//------------------------------// // But Not Defeated // Story: The First Law of Magic // by Jest //------------------------------// Twilight hummed softly to herself, noting just how easily the brace took her weight, distributing it perfectly while not applying too much pressure to any one point on her flank and upper leg. It really was quite the feat of magic and engineering now that she thought of it. She didn't anticipate something like it in a place like this, not when she was so far from any unicorns capable to make the runes or any ingenious earth pony to create a brace that worked with the enchantment. She idly wondered as to what being was magically attuned enough to make the runes in the first place. The shifting weight on her back signalled her friend had grown concerned with the silence and tugged gently on the unicorn’s mane. “How is it, Twilight? Is your leg feeling better? Does it hurt?” The soft pleading tone of the being riding on her back made Twilight’s proverbial heart swell. Before today she would have written off such concern as suspicious and asked the individual inquiring such things what they hoped to gain. But something about Fluttershy repelled those thoughts from even entering her mind. She was simply unable to be suspicious of such a kind soul that had helped her and wanted nothing in return. The thought sent a shiver down her spine. I finally have a real friend. Shaking that thought away, she focused on the path ahead. “It's okay, it feels odd but it doesn't hurt.” The bunny squirmed slightly on her back. “What do you mean by ‘odd’? Are you sure it  it’s not uncomfortable? You are walking a little funny...” The unicorn smiled gently, she really was the kindest being she had ever known, save for maybe her mother. A sudden urge to protect such innocence swelled inside her. “I’m just getting used to it and by odd I mean… I don't know. It's just weird, the weight is higher up on my leg now so it just feels different, not bad though.” The bunny seemed to fret for a moment before sighing. “Well, if you are sure…” “I am. Now, where were we going again?” Twilight looked around, a few feet in front of her the well-manicured grass and trimmed trees ended and the wild forest began. The forest quickly swallowed what little light emanated from the slowly awakening town behind them. Already they could hear the inhabitants stir in their homes, doors opening and drowsy greetings echoing out of the windows. Despite Twilight’s now assuaged worries, she couldn't help but imagine some fresh horror was behind her, just out of view. She knew it was probably wrong of her to think that way, but decades of propaganda and stories were hard to dismiss in a single day. She would have disregarded such worries much sooner if she knew what she was, but how could she know such a thing? Having lived her life away from the light of truth, beneath the false sun’s rays. Fluttershy leaned forward, bracing herself against Twilight’s long neck and pointing a tiny paw into the woods, slightly to Twilight’s right. “There should be a path just inside the woods that will lead us right to her, but we should get moving, Angel is getting tired and you should get some sleep soon as well if you want your leg to heal.” Twilight nodded, despite the distance she had half walked, half stumbled already and all the stress she had experienced, she didn't feel the silent pull of exhaustion. Though she could feel her eyes droop occasionally, she felt no desire to stop and lay down. She hoped this mysterious being had a potion for what ailed her and was willing to help a stranger. Normally Twilight would have snorted dismissively at such a thought and shook her head, but she had already learned that kindness wasn't as foreign a concept as she had thought. As she put one hoof in front of the other and waded into the woods, it suddenly occurred to her that she had nowhere to sleep. She hadn't thought about it until now, but a small part of her imagined her bed when she thought of sleep. Despite the fact that it was now many miles away in a potentially hostile environment, a naive part of her just assumed she would be sleeping in her bed, same as almost every night of her life. It was where she had slept for the last sixteen years after all, minus the disastrous party she had attended and the very few family gatherings she partook in in her youth. A small part of her died at the realization, despite knowing logically that she wasn't just going to skip off home to bed. A piece of her only seemed to realize this fact when faced with the obvious realization that she would not be sleeping in her own bed. A tear slipped down her cheek, startling her from her reverie. “Are you okay, Twilight? If you want we can stop for the night, there is a burrow not far from here that would be big enough for you to sleep in. It is actually pretty cozy despite being made of dirt and moss.” Another tear slipped down her cheek and landed on a small flower sprouting from the thick underbrush. The moment the liquid hit the plant it began to rot, withering away to nothing within moments, vanishing into the tall surrounding grass. “I’m…” She breathed a deep, unnecessary breath. “I’m okay, just thought of home is all.” “You miss them, don't you?” Twilight sniffed and wiped her eyes. “I know how you feel, but it’s not too late to see your brother and father, right?” Twilight nodded weakly, strength slipping from her limbs with every passing second. “If Rainbow Dash were here, she would say something that would make you determined to see them again. I kinda stink at that type of thing though. So, umm, I just wanna say that I’ll help you as much as I can. If you want my help.” The bunny hugged the back of the unicorn’s neck with all four of her limbs. Taking a deep breath, Twilight took a step forward, she couldn't keep breaking down like this, not when there was something she could do. Not when she had somebeing there to help her. With her confidence returning, she strode into the woods. She felt like she should say something or thank the bunny but she couldn't find the words, instead she chose action and continued onward, Fluttershy guiding her with a well-placed tug on her mane every few minutes. Though the forest had been an active place before, now it became downright noisy. Much like the town of Ponyville, the forest itself seemed to be waking up. Every sight and sound drew another question to Twilight’s mind and before long she was pelting her guide with questions. What was that