It was a few weeks before I ventured into Ponyville during the day for fear of encountering the pink one. Of course, that's not to say I didn't go into Ponyville at all. I just simply waited until everyone was asleep. My reading progressed quite quickly without anyone awake to disturb me. Oh yes, I did indeed spend most of my nights at the Golden Oaks Library, while the hours away in the nice, comfy recliner there. While everyone was asleep.
...Is it technically breaking and entering if the door is unlocked and the domicile in question is also a public service building?
At any rate, once the first rays of the day began to shine over the horizon, I would put everything back where I found it and take my leave. Of course, like any decent guest, I'd also put on a pot of coffee for my hosts when they would eventually wake up.
I'm sure they thank me for it.
Twilight looked up from her newspaper as Spike stumbled blearily into the kitchen with a yawn. "Morning Spike."
Spike shuffled past the table, scratching his tail sleepily. "M'rn'n' Tw'l'ght."
"Hey, buck up," Twilight exclaimed, lifting Spike to his seat at the table with her magic. "Come on, you should be more awake than that. This coffee you made is amazing."
Pausing halfway to reaching for a bowl of cereal, Spike blinked slowly at his big sister figure. "Uh, Twi? I didn' make any coffee. I jus' woke up."
Twilight stared at Spike, before looking down at her mug of coffee in confusion. "Then where did I get this cup of coffee?"
Their thanks are likely profuse and...what was I talking about again? Oh, right, Ponyville. I didn't just spend all my time there: I did avoid it during the day, as I said before. Of course, considering I had been spending my nights in the library, I spent most of the days asleep. curled up in my hammock. Like I was right now.
Flopping out of the hammock, I flexed, stretching my arms out across the floor as I straightened my legs into something of a bastardized downward dog. Flicking my tail languidly, I floated upright, smacking my lips as I suppressed a yawn. Drinking a globule of water I pulled from the sink, I turned to look at the setting sun.
Wait...That's east. That's not the sunset.
...Well. It appears I have overslept. Good morning sunshine, and all that, then. Well, looks like I won't be going to Ponyville today.
On the bright side, I've pretty much read the entirety of the self-help section of the library. I think. Spike's been re-shelving the books as of late, so specific books have been somewhat difficult to find.
Unfortunately, sourcing the materials needed to actually implement what I've learned has been a bit more difficult. The Everfree Forest is not particularly rich in metals or minerals, you see, so my supplies of copper and other metals are rather lacking. I barely had enough to set up the plumbing in my quarters, not to mention I still haven't been able to find any rare earth magnets to make even a half a generator to install into the vertical windmills I have at the peak of each tower. Of course, I'm not even going to begin to explain the difficulties I've been having in finding the necessary materials to make the batteries for said generators.
My stomach rumbled, and I was forced to put my building issues aside for the moment. I'm hungry. Taking stock of the food I had at hand, I was rather disappointed at the selection: a handful of nuts and some berries that were questionable at best. I sighed in exasperation. I had forgotten to go foraging for food, hadn't I?
Staring at the slim pickings for breakfast, I was struck with a sudden and inexplicable craving. I sighed in resignation. Looks like I'd be going to Ponyville after all: I wanted apples.
Of course, considering I don't have any bits (the local currency), going to a store is out. Maybe I could go talk to Applejack directly, see if we can work something out. If not, I'll figure something out later.
Stepping out the window (it was more of a door, to be honest, but there was a sheer drop outside it, so I was calling it a window), I took to the skies. Hopefully, I wouldn't run into the pink thing while I was there.
...
Shit. I just taunted Murphy, didn't I?
It was fortuitous, in light of my challenge to the god of inevitability, that Sweet Apple Acres wasn't actually in Ponyville, per say, but rather was the agricultural equivalent of a suburb. Not only that, but one of the outlying orchards directly pushes up against the Everfree Forest on one side. It's actually not as dangerous as you'd think, either: true, the fence demarcating the line between Sweet Apple Orchards and the Everfree Forest is just a simple split rail fence, but the barbed wire wrapped around each post and rail seems to be effective against keeping the smaller predators out, judging by the dried blood and glowing sap smeared across several strands of wire. Of course, there's nothing stopping anything larger from getting in, but I assume that people-er, ponies would be having bigger problems if that were ever the case.
