearing that, Rarity's face was turning into a shade of red, furious at what she just said. "That is it! As much as I hate to lower myself to your level of barbaric nature, I have no choice but to engage in hoovicuffs with you!" While they argued in other room, Wild managed to steal the book Rarity had taken from Twilight when he snuck away, looking into it's contents regarding the Bad Romance. Setting the book down, he began to skim through the pages, all while Pinkie Pie was looming over his shoulder, giving him that awkward feeling again. "Pinkie...if that's you...say cupcake.." Wild asked, too scared to look. "Cupcake? Can I say muffins? Well, technically a muffin is a bald cupcake and pretty much are the same texture and flavor, just not with the icing. Oh! Can I say mangos instead? I love the sweet taste of mangos, maybe one day I'll make a mango cupcake!" She babbled. Wild laughed, "Oh good, it is you. Keep it down please Pinkie, I don't want the others to know where I am." "You're only one room away from them you know. But I swear I won't make any loud or sudden movements or gestures." Pinkie smiled. "So whatcha readin'?" "That book Twilight mentioned before. It's pretty interesting to read, but it doesn't say much about the location..." "Try the reference guide on page 1!" Pinkie advised. "Why didn't I think of that..." Wild turned the book back to the beginning, skimming the first page; a bold print with the words "Bad Romance Origins" caught his eye. Quickly turning to the page, Wild quietly read again with Pinkie bumping her head next to his to read along. "Last known region of the Bad Romance was located in the Canterlot Castle Garden.." Wild read, though didn't seemed to be surprised by the answer, remembering his last visit not going as well as he had hoped. "Canterlot? Wow, all the way out there?" Pinkie added. "So, what are we going to do, Wildy? Are we going to Canterlot? I hope so, I hear the bakery festival is this week! I can go for some super chocolate cupcake pie surprise!" "How can you keep such a happy and cheerful attitude, Pinkie? Especially given the circumstances..." "Aww, it's easy! I just smile and forget about all the stress of the world!" "I wish I could do that, no amount of nature magic can do that for me.." Wild put the book away on a nearby shelf, near the entrance to the room. He took a peek in the other room, seeing that Twilight managed to get the girls calmed down finally. Rarity didn't look any happier than Fluttershy, once again they were locked in a battle of staring at each other. Not to mention Applejack refusing to turn around, that wall she was staring at must've been engaging. "I would ask the others for help, but given the current state that Rarity and Fluttershy are in, it'll be more of a chore than it needs to be. Not to mention Applejacks sudden interests in walls..." Wild said to Pinkie, who was on his back looking over his shoulder. "No kidding, that wall must be amazing to look at. Reminds me of when I first repainted my room." Pinkie said, a thoughtful expression on her face. Wild thought for a moment, and decided to walk back to the others, though with Pinkie lounging on his back it didn't make the situation any better when Rarity noticed. "And what, pray tell, is this?!" She yelled. "A pony on another pony’s back?" Pinkie replied. "Look, calm down. Pinkie and I were just reading the book about this Bad Romance. It's in a garden back in Canterlot." Wild reported. "I can't tell how much everypony in here has taken in the scent, and it's such a rare flower it's hard to believe there's a garden full of them." "I'll get Spike to write a letter to Celestia about this. Wild Vine, I suggest you avoid getting in any direct contact with Applejack, Rarity or Fluttershy." Twilight suggested. "So you're going off for a brief second...leaving no supervision to these three...who can pretty much take him down in 10 seconds flat...smart." Rainbow Dash scoffed. "Well you're here, aren't you?" "I'm tired...moving clouds isn't really light work, ya know?" "Ugh.." Twilight groaned, rubbing her forehead with her hoof. Wild laughed a little, as his vines slithered out again from his mane. The vines slowly dug into the wooden floor and, in a brief moment, several more vines grew underneath the three mares who were startled at first, the vines slowly wrapped around their bodies and tied them down on a bed of moss. "W..wild, what's the meaning of this!?" Rarity called out, Fluttershy was too nervous to speak and Applejack remained fixated on the wall, sweating lightly as to not break her own concentration. "I don't want you nor Fluttershy to hurt each other over me. I care about you both and I don't want to see you ruin your lives for silly ol' me." Wild said sincerely. "Oh Wild...I knew you loved me!" Rarity mistook what he said. Twilight walked up to her room, nudging Spike's bed basket, tipping it over, waking up the sleepy dragon who groaned. "What day is it? "He said in a sleepy tone, "And what's the big idea waking me up so early?" "No time for chit chat Spike, please get a quill and scroll, something just came up that definitely needs Celestia's attention." Twilight begged of him, levitating a quill and pen for the half awake dragon. Meanwhile downstairs, Wild