//------------------------------// // Chapter 8: Figure in the Everfree Forests (S1E3) // Story: The Elemental Manipulation // by GalaxyEmpire //------------------------------// Figure in the Everfree Forests It was such a beautiful day in Ponyville, the bird is soaring through the skies, the flower is blooming perfectly thank the owner of it. The citizens of Ponyville are doing their normal routine like usually and what could be perfect to harvest some apple in Sweet Apple Acres. Where there's a healthy apple, the apple ponies will buck it until it drops from the tree where they're born. Not only that but also to feed some animal farm as well like the chicken, pig your name it! The farm has a lot a thing to do before lunchtime came in as Leo finishing the last hay into the storage. It was only been a week since the return of Nightmare Moon and the golden lion seems to make a little bit of progress. He loves to help other ponies or creatures for doing some activities if they have something left to do and it would seem that helping the apple family is kinda hard working for him but they didn't mind. They want to see how capable of this cub if he can keep up with them. "Hey, Leo! You say you wanna feed the roosters and hen after this." Apple Bloom said with a smile while holding a bucket of food chicken with her left hoof. "Okay I got-" "Leo!" Shout from the big-bulky-red-earth-pony who none other they're older brother, Big Macintosh. "You say wanna help me buck some tree over here." "Huh? Okay, I-" "Hurry Leo! You still have to give the hay to the cows yet!" The filly said as she feeding some chicken but there many of them and she couldn't handle it all. "Err... I can't do this alone!" The lion claps his paws as a three familiar colour element logo in front of him before enlarge as it doing a spin around in circles to appear a golden spinning circle. ELEMANTAL... TRIPLE... SPLIT!!! He performed the Elemental Split as the trio stood in a triangle formation. "Wind, you'll help Apple Bloom." Earth's order while the blue cub smile and salute. "Lightning, go feed the animal." The yellow cub nodded. "And I will help Big Mac." "Alright!" "Alright!" Lightning speed off while Wind's hover on his gust before flew off toward the little filly. Though the brown one just ran to the area where the red pony waiting for him. Not so show off his power. The ponies were quite surprised by the sudden mane colour change from the lions when they have arrived but quickly think back he splitting ability can do when at the Summer Sun celebration so they just go for it. Feeding the chicken were piece of cake since the aerokinesis tosses it to them or using his wind power to toss even further for those who are too far. Give cows some hay was simple for our electrokinesis thanks to his mobility make him doesn't lose some sweat. While the other two Leo we're doing their jobs, Big Macintosh was impressed by the strong leg coming from Earth and by that means, all of the apple shape fallen into the wooden bucket. Don't underestimate someone who has simple legs 'cause they don't know what the amount of strength in it. "Hey, Big Mac?" The Geokinesis asked. "Eeyup?" "Where's Applejack?" The stallion pointed his hoof straight to for this location to that location. "She was way all of there?" "Eeyup." "For what proposed other than harvesting?" He then looks around for anypony was in the place before lifting while paddling his hoof to make Leo getting closer a bit as he whispers to his ears... Meanwhile... "Thank ya kindly Twilight for helping me out. I bet Big Macintosh I could get all these Golden Delicious in the barn by lunchtime." Applejack said bounce for successfully getting a bunch of apple in the bucket on her back. "If I win he's gonna walk down Syrup Street in one of Granny's girdles." She chuckled before Twilight spoke. "No problem at all Applejack. I'm glad the goal is lunchtime, all this hard work is making me hungry." "I know, right?" Spike commented as he tossed an apple which hit the back of Twilight's and made her give him a mean stare. "Spike, you've been lounging on my back all morning while we worked." "Exactly. You guys are taking so long that I missed snack-time." He said which made the mare stomach growl. "Eh, I guess we better get some food." She laughed nervously. "Nope. Worm. A-ha!" He then looked through more apples until he came across the juiciest apple ever which Twilight noticed and made her lick her lips at the sight of the apple. "Oh Spike, that looks delicious." The unicorn longingly as she started at the tasty apple... Only to watch as Spike eats the apples in one bite. "Spike!" "What?" Then suddenly, the drake burped out his signature green fire