Derpy knew it wasn't going to be easy to find these things, but she wouldn't give up. She had to find her way home again, but as she sat there with Heart, she couldn't help but think to herself. What if there was more he wasn't telling her?
Derpy paused, biting her lower lip, raising her hoof towards her chin, as she sat on the soft lump ground of the forest, deep in thought.
“Darling, don't you worry your little tail off now, we're going to find these things and get you home. Though honestly, couldn't he send up to some sort of spa? Forgive me, darling but that mane of yours, really needs....something.” she tilted her head, her hooves framing Derpy's luxious locks of gold between her hooves.
“You really think so?” questioned Derpy nervously. Oh...she wished she knew what she was supposed to do. She brushed off the birm and muk the forest had left clinging to her form, espicially her tail. She should go meet up with the others again, after all they were a team now. Derpy remembered how Twilight had her friends to help her, maybe it was similar here?
Derpy paused, her hooves nervous as she glanced her head back to Heart.
“Are we friends?” she questioned.
“Why, darling why ever would you ask such a thing? Of course we're friends.” replied Heart Stripes, a huff escaping her mull.
“Well...it's just...” Derpy rubbed her hoof behind her mane.
Heart Stripes took the opportunity, to place her hoof under Derpy's chin, raising her glance to look into her eyes.
“You are special darling, you're a Princess after all.” replied Heart.
Derpy hestitated, her lips opened slightly, however she shook her head. No...she could do this, no she had to, her daughter was counting on her to come home once more. Derpy wouldn't fail her, she had to find her courage, in the face of adversity and strife.
“I suppose we should go fetch the others now, shall we?” smiled Heart extending her hoof, batting her eyelashes hoping for her to accept.
Derpy took her hoof in her hand, smiling softly. She was right they had things to do, she couldn't let her own self doubt get in the way of her getting back to whence she came from. It was silly how the old sage spoke, but he knew more than she probably ever would.
Derpy and Heart Stripes returned to find Electric Flare listening tot he sage ramble on about his lawn.
“I swear, you children, you don't understand how much work I put into this!”
“Sorry...” replied Electric Flare her ears droped a bit, trying not to upset the old man. Her smile widened seeing Derpy return. She went over to her and embraced her softly.
“Can we go now, if that's alright?” asked Electric Flare hesitantly. She didn't want to be rude, but that old pony was even getting on her nerves.
Midnight and Emma came walked out from a different part of the forest, returning to join them.
Derpy had herself her team, between the five of them, they should be able to do just about anything, she hoped. She took a deep breath.
The path ahead continued to be dimly light, and full of muk. Derpy didn't mind it that much, after all she was knew there were far wrong things than a little bit of dirt. Knowing she might never see her daughter again, she'd face just about anything or anyone to get back to her.
The path her hooves now traveled upon, weren't as muddy the further they got away from the sage's cottage. Derpy looked back towards the others, Midnight and Emma were traveling side by side, she couldn't help but notice a smile forming on the stallion lips, as Emma leaned her cheek against his affectionately so. Derpy blinked. Had she missed something? She shrugged her shoulders and decided not to question it, whatever had happened, that was their business.
Heart Stripes noticed the gleam in Derpy eyes, the way she had glanced over at the happy couple, Heart couldn't help but giggle. She was so naive and cute, it was absolutely to die for! She had to find a way to win the affections of the mare.
“How far is this place anyways? Did you even think to ask?” questioned Heart Stripes.
“Um...no?”
“Darling, how are we supposed to find where we are going?” questioned Heart Stripes.
“I have a map, we have to travel through a swamp and then into the valley.”
“A swamp! I've had enough of these muddy and dark places, don't you think he could send us somewhere a bit...more glamorous?” questioned Heart Stripes an annoyed snuff escaping her mouth.
“Ah, come on I'm sure it won't be that bad.” replied Derpy, putting a hoof to her shoulder.
“Darling, it's not just the mud, but the creatures...” began Heart her face scruffed up looking rather digusted at the prospect.
“What kind of monsters?” questioned Derpy.
