“O-oh,” Twilight finally managed, breaking out of her momentary shock, courtesy of Ovis Archadia. “My name is Twilight-”
“Bahahahahaha!” Those two annoying deer burst out—Twilight made a mental note to add them to a particular ‘I really don’t like you’ list with Sheva, that incredibly rude Sabertooth.
“Oh, pardon me, dearie,” Ovis starts, hopping forth similarly to Pinkie Pie, passing Twilight before standing in front of Rut and Tok.
“If I could have a moment of your time, gentle deers,” The Ovis said with closed eyes and a pleasant smile and expression. But a sudden and horrifying change ensues, one that causes Rut to stop immediately, bonking his companion and trying to get them to cease their actions.
And when Tok finally does manage a gander, his face practically goes pale—horror-induced shock taking hold.
“STOP LAUGHING AT HER OR I WILL SKIN YOU BOTH AND PRESENT A NEW LINE OF ARMOR FOR KING GROK! DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?!”
Twilight fell onto her flank, dumbfounded and somewhat fearful. And judging by the response of those present, barring the already frightened deers, this member of an ancient species of sheep had quite the reputation.
Rut retreats behind Tok, who, in turn, looks back over his shoulder with a look of betrayal.
-Sweet, Celestia!- The alicorn screamed internally. -That’s a face straight out of Tartarus!-
If Grogar were ever to have a bride, she’d be it.
“You two dun fucked up,” Granny comments with a shrug, Micropscus smirking, enjoying the deers’ suffering.
“WELL?!” The demon sheep inquires, teeth grinding. “WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY FOR YOURSELVES?!”
“W-we’re sorry!” Rut and Tok, the poor focus of Ovis’s wrath, screamed in unison.
“APOLOGIZE TO HER, NOT ME!”
“Y-yes, eh!”
“Right away, eh!”
The deer adhere to Ovis’s request, running over to Twilight and screaming their united apology before bolting off into the redwoods. It happened so fast that the alicorn couldn’t entirely comprehend their apology, although she could somewhat read their lips.
Twilight observed the fleeing duo with a face of pure shock, turning to Ovis, back to the direction of the now-gone deer, and back to the sheep.
“Look how grand things can be if we all just got along, darlings,” Ovis states in a completely normal state as if a switch had been flicked. Gone was the demon sheep, now replaced by a fluffy angel.
“Oh! Where are my manners? I haven’t introduced you to my friends here.”
Ovis hops over to the saddle-wearing Phiomia and Parasaur, Twilight following her movements, barely recovering from what had just transpired. Although that festering feeling of nostalgia only amplified from the event, and she missed her friends all the more.
Ovis and Rarity are simply all too alike…
In the corner of Twilight’s sight, Granny’s form traversed toward the transparent glass-like structure nearby, parting its double doors and tending to various crop plots inside, each sporting vibrant greeneries and vegetation ripe for the picking. It was enough to make spit form in the alicorn’s closed muzzle, her gaze long having been drawn to that succulent food source.
“This lovely Phiomia to my left is Poo’baloo,” Ovis starts, garnering Twilight’s attention. “He’s been invaluable in aiding Granny’s crops at the Greenhouse. In fact, that’s where a fair portion of the tribe’s vegetables comes from. Of course, three other farms are aiding the supply chain, each run by other members of the tribe, but Granny oversees them all.”
“That’s amazing,” Twilight responds. “Funnily enough, my friend Applejack and her family played a similar role in Ponyville. They also supplied Canterlot, and their apples are favored all across Equestria.”
Ovis blinks twice. “Apples?” She genuinely asked. “What’s that?” The two herbivores alongside her showed confusion, as they’d never even heard of the fruit in question.
“Y-you don’t have apples here?!” The alicorn is simply dumbfounded.
“Ah had a similar reaction, too!” Granny called out from nearby, transporting a collective of harvested fruits and vegetables after exiting the Greenhouse, Micropscus resting on her shoulder. “‘Parently, it’s round and red, based on what ‘er friend told me.”
“Intruiging,” Ovis said.
Poo’baloo snorts similarly to a pig, his short trunk rising and lowering as if expressing an interest. The Phiomia’s gesture garnered an inquiry from within the alicorn. Still, Twilight stowed it away for now as Ovis hopped over to the Parasaur before turning toward the alicorn’s direction with a pleasant smile.
“Pushing aside this apple business, for now, this lovely girl is Alarm Call.”
