-Maimuță-
The sting of pain pulsated within Twilight’s heart, having abided by Grok’s request. The alicorn was now tribeless, and she remained in her seat with a downward gaze while Skitters continually draped his hand through her mane.
“Th-there…” She started dejectedly. “I’ve done as you ask, your ma-”
Grok raises his right hand. “There’s no need for that. After all, you’ll be a part of my tribe now.” The ape extends his right arm, offering his hand. “Take my hand, Twilight. And let it be so.”
“J-just one thing, promise me,” Twilight pleaded, slowly raising her gaze as tears formed in her eyes.
“Name it.”
The alicorn extends and rests a forelimb upon Grok’s gesture, her tears starting to stroll down her cheeks as her gaze locks with the apes'.
“Please… leave my friends and family alone. That is all I ask.”
Grok gently closes his open palm around the equine’s hoof. “You have my word, Twilight Sparkle. So long as you never try to plot against us, I shall inform my apes that the Tribe of Harmony is not to be harmed intentionally.”
Twilight slowly nods. “T-thank you.”
……….
Just outside of Grok’s residence, Granny Pithecus leaned against a nearby wall at the bottom of an incline as she waited patiently, yet worriedly, for the double doors of the ape king’s refuge to open wide. Finally, after nearly ten minutes pass, and the black blanket of nightfall nearly takes hold, the two large doors are parted - garnering the ape’s attention.
Grok steps out of his home before turning sideways, lifting an appointing arm as if beckoning someone to take the lead. Then came out Twilight herself, pausing at the top of the incline as Granny’s mouth dropped in response to what she was seeing via her implant.
Twilight Sparkle - Lvl 23
“By Grok’s hairy ass, she’s in our tribe now,” Granny mutters in disbelief. “Grok… what did you do to the poor thin’?”
“Ah, Granny,” Grok calls out. “Just the ape I wanted to see.”
Both Twilight and Grok traverse down the incline with the alicorn in the lead. As they descended, the titanic duo of Chock and Lock took a momentary interest in their new tribe member before snorting at each other.
The duo soon stood before Granny, Twilight looking at the hat-wearing ape hopefully.
“As you can see for yourself, we have a new tribe member,” Grok began. “Seeing as you have the most experience with her, I can think of no better ape to act as her guardian.”
Granny crosses her arms. “You want me to take in Mejoberry here?”
“Yes. I would like her to stay with you, although I can-”
“Well, why in the heck do ya think ah’m stand’n here for?” Granny interjects. “No shit, I’ll take ‘er in. Ain’t no way that ah’m gonna let some other random ape condition her into our fold.”
Twilight forms a smile. “Thank you, Granny.”
“Ain’t no trouble fer me. ‘Sides,” Granny leans down and lifts the alicorn up and into her arms, cradling them like a babe. “Ah’ve taken a lik’n to you lot.”
A moment of silence ensues, and Granny’s eyes widen as the lavender mare in her grasp suddenly falls unconscious. “O-oh. Shit.” She shifts her gaze to Grok. “Looks like today’s taken quite a toll on her.”
“As it rightfully should,” Is Grok’s response, nodding to the slumbering alicorn. “She has a good heart; I can at least afford her that.”
“That was mighty cruel of ya, ya know,” Granny comments with a narrowed expression. “Mejoberry ‘n ‘er friends are tighter than a constrict’n Titanoboa. But to separate ‘er from them is more damag’n than you could ever realize.”
Grok sighs. “Speak freely, Granny. I know that look.”
“Look, Grok. Ah’ve been around these little equines fer just shy of four days. And let me tell ya, they are a different bunch.”
“Don’t be so easily swayed by them, old friend.”
“Swayed?” Granny inquires with slight anger. “Ah ain’t been tricked, swayed, or anyth’n else of the sort. Ah un’erstand that yer just looking out for us all, shit, it’s why we’re one of the two powerhouses on this island. But Mejo here? She ‘n her friends are noth’n like the other assholes on this island.”
“That is why I’m giving her a chance to prove herself,” Grok responds, turning around to scale up the incline with his hands clasped behind his back.
“This will be her only opportunity. Should she prove her worth and, by extension, the worth of her allies, I will be more than willing to welcome them all.” He suddenly pauses just before the entrance to his residence, looking back to Granny over his right shoulder.
“We’ll need all the help they can offer in our war against the Yetis.”
??? POV
It’s getting dark, and I have been observing that strange orange equine wearing a hat, hiding amongst the brush in my Ghillie Suit. It’s a good thing HLN-A had advised me to store away supplies in secluded areas, off the beaten path. Man, it’s been so long.