sound? What exactly is a manticore? How does it walk like that with just two legs? What kind of bird is that? What does that thing eat? Her enthusiasm to learn was matched only by Fluttershy’s love of animals and before long, they had wandered slightly off their path, having chased down a rather rare and colorful bird that Fluttershy had enthusiastically referred to as a bird of paradise. Its brightly colored plumage seemed to be every color of the rainbow and as it flew, the few shafts of moonlight that poked through the tree cover made the colors seem even more vibrant than Twilight had assumed was possible. Though normally she would have been worried that they were getting off course, there was something about having a whole new world to learn about and explore that captured her imagination, while Fluttershy was just happy to finally have somebeing that was as interested in animals as she was. With Fluttershy close at hoof Twilight felt invincible, and why wouldn't she? There was a wild soul on her back that seemed to know everything about every animal they saw and they weren't very far from town, so it should be safe, right? But we all know what happens when one feels invincible, don't we? “Did you see the size of that snake, Fluttershy? It must have been thirteen feet long!” Twilight remarked. “Oh yes, the Emerald Vine snake grows as long and as big as its tree does, so they can grow to be much, much larger,” Fluttershy added with a smile Twilight gasped, imaging a huge snake as long as the redwoods she had read about. A sudden snapping sound brought her head out of the clouds, her eyes whipping over to a large bush set between them and the path they had wandered off of. Fluttershy stiffened up, her big bunny ears swiveling to the source of the sound. Noticing the bunny’s sudden tenseness, Twilight stopped moving, her own ears going up. “What is it Fluttershy?” Twilight whispered. The bunny leaned forward, whispering directly into the unicorn’s ear, “Something big, walk backwards slowly, don't show it your back.” Twilight gulped and began backing up slowly, making sure not to trip. After a few steps she slipped behind a large tree and out of sight of whatever creature was close by. Now relatively safe, Twilight let out a sigh of relief. “Is it following us?” Fluttershy shrugged. “I don't hear any breathing.” Suddenly the tree they had been using as cover vanished in a flash of claws, the top half tumbling out of the way to reveal the huge snarling face of a beast made entirely of wood. Twilight’s eyes went wide and she froze in panic. Fluttershy’s high pitched scream knocked her out of it. In a flash of black light they vanished and reappeared a few feet away, Twilight’s stumbling hooves already under her. Behind them the wolf howled and charged. Its great bulk crashed through the underbrush with ease while the unicorn was left stumbling on awkward hooves. The creature made short work of the distance between them and only another short, panicked teleport saved them from being sliced in half by the creature’s wicked claws. The wolf stopped, sniffed once, then took off after them once more, easily catching the scent of the pair, though it had no olfactory sense organs to speak of. “What was that thing?” “T-t-t-timberwolf!” A sharp pull on the right side of Twilight’s mane was all the warning she needed. She ducked down and to the right. The wolf crashed through a sapling and swung a clawed paw through where they had been a moment earlier. Twilight put her head down, ducking under a branch all the while her legs desperately carried her forward as she thought of some way out. She had more than enough spells to destroy such a creature, but she couldn't gain enough ground for that to be possible, her spells simply took too long and she couldn't teleport very far. Not with a massive animated pile of wood attempting to turn her into minced meat. Maybe if she got a little more distance she might… Her eyes shot open and she dove to the left, narrowly missing the timberwolf that had leapt upon the spot she had been a second ago. Putting her hooves under her she pushed her thoughts away. She really needed time to think! She ducked under a low hanging branch and tried to tune out the bellow of rage that echoed all around her, only narrowly suppressing the desire to quiver in fear. Eyeing up a tightly packed group of trees that was just big enough for her to squeeze through, she poured on the speed as best as her brace would allow and dove through the narrow crack in the twisted wall of wood. A second later she heard the timberwolf crash into the foliage, its huge bulk making the trees creak but not relent. Breathing a sigh of relief Twilight quickly looked around. Finding what she was looking for in the form of a tall, thick tree with several large wide branches, she fired off a quick teleport. From her new vantage point she could see the lumbering form of the timberwolf round the other side of the tree wall and stop suddenly where Twilight had vanished. As quietly as she could, she whispered, “What exactly is that thing? An animal of some kind? Can you possess it?” The timberwolf snooped low to the ground below them, sniffing the forest floor, looking for its lost prey. The bunny continued to shiver, gripping Twilight’s neck tighter. “It's the spirit of a lost lone wolf that doesn't know it’s dead and inhabits the wood it died near. I can only borrow creatures that are alive and I know are nice.” Twilight’s muzzle twisted into a grimace, that made things far easier.. She had no remorse for such a creature. “A simple fire spell should do the trick then.” Twilight’s face twisted in concentration and the strange black aura surrounded her horn, only to be cut short when a frantic voice stopped her just as she brushed her magic up against the wolf, measuring the distance and calculating how much power to put into the spell. A strange tingle ran down the base of her horn for a second before it was extinguished, along with Twilight’s concentration. “Wait! The forest hates fire!” Twilight cursed under her breath, trusting her friend despite how crazy that had sounded. “Then what are we supposed to do?” she replied, more angrily than she intended. “Stay quiet and hope it gets bored, its sense of smell is good but its eyesight is poor.” Nodding to the bunny, the unicorn turned her attention down to where the wolf had been moments ago, only to blink in surprise. “Where did it go?” “I don't know. Twilight this is bad, can you do that flashy thing