Vine was tending to his captive friends, trying to make them a little more comfortable. Fluttershy sat up, Wild had loosen the vines a little, letting only a few vines keep her grounded in the moss bed. She smiled seeing that Rarity was far more tied down than she was. "Thank you Wild Vine, I'm so sorry for acting so silly." She apologized. "Think nothing of it. I'm just glad things are settling down, and we found the cure and cause of all this crazyness." Wild walked over to Applejack, standing right in front of her. Applejack couldn't bare to look at him, a big blush on her face as she turned her face away from him, eyes tightly shut. Wild couldn't figure out why she was acting like this, and considering Applejack hadn't done much other than admire walls, he set her free from the trap. She quickly galloped out of the room and hid herself upstairs in Twilight's bed out of embarrassment. "Applejack, what are you doing up here?" Twilight noticed her, interrupting the writing of the letter. "Nothing, ain't nothing wrong here!" She insisted, talking from under the pillow. "Spike, please tell me you got everything I said down..." Twilight turned to see Spike dead asleep once again, only he was standing up as he slept. "Spike!" "Gah! I didn't steal your cookies, honest!" He woke up in a fright, and probably confessed to something he did earlier in the week. "Oh um...what’s up?" "Did you finish my letter...please stay awake and focus. We have a dire situation on our hooves." "Oh um.." Spike had drooled all over the scroll that was unfinished, with a sheepish smile did he toss it aside into a bin and got a new one, "You were...um, saying? " Twilight sighed in frustration, repeating everything she had previously said, Applejack crawling out of her hiding spot stood beside Twilight, looking around to make sure Wild didn't follow her up here. Down below, Wild Vine sat down near the window, with the book Twilight had earlier, opened to the page with the information on the Bad Romance flower. Pinkie Pie was peaking over his shoulder, her front legs on his shoulders to keep her balance, while also making the captives, Fluttershy and Rarity, insanely jealous. "The Bad Romance, as the name implies, intensifies the part of the brain that associates with emotion, more specifically admiration and love.." Wild read, trying his best to understand bigger words. "Wow Wildy, you sure are learning fast, aren't you?" Pinkie snuggled him lightly, "But do you think this flower thingy will really help?" "It's our only lead for now, we should try." Wild looked up out the window, seeing a nice cloud free sky, a few pegasi flying around too. Twilight scurried down the stairs to the bottom floor, rushing past Fluttershy and Rarity who were awfully quiet at the moment, Spike walking slowly behind, still very tired from the rude awakening. "So what's with all the racket...waking me up so early from my nap?" Spike asked, yawning and stretching. "We just found the cure, I just hope the princess responds as soon as she can. We should get ready to head out to Canterlot in the meantime." Twilight advised. "What about Fluttershy and Rarity?" Pinkie Pie asked, "Can't go on a trip with them tied down to the floor like that! They'll miss out on the treats!" "I'm not sure.." Twilight thought, she noticed Rainbow Dash was over near her lab station, the sample of Wild's mane in a tightly sealed small jar was in Rainbow's hooves, "Rainbow Dash! Don't touch that!" "Huh? Why? It's just a hair in a jar...Seriously Twi, you need to get out more.." Rainbow jested. "It's not just any hair, it's Wild Vine's. It's been sealed away in that airtight jar for a reason, I was trying to figure out the properties of it's molecular..." Twilight began to ramble on about her experiment. Rarity and Fluttershy looked at one another. Twilight had everypony's attention with her rambling, all except Wild, who was alone nearby reading the same book. With a smirk on Rarity's face, she commenced her evil scheme. "Wild Vine, darling...will you please let loose these vines for me? I need to use the little filly’s room." Rarity asked, Wild's ears perked up as he turned around and walked over to the trapped girls. "Um...well..." Wild Vine rubbed the back of his mane, noticing that Twilight was boring Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Applejack and Spike with her lecture. "Ok...just um...make sure you don't do anything that'll cause another commotion, ok?" "Oh...and, um, I do believe I have to go as well, Wild Vine.." Fluttershy didn't want to lie, but telling a little white lie shouldn't hurt. Rarity payed no attention to her, eyes fixed on her stallion with the most pleading look she could muster. Wild nodded, "Alright...just, um, go do whatever it is mares do when they ask that.." When he stepped on the moss grass bed, his hoof began to glow. The bed seemed to disappear into the wooden floor along with the vines slowly unraveled around them, setting them free. The two mares stood up, giving a sigh of a relief and a quick stretch before turning their sights on the poor naive stallion, he had the most innocent smile on his face. "Thank you Wild...now then..." Rarity tried to keep herself calm, but the combination of her love standing in front of her and her new