“Who knows? I've never been in a swamp, and after getting lost in the forest I don't want to be! I almost lost my life trying to find inspiration for a new line of clothes for the upcoming season. Then, you like a dashing hero, swooped in and saved me from my doom.” she stated dramically.
“Well, I couldn't just do nothing, you were in trouble.”
“That is why you are my hero.”
“I'm just glad I can help.”
Derpy then tilted her head, and continued moving onwards through the brush and thick of the tall grass. It came up to almost her torso, and she had to track carefully, taking one step at a time, and listening to any strange sounds she might hear in the distance. Never knew where danger might come from, she wasn't about to let her friends get hurt. They had decided to help her of their own free hoof, and she truly and fully appriciated them for that, but she'd never forgive herself if anything happened.
It was rather nice to have Heart Stripes as an addition to her team of ponies, even if most of what she did was complain about the muk of the flithy terrain they were traveling across at least it was something, other than the silence that seemed to fill the empty space. Derpy had a lot on her mind, even if not everything seemed to make sense. Could it really be so simple? Get three items, return to the sage and go home? She swalloped a breath of nervousness, she felt a hoof on her shoulder, her head turned to gaze into the eyes of Electric Flare.
“It'll all turn out okay, just don't think about it too much. We just need to focus on one thing at a time, alright?” she asked her tone soft and caring.
Derpy nodded, she was right, she couldn't be distracted by her own self doubts, they had a bark from a tree to find. She just hoped this valley of death was nearly as dangerous as it sounded, she was positive Heart would want to return to the swamp if they were big threatening monsters within it, why else would you call a place “death valley” she paused in her own train of thought as she suddenly realized she no longer felt the grass brushing against her frame. She saw a light ahead, the end of the swamp, she couldn't help but notice Heart Stripes dashing for the end of the area.
“Wait!” begged Derpy grabbing the end of her mane in her teeth. Heart fussed out pouting.
“It's so close...” she began, batting her eyes longingly so at Derpy.
“You don't know what might be waiting past here. We, should um form a plan in case we run into anything scary.” spoke Derpy. She had to keep them safe, even if they didn't fully understand it, she'd never forgive herself if something happened to any of them. She didn't even belong in this world. How she wished she could simply return to her old life of delivering the mail, this whole saving the world stuff was really out of her comfort zone.
“I'll go ahead and take a peak.” offered Emma Flower. She just shook her head at Heart Stripes. “You really should listen to her you know? I...used to be reckless, and look where it got me.”
“I...” began Heart Stripes, still pouting. What did a girl have to do around her to get a break?
“Alright, just be careful okay?” replied Derpy, biting her lip. She didn't feel right sending Emma on her own, but she was the one that knew the most about the place. She watched as Emma began to take her first steps towards the light, when Midnight stood in her path.
“No...I'm not losing you again. We all go, that's the best method.” replied Midnight, concerned for his friends, his wingspan folding around her form and holding Emma close.
Suddenly, it all clicked together for Derpy. “Oh...”
“How cute.” spoke Heart Stripes from beside her. “They're in love.” she teased.
Midnight Star just gave Heart Stripes a dirty look. She was really getting on his last nerves, but Derpy had offered him a chance to prove he wasn't as bad as he seemed, and he was willing to start over again, and with Emma at his side, nothing could have made him happier. Heart Stripes was right about one thing, he was in love, had been for a good many years, just being able to hold her in his embrace was something he thought he'd never be able to do.
Derpy couldn't doubt Midnight was right, they needed to stick together, even if Emma was the only one that knew this area, all of them working together would be better than any of them going off alone, she still suggested for Emma to lead them, and she would be right behind her.
Emma Flower nodded her head, and took the first steps out of the swamp, into what immedatiely felt like a scorching desert.
The path ahead was as empty as a wasteland of nothingness, the air around them went from murky and muddy, to a scorching desert, filled with empty grains upon which their hooves now traveled. With each step, Derpy could feel the weight of the sun upon her shoulders, it made her mane fall down in front of her face as she walked. How was she supposed to find a tree in all of this nothingness?
