//------------------------------// // Chapter 1: A Mad Man with a Plan // Story: A Human's Walk Across Equestria // by JadedandDazed //------------------------------// Map? Check. Compass? Check. Water Bottle? Check. Apples and Trail Mix? Check. Paper and something to write with? Check. Cozy blanket? Check. Small decorative pillow that's super uncomfortable but better than nothing? Check. "What am I missing?" Phoenix asked himself as he looked up to his ceiling as if it would split in half, revealing the sky with angels descending to present him what he needed, "Hmm..." A thought came to him, causing him to quickly feel his forehead and cheeks. Head? Not left in another room and still attached to his body. "Then what is it?" Phoenix frowned as he rummaged through his bag he made from cloth donated by Rarity and twine donated by Applejack, "Compass? No, got that. Emergency note? Nope, that's there... Map? No got that... Wait... Map... Twilight's Map! That's it!" He exclaimed as he ran to a different room in his house. He entered the room he called his office and saw a large map sprawled out on his desk. On the map was his writings and drawings. He quickly folded up the map and headed back to his living room. He took his bag and swung it onto his shoulders, stretching them experimentally to test the new weight. Once he was satisfied with the bag's position, he left his house. Phoenix had decided he wanted to go on a little walking tour of his new home. He knew that if he didn't tell Twilight where, when, and why he was going, she'd have a conniption, so he made a copy of his trail that she could have. It'd also probably help should something happen, she'd know where to look. Phoenix quickly made his way toward Twilight's Castle; he was already behind schedule trying to remember what he forgot, he didn't want to waste anymore time. Luckily, the castle wasn't too far from his own home. She had offered for him to stay in her castle, but he didn't like that idea. He always wanted to own a house. To be responsible. So Twilight had one built, and it just happened that a lot of land near her castle was vacant. "Oh, Phoenix!" Twilight Sparkle smiled as the familiar human approached her. She had just taken a step outside to begin her errands, but it seems they would have to wait. "Hey, Twilight!" Phoenix smiled, holding the folded paper in his hands, "So... Remember how I said I wanted to see Equestria and all that jazz?" "Mhm, I remember," Twilight nodded, "Did you come up with an idea?" Phoenix smiled proudly as he tugged on the bag hanging off his shoulders, "I did! I'm gonna go hike and see what I can see! I was actually just here to drop of a copy of the route I'm gonna take and let you know that I'll probably be gone for a few days," he said as he held out the folded paper to Twilight. "Ooh, a hike. That sounds very adventurous!" Twilight smiled as she took the paper in her magic grasp, "Who are you going with?" "Oh, I'm going alone," Phoenix said, "I kinda thought this whole thing would be better as a story to tell... Something only I experienced," Twilight looked at him with a hint of concern, but nodded, "I can understand that," she assured as she unfurled the paper. Once it was completely unfolded, she was surprised by how big it was... And even more surprised of what it was a map of, "Uh, Phoenix?" "Mhm?" Twilight looked at him and then back to the map, hoping she was just imagining things, but unfortunately, she was not, "This is a map of all of Equestria" "That it is" Twilight's look of slight concerned transformed into a look of horror, she glanced back down at the map, scanning the path Phoenix had drawn on, stopping at the locations he circled then continuing to follow the twisting line. It started at Ponyville and then went up... and up... and up... Until it reached... "The Crystal Empire?!" Twilight exclaimed, "You want to walk all the way from Ponyvile to the Crystal Empire?!" "With stops along the way," Phoenix nodded, "I figured I'd stop first in Canterlot, say hi to Celestia and Luna, then head East and hit up Baltimor- Pardon me, Baltimare. After that head North to Fillydelphia, then Manehattan. Then from Manehattan I'd go see Neighgra Falls. After the falls, I head through the Crystal Mountains and finish at the Crystal Empire." Twilight stared at the human as if he had sprouted four new heads. She was completely stunned by the sheer scale and... Unreasonableness of his plan, "And you plan to do this exclusively on hoof?" "Yup" "By yourself?" "Correct" "What if you get to one of your destinations and all the inns are full? Where are you going to stay?" Twilight frowned "Oh, I'm not staying at any inns," Phoenix waved "Pardon?" "I've got a warm blanket and a small pillow in here," Phoenix said as he gestured to the bag on his shoulders Twilight continued to stare at Phoenix in shock. She couldn't even begin to wrap her mind what this strange, bipedal creatures was thinking. She's seen and heard plenty of awful and stupid ideas in her life, but this took the