//------------------------------// // 1: Waking Up is Hard to Do // Story: Trudge Runners // by ROBCakeran53 //------------------------------// This morning, like most mornings, started with the early rising sun hitting her eyes. Applejack, apple farmer extraordinaire, grumbled as she tried to roll over on her bed to get the jump on her alarm clock. Instead, she promptly rolled down a short hill of grass and small rocks, which woke her up more and more with each impact. A tact far more apt to wake up the farm mare than the tinkling of her bedside clock. While dazed and confused, she was still coherent enough to know something was amiss, and how to stop being amiss. She began slowing her rolling by bracing her legs to slow her fall, but not enough to risk breaking a leg. After a particular nasty impact, which took the wind from her lungs, she halted, laying still, panting heavily as she fought to regain her breath. “What…” she gasped, then coughed violently. “What was that!?” Looking around herself, Applejack could only see grass, rocks, and trees. It all seemed to never end, moving up and down with hills, valleys, and off in the distance, a single tall mountain. This wasn’t her bedroom, or Sweet Apple Acres. Tartarus, this wasn’t even Ponyville! She shook her head to dispel any lingering cloudiness, then sat up, forelegs shaking from the sudden adrenaline rush. She looked left, then right. Forward, and finally craned her neck backwards, peering upside down at, shocker, more trees. Not Apple trees, though. Returning her head to look forward, Applejack scratched her blonde mane, the absence of her hat already giving her head a funny, light feeling. "Well, this ain't no good." A gentle breeze responded by making her loose mane wrap around her face. She frowned, and the hoof was now parting her long hair strands so her eyes could see again. Nope. Still a bunch of trees, mud, and rocks. The first thoughts to go through her mind seemed the easiest to either confirm suspicion of, or rule out, so she cleared her throat to call out, noting the scattering of clouds above. “Alright, Dash, Pinkie, if this here is one of yer pranks, har dee. Come on out, got me right good ya did.” Not a single cloud moved with an excited twitch, nor did any rainbow patterned hair appear over a cloud edge. Looking back down, none of the close shrubbery vibrated with eager energy and giggles, or showed signs of bright pink. Hrm. Okay, normally for a prank like this they wouldn’t drag it on for too long, I’ll give it a few minutes. And as a few minutes came and went, Applejack stood up, brushed off her coat to inspect for any cuts or bruises, then started walking up the small incline which she’d come tumbling down. “Alright, fine. Twilight? Rarity? Either of you two here? Did’ja do another spell and botch it?” She walked up the hill, looking to either side, ears twitching for any sounds of movement from anywhere, or any voices calling out for her. Still, silence, and the gentle sway of trees in a light breeze. “Flutters?” she called out as a last chance of hope. Stopping at the top of the hill, the farm mare found where she’d been laying, and was disappointed to find nothing but a spot of flattened grass where she’d been for an unknown amount of time, dozing away. I should probably stop sleeping under my trees, gets me too comfy and I’ll sleep about anywhere. She began walking around the flattened grass, searching, in a vain hope, for anything of familiarity in order of importance. Her hat (nope, too obvious and would stick out), her bed (naw, again too obvious), some of her scattered hair bands (bright red, and this is dull green grass, nadda). Finally finished with her inspection of the top of the hill, the mare gave out a deep breath through her muzzle, sat down, closed her eyes, and slowly shook her head. “Dang nab it. Just… damn it. Princess Luna! Ya there? Anywhere?” No answer, no response. Then, she violently shook her head, giving her right side of her muzzle a light slap with her hoof. “Alright girl, you’ve been lost enough, with or without the girls, to know what’s important, and what to do…” she said aloud, then licked her lips. First thing’s first, stop talking out loud. Gonna dry yourself out and get thirsty. Water, need to find some clean water. Occasionally call out, see if anypony or creature answers. While doin’ this, mark some trees for direction in case somepony comes lookin’ fer me, or I get myself lost and need to retrace my steps. Giving herself a firm nod of resolution, she stood, looked for the closest tree, and marched over to it. Along her way she found a hoof sized rock, and brought it with her. Once there, she placed a