//------------------------------// // Wings of the Wind V // Story: Applejack Gets Lost // by MagicS //------------------------------// She had thought the forest up above was almost but not quite like a jungle. She would now like to go back and tell her past self that the difference between the two is very, very, big. The leafy plants and trees crowded around her even more than being deep in the Everfree and the humidity was nearly unbearable. Bright and fragrant flowers assaulted her eyes and nose every step of the way. The jungle that covered the boxed in valley she had seen from that village yesterday was a fortress of greenery. The ground was muddy and difficult to move through and hanging vines and ferns buffeted her wherever she went. The only positive was the abundance of fruit… although still no apples, she had to make do with coconuts, mangoes, bananas and whatever else caught her eye. Quartz wanted her to visit the other two villages that were somewhere deep in this jungle, finding them herself was supposed to be some survival training or something. She wondered if there were any monsters in here like there were in the Everfree. “Maybe Dash would be jealous of me right now, feels like I’m on a Daring Do adventure or something. Didn’t see any ancient looking temples or anything from up above though.” Marble also wanted her to bring him back some kiwis but she hadn’t seen any of those yet. Guess they must be his favorite. Well maybe he’d have to make do with something else just like she did. Applejack still had no real idea where she was going, she tried following the river for a while but the terrain around it became impassable so she had to go a different direction until she could find a way forward. Now she was who knows where still trying to make it back to the river. The villages most likely built themselves along it, unless it branched out into smaller streams and the ponies decided to live around one of those. Wanted to get there and get out before the middle of the day but now it’s gonna be hot as can be soon. Like I haven’t sweated enough already. Applejack looked up through the thick cover of plants and leaves, Celestia’s sun rising higher by the minute. The sun didn’t need to hit her directly for things to get hot. Like this it was like she was in a big green oven. “Just never can make things easy for me can you?” Applejack shook her head, sweat spraying off her in every direction. Guess Quartz must still want to have a good relationship with these villages though. Probably just wants things to go back to the way they were before Night Storm ruined everything for them. Applejack figured that the jungle villages would probably have a better reaction to her if she was alone too. Quartz also probably knew that and didn’t want to bother them while Night Storm was still a danger. Like this Applejack could just pop in and introduce herself and then head on back. Easy peasy lickety-split. She didn’t even have to tell em that she was learning Hoof of the Earth or any of that stuff either. Jumping over a fallen tree, Applejack landed in a muddy pool of water. “Aw hay!” Her legs ended up covered in mud almost up to her knees and her hat got sprayed by a jet of the muddy water too. “Need to look before I leap.” “Um, hi.” Applejack looked up, startled. Before her was an earth pony mare holding a wicker basket and wearing a long tan frock. She looked at Applejack with big surprised purple eyes. “Oh, uh, how ya doing?” Applejack replied not so coolly, a drop of mud falling off the brim of her hat. “Are you from Brooksville?” The mare asked, tilting her head at Applejack. She didn’t know if that was the name of one of the villages in here or maybe the one up top that she had already been to with Quartz. Why didn’t anypony tell her what the names of any of these villages were? Still Applejack shook her head at the mare. “No, no, I’m from far away, just passing through really. Just an explorer, eheh.” Applejack wondered if strangers could tell she wasn’t being totally honest as easily as her friends. “Right...” The somewhat fearful look of the mare and the way she slowly backed up were a good answer. “Okay, okay!” Applejack held up her hooves to show she didn’t mean any harm. “Look, I’m not here for anything bad. But uh, I’m friends with the Hoof of the Earth ponies, you know them right?” “Oh.” The mare’s eyes turned downcast and she stared down at the ground. “Yes, we know them. And the other one.” She whispered quietly. “Yeah, I heard about him too.” Applejack sympathetically looked at the mare before the wet feeling around her legs reminded her of her situation. Looking at herself she realized just how muddy and dirty she was. “Um, do you mind if I come back to your village? I promise I’m a friend and I’d really like to clean up a little bit.” She got an uncomfortable look on her face like Applejack was really putting her on the spot but she relented in the end. “It’s alright, you can follow me.” She turned and started walking through the thick bushes and grass, she looked back over her shoulder at Applejack. “Just don’t bring any trouble with you, please.” It felt good to towel herself off and shed that layer of grime and mud. The mare had led her back to her small village, they called it Deep Green. She and the other ponies there lived in grass and mud huts. It was a bit surprising to Applejack, even Zecora’s hut in the Everfree was more luxurious. But at least they were all kind and welcoming enough to her, even though some were a bit worried to have any association with Hoof of the Earth around. The village elders had simply given her a nod as she explained who she was and why she was here, not the best meeting she could hope for but not the worst. In the end she was led to a stand alone hut that the mare who found her apparently lived in. Her “guide”, who she learned was named Tropic Twist, came by to see if she was done cleaning up. “How are you? Clean yet?” “Yep! Thank ya very much.” Applejack placed the towel in a basket meant for dirty clothes. “Shame I’m just gonna get all sweaty again soon.” “Why’d you come out here anyways?” Tropic asked her, Applejack could tell she still didn’t fully trust her. “I was just asked to meet up with you, my… friends