I entered the orchard just below tree level, carefully skirting the barbed wire. I could have just simply flown in, but I didn't even want to risk the possibility of the pink one catching wind of my presence.
As I floated through the heart of this particular orchard, I found myself slowing to a halt. There was...something about this place. I drifted over to one of the apple trees nearby, a particularly gnarled specimen with bark covered in moss. Reaching out, I placed a paw on the tree's trunk, and gasped in shock and amazement at what I felt.
This tree...this orchard, was alive in a way I had never experienced in my life, admittedly short though it was. These trees were among the first trees planted by the Apple family in Ponyville. They had been tended to, cared for, loved by their caretakers, and the trees had loved them back. I could feel the psychic imprints upon the trees: the spirits of every pony that had devoted their lives to caring for these trees. Love. Life. Death. These trees had seen all of it, and it was the most beautiful thing I had ever experienced.
It drew me in, immersing me in the combined experiences of these great plants. I stood there, tears in my eyes at the light touching my mind, my heart, my soul. Something, some ancient, primordial presence was reaching out to me, using these beloved trees as a conduit. I reached out for it-
-only for it to be torn away as a noose pulled tight around my ankle, hauling me bodily into the air. The sudden surprise caused my mind to recoil. My chest heaved as I hyperventilated, the abrupt disconnection throwing my mind for a loop. I was once again alone with my thoughts.
"CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS: MONSTER HUNTERS! YAY!"
...Mostly alone with my thoughts.
As I slowly spun in place, suspended from my restrained ankle, three fillies came into view. An orange pegasus with a scruffy purple mane, a white unicorn with a carefully groomed purple mane, and a cream earth pony with a green ribbon in her apple red mane. I recognized them immediately: the three fillies from the school trip to the Canterlot Sculpture Garden. Their names were...their names were...
Sighing in exasperation as the memories failed to cooperate, I gently coaxed their names from their minds.
Their names were Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Applebloom. And together, they called themselves the-
"CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS!"
...Yes, that. Not sure why they shouted it a second time, though.
As I watched, the three fillies went from staring at me in giddiness (from having actually caught something, I believe) to twisting about to stare expectantly at their flanks. When nothing happened, the three fillies slumped in disappointment.
"Aw, shucks. Ah thought fer sure we'd get it that time," I heard Apple Bloom mutter.
Scootaloo scratched her chin. "Maybe we didn't do it right."
"Um, girls?" Scootaloo and Apple Bloom turned to face Sweetie Belle as their friend waved a hoof at me. "Doesn't he look...familiar?"
Scootaloo tilted her head as she stared at me. "Huh. Y'know, now that you mention it." The three foals stared at me, deep in thought. I could see the gears turning in their minds.
"Ah got nuthin'," Apple Bloom stated matter-of-factly after a long moment's thought. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle soon followed suite.
"Me neither." "Same."
I hung there in a deadpan manner, staring a deadpan stare at them while thinking deadpan thoughts. Seriously? Just...really? How on Earth...how in Equestria does one forget about a creature such as myself? I mean, I'm literally one of a kind around here. I'm feeling a little insulted, actually. I paused, remembering something from The First Movie. I didn't erase their memories, did I?
Sweetie Belle suddenly jerked, her legs stiffening like those of a myotonic goat as her eyes bulged. "Wait! Now I remember! He's the Hellcat!"
Oh, no I did not. Good to know.
I watched Scootaloo's and Apple Bloom's reactions. Yup, they remembered too. I'm glad. Means I'm not accidentally mind-wiping ponies without knowing it. That would be bad.
"That critter from the field trip," Apple Bloom questioned anxiously. "The one that trapped all of us in a bubble?"
Scootaloo's eyes were practically the size of saucers. "It's come back to eat us!"
The three fillies turned to look at me and, as one, let out a terrified scream.
"EEEEEK!"
Ears ringing, I swung back and forth from the sheer force of the scream. Good golly do those fillies have a set of lungs on 'em. I took a breath. I'd best nip this in the bud before it goes any further. Don't want them running off and bringing back an angry mob. I'm deathly allergic to torches and pitchforks.
I don't eat ponies.
Immediately, the three foals stopped screaming and stared at me with timid curiosity. If possible, I'm pretty sure their eyes had gotten even bigger.
Apple Bloom stepped forward cautiously. "You can talk?"
My deadpan knows no limits. Yes, I can.
