E3: Equestrian Earth Expo
A My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
By Andrew J. Talon
DISCLAIMER: This is a non-profit fanbased work of prose. My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is the property of Hasbro, and the reinvention of the lovely Lauren Faust. No copyright infringement is intended, please support the official release.
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A cloaked pony stepped lightly on one of the paths through Everfree Forest, a basket of mushrooms balanced on their back, another of the fungi briefly being inspected in one hoof then tossed up and over the hooded head into the basket. The figure had only turned back onto the path when they paused the sound of something crashing through the undergrowth and coming towards them made the figure tense.
“Help! HELP! My Foal! Please help me!”
A dark brown earth pony mare with a mane and tail the color of corn silk stumbled out of the bushes. Her eyes were wild before they locked onto the hooded figure and she limped towards them, a gash in one of her forelegs and one of her rear limbs looked heavily bruised through her fur.
“P-please! You have to help! My little one, my darling! She’s hurt and pinned under some rocks I can’t move them like this!”
The voice that snaked out from under the hood was a slightly muffled male baritone.
“Easy there, I’ll help you,”
Voice thick with relief the mare started to drag the other pony through the bushes, “Thank you! Thank you so much, please this way! It’s not far, we were gathering berries.”
Both of them push through the scrub and foliage, for a few moments until they’re well out of sight of the path, then the mare jerks away from the cloaked Stallion, being yanked upwards as her body went limp. From out of the ground to the side a massive worm lunges, a circular maw of teeth open wide to swallow the stallion whole!
PUM!
Only to be knocked to the side by a crossbow bolt that impacted the creature and sent it sprawling farther than it had any right to, a concussion bolt.
Hood and cloak are blown back and the stallion is bared for a moment, covered in a dark under-suit, armored in the blueish silver of mythril, a bandoleer of small devices around his chest and barrel, and attachments sitting around his forelegs, a helmeted head turns to follow the creature as it was knocked away from him by his partner.
Who then tossed the second surprise of this monsters day, an alchemical flame grenade.
The worm, a lure worm to be specific with the pony lure on a nearly impossible to see line that was jerked about as it screamed and thrashed, the chemical mixture burning in quickly and putting itself out just as quick.
It would find burrowing to be impossibly painful now.
That it turned to try and run wasn’t surprising, the Stallion gave chase immediately, with his partner still reloading her heavy crossbow, they had to keep track of it, lest it vanish into a cave network, or the water of the river or swamp to lick it’s wounds.
Leaping onto it’s tail, climbing claws extended out of his bracers, and the worm screeched again as he latched on and started to haul himself forward. He was forced to flatten out onto his belly barely missing doing more than lightly clipping his helmet on a branch it tried to swipe him at.
Even as he avoided the worst of it, more than once he was slammed into a tree trunk, or used to break a tree branch as the Lure Worm fought his approach, every cut and laceration with his climbing claws letting it know how close he was getting, and they were both too stubborn to give up.
Finally he came up just a short way from where the lure line connected to what passed for the things head.
“Surrender, I can bring you in, or you can be carrion.”
It slowed to a stop and rumbled beneath him, in what he recognized for a moment to be what passed for laughter.
“Weakling, weak little ponies don’t kill, you are weak!”
Ahead of them, his partner had caught up heavy crossbow rearmed as she sought to set up in another position, but the white of her wings, peaking out of her own under-suit drew the eyes in this forest of greens and browns.
The Worms head turned, spotting her, and the monster convulsed underneath him, spitting something that impacted the other pony, causing her to crash to the ground with a yelp, now covered in some goop.
“I show you.”
Beneath him the maw flexed wide, and the worm coiled to lunge.
The Stallion struck, climbing blade extending with a clunk and he stabbed down and forward, the metal sliding neatly into the lure worm’s brain.
“Cuttin it a lil close huh Sunny”
After he twisted the blades to make sure, his helmeted head canted up to look at his partner, Surprise was stuck to the roots of a tree. Cleaning his weapons on the monsters hide, he dropped down from it,
“You’re the one that wanted to offer it a chance to surrender.”
The white coated mare wiggled faintly, “And that was before it gunk’ed me, now help me out of this stuff…” Then she came to a horrified realization, “Ugh! It’s in my bowstring!”
- - -
Twilight was trotting along the main boulevard of the convention, as Red Tome smoothly trotted alongside her. Behind them, Pinkie Pie was an eager, happy blur as she zipped around to see every vendor and every tent's wares. Her constant chatter was just background noise against the rest of the festival, a vibrant atmosphere that just seemed to enhance the joy she felt.