freedom made it very easy to lose control, "...come to momma..." She walked towards him, Wild taking a few steps back before eventually bumping into the wall. Rarity then felt a tug on her tail, looking back to see Fluttershy had stepped on it. "Now just one second, you big meany!" Fluttershy pouted. Rarity growled and bumped heads with her, "Are you suggesting that I'd give him up to you?" "Why not? Would be pretty generous of you." "Generous? I say that the first mare to catch him keeps him..." Rarity giggled a little grimly. The two suddenly turned their attention to Wild Vine, Rarity growing a predatory look on her face, Fluttershy - determination. They slowly approached him, like a pair of lioness about to pounce on a helpless rabbit. Wild quickly scampered to his hooves and ran, the two mares in pursuit, knocking some furniture over which finally caught the attention of the others. "What in tarnation!" Applejack yelled, though upon seeing Wild Vine she immediately turned the other way, proving little help when he was running around, forcing her to turn repeatedly. "Wild Vine, what did you do!?" Twilight asked, taking the vile containing his hair from Rainbow Dash, putting it on the table. "They needed to use something called the 'filly's room'! You guys were to busy so...gah!" Wild Vine dodged a glomp attack launched by Rarity, running up the stairs and jumping off, falling back to the first floor, running from the flying menace that was Fluttershy. Dodge rolling along the floor to avoid her swooping attacks, Wild Vine's heart beat fast as he tried to keep up with both Rarity's ground glomp lunges and Fluttershy's swoop dives. Pinkie giggled clapping her hooves together, "This totally reminds me of a circus! Only better! Cmon Wild, do a back flip summersault!" "Pinkie, now's not the time for that! Rainbow Dash, get Fluttershy under control..." Twilight asked, as she went off after Rarity. "C’mere, you!" Rainbow Dash flew after Fluttershy, who desperately flew her fastest to avoid getting caught while also keeping and eye on Wild and Rarity. Rarity meanwhile, had Wild pinned down, finally after such a chase, she was about to give him the wettest kiss she can give to any pony, that is until Twilight tackled her once again, ruining her chances. The two unicorns clashed and tussled all over the floor, rolling around to gain control over the other. Rainbow Dash managed to grab Fluttershy's tail with her mouth, startling the poor mare, as she flew in circles. Wild coughed, Spike and Pinkie Pie helped him to his hooves. Rarity and Twilight rolled along towards the table where the vile was placed, while Fluttershy grew dizzy and lost control, also heading towards the same table, the two groups crashed, destroying the table. The vile was sent flying towards the window. "I got it!" Spike yelled, running after the vile, until he smacked into the wall. The vile broke through the window and landed outside on the soft grass. Once the dust settled, Twilight and Rarity stood up, rubbing their foreheads. Fluttershy was too dizzy to even stand up, as Rainbow Dash groaned in slight pain, but nothing she couldn't walk off. Shaking off the mean headache, Twilight looked around to see the damage, the mess of books spilled all over the floor. "Now look what you've done! Why can't you keep yourself in control, Rarity!" She yelled. Rarity coughed, fixing her mane, "The real question is what do you have against true love..." "Ugh! Your hopeless in this state!" Twilight facehooved, frustration overwhelming her until she noticed something was missing from the destroyed desk. "W-where's that vile!?" "Um...girls...I reckon we got a huge problem.." Applejack stood by the broken window, the others huddled around her, all except Wild who sought this as his responsibility, and began to clean up the mess he made. June Bug, Bon-Bon, Carrot Top and several other mares started to share the now opened vile of Wild's mane hair. With the jar now opened, all that built up contained smell released and it was even more potent than before, as more mares from all over Ponyville gathered just to take a wiff and instantly fell entranced under it's wicked spell. Things went silent shortly after, as the mares all turned towards the tree house, hearts in there eyes as they looked almost brainless, slaves to their sudden lust for the one stallion in Ponyville that had the same smell: Wild Vine. They started to circle the house, pegasi flew up to the tree top circling like sharks. Tapping on the windows of the house with the tip of their hooves, each one creepily asking for Wild Vine. Chanting his name. "What have we done!?" Twilight screamed, pulling the curtains to the window they were all looking through, "Everypony lock the doors, barricade any and all windows!" "What's going on? What happened?" Wild asked, he had finished cleaning the mess, asking such a naive question. "Twilight accidentally released a very strong version of your mane out to the open public and now they've become all lovey eyed for you Wildy! I think there's a word for that...can't put my hoof on it..." Pinkie Pie wondered, a hoof busted through the door behind her as the chanting of Wild's name filled the room. "Oh yeah that's it...zombie like." She had a small smile on her