“Alarm Call?” Twilight genuinely inquired. “My apologies if this sounds rude, but that’s a very-”
“Particular name?” Ovis gently interjects, Alarm Call chuckling through their elongated crest, almost akin to someone blowing on an instrument. “She and her ilk get that a lot. But do not fret dearie; she truly enjoys the name and certainly lives up to it.”
“Oh?” Twilight inquired. “How so?”
“Oh, darling, have you any idea how many times she’s warned us of Mawlchu’s presence thanks to her incredible ability? And that’s not including the Yetis and other brutes that’s tried to attack us before.”
“...I’m sorry, but, Mawlchu?”
Ovis’s mouth drops in response to Twilight’s confused question.
“She’s new here, Ovy!” Granny shouts from nearby with Micropscus still seated on her shoulder, another bountiful collection of vegetation held in her arms as she approaches a Preserving Bin, a trail of steam escaping from the containment’s closed door. “She don’ know ‘bout all of that stuff; I’m still tryin’ tah ease her into the flow of things!”
“Ah, I see,” Ovis turns back to Twilight. “Well then, here’s an interesting fact about Parasaurs-”
“Wait!” Twilight suddenly boomed before looking back at her implant, garnering interest from the Ovis and their allies. She then turns her gaze forward again and extends a forelimb after seating herself onto her flank.
“I need to document this!”
A wooden board with several sheets of paper resting on top is manifested and held in her left forelimb, following a series of wiggling lines and energy escaping from her cutie mark, despite it being concealed beneath her Hide Armor.
A piece of hardened charcoal carved into a writing utensil is held in the alicorn’s other forefront appendage, ready to scribble down Ovis’s coming words as Twilight beamed patiently.
“Oh, dear me,” Ovis states her shock. “I see you can grab onto things similarly to us.”
“Hang on, you have a small gravity field around your hooves, too?!” Twilight jotted that down. “Extraordinary. That must mean other hooved lifeforms on the Island can do the same, just like back on Equus.”
“‘Back on Equus’?” Ovis repeats in inquiry. “That sounds more like a location or place rather than the equines I’m familiar with.”
“O-oh, well…” Twilight laughs sheepishly. “It’s, uh, it’s a long story.”
Ovis couldn’t help but giggle to herself. “We’ll be sure to talk about that later. I must say, you remind me of Sir. Gideon Apesworth,” She reminisced, “Such a gentleape, that one is. Now, where was I? Ah, yes, a Parasaur can spot enemies via sounds they project from their crests. I know Gideon has a word for it, but I can’t seem to-”
“Echolocation!” Twilight bellows in glee. “Oh, wow, that’s amazing!” She jots down the revelation. “This needs to be added to Helena’s dossier.”
“H-Helena’s dossier?!” Ovis questions in shock. “My word, darling, you are just filled with surprises, aren’t you?”
“Do you know of those dossiers?”
“Know of them? Twilight, dear, many creatures all across the island found them. They’ve also become quite the phenomenon amongst the tribes and possess valuable information. Although I personally think they’re a little… outdated.”
Twilight was simply stunned by the sheep’s words, jotting down what had been said. She knew that she and her friends had quite the advantage, thanks to HLN-A’s involvement, but it took Ovis’s own words for her to truly understand just how much of a ‘Leap ahead’ they had.
Of course, they still needed to improve—a lot. The alicorn was undoubtedly getting a clearer view of the world she and her friends had been thrust upon, including how Grok explained to her the mindset and general ways of this island.
One must kill less be killed; survival of the fittest in its purest state. One must also be wary of who one trusts. But another factor played a key role here, which Grok had openly disclosed to Twilight during their talk:
Knowledge is power. And that is something Twilight definitely could use.
“Could I trouble you for another question, Ovis?”
“Do go on, darling.”
“I was wondering… I’ve noticed that there are creatures on this island who can talk while others cannot, yet both display varying levels of intellect. Would you mind giving me some insight into this?”
“Ah, you’re referring to Speakers and Mutes.”
Twilight jotted that down. “Speakers and Mutes… it seems straightforward, but I don’t want to risk coming off as rude.”
“Oh, pish posh, dearie,” Ovis said while waving a forelimb dismissively, “It’s, as you said, straightforward. Some are Speakers, like moi, and there are Mutes, like my two lovely friends here. It’s truly that simple, although…”
Twilight cocked her head upon noticing Ovis’s hesitation. “What is it?”
“It’s nothing too dreadful, dear, but there have been cases of Mutes choosing to ‘Play the part’ while being Speakers in truth.”
“So they use their lack of speech to trick other creatures? Honestly, I fail to see how that could work as a true tactic.”