and a letter materializes. "It's a letter from Princess Celestia." She said as Spike got off her back and grabbed the letter. The dragon clears his throat before reading the letter. "Hear ye, hear ye. Her Grand Royal Highness, Princess Celestia of Equestria, is pleased to announce the Grand Galloping Gala to be held in the magnificent capital city of Canterlot, on the 21st of, eh, yadda yadda yadda, cordially extends an invitation to Twilight Sparkle, Spike Sparkle and Leo Sparkle plus one guest each." He read out loud which made the two mares gasp in excitement. "The Grand Galloping Gala!" The ponies shouted together and started jumped up and down in joy. The girls all excited while Spike stuck his tongue out like he is gagging but then burped out three golden tickets. "Look! Three tickets." He held the tickets to Twilight. "Wow, great! I've never been to the gala before. Have you Spike?" "No, but now I have to go...and I don't want to deal with any of that girly frilly frou-frou nonsense." He said in a noninterested look but his mind... HAHAHA! YES YES YES! I CAN GO~ I CAN GO~ "Aw, come on Spike. A dance would be nice." "Nice?! It's a heap good more than just nice. I'd love to go." Applejack thrilled for this before the screen start to wobbly. "Land sakes, if I had an apple stand set up, ponies would be chowin' our tasty vittles 'til the cows came home. Do you have any idea how much business I could drum up for Sweet Apple Acres? Why with all that money, we could do a heap of fixin' up 'round here. We could replace that saggy old roof, and Big Macintosh could replace that saggy old plough, and Granny Smith could replace that saggy old hip." The screen wobble back to them. "Why, I'd give my left hind leg to go to the gala." "Well, in that case, do you want to-" Twilight never finished when she hear a shouted. Wind Sphere!!! This just in, a blue gust of sphere was suddenly on top of them with very inches to hit them. Not only that, what was inside was a cyan pegasus ponies. "Hey, Sis!" The two ponies and one dragon turned to saw Wind coming from the front while still hovering on his gust as he looks the pony in his wind. "Whoa! Thanks, Leo." Rainbow Dash thankful for him and got out of his sphere before she looked at Twilight. "And are we talking about the Grand Galloping Gala?" She asked excited only to get a glare from the farm pony. "Rainbow Dash! You told me you were too busy to help me harvest apples. What were you busy doing? Spying?" "No, I was busy napping and I just happened to hear that you can invite one guest to the gala." She said to Twilight with a large grin. "Yes but-" The unicorn never again finished her word. "YES! This is so awesome! The Wonderbolts perform at the Grand Galloping Gala every year. I can see it now..." Wow... Looks like another wobble coming up to them but Wind was little far so he won't get into it. As the pegasus continue to daydream or something, the lion could hear another shout who he already knew. "Wind!" He turned to the source to find his other self, Lightning and Earth heading towards him with the finished look meaning that their work is done. The brown cub looked at their siblings and his friends. "What happened there? Why they looked up?" "Why does Rainbow Dash wobbly like that?" The Air manipulation chuckle but turned to sigh. "Celestia gives us three tickets to the Grand Galloping Gala...and see for yourself, they seem to get into a fight." The threesome was in thoughts about it, surely one of their friends in Canterlot has mentioned about the grandest place were only noble one can get the invitation but can't believe they get the invite. Honestly, Leo being raised by the noble family so there's no gasping from the trio. This is the chance to get enter to see what they're doing like dancing, singing? Or beyond imagination! 'Wait...' 'Wait...' 'Wait...' The cubs immediately merge back together into one, make way for him to walk up to his brother, who is watching from the background of Applejack having hard-fought-for getting the extra tickets from Twilight. Whoa... There even forget who's have the tickets but doing a hoof wrestle with Rainbow Dash? Haha, that's stupid. The drake notices the Lion appearance as he shows him the golden paper. "Look, Leo! Three tickets to the Grand Galloping Gala." The cub takes one ticket from the dragon as he looks to the writing on it. 