//------------------------------//
// Chapter 3 
// Story: The Spirits of Mana 
// by Camlio 
//------------------------------//


I do not own My Little Pony Friendship is magic or the Mana Series games. 
Please support the official releases.


In the fields of Sweet Apple Acres an Orange mare with a stetson upon her head had just finished her honest days work but, when she was attempting to leave the orchard a strange little figure with a large bushy beard sat in her path. He waved cheerfully at her as she approached him. "G'day to ye lass. A mighty fine crop of Apples ye have here. May I inquire as te who owns these lands and by what name be they know?" The figure said in a coltish accent which caused the mare to chuckle at how jovial the tiny figure sounded. 


"Well shoot, this is Sweet Apple Acres and it's been in the Family for Generations. Mah name's Applejack by the way, where did ya come from pardner?" Applejack said as she delivered a swift buck to a nearby tree allowing a single apple to fall into the figures lap and one into her waiting front hoof.

"Ah a fine name for a fine lass, meh name is Gnome the spirit of Earth and Land. I be in charge of Growing things ye see. So farming be in me blood." As the figure stood up it was revealed that he was sitting on a sapling that had withered earlier in the day and as he stood in front of it he sighed. "Tis a shame when the land gives nae roots to her children. Tis when my gift shines like the sun above sure enough." As the little figure spoke Applejack was trying to figure out just what he was trying to do before the sapling not only sprung to life but grew a bushel of healthy apples within seconds.

"But, what... how?" Was all Applejack was able to say before the tiny spirit started to spin around her.

"Ah ye, have the gift ye do. With a bit of a push ye could be a greater farmer then ye already are." After the binding process was finished Gnome appeared before her again. "I've just given ye some of meh powers lass, use them in good health eh?" And with that the spirit vanished into thin air.

"What in tar-nation did he mean powers?" Applejack got her answer when she kicked a dead tree in frustration only for it to spring to life bearing healthy fruit. "Well I'll be..."

-Mana-

A young man with blue hair silently approached Ponyville. "A second chance to save the world huh, and all I gotta do is find this Ferrik kid and help him out?" The young man asked his garb was that of a desert thief which he was, once a proud member of the noble Navarre Bandits before they became a villainous organization hell-bent on conquering the world, he took his leave of them shortly after an insidious plot to frame him for killing his lover's brother and his best friend came to light. His twin silver daggers glowed red with the power of the spirit he spoke with. A lizard like being who glowed like living flames.


"You got it... You were chosen by the Mana sword as well as Ferrik so I thought he could use the help of someone with more experience in the field of world saving." The spirit spoke with a bit of impatience in his voice as if this was common knowledge.


"So the basic plan is for me to run in, train the rookie and make sure to help him if he gets into a jam?" The spirit nodded to the Thief's question. "Alright just tell me where to go-"

The Thief's train of thought was halted as he was nearly tackled by a multicolored blur but, his heightened reflexes allowed him to duck his assailant at the last moment and shift into a combat stance. "Who are you and why are sneaking around like that?!" The blur said as it came to rest revealing an Irate cyan pegasus mare with a rainbow colored mane and tail. "And to top it off how did you dodge that?!"

"I didn't just dodge." The thief said with a confidant smirk as he relaxed his stance and held up a cyan feather to the stunned pegasus. "And for the record the noise of wings is not that easy to keep hidden especially when being used for speed. But, never the less we should do this again sometime. It was fun." He said as he turned from the mare and vanished into the shadows being cast in the setting sun.

"Oh it's on blue hair." Rainbow Dash said as she flew up to her cloud house to rest for the night completely unaware that she was being watched by the same blue haired thief.