want to have a good relationship with all your villages again. They really regret all the trouble you’ve been through.” Tropic’s eyes moved around the room, looking anywhere but Applejack. “They were nice ponies… but it’s hard to let things go. I know they didn’t mean for it but thinking about them just brings back bad memories. I’m sorry.” “You really don’t need to apologize, least of all to me.” Applejack put a knowing hoof on her shoulder. “Maybe you’ll have better luck in Dry Den. I can show you the way there, they live in underground hovels near the far side of the jungle from Brooksville.” “The far side of the jungle?” Applejack thought about it for a second, it would likely take her at least another hour to get there, and who knows how long she’d stay or if anything else might come up. And then considering the time it would take to get all the way back to the monastery from there… “I might have to reconsider for today and head there tomorrow. As long as I know right where it is so I don’t get lost in here or anything again.” She told Tropic. Tropic Twist shrugged. “Alright, we have some maps of the jungle if you want one?” Now Applejack’s face lit up. “Yeah, that’d be great!” With a map she could probably find the best way along or over the river too. “And you know I’ll be sure to stop by here tomorrow either on my way there or back. Just to say hello again.” Applejack winked at her. It actually got a small smile from Tropic Twist. “I’ll go get you your map.” Applejack smiled as she went to leave before a sudden thought came to her. “Oh! Hang on a second!” Tropic Twist turned back to look at her in surprise. “What is it?” “Do you happen to have any kiwis?” She had her saddlebag full of kiwis and a map of the jungle as she lumbered back up the hill that led down into the jungle. Making this trip twice in one day was exhausting even for a mare in as good of shape as Applejack. She certainly had her pride as an earth pony but she still couldn’t help but think how easy wings would make things sometimes. Hm, that’s another thing I aint admitting to Rainbow Dash. Applejack had also been lucky enough on her return trip through the jungle to only fall into a mud puddle twice. At least this time she was near the river and it was nothing a quick dip couldn’t fix. Going back through the village she now knew as “Brooksville” Applejack waved happily to the ponies there. A couple of younger fillies and colts waved back at her but most ponies just shied away. Better than last time. Tomorrow she should probably stay here for a bit longer too, maybe there was something she could help them out with. A little kindness and generosity always went a long way. “Heh.” Applejack smiled to herself as she reached the forest. She didn’t know how long she’d be staying around here now but it could be a while, she wasn’t leading any nutjob to Ponyville. But honestly she was a little scared about what would happen if he finally did show up. She was confident in herself, and she’d always stand up and protect others, but she wasn’t Twilight or Starlight or even a glory hound like Rainbow Dash. They’re teaching me all this stuff but am I really a fighter? A real fighter? Applejack wondered what it would be like fighting somepony like Night Storm instead of just some thug like Sandstone or teaching a sleazebag like Big Dad Redwood a lesson. And not paying attention to where she was going she promptly tripped over a rock and fell right on her face. “Ow!” Applejack laid there, rubbing her red nose. A few of the kiwis had tumbled out so she had to fetch those. “Marble better be thankful… he gets his kiwis but are there any apples around? Nope. Didn’t even bother asking Tropic Twist about em, I can’t stomach this anymore.” Applejack grumbled to herself. Forget everything else, she just really wanted an apple right now. She was making good time back to the monastery, by now she recognized the forest pretty well and she even saw a few of the trees she had been practicing on yesterday. Looked like it was just an hour or two until evening, maybe she’d spend her night making something as a thank you for Tropic Twist. She didn’t have an oven or anything for food but maybe she’d like a pony statue? Either way it would probably be nice to get something together for Dry Den too and make a good first impression. Maybe she could grab some of the peaches from the forest up here for them. Tropic Twist… Applejack owed her so something with a little more thought put into it would be nice. Pushing her way through the thinning trees Applejack could see the side of the rock where the entrance to the monastery was. Applejack sighed, hoping the others were doing their own things and maybe she could just rest. “You’re my friends but I don’t forgive ya just yet, not all the way at least.” Coming out of the forest she- Applejack stopped cold as if struck. There on the ground lay Quartz, Obsidian, Marble and Bedrock between the pillars leading to the monastery’s entrance. “Hey!” Applejack ran to them, eyes wide and heart pounding. “Quartz! Obsidian!” She stopped right over Quartz’s prone form, he was breathing but unconscious, a quick look told her the others were in the same state. “Thank Celestia...” Applejack wasn’t sure how injured any of them were, did she try to carry them inside? Should they even be moved at all? Maybe it would be better to go back to Brooksville and bring somepony to help. “Don’t worry, I’ll-” “Excuse me, miss.” Applejack went cold. She slowly turned her head to the voice that spoke from above her. A pegasus hovered in place above one of the pillars, wings gently flapping as he lowered himself down to stand atop it. His coat a pale blue, brown mane styled in a buzz-cut, coal black eyes and a whirlwind cutie mark. He wore a dark blue crushed velvet jacket with bronze buttons and yellow epaulettes on the shoulders. To Applejack it looked like the kind of posh fancy thing some noble in Canterlot would wear, or maybe some formal military uniform. Hay, how would she know, this was Rarity’s expertise not hers. And he was smiling at her. And even though Quartz and the others had never described what he looked like Applejack knew exactly who she was looking at. “Would you happen to be Applejack?”