'Can bring one guess with you'. "Cool." He simply said before putting it in his grey bandana on his neck. "Hey, Bro. I think I want to explore the town for a bit so I'll see you guys later, okay?" Spike nodded, as Leo walks away to the exits. "Girl, these are our tickets. We've decided who gets it thank you very much. So whoever has the best reason to go should get the tickets." Twilight intervene them and told about it but then realised her mistake. "Drummin' up business the farm?" "A chance to audition for the Wonderbolts?" "Money to fix Granny's hip!" "Living the dream!" "Oh my, those are all pretty good reasons aren't they?" The unicorn said as her stomach growls. "Listen to that, I am starving. I don't know about you but I can't make important decisions on an empty stomach." She started to back away from them until she next her brother as he mounted on her. "So, I'll think about it over lunch and get back to you." And with that, the siblings left them with a sigh of defeat from them. "Okay..." Back to Leo... "Can't believe I want to do this." The golden lion said while in front of the entrance where everything begins. The Everfree Forest. Leo didn't want his siblings to worry for him but there something was bothering him about this place. Sure it spooky but the other point is that mysterious voice he heard at the Castle of Sister bridge and he gonna find out. He turned back to see if their anypony could see him. Thank god no one was here. With a deep breath, he walks into the forest... Only to get lost. "Ugh... Bad. Idea. Ever." Leo muttered to himself. It's not every day you see these things. It's been one hour alone in the gloomy forest, he walks down the dirt road as it only things can right now. He tried to remember where the last time he and the other went to find the Elements of Harmony but it's was a dark time back then, and now day time should easy enough to find the way but its not. Though, he enjoyed being lonely sometimes because no chit-chat whatsoever from his surroundings and that's music to his ears. Leo march on, going deeper and deeper to find his objectives when suddenly, yellow eyes glowing from the bushes from his left and right as it started to growled from the area and looks like, the cubs arrived in a circle field inside the Everfree Forests. His ears perk up, he senses negative energy from this sounding that doesn't seem friendly to him and it got louder. The dark green bushes shake on it own to reveal a pack of wolf jumped out from it. Though the wolf was made of wood all over there body. "Wow, who are you?" He asked cautiously. The replied was a howl from one of them as there commenced an assault on Leo! "Whoa!" The silver-grey lion dodges the first strike from the big one. It seems that this wolf is quite a big compare from the other so he guesses this is the alpha. The alpha let his friends come to attack while he remains still from his position. This doesn't look good, he needs to think of something. "I already used the Elemental Split before and it took to much energy from me... I have to fight carefully here." He thought as he raises his right paws to come out a stream of air. ELEMENTAL POWER!!! ELEMENT WIND!!! He grins while the wolf was surprised by the sudden action. "Here we go!" The airbending hoop on to his gust as he started to spin around. Whirling Wind!!! Leo twisted himself and produced a huge wind whirlwind that makes the pack of wolf yelp as they suck into it. Their swirl around the tornado until the cub finished it off by exploding the tornado, making the predator lunch far away to even deeper the flora goes on. The kinesis hit the ground hard that the wind where his hover disappear. He breathes heavily until he suddenly turned back normal for using too much of his energy. "Okay...that...was...huge..amount...of power..." He huff and puff to let the oxygen flow through to his body. "Need...to...go... Argh!!!" The golden lion grips his head as he has a headache right now in the middle of the wood. The pain seems to get a bit of increased from him but doesn't stop him from stand up. "What's wrong with my head?!" "You there!" Said an unfamiliar voice. "H-Huh?" Leo turned his head while his left paws holding on it to see a figure wearing a brown cloak. The voice was a female, with glowing eyes can see under the cloak but can't see her body. Her muzzle is squared off and right now, walking towards him. "Is it not safe here from them. Come now, follow me and I will show you the way out." She lent her hoof to the lion. He doesn't know if he can trust her or not but in this situation right now, he has to do it. A howl can be heard inside the forest. It looks like they haven't done yet so he grabs her hoof as she guides him to the entrance of Everfree Forest. Later, the entrance... "We have arrived." Said female pony. The bandana lion gasp of the sight from the village. "Ponyville!" He sprints to the town but stops quickly before turning around and smiling at her. "Thanks so much, Miss!" "Please, called me Zecora." "Well