again? We need to get out—” A thunderous crash and the shaking of the tree interrupted the terrified bunny and sent Twilight scrambling. The pair exchanged a worried glance before looking down to find the snarling timberwolf scramble up the side of the tree, only to slip back down the trunk, its claws unable to find purchase. Even then it had managed to climb nearly half way up before gravity won the fight and sent it tumbling back to the ground. “Now what do we do?” “I don't know, I usually just run away!” The bunny tugged on Twilight’s mane and pointed to the top of the tree. “Put me up there and I’ll go see if I can't borrow some other creature bigger and scarier than the timberwolf.” Twilight nodded, trying to ignore the second slam and subsequent clambering against the base of the tree as the timberwolf managed to gain a few feet, now almost able to reach the lowest branch on the tree. Twilight gulped and turned away from the snapping jaws of her pursuer and lit her horn. The bunny shivered as she was enwrapped by Twilight’s magical aura, waiting patiently as Twilight carefully lifted her up and through the branches to her destination. “Almost there, you can do it, Twilight!” Carefully Twilight pushed on, maneuvering her small friend around the twisting branches until Fluttershy was nearly there, her tiny paws reaching out for the branch, only for the sudden shake of the tree to break her concentration. Twilight watched in panic as her small friend began to fall, her paws too small to reach any of the branches. Ignoring the sound of the timberwolf clawing its way up the tree, Twilight concentrated and grabbed the bunny in her telekinetic grip. She had seconds until the timberwolf reached the first branch and if it got a grip from there… She chose not to think about that, all of her attention was needed on her friend. With a less than gentle push she tossed the bunny up and towards the tallest branch where Fluttershy was just barely able to hold on to. “Twilight, watch out!” Fluttershy pointed down to where the clawing had drawn closer. Twilight spun around just in time to see the timberwolf’s paw grip the branch and began to heave itself upwards. The unicorn panicked, pushing every ounce of telekinetic power into a shove. Pointing her horn down at the monstrous wolf, she pushed past her usual elegant spell casting and simply brute forced it with as much mana as she could. The air distorted and rippled in the blast’s wake until it impacted  the wolf’s paw with a sharp crack. Recoiling in agony, the wolf let out an ear piercing shriek of confusion and pain, chunks of its paw flying in all directions. Twilight blinked, she had never been able to muster a push so strong in her entire life and stranger still was the… connection she had felt with the wolf when she felt her magic touch it again. There was a familiarity there, almost as if the creature’s innate magic was close to her own. A sudden crack drew her eye to the branch she had been standing on. The ancient oak was strong and able to easily support her weight mere seconds ago. Now it was thin, sickly and sported blackened sections that seemed to have grown from around her hooves. Thinking quickly, the unicorn scrambled closer to the tree trunk, narrowly avoiding the rest of the branch as it creaked and snapped under the combined effort of the sudden rot and her clambering hooves. She tossed a quick glance up at Fluttershy, noticing the telltale light had left the bunny’s eyes and left behind a terrified and panic ridden animal devoid of true intelligence. The keening cry of the wolf below brought Twilight’s eyes back down to where the creature gripped the shattered remnants of its paw. Chunks of nearby wood twitched and slowly began to move towards the wolf, gathering at the base of the creature’s wrist and moving to fill in the gaps Twilight had created when she had blasted it. Looking down at the tree, Twilight could tell the beast had been close and though she didn't doubt she had a few more well placed blasts left in her. What she did doubt was the strength of the branch holding her up, if whatever happened the first time happened again she would be forced to look for another tree. Looking around, Twilight couldn't see any branches thick enough to support her weight and even the closest trees seemed to shy away from her. Brushing that thought aside, she looked around, past the trees and further into the wood. In the distance the vibrant green of the forest was marred by a smattering of grey that stuck out like a black eye. Squinting, Twilight was barely able to make out a dried up riverbed that had several large rocks along its side and top. The bottom was narrow and the sides steep, if she could lure it closer she could loosen one of the boulders with her magic and use it to crush her foe and hopefully not her. If she teleported that far away she may need tempting bait for the creature... Her eyes traveled up to the bunny that clung to the tallest branch with all four limbs, shaking hard enough it was nearly vibrating. Twilight shook her head. No. Live bait would work but what would Fluttershy do? She would be kind. Letting out a sigh Twilight looked down to the wolf just as the last remnants of its paw reassembled. The wolf stretched its new paw, testing it before setting it down and looking up at the unicorn, snarling. Live bait would work after all. Gritting her teeth, she teleported down and towards the cliff she had seen in the distance, but not far enough that the beast would lose her scent. From her new vantage point she could see the timberwolf stop and look around, only to see a smaller morsel at the top of the tree and launch itself upwards. A dark thought entered Twilight’s mind, if she ran now the wolf might get the bunny, but it wouldn't get her. No, she shook her head and gritted her teeth, Fluttershy had shown her kindness and she would too! “Hey why don't you pick on someone your own size, you overgrown kindling!” The wolf’s ears perked up on the top of its head but it did not stop, leaping up to the lowest branch and beginning to heave itself upwards, its bulk straining the branch without breaking it. Twilight lowered her horn and fired off another telekinetic push, the rolling ball of force rippling towards its target and flying right past. Cursing her aim, Twilight readied another until she thought again of the strange familiar tickle she felt as the blast rolled past the creature. What was that sensation? An odd feeling of deja vu filled her. She