hoof against the trunk, and reached out with her magic to feel the tree. Yes, good and healthy, not too old, but old enough that some missing bark won’t kill it. She removed her hoof, then taking the rock in the other she gave the tree trunk three solid whacks, enough to chip away three spots of bark, and leave small indents in the wood underneath. Then, using her iron shod hoof, she began to carve a very crude impression of her own three apple cutie mark, and lastly above it, an arrow pointing forward. Once finished, she placed the rock between her shoulder blades, then gave the tree a couple of gentle taps. “Thank ya kindly.” Looking at her arrow, she peered off in the direction she’d chosen for herself, and began walking. With any luck, she’d find a small river, or at least a not too terribly contaminated body of water to get a drink. —------- Entering the tree line proper, Applejack was becoming less and less sure of where she was (lost, obviously) and more and more curious of these woods. Critters were scarce, she’d only seen a couple chipmunks and a lone rabbit, all of which took off upon seeing her, but nothing else. No obvious signs of timberwolves, bugbears, or anything else that hunted in the massive Everfree Forest. I could not be in the Everfree forest, but with that large mountain off in the distance? Could be Mount Canterhorn, but considerin’ I didn’t see no Canterlot I must be on the back side of it. Then again, there’s no way that is Mount Canterhorn. It’s laughably smaller, I could pick out the individual trees from where I was! Urg, okay, one thing at a time. I’ll worry about that once I know I’m safe. She stopped for a moment, placing a hoof on a tree to feel its mood, but found it quite unforcoming. Some trees could be stubborn like this, but this was now the dozenth tree she’d tried, and save for that first one she’d carved in, none of the others in this forest wanted to speak with her. The ability was there, she could feel it, but it was as if they turned their leaves to her. She looked up at the towering timbers. “Stubborn old coots, what’s wrong with you?” There was, as was constant and expected, no answer. Sighing, Applejack sat down for a spell, giving her legs a few minutes of rest. That was when her ears twitched, facing forward and slightly to the left. She smiled to herself, and casually began to follow the sound. Breaking through the wall of trees, she found a small little brook, large rocks scattered about, but clean, fresh water was running from her left to her right, down a couple of twists and turns, and then out of sight. Walking over, she leaned forward to drink, then stopped, eyes and ears scanning her surroundings. Her eyes looked where her ears couldn’t, and her ears aimed back behind her to listen for any movement. After several seconds, she began to drink, and already was feeling better, letting her guard down for just a moment to enjoy herself. And that’s when it jumped at her. The apple mare jumped back, falling on her rump, eyes going crossed as she stared at the toad on her muzzle. With a huff, she flicked her head, sending it back to the water, where it croaked before jumping back onto a rock and sitting there, staring at her. Applejack frowned, looking annoyed at the reptile. “That weren’t funny.” It croaked again, then dove into the water, going along with the gentle current downstream. Shaking her head, and letting out a small chuckle, she stood and leaned forward again to drink more, when something on the other side of the small river caught her eye. So focused on the water, she hadn’t even seen the set of two tracks that ran alongside for several yards, then disappeared into the woods. “Huh.” She drank more, but her eyes were focused on the tracks. Kinda unusual to be lugging wagons through the woods, but then again. Maybe if there’s a lot of hills, ponies have found more level ground paths to take. Would make sense, this being a good spot to stop and take a break, have a drink, then continue onto wherever they’s headin’. After having her fill, she walked through the river, which was only about knee deep and low enough current to not overtake her.. Exiting the stream, she shook off each leg, then looked at either direction the track went. To her left, the trail made a quick right turn into the woods, where she could see it weave between trees before vanishing from sight. To her right, the trail followed the river for several more yards, then did the same, turning into the woods and vanishing. She stepped into one of the ruts, the dirt was wet, but not overly muddy. If I had a bit, I’d flip it and just go with that. Oh, the rock! She went to reach for it, but found