then, Zecora. I'm Leo Sparkle! Pleasures to meet you." "Same as well." She smiled, before turning back to the woods. "Please excuse me, but I afraid I need to go." "W-Wait! Is it okay if I can meet you again? I want to know more about this place though." "If you insist, very well. If you want to see me again then just head straight from this path until you see a tree hub." "Oh, okay!" Leo said with a smile and run off to see how his siblings were doing. The mare just stared at the lion but then she smiled too. "At least he doesn't run away for me like that ponies from that place." And with that, she enters the wood until cannot see her anymore. The golden lion comes in quickly to not worrying his sister and brother for his unnoticed appear near them. He passed off some ponies like two or three he bumped into but not late to say 'hi' to them. Some are wave back, some are surprised by the out outcome. Looks like he needs to work hard to be friends with them without making them ran off by him and the headache has gone once he out from the Everfree Forest. The huge tree can see for the distance as he steps in the library, banging it to see his sister was laying like somepony having a nightmare with a hoof on her head while his brother and his friends were starting at by the bang of the door. "Uh... Did I miss anything?" He said that makes Twilight looking at him and gasp. "Leo! Thanks, Celestia your here!" She ran up to him to give a siblings hug. "And why'd you say that?" The lavender mare let go. "You have the ticket, right?" "Yeah, sure." He pulled out the invitation from his bandana to show it to them. "But wait, Aren't Leo going as well, right?" Applejack comes in. "It's still the same if he let one of us to the Gala." The mares sigh of disappointed. The lion in confused stated for don't know what's going on. "Hey, can you guys explain to me what happens when I explore?" .... .... .... "Ah... I see." Sounds like a tough decision for his sister to handle alone. It is a shame that he can't help her solving this opinion. He already knows that Applejack wants to open an Apple stand set up so she can get a bit from the Canterlot ponies to replace all saggy old for her family farm. Rainbow Dash what to impress the Wonderbolt by showing her stuff so they're can let her join in to become their newest member. Pinkie Pie, who like to make a party. Want to go because to see how the wonder of it since she never got in for once for her life and maybe can make even super awesome with her around. Rarity always wants to go too since she designed ensembles for the gala every year but never had the opportunity to attend. The reason is to see... If Leo remembered correctly, Princess Celestia nephew, Prince Blueblood. And Fluttershy, the shy one. Want to go too because to go into the wondrous private gated garden that surrounds the dance in Canterlot castle. Leo looks at the butterfly with a soft voice. "Fluttershy?" "Y-Yeah." "I don't think you need the ticket because you realize that you could just ask for permission to go to the Royal Garden. You don't have to go to the Gala itself." He offered. "Oh really?" She asked, parking up to see he nodded. "As for this ticket..." He held to his big sister. "You can have it, Sis." This makes the group shocked by the impact. Did what he said is true? Did he just give his ticket for a chance to change his life? Didn't he know that everypony want to go to the gala? "A-Are you sure?" Twilight said and slowly levitate the ticket with her magic. "This means we all gonna go except for you, you know?" "Nah, besides. I already know the ponies in Canterlot so I don't wanna go. I want to start to make new friends in Ponyville so I can get used to this place by month. Don't worry about me though, go have some fun!" He smiled shine the room, really a caring creature for the other one. They still don't like the idea of leaving one of their friends left alone, the cub see this, he doesn't want them to feel bad for this. "Look, I know you guys care for your friends but I do care about you guys too you know? Plus, I'm sure I'll be fine here. After all, I have zero knowledge about this place so I need to start from the bottom." His sister smiled and so does the other, never thought her brother will show his caring to this level. She is grateful for this, not to herself, but with her brothers and friends. All seem excited to go to the Grand Galloping Gala even though he won't come along, he's still happy. Just then, her stomach was growling. "Uh..." Rarity came next to her. "Allow us to treat you and Leo to dinner." After that, their all go to the Sugarcube Corner, Pinkie Pie treat! To thanks the lion for the ticket and Twilight empty stomach.