felt as though she had done this exact same thing before, only long ago. She was tempted to brush the feeling aside, but it was strangely captivating, leading her down a path that ended with a suggestion. Pull. Twilight didn't know where the thought came from but the confidence, and power that it radiated, demanded that she act. Without thinking she followed the voice’s demand and without thinking, pulled, willing the timberwolf towards her and away from the defenceless little bunny clinging to the top of the tree. The timberwolf lurched backwards, its body suddenly pulling away from the tree while its paws reached out and tried to grab the trunk. Twilight grunted, digging in her hooves and pulling with all her magical might. The timberwolf growled in frustration and pushed off the tree, breaking Twilight’s grip and tumbling to the ground. Within an instant the beast was back up, now facing the confused and vulnerable unicorn. This time there was no howl or snarl. It simply began to run directly at her as if its entire existence depended on reaching the strange unicorn. Twilight’s hooves flew in a panic, nearly tripping over herself as she spun around and began running towards where she had seen the cliff, the lingering deja vu replaced with blind panic. This time the wolf didn't take its time dodging and weaving around all but the smallest trees and bushes. Simply leaning into the larger trees and simply bowling them over despite the fact that such a tactic slowed it down. The previously careful hunter now seemed possessed, as if its mind was consumed with a single purpose, a single command. Firing off another short range, half-calculated teleport, Twilight narrowly dodged the timberwolf catching up with her. However, the sudden expenditure of mana and constant running had taken its toll.  She could already feel a strange sense of exhaustion beginning to overcome her. Her limbs felt heavy, her body strangely empty. Pushing those thoughts from her mind, she ran on. I will sleep when I’m dead. she thought grimly. Breaking through a small bush, she could see the dry riverbed rise out of the forest, ignoring the obvious fact that such a thing should be impossible to simply appear in the middle of the forest. Sure enough, the large rocks she had seen earlier were there, dotting the sides and top of the riverbed as if positioned there by some other force that foresaw her vulnerability. The timberwolf burst through the brush a moment later, its weight crushing the foliage beneath it. The unicorn yelped and kept running, trying to think of way she could execute her plan without opening herself up to the wolf’s jaws. She eyed the ridge and tried to quickly complete the necessary calculations, but the complexity of the spell was too much. The variables were simply too numerous, she had to take into account her speed, direction and too many other things for a pony that still had to focus on not getting bitten in half by an undead tree monster. Ahead she could see the sides of the riverbed slowly narrowing until it turned suddenly, becoming dangerously close together. Above her a flash of pink caught her eye and suddenly a boulder around forty feet away came loose and began rolling down the sides of the riverbed. The thunderous howl of the great beast still on her tail made her legs fly into action once more. Pouring on what little speed she had left, Twilight pushed her heavy limbs to their limit while no doubt testing the durability of her new brace. With a resounding crash the boulder bounced off a ledge and rocketed into the air. It was at least three times bigger than the unicorn and would have no doubt turned her into paste if she didn't keep moving. Firing off one last short range teleport, Twilight cried out in agony as a fresh surge of exhaustion morphed into a stab of pain. That was the least of her worries and with the last few stumbling steps carried her under and past the falling rock’s shadow. The great rock narrowly missed the stumbling mare and instead landed squarely on the timberwolf’s neck, crushing the majority of the creature’s upper body and separating its head from the rest of its body Twilight stumbled, her hoof catching a loose rock and carrying her into a pile of smooth river rocks where she landed in a heap. Head spinning and senses scattered, she lifted her body only for dizziness to overcome her, forcing her to drop back into the pile of rocks. She sighed. Judging from the fact the back half of her body hadn't been bitten off, she had to assume the mysterious stranger had been successful in helping her, either that or she was in some serious shock. She hardly even noticed the tumble of rocks and debris as the mystery being slid down and landed next to her. “Hey, are you alright? Hello? Everfree to random unicorn, come in sparkle butt.” Her rescuer giggled and prodded her shoulder. Twilight grumbled, wincing as the headache pounded even harder in her head. Something about the mare just being close to her was enough to make her headache worse than falling face first into a bunch of rocks. “Back up, would ya?” the unicorn mumbled. The mystery being took a tentative step back. “Well it’s good to hear you can still talk at least, I thought that last tumble might have knocked a few screws loose.” I don't need help in that department. Twilight thought grimly. Stumbling to her hooves, Twilight nearly toppled back into a heap. However, her forehoof found something curious. A small patch of greenery had grown beneath the cracked and dry riverbed. Though it was little more than three flowers and a hoofful of grass, it was vibrant and growing strong, and its life essence would be just barely enough to break the unicorn out of her funk, whether she knew it or not. The instant her hoof crushed the flowers and grass she stopped, breathing in a deep and steadying breath. While the life beneath her hoof shriveled and died, becoming little more than a black patch of earth, covered in a thin layer of dust, the mare became more alert, the exhaustion that plagued her lessening enough to allow her senses to return. Steadying herself, Twilight let out a sigh, thankful her pounding headache had receded somewhat into a dull thumping at the back of her mind. “I’m okay. Just gotta breathe.” Opening her eyes she turned, expecting to see the pony form of her wild soul friend, only to see a very different sight. The being before her was definitely equine, she was almost as tall as Twilight, which would make her easily tower over the bat ponies