//------------------------------// // 1/22/1001 (part ii) // Story: The Unofficial Records of a Mare in Black // by the7Saviors //------------------------------// I know it was only just this morning that I wrote my last entry, but it already feels like forever ago. I've done a lot of moving around since then and I'm sore and tired and hungry and cold and... well, cold and sore mostly. Not long after Rarity and I finished breakfast, we gathered our hiking gear and headed out to the remains of that old hamlet with Mister Yeti leading the way. I know the stallion has a name and yes I'm addressing him by it, but I'm just going to keep calling him Mister Yeti here because it's grown on me and it's not like he's going to be reading this. Besides, he doesn't seem to mind the nickname anyway—in fact, I think it's a point of pride for him. When we arrived there wasn't really much left to see. The snow had all but buried most of the ruined structures and what was left didn't give any clues as to what might await us further up the mountain. I didn't want to waste any more energy than I had to, so I just suggested we leave the place be and start heading onward and upward. Rarity had no complaints and neither did Mister Yeti. He actually seemed kind of uncomfortable wandering around the buried ruins of his hometown. Understandable—I would be too, probably. So we left and started our jolly mountaineering adventure up the Crystal Mountains, and let me tell you, journal, hiking is no joke. Well, actually, it's somehow both easier and much harder than I expected it to be. Evidently all that physical training is paying off because I was able to get the basics down easily enough. The climbing itself isn't so much an issue, but my endurance is another matter entirely. I'd be outpacing even Mister Yeti if I didn't have to stop every twenty minutes or so for a moment to catch my breath. Because of that, I was kind of lagging behind, but that's what I get for neglecting cardio I suppose. Rarity, on the other hoof, is the complete opposite. The mare's climbing skills—contrary to her boast that I would have nothing to worry about if I brought her along—are just shy of abysmal. Mister Yeti and I have had to help her up a number of times, but what she lacks in climbing ability, she more than makes up for in sheer stubbornness and a seemingly bottomless well of energy. Seriously, she never gets tired... ever. Mister Yeti led us to a small mountainside cave to rest in about a third of the way up and we got a fire going, to try and warm ourselves up. I'm writing this from that very cave and when I'm done, I'm taking a nap. And then there's Rarity who looks like she's taking it easy, but I can tell she's still probably good to go for at least another couple of hundred yards or so up the slope. No, I'm not jealous. Moving on from that, though, Mister Yeti certainly lives up to his moniker. Not only is his pacing and climbing technique practically flawless, but there've been a few times where Rarity and I genuinely lost track of the stallion in all that snow. Myself, primarily because I was also on the lookout for any strange crystal formations and Rarity... probably because she was doing the same now that I think back on it. I think I missed it through the howling winds and pure white landscape, but she was probably using whatever spell she knew to seek out the gems. The fact that she hadn't said anything most likely means she hasn't found anything yet. I'll have to remember to ask her after I write this just to be sure, and I'm a bit annoyed at myself for forgetting to ask in the first place. Still, we have a lot of ground left to cover and our veteran guide assured us back at the lodge that most of the caves where the crystals form are a lot higher up. I was a little skeptical, but for now, I'll just take his word for it and trust in Rarity's gem finding ability. Speaking of 'the little fashionista that could', she is aware that I'm writing in my journal but thankfully has at least enough tact not to pry. 'Every mare has her secrets' after all. I figured I wouldn't be able to keep her from seeing it forever and I'm honestly not too worried about it all things considered. More importantly, I need to decide what to do about Mister Yeti if I do end up finding that elusive 'Red Crystal' the Princess is looking for. Once when Rarity was distracted I tried asking him off-hoofedly about any weird crystals he might've seen during one of his treks—any gems that stood out as strange or ominous. He said he hadn't seen any that he could remember, but I have my doubts. Apparently, all sorts of gems and crystals form in these mountains. What you find depends on the season and where you look, which I found rather odd given how wintery everything always is. Still, rubies, sapphires, jade, even the occasional diamond all form in different parts of the Crystal Mountains. I'm no geologist, but I get the feeling that so many varieties of crystal and gem growth shouldn't be possible in one location, let alone under these harsh weather conditions. Then again, I did read that these mountains have their own kind of natural magic, kind of like the Everfree Forest, but more... benign. I guess there's a reason they call them the Crystal Mountains. The effect magic can have on nature can certainly be fascinating sometimes, granted it can also be horrifying, but I don't feel like going down that rabbit hole right now. Instead, I'm going to ask Rarity what she thinks and then I'm going to take what I think is a well-deserved nap. Maybe I should also get a few tips on pacing myself so I don't wind up dead on my hooves every twenty minutes.