Though they woke up to a pleasant morning in Cloud Patch, the group found that they had no food for breakfast. Luckily, Silver Tongue had a few extra wishing stars on him, so he made a wish for food. After everyone ate their meals, they resumed traveling. Unfortunately, the kids were so distracted by the fluffy clouds that they kept bouncing on them.
Silver Tongue eventually got tired of it and angrily scolded, “Children, stop playing around! We have important business to attend to and you’re slowing us down!”
The children stopped bouncing and hung their heads in shame as they replied sadly, “Okay.”
Seeing the downtrodden look on Oddball’s face, Wacky nuzzled the colt to comfort him.
As the kids walked with the group, Skater whispered to Silver Tongue, “Don’t you think that was a bit harsh?”
Silver responded, “If you want to save Paraddock from certain doom, then we best move as quickly as possible.”
Skater couldn’t argue with that, but she still felt that his behavior was uncalled for. Against his better nature, Mischief hoped that Silver would show more of his ugly side so the others could see him for what he truly was. Until then, he could not say anything against the prince.
Soon, they reached the border where the clouds ended and a savannah began. As the group stepped off the fluffy clouds and onto the firm ground of the savannah, they looked in wonder of the docile animals going about their lives. There were elephants bathing in watering holes, lions napping in the sun, and even giraffes munching on the leaves decorating the trees’ high branches.
Vapor breathed in amazement, “Everything’s so peaceful and yet so majestic.”
Turquoise asked in worry as she huddled close to Apple Butter, “Are the lions going to hurt us?”
Suddenly, a twig snapped and a lion shot its head up through the tall yellow grass. The group gasped as they waited for him to attack.
To their surprise, however, he spoke in a low grumble, “Be quiet over there. We’re trying to sleep.”
When the lion’s head dipped behind the tall grass, Skater whispered, “Oh-kay. I guess we’ll have to be quiet, then.”
The group moved slowly past the lions until they were a safe distance away from them.
Blaze said, “Now we know for sure who created Paraddock. I mean, why else would animals and plants talk here?”
“Don’t forget giant sandboxes trying to kill us,” Roller added.
Apple Butter corrected, “I don’t think that was the creator’s intent.”
Mischief said, “That’s not important right now. We need to find her and find out what’s going on.”
Nova asked, “But the question is which way do we go?”
A soft, whispery voice responded, “I think I might know.”
The group was surprised again when a reddish cobra slithered onto a flat rock beside them.
He hissed in a sleazy manner, “That isss, if you’re up to the challenge.”
Sky Stinger proudly stated, “We can take on anything! We’ve battled sand monsters, crazy rivers, you name it!”
“I’m sure, but I’ve heard that the creator is extremely powerful and can do anything she pleasesss.”
Blaze said, “Yep. Sounds like our draconequus.”
Flurry asked the snake, “Do you know where we can find her?”
The cobra answered, “I might, if you can prove you have what it takesss.”
Mischief asked, “So what do we have to do?”
The snake seemed taken aback by that question as he said, “What do you have to do?” His eyes darted around, searching for any ideas. “Well, see, you have to…” When his eyes fell on Flurry’s mane, he continued, “…get a hair.”
Roller asked with a raised brow, “A hair? That’s it?”
“Yesss, a hair.” He then heard an elephant trumpet in the distance. He clarified with a sneaky smile, “An elephant hair.”
Turquoise said in confusion, “But lellafans don’t have hair.”
Zealot stated, “I think they have hair on their tails.”
The cobra nodded, “Yesss, yesss! Bring me the hair of an elephant’s tail and I’ll tell you where your missing…person isss. Do we have a deal?”
Sky Stinger then came to the front and said confidently, “Deal! I’ll get your hair. After all, I’m the one and only Pony Pan.”
As he walked towards one of the watering holes, Vapor fretted, “I really hope you’ll be careful.”
“Ah, don’t worry, honey. I’ll be back with the hair before you can say ‘Bob’s your uncle.’”
Luckily, the herd of elephants was positioned on the far side of the watering hole. This meant that Sky could just dive underwater, sneak up to them, and pluck a hair before they would catch on. He took a deep breath and dived softly into the water without making a disturbance. He almost lost his contained air when he discovered that the pool was practically bottomless beneath the submerged dirt walls of the hole. He was further amazed when he saw that the elephants’ feet seemed to be floating yet standing still in the water at the same time.
He thought in amazement, Wow, crazy! He then shook his head and refocused on the task at hand. He swam up to one of the elephants at the edge of the herd and saw its tail swinging side to side. He smiled devilishly as he thought, Bingo.
He jumped out of the water and tried to reach for the tail, but he fell back in the water without success. He tried jumping again, but this time using his mouth to get a hair. That attempt, too, failed.