she had seen so far. Though she wasn't as tall as Twilight, she was easily much wider, her limbs were stocky and incredibly well muscled and Twilight couldn't help but imagine how easy it would be for the being to crush her head like an oversized grape. Oh and it definitely was a she, or at least Twilight assumed from the voice and the fact that its coat was offensively pink. Or at least Twilight assumed it was a she, maybe they used different pronouns or only had one gender. Twilight stared her savior up and down, her curiosity beating out her manners. Whoever they were, she looked like a pony save for the fact that where its fur should be there was a hard substance that reminded Twilight of stone. Twilight squinted, the substance definitely weren't scales but they did line up at regular intervals and seemed to serve as natural armor. They looked thick and some seemed to glint in what little light there was, as if they had veins of minerals running through them. The only hair on the creature’s body were its voluminous mane that leaped out of its skull and its equally poofy tail. Twilight blinked twice and realized she was staring and the being had said something. “I’m sorry, what?” “I’m a troll, that's why you are looking at me all funny, right? Not literally funny, but you know.” She giggled. Her voice definitely was feminine, but there was a… rumble, a promise of power just beneath the polite facade it wore. “Yes, sorry I’ve never met one of your kind before. I apologize for staring. Were you the one that knocked that boulder down?” Twilight motioned up to the place the boulder had been sitting mere moments ago. The creature smiled. “Yuppers! That big nasty timberwolf seemed a little peeved at you for some reason.” The mare giggled, glancing down to her right where the empty eyes of the timberwolf lay dormant, its huge head little more than an inert pile of twigs now. “Well thank you very much, uh?” Twilight winced but the mare picked up on her awkwardness quickly. “Pinkie Pie,” she said with a smile. “Twilight Sparkle.” The unicorn extended her hoof to which the troll enthusiastically bumped, a small tingling running up her limb after making contact with the unicorn. “Ooh neato, nice to meetcha Twilight. What were you doing way out here?” “Well I was following my friend, Fluttershy. She told me about a healer that could help fix my leg.” The unicorn lifted her back leg and showed it to the troll who grimaced at the sight. “Yowch, how long do you have until it turns into a tree?” “What?!” Twilight spun around to find the brace had collected quite a few small branches and leaves during her mad dash through the woods. Rolling her eyes Twilight lit her horn and extracted the plant matter between the brace and her leg. A presence stirred within the shattered remains of the timber wolf the second her horn lit up, a lost soul saw a light and had  leapt with a renewed vigor back into the body it had just been pushed out of. All at once the disassembled head reassembled itself. Its eyes saw prey close and it lurched forward. Its belly rumbled despite the fact that it did not exist and its teeth sought soft, undefended pink flesh. “AAAAH!” the troll screamed, a sudden pinch all the warning she got before her leg was bitten clean off in one swift bite. In her panic the troll attempted to lurch forward, away from whatever had bit. She managed only a single stop before toppling to the ground in a heap that sent a tremor through the earth. Twilight backpedaled, narrowly avoiding getting crushed beneath the larger being. The bodiless timberwolf messily tore into the dismembered leg, spraying bright green blood everywhere. The unicorn grit her teeth and lit her horn, firing off another concussive blast that sent the head spinning away. Losing the grasp on its snack, the timberwolf tried to turn but without a neck or body all it could do was snap and growl angrily at the rock wall it was facing. Twilight stared down the bodiless timberwolf, only moving after it became apparent that it could do little more than snarl angrily at nothing. Letting out a sigh, Twilight turned away from the timberwolf, readying herself for the grim task of helping some being she had just met with getting their leg amputated. However where she assumed there would be a scene out of a horror novel, complete with crying and loads of blood stood a somewhat disheveled Pinkie Pie, balancing on the tips of her three remaining hooves, looking over Twilight’s shoulder at the timberwolf with considerably more calm than Twilight would have guessed. “Is it dead?” “Uh.” Twilight looked over her shoulder to where the timber wolf remained, its eyes spinning backwards in their sockets to glare angrily at the pair. Well that's going to be in my nightmares tonight. “I guess.” “Whew.” The troll wiped the sweat from her brow and grinned. “We better get back to my teacher’s place before another nasty critter like that shows up.” “Wait, doesn't that hurt?” Twilight grimaced, pointing down to the ravaged chunk of leg that was still bleeding strange green blood. “What, this?” Pinkie waved the quarter of her back leg still attached. “Nah, I lose legs all the time. Why, this is the third time this month I lost righty.” She giggled and turned towards the point of the cliff she had slid down and called over her shoulder. “You coming?” Twilight shrugged and followed, morbidly fascinated at the fact that Pinkie seemed as adept on three legs as she was on four, easily hopping up the slippery side of the riverbed with little difficulty. The unicorn shook her head, the beings around here were strange, that much was certain. Once on top of the cliff, Twilight stopped and took a breather, taking the time to look around for Fluttershy. The troll didn't notice and bounced further into the forest. “Wait up Pinkie, we have to find my friend Fluttershy.” Pinkie spun around and giggled. “She's right above your head, silly.” Twilight looked up to find a very awkward hawk doing its best to hide its bright teal eyes. “Oh um, hello Twilight.” The bird winced and hid behind a wing. “What’s wrong? You didn't get hurt trying to find help did you?” “N-no.” “Did Angel get hurt?” “No.” “What’s the matter, Fluttershy?” The bird gulped. “I just… I couldn't… You almost died and I couldn't do anything.” Twilight smiled softly and extended her hoof up towards the bird. “It's not your fault.” “But—” “No buts, you did your best and in the end it all worked out.” Peeking out from behind its wing, the bird stared down at