With a stallion who could keep up and was interested in what she had to say!
"I have to admit, I was shocked to know that Pinkie Pie's family was so well known!" Twilight said happily.
Red Tome smiled, running a hoof through his attractive mane. What kind of shampoo did he use? She could smell it, and liked it.
"Yes, the Pie Clan's exploits are recorded all the way back to the days of the Grogar Rebellion," Red Tome was saying. "They were quite amazing, key policy makers in the old Earth Pony Republic. To have the chance to interview actual living members of the family would be amazing," he said. "I don't suppose I could sit in on your training sessions sometime?"
"I suppose I could," Twilight said with a smile. They paused as a few fillies stopped and asked for Twilight's autograph. She did so with a broad smile, though noticed that Red Tome stiffened a bit. Maybe he was just unused to being around a Princess. She couldn't say it wasn't unique-though his confidence seemed to belie this.
Still, she offered him a bigger smile.
"It is interesting how enthusiastic you are about Pre-Equestrian history. What was your primary focus?" Twilight asked. Red Tome shrugged, his smile turning a bit strange. Like he was reminded of an old, sad joke.
"Ah. Grogar, and his history. It's actually far more indepth than the storybook," he said. Twilight's eyes lit up, eager to learn more.
"Really? Give me an example," she said. Red Tome smiled cheekily.
"Is that a royal order, Your Highness?" He waggled his eyebrows, and it brought a blush to Twilight's face. This stallion was so confident, not at all like so many other stallions who were intimidated by her.
"I could make it so if you'd like," she teased back, managing to avoid stuttering. Oh Harmony, she was flirting! Flirting!
"Not necessary, right now," Red Tome said. He looked over at a vendor's table, covered in old books. He trotted over, and began to check out some of the aged tomes with interest. Twilight trotted over to the other side of the table, enjoying the scent of the old papers as she waited. Finally, Red Tom looked back to her, his eyes focused.
"Grogar actually had sons," he said. "Three of them: Takam, Heidrunn, and Yang. Each was assigned by Grogar to rule over one of the three tribes of Pony. Grogar felt this would teach his sons how to be useful to him."
Twilight's eyes lit up.
"I've never read that! Fascinating! Where did you find this out?" She leaned over the table with a grin. Red Tome glanced aside briefly, looking a bit nervous.
"Er... The ancient tomes of the Grogarites. Very few have been recovered but I had the chance to get access to a set found in some old nag's attic," he said, a bit quickly. She didn't notice this change in tone though. She was already eager to learn more.
"What else did you learn?" She asked eagerly.
"Well," Red Tome said, his face becoming calmer as he gave her his charming smile again. "Each of his sons tried to rule over with cruelty and malice, like Grogar did. But they found themselves becoming friends with the ponies. Each even fell in love with a pony mare, and married each." He paused, and rested his hooves on one of the ancient tomes. "They even had children together."
Twilight's eyebrows rose. "Children? Huh. I knew ponies and griffins could have offspring, but ponies and goats?" She looked down at her hooves, so close to his on the same book. She hummed thoughtfully. "Many villains over time claimed to be hybrids between the Grogarites and ponies, but to have it written down in manuscripts that old?"
"I'm inclined to believe it's true, myself," Red Tome said firmly, "we ponies have a talent for manipulation."
Twilight blinked, raising her eyebrow curiously.
"Manipulation?" she asked. Red Tome nodded, and gave a shrug.
"The ponies couldn't win through force, not with Grogar's sons and magic bell. So they used friendship and kindness to turn his sons to their side. It's no different than neutralizing a foe via a magic spell," he said. "Takes longer, but just as effective."
Twilight frowned deeply, and studied the stallion. His words seemed as hard as stone, just like his eyes.
"You make it sound so cold," Twilight said. "The power of friendship isn't just a weapon!"
Red Tome glared harder, his jaw clenching.
"Oh, it isn't?" He asked calmly, but with a noticeable edge. "The Elements are a superweapon, are they not? Turning friendship into a gigantic rainbow laser?"
Twilight glanced aside briefly, but rallied as she looked back at him.
"Well, yes, but you make it sound like a means to an end!"
"It probably felt that way to Grogar's sons," Red Tome said tightly, his anger growing. "When Grogar learned about what his sons had done, he was furious. He banished his sons and their families, and isolated himself. This allowed Gusty the Great to steal his bell, and sealed his downfall. But when Grogar's sons and their families returned to join the free Pony society, they were shunned! Banished! And detested!"
