//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 // Story: I Can't Help But Expect The Worst // by Clearnote //------------------------------// "Wind Whistler!" I embrace the pony in front of me, throwing my hooves around her as in a hug. She smiles back, saying only one thing. "Shady, you came." I look at her, staring straight into her eyes, giving her my most serious and stern look. Why wouldn't she think I'd come? Then I remember how everyone was teasing her, and how I was usually afraid of adventures like this. "You're my friend, Wind Whisler. A friend would never leave another friend behind. I'd save you, and I know that you would do the same for me." I say, almost sounding motherly. "Yeah!" Strawberry Sunrise butts in. Luckette and I look at her sternly, then roll out eyes. Sunberry giggles, and so does Wind Whistler. "Your friend is very funny, Shady!" Wind Whistler says, under a mound of giggling. Wind Whistler isn't acting like her usual self. She expressing more emotion than ever, not that she never had any. She just never really will show them off like everypony else. This can be a very good thing. She stays calm when situations are dire and can easily make a plan. "Are you okay, Wind Whistler? You don't seem... like your usual self." I ask politely, trying not to be very rude. She nods. "I see your concern, Shady," Wind Whistler says, smiling. "I've shown my emotions more since I came here, and I don't really know why. Letting them out is just so easy!" She then sighs, "This odd world," Now I'm the one nodding. "I understand you. Ever since I came here, I've been forcing myself to be brave, so that I could find you." I smile. "And now I feel like it's something that I've acquired." Wind Whistler and I giggle at our somewhat similar experiences. I give her another hug. Then I hear the snapping of a stick. It's not very loud, but it startles me. Sunberry and Luckette look startled, too. Wind Whistler does not look scared. In fact, she looks happy. But in a very, very calm way, not in an excited way. A pegasus with a light blue-grey coat and a magenta mane and tail with white streaks slowly walks toward us. When I look into her cold blue eyes, a shiver goes up my spine. This is not a friend. As the pony approaches, she gives me a smile so evil-looking that I start to feel afraid, very, very afraid. No! I think to myself. I am brave now. I will not let her scare me. I must be brave now, when my friends need me most! I lunge at the pegasus and hold her down. "Stay away from my friends!" I cry, my voice filled with bravery. The pony is mad. She is struggling underneath me. She cracks out a small mumble that leaves me shocked. "...Wind Whistler... Help..." My friend- or rather, my fake friend- trots over to us and pushes me off. Now she is on top of me. She looks so calm, as if this is easy. I'm very mad. Words fly out of my mouth. "How could you do this? You are my friend! How could you... you... betray me?!" I cry, both angry and upset, my words like lava erupting from a volcano. Wind Whistler blinks, not looking calm-happy anymore. She looks sorry, and sad. She looks down. "I am your friend, Shady. I... it's... It's just so easy..." she says, semi-quiet. I break from her grasp, pushing her to the side. She gets up, limping. I see her bandaged leg. I hide my pity for her. Why is she doing this? For this evil pegasus? The Wind Whistler I know would never do this. She would never show her emotions like this, she would never betray me. "Who are you," I say fiercely. It's not a question. It's a command. "I am Wind Whistler, Shady, I'm your friend. I'm not pretending to be your friend, Shady, I am your friend. When the Smooze attacked Ponyland, we (with our friends) helped save our home. We've helped each other several times, Shady, please. I really am me." the blue pegasus says, beginning to lightly sob near the end. I think I'm having a pity attack. I comfort my friend. Yes, I know that this is my friend. For all I know, this evil pegasus near me is not evil, and just looks like she is. Maybe she is Wind Whistler's friend. Except, she isn't. "Shady," Wind Whistler whispers to me, almost silently, so that no one else can hear. "That pegasus, she is not good... Stop her, Shady, stop her. I... I can't, her spell...her...her spell, Shady..." I don't listen to the rest. I lunge for the pony again. This time, I have a real plan. "Luckette! Be ready to run! Sunberry!" A wicked grin spreads across my face. "Be ready to annoy her." I look the pegasus into the eyes. "What is your name?" I ask forcefully. "Clearnote," she says, as if it doesn't matter. "Where do you live?" "A cottage," "Where." "None of your business." I look at Sunberry. She nods, looking very excited. "Ooh, how about a joke! Here's my favorite: What's worse than finding a worm in your apple? Half a worm! Haha, because you ate half of it! That's why you never eat apples! Try strawberries, they taste much better. Say, do you want to hear about my little sister? Heehee, she tried an apple! She said it was okay, until she found a worm in it! It was a full worm, but seriously. Why are there always worms in apples? I have never found a worm in a strawberry, and trust me, I eat a lot of strawberries..." Clearnote screams. Everyone quiets down. "It's over to west a little," she says, shaking a little. I grin. I should never doubt Strawberry Sunrise. ------✴------ Inside the cottage, it looks very old. Old pots are on the ground. Sometimes I even see pieces of shattered glass. This place is a dump. How could Clearnote live here? Oh, right, evil sorceress. Wind Whistler, Luckette, and I are looking for a cure for Wind Whistler's urge to help Clearnote. I'm pretty proud of my plan, to be honest. Wind Whistler came with us so that she couldn't hear Clearnote, and Sunberry is a great guard. If Clearnote tries to escape, she'll be drowned out in Sunberry's voice and probably give up and go back so that her voice is gone. This cottage is small. There are only three rooms, and it is one-story. The search should not take long. "Luckette?" I say, in a soft-ish way. "Can you wish us luck?" Luckette gives a smile. She shakes her head. "Luck isn't real, Shady. But we can have hope," she says strongly. And with that, she goes off to search for the box that Clearnote described- small, green, with gold edges- in the bedroom. I search in the kitchen, and Wind Whistler goes to the other room, the dark, smelly room. The room with cauldrons and scattered books. To be honest, it's probably the best place to search. And so, I trot in. Wind Whistler cries out. I gasp and run to her side. Soon, Luckette joins me. Wind Whistler had found the box.