Meanwhile, the elephants chattered amongst themselves. One of the young elephant calves noticed Sky jumping up and down the water.
He squeaked in fear, “Aah! It’s a piranha! Run!”
His mother told him, “Sweetheart, we’re safe here. There are no piranhas and never will be piranhas in –“
Suddenly, one of the adult males shouted, “My butt!”
As the elephants trumpeted, shouted, and moved in frenzy, Sky held onto the elephant’s tail with his teeth as tightly as he could. Eventually, the tail whipped up and flung Sky into the air. As the Pegasus screamed in mid-air before coming down, the elephants frantically asked each other what the mysterious creature was.
The calf shouted, “It’s a piranha!”
When Sky disappeared into the water, the elephants looked at the spot with intense anxiety. Sky then splashed into view and bared his teeth as he gasped for air.
The elephants screamed as they started to stampede in fear, “PIRANHA!!!”
There were feet scurrying and stamping everywhere, splashing water where they landed. Sky thought for sure he was done for this time. Meanwhile on the plains, the group watched in fear and worry as the chaos unfolded. Vapor’s eyes were wide from the scene and she covered her mouth with her hooves.
Roller whispered, “He’s dead.”
Suddenly, the elephants started to stampede out of the watering hole and run towards the group in blind fear.
The Pegasi twins then shouted, “We’re dead!”
The screaming group of travelers ran towards the trees for shelter from the stampede.
When Flurry counted everyone, she gasped, “Where’s Opulence?!”
Nova looked towards the stampede and saw the young filly frantically avoiding the large feet of the fearful elephants. She shouted, “I see her!”
Zealot ran out into the open, lunged through the stampeding herd, and grabbed Opulence before a huge foot could crush her. With the frightened filly in his arms, he rolled out of harm’s way and waited until the stampede was far away from them. Once the danger had passed, Opulence began to cry uncontrollably in Zealot’s arms.
He heard his beloved Apple Butter’s voice shout, “Zealot!” The group ran towards Zealot and AB asked in concern, “Zealot, are you okay?”
Zealot looked at her calmly, “We’re fine. We’re fine.”
Vapor then let loose a near-animalistic cry, “SKY!!!”
She ran towards the watering hole where Sky’s front half was limp on the earthy edge. Luckily, he hadn’t been trampled on, but he looked so…still.
Vapor frantically blubbered as she pulled Sky onto the ground and flipped him on his back, “Sky, honey! Sky, come on! You can’t do this to me! Don’t die on me, Sky! Don’t die on me! Don’t you dare die on me!”
Silver Tongue walked up and said, “Step aside. I know CPR.”
He leaned over Sky’s body and pressed his hooves against the stallion’s chest. With one push, however, a gush of water spurted out of Sky’s mouth and onto Silver’s face.
As her husband coughed jaggedly, Vapor smiled widely, “He’s alive! He’s alive!”
While the rest of the group cheered for Sky’s safety, Mischief couldn’t help but feel low about himself.
He thought, Silver’s a hero and I did nothing. This proves it now. He’s the prince Flurry deserves, not me.
Abruptly, Vapor’s mood changed from joyful to furious. She shouted at Sky, “You idiot! You could’ve made me a widow! Are you happy?!”
Sky nodded, “Mm-hmm.” When he stuck his tongue out, there it was: an elephant hair.
The cobra, who had slithered up to the group when Sky was unconscious, said in surprise, “I don’t believe it. You got the hair.”
Sky wiped the hair off his tongue and said in displeasure, “Blech! You can keep it.” He wiped his hoof against the ground to get the hair off.
The snake said, “You know, to be honest, I thought you wouldn’t be able to do it, but you sssurprised me.”
Blaze said impatiently, “Okay, okay. Now tell us where to find the creator.”
“Since you are ssso eager to know, I’ll humor you. For generations, the egrets fly over this land and even away from it. Those who have traveled far from the sssavannah have told tales of a ssstrange creature who lives in a large and fantastic termite mound made of ssstone.”
The ponies and young griffon were confused for a moment until Nova realized, “Oh, wait. That must be the castle.”
“I believe it isss. Now, the egrets who have ssseen this magnificent castle flew over the dark forest, a wide sssea, and a jungle filled with strange plantsss.”
Blaze asked, “Well, which way do we go?”
“I’ll take you to the forest, sssince you impressed me ssso much.”
When they reached the trees bordering the grassy plains of the savannah, the cobra stopped and said, “Thisss is where I leave you. From this point on, you’re on your own.”
Flurry nodded in gratitude, “Thank you for your help, kind cobra.”
As the snake turned to leave, Sky Stinger asked, “So what are you going to do with the elephant hair?”
The cobra answered amusedly, “Nothing. I only told you to get one because I thought it was an impossible task and ssseeing you fail would amuse me. But sssince you succeeded, I kept my end of the bargain. Farewell, travelersss, and I hope you can handle whatever she throwsss at you.” He then disappeared into the tall grass.