He slammed a hoof down on the table with a glare, making Twilight jump. "Despite them finding love and friendship in ponies, the vast majority of ponies rejected them. Saw them as the enemy, even after Grogar was gone!"
He looked down at Twilight's hooves, and saw how far she'd pulled away from him. He took a long, deep breath, and drew his hooves back.
"I'm sorry," he said. "I... It's something I'm very passionate about."
"I understand," Twilight said, a partial lie. His anger seemed so much greater, the pain in his eyes... "Yes, that rejection of the Grogarites is terrible. But it's about context! We've grown better than that! We've become more accepting! The Three Tribes weren't even united then!"
Red Tome shook his head.
"And yet, did not Ponyville itself shun a Zebra just because she was different? Do not certain Pegasus cities still shun outsiders?" He sighed and bowed his head, looking tired. "You may be the Princess of Friendship but it only means you have grown and evolved. It doesn't mean all of Ponykind has grown and evolved. They still fear that which is different, or reminds them of terrors in the past-Even if they didn't experience them personally."
"You've cited a few examples, but I can cite many examples of ponies being welcoming to all! It doesn't mean all ponies are secretly waiting for the chance to shun what's different!" Twilight argued. Red Tome shrugged.
"Yes, you can. Just as I can cite more examples of ponies being terrible. Ponies are mortal, Twilight Sparkle. Mortal means to fall, and to fail. After all, if ponies were perfect, for what need would they have for a Princess of Friendship?"
Twilight stared for a long moment. She finally sighed, and nodded.
"I concede your point, on a philosophical level," she said. She probed him with her keen gaze. "But you seem to have a lot of anger about this subject. It almost seems... Personal."
Twilight felt her hooves sliding back towards his on the book. They touched, briefly. Red Tome started, and stared back for a long, long time. He gained a little smile, and laughed almost sadly.
"Perhaps I'll tell you about it later..." He said. "Maybe... Over dinner?"
Twilight blushed. "Ah?!" She cried. She wasn't able to decide if she should pull her hooves back, or push them closer. Red Tome still stared at her, his smile open and genuine.
"If you're busy, I'd understand," he said. "Princesses have a lot to do, after all. I'm just a professor, and I did just swing into town unannounced-"
Pinkie Pie popped up from under the table, a book balancing a honey jar on her head. She grinned happily.
"She'd be happy to!" Pinkie Pie said. "Does six work for you? The Crystal Castle?"
"Ah," Red Tome began, blinking. "I'd love to?"
"Great!" Pinkie Pie cheered. "Bring chocolate covered roses! And don't get Mexicolt food-She has a phobia about it!"
"Good to know all that," Red Tome said, looking over at Twilight. The princess stopped glaring at the bouncing Pinkie Pie, and looked back at Red Tome. She blushed heavily, but managed a nod.
"Ah... S-See you then?"
Red Tome smiled warmly. "See you then," he said. He looked over at the boulevard: A large pony wrapped in metal armor of some kind, a stovepipe smoking from his helmet, was trotting through and knocking aside several ponies. At their cries of surprise, Red Tome sighed heavily. "Excuse me, I need to see to this," he said. He trotted over to the large stallion, and began speaking to him quietly. The large pony just stared through the visor, which was glowing like a hot stove's grate. It was strange, but Twilight wasn't worrying about that right now.
She glared at Pinkie Pie. "Pinkie!" She hissed. Pinkie Pie grinned and winked.
"What? I am the ultimate wingmare!"
"But-But I've never been on a date!" Twilight muttered. "I've never even-I haven't-!"
Pinkie grabbed Twilight's cheeks between her hooves, and looked her deep in the eyes.
"Twilight, listen to me. I've gotten the mother of all twitcha-twitches. So you absolutely, definitely need to go on a date with this guy! And quite possibly, get laid! Or else."
"Or-Or else what?" Twilight asked. Her entire body flushed red as she registered the last part. "Laid?!"
Pinkie Pie nodded. "Absolutely! But don't worry, Twilight! I'll be there for you! I'll get you laid! Or die trying! Now let's go get you ready!"
"But-!" Twilight tried, but Pinkie Pie was already dragging her off. She sighed, but went along. After all, given what had happened when she last ignored Pinkie Pie's Pinkie Sense, Bad Things Had Happened.
Bad Things could still happen... But maybe she'd get a great, intellectual conversation out of it in the bargain from a handsome stallion.
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