There was no end in sight, no monsters seeming to appear out of the holes, though she did see what looked like a wild forest hare running ahead in the distance. What would a rabbit be doing all the way out here? She knew then and there, the rabbit might lead her to the tree! She couldn't help but think of Fluttershy, did this world have a mane six like she did back home? If that was true...then why was she the hero of this world and not them? It all baffled her, and the more and more time she spent thinking about it, the more exhausted she felt. She couldn't give up, she had to follow the lead while she still could.
“Everyone, let's follow that hare!” she spoke determined not to lose sight of the small bunny as it hopped on along, ahead of them.
“You want us to follow a bunny? Darling, I hate to be...rude but are you sure you even saw a hare?” questioned Heart Stripes.
Derpy knew she wasn't just seeing things, she had seen it, even if Heart hadn't, she could see little paw markings upon the ground as she pointed Heart towards them.
“See?” she pointed.
“Hmm...” Heart studied the hoof prints carefully. She wasn't exactly an expert on animals but if there was one thing she knew about deserts, a lot of times you thought you saw something, only for it to turn out to be a trick of the mind. She didn't want Derpy to get her hopes up for naught, if it turned out it was a false lead. Her head lowered to the ground, taking in every little detail of the marks. They did look to be from a small animal of some sorts, but was it really a hare or something more sinister? She would keep her eyes open, she didn't trust this place, and she would protect Derpy, the same way the beautiful mare had saved her, she owed her that much. Even, if she never returned her feelings of graditute, she would make sure Derpy found her way home.
“Well?” questioned Derpy.
“It seems like the marks of an animal, why don't we have Emma look at it? After all, she knows more about this than I would, animals aren't really my thing darling. It's fashion. Oh the glamour of it all! What I wouldn't give for some shade right about now though.” she panted, not resorting to having her tongue stick out, but beads of sweat ran down her cheeks, as her hooves studied themselves upon the ever shifting sands. She huffed out an annoyed breath. She couldn't wait to be ridden of this awful place. What she wouldn't give for a spa right about now.
Emma Flower stepped forward, Midnight Star watching her every move. She understood his reasons, but hoped he wouldn't baby her forever. She lowered her muzzle towards the ground, eyeing the markings before her.
“Hmm...” she paused, bringing her hoof up towards her chin. “They do look like the markings of a small animal, and they don't seem that old either, the ground is much too soft for the markings to have been made some time ago. Perhaps she really did see a hare in the distance.” replied Emma standing back up, and smiling ever so softly towards Derpy. Whatever she decided to do, Emma would follow. Not just because the sage had sent her, but because she wanted to help however she could. She didn't claim to know everything, but when it came to healing, and she had waited so long to return to adventuring once more. She had honestly missed the thrill of it all. It was just so exciting, she had to remember not to seem overly thrilled by the prospects of it, or else Midnight might put a leash and collar on her, as she rolled her eyes at the thought. She did love him though, just she hoped he understood she could take care of herself, she wasn't the same old young filly she used to be. No, she had learnt so much by simply listening and watching the sage.
Derpy couldn't help as her grin widened covering her cheeks, almost Pinkie Pie like. “I knew it! I knew I saw a bunny!” she jumped up and down, almost forgetting that she had seen it mere minutes ago, and now all they had to follow was paw prints that the hare had left them. She couldn't afford to not follow this path, it had to lead to the tree. That was what she believed, even if it meant not having any water to drink for the next few days, she would find her inner strength, knowing what this could mean for not only her, but for all of them. Derpy, felt confident, she had a plan now, a simple one, but a plan nonetheless.
Follow the bunny, hoping it would lead them to the tree, where she would then find the bark she needed, and then one of the three things she needed for the elder's spell, she'd have in her hooves. What could possibly go wrong? Confidence, and a determined mind, Derpy pressed on, unaware of something far more deadly then a bunny beneath her hooves.
The tracks still were fresh but they weren't that easy to see in the distance, so Derpy paid close attention to the paw prints she could see. Her head was right near the ground, following the little prints left behind by the hare, when her ears flattened a bit at the ground trembling between her. Immedatiely, without any pause in her steps, she shouted towards the others.