the unicorn. “You mean that?” “Of course, now hop on and let's go see this Zecora pony or being or whatever.” Gingerly, the bird hopped down Twilight’s extended leg and perched on her back, settling into a comfortable spot. “Hiya, Fluttershy!” “Oh, hello Pinkie Pie. I see you lost righty again.” “Yup!” Pinkie waved her stump leg at the pair, much to the dismay of Twilight’s stomach. The bird just laughed. “I don't suppose Zecora would have something to help with Twilight’s leg, would she?” “Oh pisha Flutters, we don't need Zecora for that. Why I already got a super awesome brew that should fix our new friend up right as rain!” New friend. Twilight stopped and blinked, she had made two friends already. Funny, she had spent sixteen years in Canterlot and had never made even a single real friend. Thoughts of Moondancer were pushed from her mind, she had real friends now. The thought left a bitter taste in the back of her mouth, in the sixteen years she had lived amongst her own kind she hadn't made a single real friend but she stumbles blindly through the Everfree for a mere day and meets two. As Twilight followed Pinkie deeper into the forest, she couldn't help but grin. Sure, she still had to avenge her mother and reach her family once more and despite the frequent danger that seemed to be doggedly following her, things seemed to be looking up. The thought of gaining friends so quickly made the unicorn’s paranoia spike, the fact that it felt so natural put her fears to rest for now. The rest of the walk to Zecora’s place was a quiet one, occasionally Fluttershy would take off and scout around, but the forest seemed clear of anything dangerous save for a poisonous plant or two. Twilight could tell the troll wanted to speak, several times she would turn and open her mouth only to stop and mutter about it not being safe here. Trusting her new friend more than she cared to admit, Twilight kept her mouth shut and her eyes open. It was as if the woods themselves could feel their vulnerability and had decided to pity the poor trio. Or perhaps it was simply intimidated by the defeat of one of its more dangerous denizens. Either way, they made it to the shaman’s residence without being interrupted, stopping only once when they found a blackberry patch and even than they only paused long enough to eat a couple hooffuls of the juicy fruit before moving on. With blackberry stained hooves and beak, the trio pushed through the last wall of foliage that divided the forest from the shaman’s residence. Twilight’s mind had run rampant, imagining the fairytale like abode that such a renowned healer must have and was not let down one iota. In a small clearing a large squat tree had been hollowed out and was clearly being used as the shaman’s residence. Masks hung from branches all around the clearing, all facing away from the tree home. Twilight deduced they must have been used to scare off animal life as the clearing was strangely quiet and devoid of the usual chatter of the forest. Fluttershy gripped Twilight’s back with her talons, her eyes darting back and forth. “You alright back there?” Twilight asked, turning to face the frightened hawk. “Y-y-yeah, Steven is just a little scared of the masks.” “If you close your eyes I will tell you when we are inside.” “Thanks, Twilight.” Breathing a sigh of relief, the hawk hid beneath her wing and shut her eyes tightly, calming the body it resided with a quiet hum. Inside the house tree Twilight could see several candles burning and beyond that a larger fire set beneath a great pot at the center of the home. Stowing her curiosity for now, Twilight quickly trotted past the masks and the door held open by a smiling troll. “Were inside now, Fluttershy,” she whispered. The hawk peeked from behind its wing and looked around the hut in wonder. “It's so cozy in here. I never saw the inside before...” Pinkie grinned from ear to ear. “Thanks! Part of being her apprentice means keeping everything spic and span!” Twilight’s mouth hung open as she inspected the home. In one corner several masks rested against the wall in various states of completion. In another she could see a small bed fit for some being much smaller than her, next to it on the floor was a bed roll just barely bigger than Pinkie Pie. Twilight rolled her eyes at the sight, it was almost as pink as her troll friend and had tiny blue and yellow balloons sewn all over it. Beyond that, every nook and cranny of the hut seemed filled with ingredients both mundane and extraordinary. In one corner Twilight could see simple sage and black rush next to what looked like dragon scale and ironbark. Perhaps most impressive of all was the large pot that sat in the center of the room, where a small fire burned beneath. Though it didn't seem to give off any smoke, she could feel heat emanating from it. Twilight leaned closer, inspecting the base of the flame and finding a small pile of gems pushed close against the pot. “Are those fire rubies?” “Yuppers!” Pinkie responded cheerfully, grabbing a hoofful of the same gems from a nearby ledge and showing them to Twilight. Grinning, Twilight reached out for them only to stop. “May I?” “Sure! They are pretty neat, plus they make for a good snack too! Nice and spicy.” The troll hoofed over all but one which she popped into her mouth and began crunching away. Fluttershy winced at the sound of the gem being crushed in the troll’s teeth while Twilight just gawked. After every few bites a small gout of flame would escape the troll’s lips which she didn't even seem to notice. “Wow.” Remembering she had a few in her hoof Twilight inspected them as the troll finished her snack. The rubies were about the size of a bit and perfectly round, within them glowed a faint light, like a flicker of a candle. Twilight was pretty sure she had enough curiosities to study for at least a decade and she had only been in two buildings and met a couple beings. What wonders will the rest of the town yield? Handing the rubies back to Pinkie Pie, the troll swallowed the last of her snack. Her eyes screwed up and after a second of confusion on her guests part Pinkie belched loudly, a small torrent of flame rushing out of her lips and nearly singing Twilight before she ducked out of the way. “Wow,” Twilight and Fluttershy said in unison. “I thought trolls were hurt by fire?” Fluttershy hopped closer, eyeing up the much larger being with concern. “We are! Fire rubies’ fire is different. It doesn't burn like fire fire does, ya know?” Both other beings shook