“You’d normally be right… if it wasn’t for the stereotyping that involves Mutes.” Ovis sighs. “There are also creatures on this island who aren’t too bright—forgive me for being rude—and can’t speak at all. And that, my dear, is what Mutes use to throw off other inhabitants.”
“I see…” Twilight notes this, her right forelimb guiding her writing utensil. “That’s… a bit concerning.”
“Yes…” Ovis agreed. “It is.”
“Speaking of concern,” Twilight starts after finishing her recent notes. “You mentioned a ‘Mawlchu’?”
Ovis, her two herbivorous allies, and even Granny Pithecus, who happened to be passing by once more, all stopped dead in their tracks. A feeling of dread seemed to fill the air, one that Twilight instantly sensed as her ears flattened against her head.
“Is…” Twilight was unsure of how to approach this. In addition, she noted that Ovis had mentioned the name before, but only now was she showing any signs of discomfort from merely saying the name. “I take it… they’re…” The alicorn refused to continue, especially from what she now saw standing before her.
Ovis was simply too terrified to say a word, her face expressing true horror. Poo’baloo and Alarm Calm tried to comfort the sheep with their own gestures, the Parasaur gently nudging Ovis with their beaked mouth and the Phiomia’s trunk patting Ovis’s right shoulder.
“Mejoberry…” Granny said upon approach, Twilight’s gaze turning to the ape with a Microraptor on their shoulder. “You’re new here, so let me start what ah had intended by fillin’ you in on some things.”
Granny lowers herself to the ground alongside the group, her back turned to the Greenhouse.
“This island is filled to the brim with dangers, as ah’m sure you already know. Enemy tribes, dangerous predators, pirates sailing the sea, you get the gist. But of all of em,’ there are some you need to watch out for.” Granny places a hand on her chin in thought.
“The first that comes to mind are those dang Silk Spitters, a tribe of apes, bugs, and beasts who make their roots around the Green Obelisk. They supposedly serve some kind of Spider Goddess, and they’re quite crazed about it, too.”
Twilight sends a piece of paper away to her inventory, a new sheet awaiting her utensil’s touch.
-That could only be the Broodmother,- She said internally. -This is bad. We need to access the Island’s Guardians eventually, but with a whole tribe worshipping it…-
“Another is the Demon King, least that’s what you called Edgy Mcgee,” Granny starts, drawing Twilight out of her inner thoughts. “He is one of the three Titans on this island, specifically, the Titan of Rage and Blood. However, there have been reports of other beasts like him.”
“O-others…?” Twilight inquired in shock. “You mean there are other Giganotosauruses?!”
“There sure is,” Micropscus injects, shuffling his feathers. “I’ve seen another one before during one of my hunts on the island’s western coast. That one was female and noticeably light-purple in color, but I never ran into her again after that. Rumors also say that there’s a third one up in the Snow Biome, but with those Yetis running about, no one’s dared to confirm it.”
Twilight jotted everything down. “Ok. I got it.” She swallows a lump. “Is there anything else?”
“Shiiiit, many more, to be sure,” Granny responds. “But fer now, you only need tah know ‘bout them Yetis up north, Lord Threx over by the Red Obelisk, and Mawlchu—our resident asshole. ‘Specially since you’ll be hanging around this tribe.”
“I-if you’ll all excuse me,” Ovis comments as she turns away, “I must take my leave. Until later, darlings… oh, and it was quite lovely to meet you, Twilight.”
Twilight looked on in sympathy as Ovis departed, their head lowered as they opened the door and entered the nearby home, both Poo’baloo and Alarm Call sharing the alicorn’s worries.
“That Mawlchu really seems to have gotten to her,” The purple mare states with flattened ears. “Who exactly is that?”
“I suppose we should inform her of that before Threx and the Yetis,” Micropscus suggests.
“Yeah,” Granny agreed, placing a hand behind her neck. “Yer right. Now, you listen here, Twilight. Never, and ah mean never, go out into the redwoods at night or alone— else Mawlchu will get ya.”
Granny had only ever referred to the alicorn by name when something was serious, and Twilight instantly jolts to attention with that in mind, tentatively writing down what had been said.
“Mawlchu is the only thin’ in this forest that can scare someone as much as Grok ever could. Shit, ah’m even more afraid of that overgrown feline, to be honest. At least ah’m physically stronger than Grok…”
“O-overgrown feline…?” Twilight inquires, halting herself in her writing. “It’s… like a Sabertooth?”
“Worse,” Micropscus answered. “Far worse.”
Granny stares as twilight for a moment, and takes a deep breath.
“Let me ask ya, Mejoberry… ev’r heard of a Thylacoleo?”