“Run!” she let out a cry of desperation, her ears ringing from a loud screech as the sands beneath her hooves began to move back and forth.
Midnight Star immedatiely went to lift Emma Flower up off of the ground, as he was able to see what was conspiring between them.
“Let go of me!” demanded Emma Flower, struggling to free herself from his hold. Did he think she incapable of flying? She was a pegusus just like him for heaven sakes!
Derpy hurried to push Heart Stripes ahead of her, as the sands seemed to swallow her up, she struggled to climb out of it, but she was sinking, and that wasn't the worst of it, looking behind her, her eyes grew wide with shock and awe as she was looking right at what appeared to her like a worm with threatening fangs within it's mouth. It let out another screech as it tunneled up towards the surface.
“Run, every pony, run!” spoke Derpy worried for her friends.
Heart Stripes hadn't known why Derpy had pushed her until she saw the horrifying creature coming into her line of sight. Her own eyes widened with a “O” gasp.
“Oh my, darling could you not screech so loudly? You are hurting my ears.” she spoke.
Derpy heard Heart Stripes, why wasn't she running? Midnight and Emma were arguing up in the sky, and Electric Flare was going to move Heart Stripes to safety.
“We can't simply do nothing now can we? We have to help.”
“I'll be fine, just go.” begged Derpy, doing her best to keep the awful looking thing from devouring her friends, using her inner strength to keep it's mouth open.
Heart Stripes wasn't about to let Derpy sacfrice herself for their sakes. She had to get creative. They had to have something they could do to help her, that's when she had an idea.
“Electric Flare, do you think you can throw that nasty critter?” she questioned batting her eyelashes towards her. “I can use my magic to leviate Derpy out of it's mouth, then you grab it by the tail and give it the big hep ho! What do you say, can you do it?”
“I can try.” replied Electric Flare. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. Though Heart Stripe had a good plan for one worm, but when the ground shifted and quaked between her hooves. Four more heads shooting from beneath the sands, appearing from out of nowhere.
“Oh great...more of them, just what I needed.” huffed Heart Stripes, she used the magic within her horn, to grab Derpy from the monster's mouth putting her down beside her.
“I appriciate you saving me yet again, but no dying on me now you hear? You have a daughter to return too.” spoke Heart Stripes, geniunely concerned for her dearest friend. There was a time and a place for all things, and just as she had stated, now was a time to run, not a time to play hero.
Derpy chuckled, holding onto Heart Stripes, and flying into the air. She couldn't pick up Electric Flare so she'd have to come back for her. She didnt' like leaving her behind, but Emma and Midnight seemed to be too busy arguing to grab her from below.
“Midnight! Emma! The both of you can argue later, now isn't the time for idle bickering.” complained Heart Stripes, not afraid of voicing her own thoughts on the matter. She felt like she was in heaven, if it wasn't for the fact they were being chased by monsters, this would've been much more romantic.
Electric Flare gulped a breath, staring down the four snake like worms, their bodies were a sand like color, but unlike a worm, they didn't have rings around their bodies, and she didn't know if they had eyes or not, because after Heart had grabbed Derpy, one of them attacked the other thinking it had taken it's lunch. Electric Flare didn't waste any time while they were distracted and turned on her heels and ran towards Derpy and Heart as she was carrying her away from the monsters.
Midnight Star looked towards Emma Flower as she went down towards the ground, lifting up Electric Flare and flying her away from the danger. Midnight couldn't help looking back towards the monsters, as it seemed at least they were too busy fighting over who ate the pony, to figure out the pony had gotten away.
Derpy landed a safe distance away, though when she landed she realized she may have lost the one thing that might led to the tree, the tracks. They were most likely gone now. She let out a heavy breath, her head sinking just a bit. She was glad the others were safe, but what if something like this happened again? Was she really ready to let ponies die for her? She didn't want to think about it, she turned her head towards Heart Stripes, the pony whom she had saved, only for her to return the gesture by saving her.