their head, making Pinkie groan. “Fire rubies burn like peppers and fire fire burns like fire. Get it?” Twilight scratched her chin. “Basically you are saying magical fire doesn't harm you like natural fire would.” “That's one way of putting it, I like my explanation better though.” The troll’s eyes shot open suddenly and she slapped a hoof to her head. “I almost forgot!” Spinning around, the troll grabbed a small vial from one of the numerous shelves hidden all over the tree home. “Here! This will fix your leg right up.” Twilight reached out to it, only to stop and eye the troll warily. “How much does it cost?” “For a new friend? Diddly doodily neighborino!” “Really? I may not know much about potions, but aren't the ingredients for this type of potion rare?” “Little bit, but if it helps a friend and helps bring a smile back to your face then it's worth every gem!” The troll fixed her with a huge toothy grin, brimming with confidence, showing off sparkly  crushed bits of gem stuck in her gums. Twilight couldn't help but smile and take the vial, the troll’s happiness infectious. “So what do I do? Drink it… or?” The unicorn eyed the strangely thick brew in the vial cautiously, the brown liquid hardly moving as she shook the glass container. “Yup! Just pop it back, all in one go and try not to throw it back up. Trust me on this one it’s twice as nasty coming back up as it is going down.” Twilight nodded and braced for the worst. Tossing aside the stopper, she took a whiff of the potion. Her assumption was off, slightly. It smelled unpleasant but it also didn't smell as bad as she anticipated, it reminded her of the black tar smell that she remembered from her childhood when they paved the street outside her window. Before she could think about it, she tossed back the vial and winced prematurely. However after a few seconds of nothing happening she opened her eyes to see the stuff had just barely shifted enough to start flowing down the vial. “Does this stuff react badly to magic?” Twilight asked, eying the troll. “Oh what? No.” The troll scratched her head absently. “I don't think so anyway.” Gripping the substance in her telekinetic field the mare pulled it out of the vial and tossed it down her throat. The thick mucus-like substance slid into her gullet at a painfully slow pace. She had just barely managed to avoid her tongue with all but a few drops. The taste was surprisingly close to what she assumed the black tar stuff the workers had used would taste like. “Blech.” Twilight swallowed over and over until she was sure she had sucked down every last drop. A thought occurred to her suddenly as she felt the strange concoction slide down her throat. Why had she trusted this being she had met mere minutes ago? She was sure that if she was in Canterlot, she would have never trusted another pony with such a disturbing liquid but here she tossed it back without much of a second thought. Shaking her head, the mare grinned. “Thanks Pinkie, how long does it take to work?” “Oh that?” Pinkie rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly. “I’m not the best at potion making, so it should take about a week.” The troll winced. “Oh, well that's not bad.” Twilight winced and looked over her shoulder at the hawk. “Hug her, silly,” the hawk whispered. “She seems self-conscious.” “Um okay.” Twilight awkwardly stepped over to the troll and after the hawk had hopped off her back, the mare stood on her back hooves and awkwardly hugged the large being. Slowly the troll hugged back, her own awkwardness vanishing along with her sense of failure. Squeezing the thinner being tightly, the troll giggled. “I like your hugs, they make me all tingly!” Twilight smiled, that didn't sound like a compliment to her but she chose to take it that way. Disengaging from the stronger being, Twilight stepped back. “Really Pinkie, thank you, but shouldn't you have used that potion? I mean your leg is a little worse than mine.” Pinkie waved around her leg stump that had thankfully stopped bleeding a while ago. “Nah, that's a busted leg potion, not a leg maker potion.” Grabbing a hoofful of sandstone from a nearby shelf, the troll tossed it back and began to chew loudly. “‘Sides, I just gotta keep up my nutrition and my leg will be back in no time!” Twilight nodded, she had so many questions about trolls and potions and everything she had seen, but she stowed them away for now. If she had a week of being unable to walk properly, then maybe she could find a library around her and fulfill her seemingly boundless curiosity. Though there was something more pressing she needed to, and that was plan. First things first, she would need gems in order to get home, though she knew not how she would earn them. She would need supplies, a guide, a weapon of some kind as well as a disguise and fake identification to get back into the city of her birth. Even then, she didn't know how to get any of those things. She would cross that bridge when she got there. “Hey Pinkie, Fluttershy, do you know where I can make some bits, er, gems?” “I usually just find my gems lying around, plenty of beings drop them and my animal friends pick them up and bring them to me. Sometimes beings just give them to me. Sorry, I can't help more...” “That's fine, thanks anyway, Fluttershy.” “I used to work on my family’s rock farm but that's all the way near the bottom of Cliffsdale. After I left home I was lucky enough to find out about Zecora and after plenty of convincing she let me stay with her and let me learn all the super neat stuff she knows. I never really needed to make any gems, but Zecora gives me some occasionally for helping her with tough stuff. Oh and I make all my party supplies myself!” The troll grabbed a hoof full of homemade confetti and threw it into the air. Twilight smirked at the display, it looked like dry grass that had been dyed different colors. She had to admit that was a pretty ingenious improvisation. “Darn, you girls aren't leaving me with a leg to stand on.” “Hehehe, good one Twilight!” The troll laughed deeply, her rumbling laughter so present Twilight could feel it. She blinked. “Oh yeah, I suppose that was pretty clever. I guess you got the leg up on me there.” The troll’s laughter doubled and she rolled on the floor, clutching her sides. Twilight was a little more reserved, merely snickering at her own terrible puns. Fluttershy just sighed and covered her face with a wing. “Not another one of you,” the hawk said with a sigh Twilight giggled at the hawk’s