//------------------------------// // The Joke Of The Forest // Story: The Call Of The Forest // by The Sleepless Beholder //------------------------------// The two mares had traveled a long distance inside the Everfree, always in a straight line. Sunset was sure they were about to reach some depth of the forest nopony had explored before. It gave her some sense of adventure, but also worry since the dangers surely would only grow as they advanced. Wallflower, for her part, remained determined, and even with the two close calls, she still found the forest to be sort of relaxing when there wasn’t something trying to kill them. She also felt like she was learning more about the forest as she walked through it. “I think I’m starting to get what you meant with connecting with the earth.” “Really?” Sunset asked, having been doing some mental gymnastics to understand her friend’s connection with the forest. “What do you feel?” Wallflower thought about the answer for a second. “It’s like the garden back at school but stepped up a few levels.” “How so?” Sunset asked curious. “Once you develop a green thumb, you start to notice what the plants you’ve cared for need. A bit more sunlight, a few more drops of water, a change of dirt or a bigger pot. It just takes a look and you know what they want from you.” Wallflower took a moment to put her hoof against a tree, and slowly did the same with her forehead. “It feels sick. The whole forest seems to be struggling to bloom properly.” She thought before moving forwards. “Here, I can tell what they need by just being in their presence. And I can feel that­–” She suddenly stopped, looking ahead. “There’s something bad over there.” Wallflower galloped forward, followed closely by Sunset, until they reached a very small clearing full of blue flowers. Just by looking at them she knew they were dangerous. Filled with malice. “What are these?” “Poison Joke,” Sunset explained. “Don’t touch them. Even the smallest contact will leave you with a curse.” “What kind of curse?” Wallflower asked, frowning at the flowers. “Well, actually it’s just pranks. They like to cause some ironic physical effect. Twilight told me that it made her horn floppy and useless, made Rainbow unable to fly without crashing into things, Pinkie couldn’t talk, and Applejack was–” “That sounds horrible!” Wallflower exclaimed horrified. “No one should go through that. This plant shouldn’t exist!” The fact that it was Wallflower saying it shocked Sunset. “It’s not really that bad. It’s just a prank, like the ones Rainbow and Pinkie do from time to time.” “It isn’t the same,” Wallflower disagreed. “There’s a very big difference between a prank between friends and one with someone who doesn’t know you and means you harm!” Sunset was curious at how she phrased that, and it worried her just how personal Wallflower was taking this. “What do you mean?” “You and I know each other; we can joke around because we know what kind of prank or words would hurt us. I would never joke about what happened to you at the Fall Formal and you would never–” Wallflower stopped her rant suddenly, like she overstepped some line. “I would never do what?” Sunset asked, but Wallflower didn’t respond, she couldn’t even look at her. “Wally, please tell me. What did I do to you?” She walked closer to her friend. “It doesn’t matter anymore,” Wallflower said stubbornly. “You’re no longer that person, we can just forget and continue our lives without those memories.” Sunset placed a hoof on Wallflower’s shoulder, wanting to comfort her, but also wanting to know just what had happened between them. And due to that desire, her power activated involuntarily. Sunset’s eyes turned white, and she was transported to her friend’s mind. Sunset was standing in front of Wallflower with her arms crossed. Their last class had ended, but she cornered the girl so she could have a private talk with her. “Care to explain this?” Sunset asked angrily, showing an English test with a score that barely passed. “I did my best,” Wallflower answered, looking at the floor to avoid the girls stern gaze. “Well, you need to do more than your best. This score is shameful compared to all my other classes. I can’t lose credit by flunking an exam when I excel in any other test.” “I will try,” Wallflower answered as she flinched a little. “I’m just tired. Doing double the homework along with everything else is too much.” Sunset growled angrily, but not only because of Wallflower’s failure as a lackey. The girl barely reacted to her threats, and still talked back to her. She was a doormat just like Fluttershy, but a resilient one. No matter how many insults Sunset threw at her, Wallflower just took them and stood still, barely flinching at her presence instead of cowering. If this continued, she may develop enough confidence to argue against her, and having a student that could prove Sunset didn’t know English was a hurdle she didn’t want to deal with. She needed to break her. Sunset took a good look at Wallflower, searching for anything she could use to crack the girl’s spirit and put her firmly under her boot. She eventually settled her attention on the girl’s sweater. She always wore it, never exposing her arms. Sunset grinned. She had researched about bullying and its consequences, and she had read interesting things about people who wore that kind of clothing despite the weather. “You know? Since you seem to have so much trouble with stress.” Sunset searched her pockets with her hand until she felt a sharp edge. “Let me show you a way to deal with it.” She motioned for Wallflower to give her hand, and the girl complied with confusion and nervousness. “I’m sure you know how to use this.” Sunset placed a razor blade in the middle of Wallflower’s hand. It was something she had used to scrap bubblegum from the classroom seats to score good girl points with the principals. Sunset grinned at the immediate response. Wallflower looked at the blade with horror in her eyes, her mouth agape and hand trembling. “Make sure that the next test gets the highest score,” she whispered, but the green girl didn’t respond, she was stuck looking at the edge of the blade. Sunset walked out of the room, enjoying her victory. Sunset pulled back from the memory, her legs trembling. “Tell me you didn’t do it.” She placed both hooves on Wallflower’s shoulders. “Please for the love of Celestia tell me I didn’t make you do that!” she begged with tears rolling down her face. “I didn’t!” Wallflower exclaimed as she pushed Sunset away. “I never did. Every time I was about to, I got scared and stopped. I threw the razor after you defeated the sirens.” “Oh, thank Celestia.” Sunset sighed, but her heart was hammering her sternum, and she felt sick about herself. “Why did you do that?!” Wallflower shouted, taking her by surprise. “I– it was an accident. I wanted to know and it–” “You didn’t need to know!” Wallflower was angry and had tears in the corner of her eyes. “Wally, I’m so–” “Stop!” Wallflower shook her head. “Stop apologizing! I know you regret it! I know you wouldn’t do it again! I just–” Wallflower clenched her teeth, turned around and ran away. “Wally wait!” Sunset shouted, running after her, deeper into the forest. Nearby, a pack of Timberwolves woke up from their slumber, sniffed the air, and ran in their direction.