Ever since I returned to the Island, this installation has changed so much compared to what I had dealt with long ago. Many of the beasts here are now highly intelligent, even capable of rivaling my own intellect.
And then there are the Gigantopithecus…
I could never imagine that they would replace humans, my kind, so effectively. Earlier today, I had to kill two of them for trying to capture me, although these apes were more slim compared to their larger and bulkier brethren. Even so, I have dealt with far worse on Scorched Earth and Aberration, and they certainly learned that by the time I was done with them.
I never saw them respawn in my area again. Wise choice.
Regardless, they wielded weapons and wore armor just like I do. That alone had shocked me beyond anything else. This is no longer a place filled with mindless beasts. No. Now, it is ruled by intelligent titans.
Wait. That strange Equus just doused the flame of their campfire.
Perfect.
I crawled towards the wooden home, fully prone, as my arms and legs carried me forth through the dirt, green, and shrubs. I lift myself up and into a crouch, slowly going up the wooden steps. But even with my careful approach, I had made a terrible mistake: the wooden stairs creaked under my weight.
“What in tarnation?!”
Helena damn it…
“Hey, who’s out there?!”
Judging by the sound of their voice, they’re female.
I could hear the Equus move within the home with incredible speed. Thanks to my combat experiences on Aberration, having to fight other human survivors, I immediately read the situation. I jumped off the stairs before retreating into the growth, vanishing without a trace.
I love Ghillie Suits.
I went prone and watched as the wooden door was kicked open by the Equus’s hind legs. The Equus looked around cautiously while holding a spear in her forelimbs.
Seriously, how can she even do that with hooves? Then again, this is an Ark. I shouldn’t be surprised at this point.
“Come on out of hid’n, now!”
Hmm. While I respect her bravery, you probably shouldn’t be yelling like that. If I knew someone was stealthily watching me from nearby, I wouldn’t just run out- wait. She’s sniffing the air.
She turned in my direction.
“Ah can smell you, ya varmint!”
If I could defecate right now, I would. Damn it. I had completely disregarded that these equines probably had better hearing or, in this case, sense of smell than us humans.
We just stared at each other. Well, she stared in my general direction, but that nose of hers was something else. She knew that I was still here.
I let out a resigning sigh. Well… let’s see where this goes.
I rose up to my full stature, brought out my torch, and raised my arms up before approaching her slowly, stepping out of the forestation and into a clearing for her to see. She pointed her spear at me, and I continued my steady approach.
“That’s far enough, partner.”
I followed her orders and stood still, remaining silent - it's not like I could talk, anyway. But then it hit me, and it seems she came to the same realization… we are allied.
“What in da hay?”
Yeah. I’m just as confused as you are.
“Yer name… ‘cordin to my implant, it’s light blue. But, that can’t be; no one else in the tribe could’ah ev’r met ya.”
Well, yeah. That’s because I was on Aberration before… HLN-A, I hope you’re safe. It’s because of you that I’m even here, and I won’t let you down.
Suddenly, I saw the Equus do something that completely threw me off: she… smiled.
“Oh. Ah get it, now.”
…I’m completely lost here. Get what? Darn these Arks! All this fancy tech and I still can’t talk?! Bullshit!
“You must be one of Helena’s friends, right? HLN-A told us that we were follow’n in someone else’s ‘footsteps’ or sumth’n ‘r other.”
I stared at her in disbelief, and realization soon dawned on me. HLN-A… you clever little bot. I know you said that Helena would find someone to aid us, but I never imagined, well... this.
“You’re him, aren’chya? Yer not just A survivor, you’re the Survivor!”
“Ah can’t believe it,” Applejack said in wonder as she stared at the Survivor while lowering her spear. “Yer really here. But, how can ya even be here? HLN-A dun told us that yall disappeared a long time ago on Aberration.”
The Survivor simply remained silent, causing the earth pony to tilt her head while perking her ears.
“Ya ain’t much of a talker, huh?”
The human rests his right hand on his neck, tapping it twice with his fingers before shaking his head.
“O-oh,” Applejack’s face morphs into realization. “Ah’m sorry. Yall can’t talk, huh? Heh, ya know, this reminds me of the Kirins back home. They weren’t talkative either. ‘Fore the whole River of Silence business got sorted out, that is.”
The human shrugs his shoulders before walking forth and extending a hand. Applejack nods and returns the gesture with a forelimb, the duo gently shaking their unified appendages.
“Mah name’s Applejack. And it’s a mighty fine pleasure to meet ya, Survivor.”