cake, "Phoenix... Do you know how long this would take just walking? It'd be more than just a few days!" "I know," Phoenix laughed, "But if I approached you and said I'd be gone for a couple weeks you'd be all worried," "You didn't and I still am!" Twilight retorted "Twi, it's okay. I'm a grown up. I can handle myself well," Phoenix assured Twilight looked at the human before a sudden realization hit her, "Oh my stars..." She mumbled as she glanced the human up and down, "...You've gone insane." "Twi," Phoenix laughed as he tried to assure her "I-I should've known this was going to happen," She said as she began to pace on a short path, "The signs were all there! Y-you experienced a tremendous traumatic event when Princess Celestia told you couldn't go home and we never addressed it! The inappropriate happiness when you were given devastating news. The constant jokes weren't just you being happy, it was a coping mechanism!" Phoenix interrupted her ramblings as he knelt down and hugged the pony, stroking her back as he shushed her, "Twilight. I'm fine. I promise... That's just what I used to be like... That's what I am now." Phoenix parted the hug and stood up, smiling towards Twilight, "I get you're worried about me, but I promise I can take care of myself." Twilight shook her head as she stamped a hoof on the ground defiantly, "Phoenix, this is incredibly dangerous! E-Especially alone! You could get hurt! Really hurt!" Phoenix laughed a bit as he waved his hand in front of his face, "I'll be fine, Twilight. I promise. I'm gonna write to you every time I get to town and let you know how I'm doing." "What about after you leave Manehattan?" Twilight frowned, "There isn't going to be anywhere for you to send a letter!" Phoenix shrugged a bit as he began to make his way away from the worried pony and to the path where his journey would begin, "I'll still write, but I guess I'll send them when I get to the Crystal Empire." "That defeats the purpose of the letters! To tell me you're okay as soon as possible!" Twilight reasoned Phoenix stopped in his tracks and tilted his head up a bit, clearly in thought. Twilight sighed in relief. It looks like she finally got through to him. "I guess I'll just have to shout my letters really loud and hope you hear me," "Phoenix!" Twilight gasped in disapproval "Twily, it'll be fine. Think of all the fun stories I'll be able to tell," Phoenix smiled, "Listen, I really need to start heading out. I want to make some real headway before it gets dark out." Twilight could only stand in shock as the human began to walk away. She failed. She failed to convince him this plan was insane. That it was dangerous. That he might... Wait. That's it. Maybe he just... Hasn't realized that he might be worse than hurt or injured. She needed to tell him. He must have forgotten! "Phoenix! Wait!" She called. The human had already created a considerable amount of distance between the two, if he walked any further he'd disappear from her sight among the many hills and trees. He stopped and turned to her direction, just barely able to make her out "Y-You!... Y-you could die!" "You can only hope! I'd finally be out of your hair!" Phoenix called back with a laugh, turning back to his path and continuing his walk. Twilight's eyes widened. Her last straw, her secret weapon... It had failed. Not only did it fail, he laughed it off... "THAT'S NOT FUNNY!" Twilight shouted at the disappearing human "I love you too, Twilight!" The human shouted back as he disappeared out of sight. "Ugh!" Twilight grunted as she turned around and entered her castle, the errands would really have to wait this time. She had a letter she needed to write. ---- "Oh." Princess Celestia said in surprise as she shared a cup of tea with her sister. A letter from Twilight had just appeared and landed on the table she was sitting at, "It seems Twilight has something urgent to tell me..." "Please, sister. Do not let me stop you from reading such important mail," Luna said as she sipped her own tea Celestia nodded as she unraveled the letter in her magic, bringing it to her face to read. Her previous expressionless face turned into one of confusion. She quickly scanned over the letter again, convinced she had missed something. "Is there something wrong?" Luna asked "It's Phoenix... He's..." Celestia trailed off, unsure how to describe what she had just read. Luna took the letter for herself, reading it quickly before nodding, "I see..." "What... Am I missing something?" Celestia frowned, "What does this mean?" Luna hummed as she set the letter down, taking a sip of her tea before she spoke, "He's lost something." Celestia nodded, she agreed with her sister, "He did indeed lose something. He lost his home, his friends, his family. Perhaps this was his way of 'finding' himself in a new world. He'll journey through Equestria and soon find him-" "He's lost his mind," Luna finished, "I don't think there's a deep meaning behind this, Sister." "Oh," Celestia deflated. She thought she had quite a poetic thing going, too.