//------------------------------//
// Stuck in the Everfree 
// Story: Tales of a Young Princess 
// by ChaosknightRB 
//------------------------------//

	Summer was at a lost for words. The being before her was unlike anything she had seen or heard about. The filly noted its timidness, however, and decided maybe it wasn't something dangerous. "It's okay, you don't have to be afraid." She began. "I'm not going to hurt you." 

Shaking its head the personality of the creature did a complete flip. "Afraid? Pfft, I'm not scared. You just...surprised me is all." Summer was taken aback by this change in demeanor. From first glance it seemed to be younger than she. The voice indicated it was a colt, or whatever the males of its kind were called. "So, uh, do you any idea where we are?"

"What do you mean? Don't you live in here or something?" 

The creature looked at her confused. "Live here? Do I live here? I...I can't remember." He sat down trying to concentrate. "Who...who am I? Why can't I remember anything?" 

Summer wasn't sure if he was being serious or not. It all seemed too suspicious for her liking. "You can't even remember your name? Come on now, it can't be that hard to remember that of all things."

He stood up with a worried expression. "I'm serious! I can't remember anything!" he said. "I-" he stopped. "Wait...I know your name. It's...Celestia."

This caught the young filly off guard. She hadn't told him her name, not even her alias, yet he somehow knew who she was. This only made her suspicions grow. "H-how did you know that? Are you some kind of spy for my father?!" Now completely on edge she took a step back. "You can just tell him I don't want to go back. I'm perfectly happy on my own!" 

The creature tilted its head in confusion. "What are you talking about? You're crazy you know that?" 

Summer calmed down slightly. "You mean...you're not a spy?"

"No, but if I was a spy and I told you I wouldn't be a very good one now would I?"

He had a point. It didn't much help her nerves, but she found it a little funny nonetheless. "I-I guess." she agreed. "So if you're not a spy, what are you? How did you find me in the middle of a forest?"

"Well that's just it, I don't know. I just suddenly saw you lying in front of me and that's all I remember." Sitting down it lifted its mismatched forelimbs and looked them over. "As for what I am..." his ears dropped as he looked rather concerned. "I don't know what I am." he paused and looked up at the filly hopefully. "Am I not like you?"

Summer wasn't sure how to respond to the question. Obviously he wasn't a pony let alone an alicorn. On the other hand she didn't want to hurt his feelings by saying he's something different. It was quite clear the creature was looking to her for answers that she normally could never give, but given the circumstances she'd have to to her best. "Well we're...kind of alike. I mean, we both have wings and a tail, oh and we both have fur! So I guess we're pretty close."

"Really? Well I guess you're right. I mean, of course not everyone looks the same right? Yeah! I'm just like you. Except I'm, uh, unique!" He smiled slightly and stood up again. "Well then...what do we do now?"

Now reminded of the issue at hand she was clueless on which direction to take. "Not a bad question. I'm kind of lost right now...So I guess the first thing we should do is find a way out of this forest." 

The creature nodded. "Well then, lead the way Celestia!" he said cheerily. 

"Um, okay. Oh, can you call me Summer Heart from now on? I'm trying to keep my name a secret."  




The sounds of the forest were plentiful. Insects buzzed, birds chirped, and other critters could be heard all around them. A few more unnerving than others. For several hours,the two would wander the forest in hopes of finding a way out.  Despite their lack of luck the two were becoming fast friends. Though rather unusual the creature was quite talkative. Always asking questions about her or about the most trivial of things. Not being able to remember his own name, Summer had just settled on calling him Medley until his memory returned. Being some sort of pony made up of different animals she felt it suited him well enough. Over all the sounds of the forest one in particular rose up, Summers stomach. Having not eaten all day her stomach let out a loud grumble. 

Medley looked at her with a confused expression. “Did you just growl at me?”

“T-that was just my stomach. I guess I am a bit hungry.” she said slightly embarrassed. “Maybe we should try to find something to eat. There's bound to be something in a forest like this.”

“Yeah,” Medley yawned. “But can we take a break first? We've been walking forever.” Leaning up against a nearby tree he felt something fall on his head. “Ow, what the heck was that?” Looking down he saw a small red fruit and picked it up. “Hey this tree's throwing things at me!”

The filly looked at the apple excitedly. She then looked up to see the entire tree he had leaned against was full of bright red apples. “It's not throwing them at you silly. It's an apple tree. Wow that's lucky of us. They even look ripe!” 

He tilted his head in confusion. “Apple...tree? What's an apple?” 

Summer looked at him surprised. “You've never heard of an apple before?” Medley shook his head seeming put down slightly. “Err, don't worry about it. They're basically a fruit that grows on trees. They're really good too.”

“Hmm...” Medley looked the fruit in his paw over. Taking a bite of it, he immediately spit it back out. “Bleh, that was gross! I thought you said they were good?” 

