The next few days were spent preparing for the trip, which would be financially backed by Canter Logic. Phyllis was keen on sending this new expeditionary group out to recover things from the wilds of Equestria. She did have some reservations, however her thirst to expand the reaching of the mind drove her further. The old biases were gone, and she welcomed the Pegasi and Unicorn members of the expedition with open hooves. A smile replaced the former frown that coated her face. The negative expression had been driven not so much by her hatred of the other pony species, but for what had happened to her husband, Sprout’s father.
Branch Cloverleaf had been one of the greatest minds in Maretime Bay and helped Phyllis launch Canter Logic. He, too, had been bigoted towards the other species and started the company to protect the Earth Ponies. One day, on a fateful mission to stop a rumored unicorn invasion, he had entered these same woods. Once inside, he encountered some mysterious entity that had ripped him to shreds. He was found along with Argyle, and it appeared that the two had tried to battle the being together. Despite their difference of racial and political opinion, the two had a mutual respect for each other’s intellect. Unfortunately, the unicorns had been blamed for both deaths and it had fueled the racism that so plagued their society.
Now, Phyllis wanted answers, and so she was more than happy to offer her financial and technological backing to Sunny and her friends. The group was outfitted with the latest in Canter Logic pony protection. Weaponized horseshoes, machine gun splatter-rangs that popped up from shoulder mounts, and even laser beam firing muzzle guards. Truthfully, Sunny found the entire display to be a bit on the ridiculous side, but she accepted with grace. After all, Phyllis was not only her boss, but her friend as well. Sunny figured that the older mare was only doing what was necessary to protect this group that she had such a vested interest in.
About a day before the group was set to depart, a knock was heard at Sunny’s door. She trotted over and was pleasantly surprised to find Pipp standing there. The pegasus looked confused, as if she were lost in a world she could not describe. So, Sunny offered a warm smile and ushered the former pop diva inside. Once there, Pipp just stood, transfixed to a certain spot on the floor. Her eyes bounced around from here to there, trying to locate something that, apparently, didn’t exist. She appeared extremely nervous and jumped when Sunny tapped her on the shoulder.
“Um…is everything alright, Pipp?” The orange Alicorn asked.
“I…I don’t know, honestly,” Pipp responded, “it’s just…I’ve had…dreams lately.”
“Dreams?”
Pipp nodded. “Mm-hmm. Dreams about us…and those woods. Sunny, I’ve got so many reservations about this.”
“I think we all carry hidden fear,” Sunny responded, “but we can’t let that stop us when there’s so much to gain by going.”
“Gain?” Pipp asked. “Sunny, all of the expeditions that have entered that forest have been slaughtered! I mean…there’s…just…no chance of us making it back alive, is there?”
“We won’t know unless we try,” Sunny remarked determinedly.
“There’s no talking you out of this, is there?”
“Nope!”
“Look, Sunny,” Pipp said, finally moving over to where Sunny was rustling through a trunk, “I’m your friend, right?”
“Right”
“…which means you’re supposed to take my advice, right?”
“Wrong,” Sunny said, “you can give it, but that doesn’t mean I’m gonna take it.”
“Well, then you’re just about the most stubborn pony I’ve ever met!” Pipp huffed. “I mean, come on! Wake up and see the burned hay cakes, Sunny! If we go into those woods, we’re all going to die! Do not pass ‘go,’ do not collect 200 bits, do not continue living! I’m talking buried in a pinewood box, six feet deep in Maretime Memorial!”
Sunny sighed. “Pipp…you don’t have to go if you don’t want to. But I need to know what happened to my mother. I’ll never have closure in my life until I do.”
Pipp took a moment to think. She knew that the potential reward for going on this journey was massive. Not only would they find what happened to Sunny’s mother, but perhaps they might discover how all three pony kinds wound up hating each other in the first place. There would be new places to explore, mysteries to solve, and perhaps…even new friendships to uncover. Still, though, she couldn’t help but wonder if the reward was worth the risk. She certainly didn’t want to end up in a plot at Maretime Memorial. However, at the same time, she didn’t want to cause a rift with Sunny over this.
“Look, Sunny,” she said, “I get why you’re doing this. The temptation to find out answers to questions is something we’ve all had to deal with. Do you know how many times I asked my mom what happened to my dad? She kept it hidden from both Zipp and myself! But that doesn’t mean I just go wandering off on any kind of trail thinking that there may be a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow!”
“What about our first quest?” Sunny asked, raising an eyebrow.
“What about it?”
“We didn’t know what we were getting into there, either, and look where it led us!”
“Sunny,” Pipp said, exasperated at Sunny’s stubbornness, “I just…I just can’t bear to lose my friends over something that we’re not sure of.”
Sunny stopped and trotted over to the sad pegasus, holding a hoof to her face. “Pipp, I promise nothing’s gonna happen. We’ve been fitted with the latest…and, honestly, goofiest…in Canter Logic pony protection technology. We’ve got food and water to last us weeks at a time. Hitch and Zipp are both taking courses in close quarters combat and we’ve been briefed by the best plant and wild animal experts the company has to offer. I truly believe we’ll be safe.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Pipp said as she turned to leave. “We can have all the preparation in the world…but if we make one wrong hoofstep in there…it’s game over.”