Zealot said in uncertainty, “Are you sure we should trust a snake? I’ve read that they are associated with deceit and trickery.”
Blaze joked with a hiss-like lisp, “Sssure, why not? Let’sss go in the deep, dark foressst and find out!”
As her coltfriend entered the forest, Nova shook her head in annoyance, “Classic Blaze.”
Soon, the others followed the prince into the dark woods. It wasn’t pitch black nor was it as dark as the tunnels they traversed yesterday. Still, it was spooky enough to creep the adults out and frighten the children so they could huddle close for protection.
Gabby said nervously, “How much farther do we have to go? I don’t like it here.”
Jamboree agreed in near tears, “I wanna get out.”
Flurry comforted them, “I’m sure we’ll be out of here soon.”
Vapor pointed to something, “Look! A sign!”
The group drew close to the sign to read it.
Silver Tongue read aloud, “’Those who enter with doubt in the heart will also question who they are.’”
Sky said uneasily, “I’m not sure I like that mist close to the ground.”
Apple Butter suggested, “Well, since the sign is meant for those with doubt, maybe we should think about how we definitely want to get out of the forest.”
Zealot nodded, “Good idea, honey.”
After a few moments of getting their thoughts focused on leaving the forest, Mischief asked, “Is everyone ready?” When everyone nodded, he took a deep breath and said, “Okay…Here we go.”
They all entered the grove and felt the mist touching their hooves.
Some of the children giggled and Oddball said, “Hey, it tickles.”
Flurry asked, “Is everyone doing okay?”
Sky Stinger replied, “That depends. I’m not sure I’m feeling like myself.”
Vapor Trail nodded, “Yeah. I remember you, but I don’t remember who I am.”
Mischief agreed, “Neither do I.”
Those unaffected by the mist gasped in horror.
Nova fretted, “Oh, no! The mist is having an effect on them! Let’s get out of here quickly before it affects us all!”
The group then ran as fast as they could for almost a minute before they saw some light at the end of the grove. They practically jumped out of the mist when they reached the lighter part of the woods. Although no sun peered through the branches of the trees, it was light enough to ease everyone’s worries.
Skater asked, “Did everyone make it out okay?”
Mischief touched his head as he answered, “Yeah, I think so. I remember who I am now.”
She then asked the rest of the group, “Did anyone else forget who they were?”
All but Sky, Vapor, and Mischief shook their heads.
Sky said in confusion, “I don’t get it. We were all thinking about how much we wanted to leave the forest. Why did we still forget who we were?”
Nova suggested, “Maybe it’s doubt that’s deep down. Way deep, like in your innermost heart.”
Roller asked with a raised brow, “Why would anyone doubt they want to leave a dark and scary forest?”
Skater interjected, “Now, hold on. I think Nova’s onto something. What if it’s something that’s been bothering someone for a while, maybe even a long time? It could be something like their self-esteem, their confidence, or even –“
Flurry suggested, realizing something, “Who they are?”
She remembered how Mischief acted uneasy during the pre-wedding dinner, how he seemed to be putting himself down the night before they left for Paraddock, and even how he recently mentioned how princely Silver Tongue seemed to be. She wondered if…
Flurry said to her fiancé, “Mischief?”
Mischief, worried that she would catch on, tried to put on a calm front and asked, “Yeah?”
“How do you see yourself?”
Not wanting to displease Flurry, he lied nervously, “I see myself having a beautiful future with the most wonderful pony in the world.” In truth, he didn’t see himself having any kind of future with her.
Skater whispered to her twin brother, “He’s deflecting the question.”
Flurry said with furrowed brows, “I don’t think you’re being honest with me, Mischief.”
He defensively said, “Why wouldn’t I be honest with you? I’m your true love, am I not?” He wasn’t even sure he was that anymore.
Silver Tongue scoffed, “Some true love you are if you can’t even tell your beloved how you feel about her.”
Flurry glared at the unicorn and said sternly, “This isn’t about how he feels about me. It’s about how he feels about himself.”
Apple Butter asked, “What’s gotten into you, Mischief? Just say what you need to say.”
That did it for Mischief. His innermost feelings came out in an anguished shout of four words. “I’m not good enough!”
His sadness radiated as a blue light from his body and affected everyone it touched. While some blinked back their tears, others let their tears flow freely.
As the wave of sorrow began to die down, Mischief continued in a broken voice, “I’m…not the colt…you want me to be. I’m sorry, Flurry. I’m sorry I’m such a freak.”
He sat down and wept with his head hanging down and his hoof over his teary eyes. Flurry went to him and put her hooves over his shoulders to comfort him.
Skater suggested calmly, “I think we should take a lunch break here and rest for a while.”