“Um...thanks.” spoke Derpy softly.
Heart Stripes was about to say something in response when something caught her eye in the distance. “Derpy, look!” she shouted, pointing towards where she saw it.
It was faint, Derpy could just barely make out the outline of a tree, at least what looked like a tree. She hugged Heart Stripes, without even thinking. Derpy felt even more confident now, she may have lost sight of the dessert hare, but she knew where to go next. She would wait for the others to catch up to them. She couldn't help glancing back to where they had been, seeing the monsters eventually give up and return to the ground beneath the sand.
Derpy wasn't about to take chances, they needed to get to the tree as fast as possible. She grabbed a hold of Heart Stripes, lifting her once more in the air, and going to fly towards the goal, hollering for the others to follow her. Derpy might not have been the best flyer, but she had a good heart, and she just wanted to be able to help others.
She took a deep breath as she landed Heart Stripes in front of the huge oak tree. It was a beauty to behold. Derpy couldn't help but wonder how a tree like this could survive in a vaste dessert of nothingness, and giant snake like worms. Though, perhaps it was better not to question it, she wasn't very good at analyzing things.
“Well, now darling, how are we supposed to take a bark from this tree? With how old it is, who's to say what might happen, and let us hope we don't anger more critters.” spoke Heart Stripes.
Derpy thought about it, she supposed she could just simply take a piece of the tree, but who was to say it would last the trip? She felt herself biting at her mull.
Suddenly, Derpy saw the hare again, he ran under the tree and seemed to disappear. Hmm, how odd? There had to be a tunnel below the tree, maybe that was what was keeping it up, or perhaps it was so kind of strange magic. Derpy followed the hare, instincts told her the rabbit would lead her to some sort of answer, and hopefully more clues as to how to get home.
“You are really expecting me to get my hooves dirty aren't you?” questioned Heart.
“At least it's better than being eaten.” responded Midnight as he landed because Heart Stripes. He still didn't like her, but he would not argue with whom Derpy brought along, he just didn't see what was so...helpful about her.
Derpy dug under the tree, and then she slid onto the dirt, and went for a slide.
“Wohoo!” she shouted, doing her best to enjoy herself, despite being startled, and having no clue what she might find beneath the tree. She was really shocked to find what looked like someone's home, some pony's house. The hare jumped up on what seemed to be a sofa of sorts, and lounged back into the chair like he owned the place. Derpy blinked her eyebrows furrowing, her hoof scratching the back of her ear.
Didn't Fluttershy have a bunny that acted sort like this one? Wait...was it possible this world had their own mane six? Is that why Heart Stripes seemed so much similar to Rarity from home?
“Oh my...Jack you didn't tell me we had guests, I would've made tea.” spoke the voice of a mare coming out from a different part of the underground house.
Derpy couldn't take her eyes off the mare, she knew it was rude to stare but she was shocked to see a pegusus. She reminded her so much of Fluttershy, her coat was a light brown color, her mane and tail a soft subtle shade of pink, long and framing her face ever so declately. Her cutie mark was what looked to her like a leaf.
“Oh, hello there, excuse me for not having tea, but you are more than welcome to stay if you would like.” smiled the mare.
“Um...sure?” smiled Derpy, still baffled, though it wasn't long until she felt a bump behind her, to find that Heart Stripes and the others had followed her into the tunnel.
“Oh...I'd best go make that tea now.” spoke the mysterious mare, and without another word she simply disappeared allowing them to entertain themselves while she fetched some tea.
Derpy looked to Heart Stripes about to say something but stopped herself short. Surely if a mane six did exist in this world wouldn't they be the heroes of the world and not her? Why was she a princess? What had she done that made her so special, unles...her eyes grew huge with shock. This didn't mean that the elements of harmony existed here too?
“Darling, I'd suggest closing your mouth or else flies might seek fit to find their home there.” spoke Heart Stripes calmly.
Derpy closed her mouth, but yet she had so many questions, so many things she wanted to ask, so many things she had to know, but yet the most important one of them all, was how in the heck do I go home?