it missing. Oh, right, I’ve sat down several times, it’s back in those woods. It wasn’t worth the effort, so sticking her tongue out, she concentrated on a tree, watching for movement. Just then one of the leaves on the left twitched. Applejack went to tip her hat in thanks, remembered she didn’t have it and frowned, but still thanked the tree and began walking in one of the tracks, and entering another set of woods, although these ones weren’t as thick and dark as the previous area. —------- Applejack had been walking for a solid hour, then decided to give her hooves another rest. She found a tree stump, surprisingly sporting a clean, smooth cut which made it flat, and perfect for sitting, and took a breather while she munched on the local grass. Good. This here stump means ponies are, or were, around. Not green, but at least a year or two, so that’s something. Grass is also… edible. Not groomed and kept healthy like in Ponyville, but grass is grass. Munching away, the farm mare watched a few birds fly overhead, circle once, then continue on. She could hear some branches swaying on the trees, possibly from squirrels or other critters moving about. Usually the critters are a lot more friendly and chatty, but not here. Not unusual, just strange. It left a small pit in her stomach that no amount of grass could fill. I ain’t home, that’s fer sure. Just where am I? She looked down the trail she’d been walking, and frowned. So far, all she’d found was a few tree stumps like this one, most older and rotting, save for the one she was currently sat upon (she wished she had her fiddle to take away some time), and other than that and the two tracks, nothing else hinted of any civilization. No signs, no markings. She’d made a few more marks upon some trees of her cutie mark, but she figured now that she was on a trail, it didn’t matter much. Moving the long stalk of grass from one side of her mouth to the other, she continued to sit there, contemplating, when her right ear twitched from a sound. She heard it again. No, not a sound, a voice! Jumping from the stump, she began a brisk trot down the trail, and after rounding a third bend, she saw what looked like a break in the trees, and more importantly- “A building! Thank Celestia!” Now Applejack was full on running, ignoring the few spots of heavy muck, as she jumped from rock to rock, not having a care in the world other than she’d finally found somepony. And sure enough, a male’s voice called out once more, and she smiled. “Hello!? Is anyone there?” he called out. “Hello!” Applejack called out, now splashing through some water, splattering mud all over her coat. “Hey! Someone’s here? Where are you at?” She didn’t bother to respond, instead putting on more speed, until something hard and solid contacted her hooves, and she stumbled for a moment. Asphalt? Out here!? Strange. “Hello!? Where are you?” Slowing down from her sprint, Applejack began trotting towards the building, and right away she saw a strange looking cart out front of the structure, in front of a massive rusted steel door. That was for future investigation, but for now… “Hey, sorry lemme catch my breath,” she called, then after gulping some air she continued, “been lost out in these woods fer hours now, trying to find somepony.” “You too!?” the male’s voice called, sounding like he was behind the building and working his way to the front. “This is crazy, I was sleeping on my couch watching the TV when next thing I know, I’m laying in the mud!” She wasn’t quite sure of what a TV was, but she let out a chuckle at the familiar feeling of being confused at where she awoke. “I’m just mighty grateful to find somepony else, thought I’d be stuck out here fer ever.” The mare stopped where the asphalt ended and concrete, which circled the building, began, and sat on her haunches as she waved a hoof at her face to cool herself. Then, from around the corner of the building, a tall… something, appeared, covered in dirty, muddy clothes. “You have no idea how glad I am to find someone else out here, never mind this place I stumbled upon like fifteen minutes ago.” Applejack stopped and stared, frozen in shock, fear, whatever else that gripped her. The tall figure seemed to ignore her, walking still, looking down as he brushed some of the dried mud from his pants. “This stuff is like tar, just doesn’t wanna come off. I didn’t want to risk trying to wash it with nothing as a spare, but maybe-” Finally, the figure paused, looking ahead at Applejack, several of the same facial expressions she was feeling crossing his face. “Uh… welp…” Applejack coughed, trying to smile, but only half succeeded, “I guess this ain’t Equestria, huh?”