//------------------------------//
// Chapter Seven: Welcome to Equestria 
// Story: Noble and Free 
// by Kaffeina 
//------------------------------//


Chapter Seven


Welcome to Equestria





There are many creatures across Equestria and her neighbors, far more than most could ever anticipate. The country itself is far from the largest but not quite as small as the claimed lands of pioneer nations that have formed in the recent years of the world. Equestria, for all can be seen, is an average nation on the world it calls home. That is, from a general outside perspective. If you are well educated or high up in the government nearby, Equestria is a foxhole of collisions of utopia and dystopia.

The princesses did not elect to inform the citizens, but the lands of the country were the central focal point from when the draconequus, known as Discord, dominated the Known World from his seat of power in what is currently the Everfree Forest. Up until his defeat, the forest had been fields much like the land around it, but the amount of chaotic energy provided by the entity had created a pocket of uncontrollable magic. If the princesses hadn't enacted the Weather Control Policies, it likely would have spread.

In fact, Equestria couldn't get away with NOT controlling it's weather, if you're curious you should know of the week where the pegasi failed to control the weather and the end result was snow, then weather well past 100 degrees, followed by a series of sand storms, dust storms, and oddly enough a seven hour period where it actually rained frogs and cats. None of them occurred at the same time each day, nor in the same order. 

That is one reason historians of the Known World consistently label Equestria a dystopia, not to mention the variety of other things one would know about. However, compared to that, Equestria is ridiculously peaceful, has a crime rate of less than 1% of the population, and is one of the friendliest societies across the world. Honestly, a true enigma, but by far one of the better places to live in.

However, it can be considered that there is a such a thing as too nice, too normal, or just plain too anything. Equestria, on the average, is definitely a place that feels stagnant if you aren't used to such things. This was why most creatures elected to never migrate to the country. the griffon lands even had a better diversity by comparison. That was why, despite the excessive oddness of the guest and it's inability to speak their language, that the griffons had little to no trouble interacting with it. Evidently, the creature did not have the same feelings.

Whenever a pony approached, it was cautious but relatively calm, and whenever a griffon approached it looked ready to panic and the strange language that came from its mouth sped up and rose to a higher pitch. In fact, it had attempted to run for it several times. This was a problem, and as Princess Luna could not remain as it's handler, the griffons had agreed to send it back with her. Verbal consent was most definitely an issue, but that didn't mean they couldn't tell where it's preferences lay. A few select griffons had been rather pissed off at the behavior and refused to go near the thing. Ponies, Luna had assured Decebal, knew no such issues and would prefer to press until accepted.

The old griffon had shaken his head and retorted that he wasn't worried about acceptance, he was worried about pressure being placed on the creature in general. It was, quite evidently, stressed out considerably by its circumstances and environment. So, after a long deliberation and discussion, Luna had agreed to allow the creature some space to itself once she returned home with it in tow.





Golden Oaks, Ponyville

A book tumbled to the floor with a dull thump as it collided with wood, how the book had fallen was a different issue. Twilight Sparkle was, for once, not directing her attention at the pile of books in front of her and instead was attempting mimic one of the spells, as she thought it was, on the old scroll she had brought back from the ruins. However, for as much as she tried, she couldn't manage to get it to work. What the spell did, well that much was at least clear, but how the spell worked was most certainly not clear. As far as she could tell, the spell allowed the user to essentially communicate with nature.

It might be the amount of nature nearby restricting her, but she lived in a tree that was actually still alive. If that wasn't enough nature then this had to be an exceptionally tricky spell for the creatures that had made it. It was relatively clear they lived in houses similar to that which ponies had, although with the few select differences. Nonetheless, she was certain she could cast the spell, there were very few she could not, but she could not figure out how it worked or what it needed. The pictures did not help in that regard and she was fairly frustrated already.

Her wonderful assistant, Spike, a small purple and green dragon shorter than her shoulders, but just barely, had meandered over and was looking at the scroll as well. "Twilight, are you sure this is even magic?" he asked, frowning at the paper.

"Of course it's magic, how could it not be?" she huffed.

"it's just, the picture makes it seem like they're talking to the trees. There's not much in the way of casting, even if this thing is different from a pony," he answered, pointing at the first picture which indicated a raised claw, although the depicted appendage was not a claw that was the closest word, pointed towards a tree. There was little else in the picture in that regard, merely the creature and the tree.