face as Twilight pushed a shelf in front of the door. "Z-z-z-zombie ponies!? Every dragon for themselves!" Spike overreacted and hid under Twilight's bed. "Will eveypony please calm down. They aren't zombie ponies. Everypony in Ponyville are overwhelmed by their emotions right now, in this case it's a sudden affection towards the source, Wild Vine. We have to escape to Canterlot before things get way out of hoof." Twilight began to pace. "I reckon we take a gander outside." Applejack suggested, walking upstairs to Twilight's room, parting the bedroom curtains. She let out a sudden gasp; several pegasi had flocked towards the window, tapping on it repeatedly. “What in tarnation… go on now, get!" "What do they want!?" Spike yelled from underneath his bed-fort. "I dunno, lets ask!" Pinkie opened a window, and poked her head out, "Hey everypony! You guys need something?" "Wild Vine!" They all yelled in unison, Pinkie was pulled away from the window with it magically closing shut thanks to Twilight. "Well...now we know, ehehe." Pinkie Pie nervously laughed, Twilight giving her quite the glare. "They got us surrounded it seems." Rarity reported, "This is all your fault, Twilight!" "Me?!" "Yes you. If you hadn't butted into my affairs, this would've all been avoided." Rarity scoffed, "Now look, I must protect Wildy from about the entirety of Ponyville. I had enough trouble with just Fluttershy!" Twilight sighed, looking around, "Hey, where is Wild anyway?" Down below in the lower den floor of the tree, Wild was quietly reading some books, mostly romance novels, briefly skimming them but understanding it for the most part. Putting the book away, he walked around the hollow tree, stopping in the middle of it, tapping his hoof in the same spot repeatedly. "Hmm.." His ears perked up, hearing his friends trotting down the stairs towards him, the first being Rarity, running up to him and rubbing herself against him. "There you are...you had me all worried.." Rarity smiled, kissing his cheek, she noticed Fluttershy took the opposite end and kissed his other cheek, making her red with jealousy. "What were you doing down here?" Twilight asked, looking around, "Were you reading?" "Just a little... Discovering a few things before we get going." Wild smiled, he didn't seem all affected by the current situation. Spike screamed when the balcony door had suddenly crashed open, he ran downstairs to the others while the sound of the mares upstairs searching for Wild grew louder. "Oh no!" Twilight quickly shut the upstairs door with magic as soon as Spike dove down the stairs, landing on top of Applejack, the door magically barricaded with plenty of furniture. It was assaulted with the pounding hooves of the desperate mares, but the barricade kept the door in place. "We're doomed, I tell you!" Spike grabbed a hold of Applejack's face and shook it violently, "Doooooooooooooooooooomed!" "Hey look girls, I found a hole in the floor." Pinkie pointed out, "And I also found a Wild Vine!" She pointed her hoof at Wild, who was in this new hole that suddenly appeared. "What in tarnation..." Applejack asked but, noticing Wild, she immediately turned, throwing Spike right off of her. "Where'd this hole come from?" Fluttershy asked Wild. "The tree down here is hollow, so I gave the floor a few taps and this opened up for us. It should lead us right out, the roots are all hollowed out too, and there's one leading to a nearby reservoir of water in some cobblestone." Wild explained. "The well! Cmon girls, lets go! I could sure go for a nice swim!" Pinkie Pie jumped into the hole without a second delay. Everypony followed Pinkie, diving into the hole down below and landing onto a soft patch of moss. Twilight was the last one remaining, using her magic to keep the barricades holding. "Twilight, lets go!" Wild tugged on her tail. "B-but, what if they catch us!" She cried. On cue, the doors bursted open, her magic not strong enough to last against the mares poundings. She gasped as a flood of ponies started to fill the room. Luckily, Wild grabbed Twilight's waist before they managed to run her down, pulling her into the hole. She landed onto the grass below near her friends, looking up to see Wild Vine grabbing the ceiling of the room above with his vines, quickly clinging to it. "Wild Vine!" The mares below screamed. "I'll be fine! Just get to Canterlot, I'll see if I can keep them all occupied!" Wild shouted, pushing away a few pegasi from glomping. "Back, you barbarians! Leave him alone!" Rarity cried out, trying to climb up back to the hole. "Rarity, I'll be ok, just get to safety. We'll all meet up again, I promise!" Wild Vine tapped the ceiling and the hole suddenly began to shrink, he waved goodbye while it closed up, the sounds of the excited mares grew louder followed by a loud crash. "Noooooooooooooooooo! Wildy!!" Rarity bellowed, over dramatically rising her hooves up at the closed ceiling. "I disagree with your 'no', you should be more positive. Scream 'yes' instead! That'll get his moral going!" Pinkie smiled, as Rarity only gave her a glare of disinterest. "Wait a second..." Everyone turned their heads to Twilight, who was looking at all the tunnels of the hollowed roots that were in front of them. "Which one did we need to take?"