//------------------------------// // Chapter 23: Into The Forest // Story: How Did I Get Here? // by k12314 //------------------------------// CHAPTER 23 I walked through the gate near 's cottage, and I headed into the forest with a pouch of supplies. Some food, medicine, and a map, showing where Zecora lives. "Seeya later everypony!" I shouted as I waved to my friends, who watched me go. "Onwards and upwards... Allons-y!" I started running. I had run through the forest for a good ten minutes before getting tired. I sat down on a tree around a few blue flowers, and looked at my map. Zecora's hut was only a half hours walk from here. I got up, and looked at the blue flowers that were near me. How pretty. I leaned down and felt one. They felt like cloth. "How quaint." I began my walk to meet with Zecora. After wandering for a bit, the ground began to shake. "Oh bugger all!" I struggled to keep my balance and move on, and then the ground collapsed from under me. "HOLY FRI-" SLAM. I got up, and rubbed the back of my head. I was in some chamber or something. I looked around a bit, and found a statue of a pony. He was tall, and muscular. He had weights on his rear legs, and wore a cowboy hat. There was a bandanna around his neck. "Who the bloody hay..." I shook it off, not thinking anything of it. I piled up some dirt, and used it as a pedestal to jump and grab the edge of the hole, I pulled myself out. Then, as if on cue, a big tree fell over, covering the hole. A while after I had walked away, another earthquake began, and I could have sworn I heard the ground collapse again, and the sound of a filly yelling. I decided to not pay any mind to it, thinking it was just paranoia making the sounds. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ I was feeling a little strange, and the hut was nowhere to be found. I was still wondering what that blue plant was. I began to feel my head swimming, and the world around me began to get distorted. What's going on!?!? I blacked out for a moment, but then I awoke... I was laying down. I got up, and noticed it was my room from back on Earth! I was joyed to be home, but I remembered all of my pony friends, and felt bad that I had left them behind. But how was I back? I didn't dwell on the question, and instead looked around the house for my mother. "Mom?" No answer. "Moooom?" Nothing. "MOM!" Now I was worried. She was always home. "MOM!!!" OK, something is going on here. I went outside, and I noticed that all the houses were boarded up, and left behind. On further inspection, so was my house. The door was still left un-blocked though. I scratched my head in confusion and panic, and I started to look all around town. There were cars either abandoned or overturned in the streets, and I saw a few dark patches on the ground that were in the shape of people. This was freaky. "Hello, Kyle." I heard a gravelly voice say behind me. "GAH!" I jumped. I spun around to see who had just addressed me. It was a strange old man, with white, messy hair. He was wearing a large robe, nothing else. "So, you came back. But it is too late now. Everyone is dead. The ponies were investigating where you came from. When they discovered this world, and disintegrated everyone. They cleansed this wretched world. You are next." "No... No this can't be happening!" I clutched my head and looked around. I saw all of the ponies I knew were gathering around me... But they looked different. Their eyes were... Empty. As they closed in, they pushed me over and held me down. I heard the old man laughing maniacally, as the sky began to shine. I saw a rainbow fired down at me... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ "No... No... NO!" I sprung up and looked around. I was in a strange building, with masks and potions everywhere. I was still alive, and I was in a hut in the forest. "I heard you scream from your bad dream." The voice I heard had a strange accent to it. I looked over to see a zebra looking at me. She had gold rings around her neck, and a mohawk-like hairstyle. "Where am I?" "You are in my hut, you nut." This zebra apparently spoke in rhymes. That was going to get annoying. "Are you Zecora?" "That I am." "What the hay happened to me?" "The poison joke, it claimed your mind. I have cured you, with a potion of mine." "Well, what does it do?" "It takes over your mind and body, and brings into reality your deepest fear." I had feared going home and everyone being gone, and I knew that with my personality, I would have blamed the ponies... "Thanks... Now can you tell me where the old castle is?" "Ah, the ruins of an kingdom long forgotten. I will lead you there, although the place is most rotten." "Thank you very much, Zecora. Lead the way. Allons-y." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ We arrived at a ravine, and the bridge leading across had collapsed. I looked down at my and smiled. "I must leave you now, good luck." Zecora trotted off. I flew across the gap. I looked at the old castle. This search will take a while. Good thing I'm good at this kind of thing. I walked inside, and noticed several old tapestries that were torn and moldy. This castle has been abandoned for a LONG time. I knew that stargazing equipment would be on the top floor, so I looked for some stairs. When I found the grand staircase, I climbed all the way to the top floor, gasping for breath afterwards. This castle was much different than the one in Canterlot. It took me a few minutes to find the observatory. When I did, my mouth hung open. A giant bear made of what seemed like plasma and stars was sleeping in the middle of it. Oh boy... I noticed that it had Luna's stuff in its claws. Are you serious? I snuck over to it, and I tried to pull the equipment out of its claws. I just barely managed to do so without disturbing it. "Yes!" I said in a whisper. "ROAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!!!" My eyes widened, and my pupils were like the points on pins. I slowly turned around, and I noticed the face of the monster was a few inches from mine. It was breathing on me. "Ummm... Hi." "ROOAR!" "OKGOTTAGOSEEYA!" I sprinted towards the stairs, which immediately collapsed. Why does karma want me killed? I looked around frantically for a way out. I noticed that one of the windows was cracked and ready to break. I ran at it. I dove through the window, the glass digging into my skin. I was screaming as I fell. I was trying to focus on my so I could fly, but the mental link was broken by panic. Then, I felt myself land on something. I looked down to see Zephyr flying us away from the castle, and the forest. "Zeph? How did you..." "Rainbow Dash told me you were heading into the forest, so I followed you out here to make sure you didn't get yourself hurt." "Oh. Well thanks dude. You saved my life!" "Don't mention it." I could tell my the look in his eyes that he was proud of himself. I was proud of him too. "Let's get this stuff to Luna." I wanted to get this over with, and never think of it again.