Slightly taken back by his reaction, she giggled. “Well I guess not everypony likes them. I guess they're just not your thing.” Summer looked up and her horn glowed slightly only to send harmless sparks off. Panting, she collapsed to the ground. “I-I guess I'm a bit tired for magic. Now how am I going to get them?” Summers stomach let out a loud growl in disapproval. “Oh quiet you, there's nothing I can do about it.”

Medley saw the filly and felt bad. Just because he didn't like them he didn't think she shouldn't get any. Grabbing on to the trunk he slowly began to climb his way up the tree. His sharp claws made it easier, although the one leg that was hoofed was a bit of a setback. Making it to one of the lower branches he crawled over to grab one of the apples. As his paw touched it a small shock of energy burst out from Medley into the fruit causing him to recoil slightly. The energy that entered the apple suddenly began to jump to others causing them to all glow brilliantly. Both Summer and Medley were mesmerized by the spectacle of lights. As it all began to fade they noticed that apples had changed. Rather than the ripe red they had shown before they had become filled with a variety of colors, much like a rainbow. One of these strange new apples fell to the ground in front of Summer who simply looked at it with awe. 

“It looks really pretty.” her stomach let off another growl. “I hope it tastes as good as it looks.” Despite her concern for the unusual transformation, Summers hunger would be the one to win if she fought it any longer. Cautiously she took a bite out of the odd fruit. The alicorn looked at the apple in shock.  “It's...” she began. “It's perfect.” Without hesitating, the young filly began to devour the apple before her. Medley noticed how much she liked them and began to pick them off one at a time hoping touching them again wouldn't make them do anything crazy. 

Climbing down with his tail holding a good bushel of these new apples he placed them on the ground by Summer, who immediately began eating another. “Wow, you really like these apple things huh?”

“I love apples, but these ones are different.” she said with a mouthful. “I don't know how you did it, but they taste like something else entirely.” 

Medley picked one up and observed it. “So...they don't even taste like apples?” Summer nodded. “I guess I'll give these things a try then.” He took a bite and to his surprise loved it. “It's really sweet. What are they?” 

Summer wasn't really sure what they were. She had never heard of these strange apples. One zap and suddenly they turned into something new entirely. “I don't think they even have a name...maybe we should name them.” She pondered the thought for a moment. “Well, there was a zap and then they appeared right?” Medley nodded. “So why don't we call them zap apples?”  




Now with full bellies the two woke up from a short afternoon nap. The daylight was fading, however, as night began to slowly creep up on them. With no sign of a way out it wouldn't be long before it became too dark to see. 

“Is it just me, or does that tree look familiar?” Medley pointed out.

Summer rolled her eyes. “They're trees. They all look the same.” she sighed. “We can't be that far from a way out. I mean how big can a forest possibly be?” Trees, trees, a few bushes, and more trees. That was all the pair could see in all directions. “Well if we keep walking in one direction, there's bound to be something right?” Hoping her thought was sound, they proceeded in the same direction they had been for some time. 

With another hour past night had fallen over Equestria. Summer was able to get up a simple light spell to act as a torch of sorts. Night seemed to have stirred up much in the dark forest. The pair could hear sounds of creatures in all direction. Occasionally Summer could swear she saw something in the shadows only for it to disappear as soon as she looked towards it. The whole area had her paranoid. Her friend Medley, however, was faring far better. He didn't seem phased by the environment at all, but rather aloof of the whole situation. Summer was beginning to wonder if he even remembered what being scared was. 

As the two walked they heard a branch break from their right. Summer stopped and starred in the direction of the sound. 

Medley stopped beside her confused. “Uh, Summer? Are you okay?”

“T-there's something there...watching us.” The filly was visibly shaken, afraid of whatever unknown monstrosity was stalking them. 

“That's nice. Should we watch them back? Is this something ponies do normally?” Summer ignored his words as another branch broke, even closer than before. Letting out a slight yelp she jumped behind her friend in fear. “What are you do-” His words were interrupted when a small rabbit came hopping out of a nearby bush. It looked at them for a moment and started to hop away. Medley turned and looked at Summer skeptically. “That's what you're so scared of? Some fluffy thing that hops around?” 

Summers face started to blush. “N-no! I...I thought it was something else is all.” The same bush from which the rabbit came from rustled again. She shook off her nerves, slightly embarrassed, and approached the bush. “Hello again mister rabbit. Did you leave something behind?” Moving a few branches aside, she became paralyzed with fear. Rather than the cute little rabbit she expected she was met with the muzzle of a wooden dog-like creature. Its sharp teeth barred as it let out an unfriendly growl. “T-...timber wolf.”   




A/N: Sorry about the lack of updates recently. I've been out and about for a bit and haven't had much time to write. Expect chapters more often now that everything is starting to settle down!