"So, you think they might just speak tree," Twilight said, giving Spike one of the most dull and tired looks he had ever seen. The sarcasm, Spike thought, was not needed but leagues better than Firelight Sparkler. he pointed at the next image on the scroll before shrugging.

"You said they're unlike anything you've ever seen, so why not consider it?" he looked at his companion, extremely glad he had probably prevented another episode. Those incidents were never fun and cleaning up the burn marks could get tiring. Half the time he had to replace something. She went silent and stared at the scroll for several minutes before letting out a long sigh.

"Might as well," she finally said. With that she laid the scroll down on the table and directed her attention towards a different scroll, this one was vastly different from the first. In fact, the biggest considerable difference was that she could actually read this one. It seemed as old as the books and other scrolls she had, but she could read it. It wasn't in old Equuian either, it was modern and even the writing was smooth. When she prodded it with magic, the scroll flashed. The text sharpened and the words, "Read the spell already!!!" appeared before her.

The mare bit back a scream before flipping the scroll over several times, marveling over the fact everything had disappeared except for those words and the spell beneath them. Feeling as if she had signed her death warrant, which was not normal at all, she finally decided to read the spell. The strangest part was that, when she spoke it out loud, the words sounded foreign coming from her lips. Whatever she was saying was not in a language she actually knew herself. Praying to her princess, she finished the spell and closed her eyes.

When she opened them the scroll had an image on it, and when she locked eyes with it, the image began speaking. "The Ξωτικά of the Forests, Chosen of the Goddess, greet a child on this day. As we know not who reads this, we speak not of our ways and our people, but instead offer greeting and wishes of peace. Come to us and we learn of one another. Speak, the trees listen, listen, the trees speak. May spring come hence to you and yours."

Twilight's jaw practically fell off her face, not only were these creatures peaceful, but they were exceptionally intelligent if they had created a spell that allowed them to jump the language gap for their greeting. However, if this scroll had been left and was used as a means of greeting, why did she find it? Where were the creatures, why had they not greeted any ponies? It had been a week since the vast forest had appeared and not a single pony had come to her or the princesses in regards to bipedal creatures. In fact, nothing at all had happened with the forest. Nothing new had come out, not even birds or creatures of any sort. It was completely bizarre that a species that had most certainly existed and evidently was friendly, had not made any efforts for contact.

With that, Twilight looked towards the quill at the other end of the table and grasped it with her magic, deciding to pen her second letter of the week to her teacher. Dipping the quill in her favorite ink, she began writing.



Dear Princess Celestia,

I have, in the vast pile of things I discovered and retrieved from the village, found a scroll that seems to act as the greeting for the creatures that lived in the forest. At first, I wasn't entirely certain what to make of the artifact nor was I willing to cast the spell given to me by the same artifact. Yet, after some persuasions, I found myself speaking the spell in a language I knew not, despite that casting is always silent, and the scroll spoke to me in Equuian! The spell translated the words and allowed momentary communication! It was an amazing discovery and I've already tried analyzing the spell placed on it with no success.

If you would like to see it, or know anyone capable of assisting me, I would greatly appreciate it.

Your Faithful Student,
Twilight Sparkle



Celestia, the solar diarch of Equestria, blinked at the two letters before her. One from her student and one from her sister. The latter had been gone several days in the griffon lands and she had grown concerned only for a letter to arrive informing her that she would be returning and with a guest! According to Luna, the guest was strange but she should definitely not freak out. The princess was not going to lie, she was kind of insulted her sister thought she would freak out over somepony. Ridiculous. She had dealt with Discord, the Yaks, Scorpus, Tirek, Ya'ltv'nir, and so many other abnormalish creatures.

So of course, she had decided to prank her sister back. Nothing major, just a mug that turned her coffee into a vibrant green color which stained, easily, when she drank it. That was how a true princess pranked, you see. Anything major was, by agreement, out of the question unless they agreed to allow one. Of course, as the carriage arrived, Celestia was amused and ready to see her sister's reaction. What she was not, was prepared for the guest in any way. What greeted Celestia, alongside her sister, was a tall and elegant creature exactly like that which her prodigy had spoken of and described to Shining Armor, and through him, her.

That was why, for the first time in quite awhile, Princess Celestia was rendered completely and utterly speechless. Princess Luna, by comparison, was laughing hysterically at the unintentional prank she had just pulled on her sister. Celestia was, definitely, normally well collected but the shock of this current coincidence was clearly a lot more than she could handle as a surprise. Luna walked up and tapped her on the shoulder with a grin.

"We believe this is a case for the Sparkle!" her eyes twinkled in amusement.