annoyance. “Can't take the punishment, Fluttershy?” Fluttershy groaned louder while Pinkie Pie laughed harder, only stopping long enough to add her own pun. “Well you know what they say Fluttershy, birds of a feather flock together!” While the two other mares laughed, Fluttershy scowled as much as a beaked creature could scowl. “Getting back on topic, I’m pretty sure there is a farm at the edge of town that was looking for help the last time I passed through. No offence though Twilight, but you don't look like you could do a lot of farm work.” Twilight waved a dismissive hoof. “No, no that's fine, I’ve never been athletic.” “Oooh that's good thinking Fluttershy, I’m sure Applejack would help Twilight out. Plus it’s almost her big brother’s birthday!” The troll gasped and suddenly reached over and grabbed Twilight’s cheeks. “Do you know what this means?” “Nwo wut?” “Double party!” “Double party?” Twilight shared a confused glance and shrug with Fluttershy. “Well yeah, we gotta throw you a Welcome to Ponyville party! Plus we can have it at the farm and make it a double party! The fun has been doubled! Huzzah!” The pink mare took on a more regal posture with the last two sentences as if quoting somebeing Twilight had never heard of before. “Anyway… Thanks again Pinkie Pie, I must have been really lucky you had made a ‘leg fixing’ potion.” “No luck about it, my Pinkie sense told me someone was gonna come along and need a leg fixer potion.” The troll tapped the side of her head with a hoof and grinned. “Pinkie sense?” “Yeah! It was a tail shake followed by a scratchy nose followed by my legs feeling all noodly. After that I just knew someone was gonna need a leg fixer potion…” The pink being scratched her head awkwardly. “Or it was warning me I was gonna get my leg nommed on.” She shrugged. “Oh well.” Twilight merely shrugged as well, realizing it was just Pinkie being Pinkie. Even being around the troll for mere minutes seemed to make the unicorn realize that trying to think too hard about the strange pink creature would only make her head hurt. Which was a far cry from what usually happened in other realities that involved their meeting, I wonder if it was because this Twilight went through so much craziness in her life so quickly and that made her more accepting of the odd pink being. “Well it was nice meeting you, Pinkie Pie. I look forward to the party,” Twilight said with a poorly mustered smile. “Yuperino! Oh before I forget, strawberry, vanilla or chocolate?” The troll pulled a pencil and notepad from her mane and eagerly awaited Twilight’s response. “Strawberry… no wait chocolate! No wait…” Twilight frowned, deep in thought. “Why not both?” Fluttershy added. “That’s perfect, can you do both Pinkie?” Twilight asked. “Of course! I’m so excited I can't wait until your party with all your friends, it’s gonna be great! Now out you two get going, auntie Pinkie has plans to make and cakes to bake!” “I’m a year older than you,” Fluttershy mumbled. “Toodaloo!” With a swift push the pair was out the door and on the curb, the door closed firmly behind them. Twilight blinked repeatedly. “What just happened?” “You got invited to a Pinkie Pie party.” “Oh uh, does she do this for every being?” Fluttershy simply nodded. “I’ve never been to a party for me before.” Twilight stared down at the ground between her hooves, lost in thought. “Not even one?” Twilight shook her head. “I’ve only been to one other party and that was a disaster.” “Do you want to talk about it?” the hawk asked sweetly, hopping closer to the mare. “Not really, sorry it still kind of hurts.” Twilight winced. “That's okay. We don't have to talk about it unless you want to. Now, why don't we go get some rest, I’m sure you are tired after all the excitement we had today.” “Yeah…” The pair picked themselves off the front step and started back towards town with Fluttershy leading the way. As they walked and flew Twilight’s mind drifted back to thoughts of the pink troll. Sure, she was strange and seemed to defy the laws of linear causality, but considering everything else that's happened recently this just seemed par for the course. Twilight smiled, she wasn't sure why but becoming friends with her felt… right. As if it was meant to be. Maybe it was how nice and funny the being was or maybe it was something else… Nah, that was silly, she dismissed the thought. It probably wasn't some sort of cosmic destiny, but the pink troll’s sense of humour surely had a fair share in it. Twilight hadn't laughed or smiled as much as she had while in the pink troll’s presence. Not since her brother’s last birthday... No, she wasn't going to think about that, not now, not while she was starting to make progress back home. Instead she chose to think about the jokes they had shared, much to Fluttershy’s dismay. When she had woken up earlier today lost and alone and so far from home, she had believed she would never laugh again, never feel kindness again nor be able to locate a soul that would stand with her, but here she was. With hope blossoming in her chest Twilight lifted her head high and dared to dream of a better tomorrow. Of a world where her life was not one horrible misstep after another, blundering further and further towards her own demise. The mare smiled and picked up her pace, quickly catching up to Fluttershy and smiling widely at the hawk. Who in turn couldn't help but smile back, though that came out more in the being’s eyes as smiling with a beak was a rather difficult task. Making their way back to town the pair took a more wary pace, frequently stopping while Fluttershy scouted ahead while Twilight lay low, ensuring this walk through the forest would not end at the jaws of some beast. All the while they talked idly, Twilight’s curiosity burning bright as she finally had time to ask some of the many questions she had thought of since her arrival at Ponyville. Fluttershy did her best to answer but she had never really been interested in the how and why of what happened, save for when animals were concerned. The evening star pulsed joyfully, its light matching the identical flickers from a nearby star. This one was different from the others that had shone so far, its light was pink and where the others stayed in the same spot, unmoving in the sky, this one seemed unbound by the laws of gravity and hopped happily across the night sky. After a time the stars dimmed and reassembled into their places, their light disappearing once more, fading into the background of many other brighter stars.