"Wait." I shifted my attention to Scootaloo, whose face was scrunched up in thought. "His mouth ain't moving. How's he talking without, y'know, talking?"
Sweetie Belle gasped in realization. "I bet he's using telepathy!"
Apple Bloom looked at her unicorn friend strangely. "Tele-whatsit now?"
"Telepathy," Sweetie Belle reiterated. "It's talking with your mind."
Scootaloo rubbed her forehead. "Ugh, how do you know so many big words?"
"I live with my sister."
"...Fair enough."
While this exchange was going on, I quietly untied the noose around my ankle and simply rotated in place until I was upright. Lowering myself silently to the ground, I waited for the three fillies to notice, my tail lashing in anticipated amusement.
Apple Bloom was the first to notice I was free, letting out an adorable squeak as she saw me standing there. She poked blindly at her friends with a hoof. "Uh, girls?"
"What?" Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle looked up. "Oh."
Oh, indeed. I crossed my arms. Now, mind explaining why I was trussed up like a Christmas turkey?
Looks of confusion crossed the three fillies' faces. "Why would ya truss a turkey?" Apple Bloom questioned quizzically.
I blinked in bafflement before I realized they were being serious. Oh, right. Ponies. Herbivores.
Scootaloo had a different question, though. "What's a Christmas?"
That question threw me for a loop before I remembered that, again, these were ponies. They called Christmas something else here. I waved off their questions. Nevermind that. Why did I find myself being hung from a tree?
Sweetie Belle cleared her throat nervously. "Er, you see, Mr. Hellcat, sir."
Mewtwo, I interrupted. My name is Mewtwo.
"Oh, um, Mr. Mewtwo, sir, we were trying to get our cutie marks in monster hunting."
Monster hunting, I repeated incredulously. I see. I took a deep breath. Oh boy. Tread carefully there, Mewtwo. And what, precisely, is a 'cutie mark?' To tell the truth, I already knew what they were. I just wanted to hear what they thought a cutie mark was...and meant.
"How do you not know what a cutie mark is," Scootaloo demanded, completely flabbergasted.
Not a pony, I simply replied.
"A cutie mark is what makes a pony special," Apple Bloom explained. "They represent yer special talent." Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle nodded their heads in agreement.
I mentally shook my head. I had a feeling that they were missing the point. I seem to recall that I held the opinion Before that it wasn't the mark that made the pony special, but the pony that made the mark special. I opened my metaphorical mouth to say as much, but stayed my hand. This was not something to force: it was a lesson that had to be learned firsthand for it to mean anything.
I see. I bit my lip as I thought of what to say next. Why monster hunting?
"It was next on the list," shrugged Sweetie Belle.
List?
"Yeah," Scootaloo exclaimed excitedly. "Since we don't know what our talents are, we're going to try everything!"
I see. I was saying that a lot, wasn't I? I considered giving them a hint, only to immediately reject that idea. As they say, it's not about the destination, it's about the journey. The Cutie Mark Crusaders were having fun. Who was I to rob them of that? I shall leave you to it then.
Taking to a hover, I turned to leave. I still had to find Applejack and negotiate a supply of apples, after all.
However, as I made to leave, Sweetie Belle caught my attention.. "Um, Mr. Mewtwo, sir? Why did you stick us in a bubble if you weren't going to eat us?"
As her two friends stopped to look at me, I thought over my answer carefully. To tell the truth though, it really wasn't anything I needed to hide or be misleading about. I didn't want to see anyone get hurt, I answered truthfully. With that, I left, leaving behind the old orchard in search of a certain mare.
Hopefully I haven't done anything to alienate Applejack. I'm hungry.
In the old orchard, the Cutie Mark Crusaders stared in the direction Mewtwo had disappeared.
Sweetie Belle tilted her head in thought. "Hey, Apple Bloom?"
"Hm?"
"Doesn't that lead to the rest of the farm?"
Apple Bloom blinked, squinting at the trees suspiciously. "Yeah, it sure does. Wonder what he's doin' here."
The three fillies stared at the trees for a long moment before Scootaloo suddenly spoke up. "So, who's up to get their cutie mark in pony cannonballs?" She wilted under her two friends' stares. "Or, we can follow him and find out what he's doing."
The three fillies pulled out deerstalker hats and plopped them down on their heads.
"CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS: INVESTIGATORS!"