//------------------------------// // Pale Rider // Story: Athanasia // by Joel //------------------------------// "I am the mother of nature, I am Everfree." Luna looked at the mare, she had known she was going to act up a bit, but she didn't know how extravagant she would express herself. Not that she was entirely wrong, but she wouldn't have expected those words to ever leave her mouth. The green alicorn turned to her and smiled, her eyes filled with mirth. "These two are my progeny," Everfree spread her wings wide, draping them over the two sisters at her side. "They are... were... my students." Twilight's mind broke, this was big, no, it was huge- nay, it was colossal. Celestia herself was a student? I mean, she knew that she was young at some point, but to actually meet their teacher? She had so many questions, but her mouth could only flap, she didn't know where to even begin. It was at this moment, that Rainbow Dash finally decided to show up. Bewildered by the scene in front of her, she huddled up close to Applejack. "Hey, AJ, who's the giant?" Applejack looked at the pegasus, still not quite believing what she heard. "Ah... Ah think she's the Queen?" After the various dumbstruck stares and gaping mouths, that final comment twisted the knife. Everfree finally couldn't take it anymore. She burst out laughing, and soon the two Princesses next to her joined in. She tried to calm herself down, but thinking of Applejack's comment just made her sink even further into the depths of joy. As soon as she would start to calm down, she would hear her two adopted daughters laughing alongside her, and it would drag her back down. Celestia's laugh was a very regal, almost contained giggle, which would occasionally be interrupted by a garish snort. Luna's, on the other hand, was an uproarious cackle, running wild and free - knowing nothing about containment. Everfree wheezed, air abandoning her lungs as she continued to try and get back to her hooves, after having toppled over when the white Princess first snorted like a pig. The six ponies in front of them, and the one infant dragon which had joined the group after hearing the ruckus, were bewildered. Pinkie Pie couldn't help herself and started to double over with laughter too, not quite knowing what the joke here was. Celestia wiped her eyes with her foreleg, "Sorry girls, we just couldn't help ourselves." she managed to say over all the noise beside her. "It's been some time since we were able to all play a prank like that." Unbeknownst to the common citizen of Equestria, their deity of the sun had a wild streak to her. An almost untapped potential for jokes at others' expense - even she and the old chaotic draconequus had been a troublesome pair in their youths before he started to take things too far. The huge green Alicorn was finally able to get herself back in control and stood to her full height, looming over the group in front of her. If it weren't for the tears staining her cheeks, along with a big goofy smile plastered on her face, the sight would have struck a little fear into them. "I'm sorry Twilight, most of what I just said was made out of thin air." Said purple pony looked up and down, between the green eyes of the newcomer, and her scribbled notes. With a little grumble, she crumpled the paper and threw it behind her. She decided to scan the Alicorn, looking them over to see who they really were. There was a deep sensation of magic to them, not unlike Discord's, but this one was... safer. It was as if the magic itself had a maturity to it that the chaotic god's didn't. The cutie mark on their flanks was the exact same as the zebras, although instead of having a darker tattoo-like appearance, it was coloured - green leaves atop the curved branches, connected to brown roots which sprouted up from the bottom. in a circle around the tree was a pattern of various different flowers and plants. Everfree, noticing how her rear side was being thoroughly stared at, cracked a smug smile. "Buy a girl some dinner first, Twilight." the reaction was immediate, a deep crimson blush exploding onto Twilight's cheeks as she looked away, avoiding eye contact as she realised that she invaded someone's personal bubble for the second time. She meekly apologised, and Rainbow Dash couldn't help but chuckle at her friend's expense. "This form, this Alicorn, this isn't really me. Like the zebra from before, this is just something I can choose to look like." Twilight's ears perked up, realising that she was now getting real information. Everfree smiled, wanting to give her something after her bullying. "In fact, being in this form isn't usually something I can do, but my two girls here are pumping me with enough painkilling magic to knock out a small horse- uh, pony." "I'm sorry darling, but I don't quite understand. I know a changeling can change their appearance, but yours seems... different." Rarity spoke, shuddering at some of the memories of her previous encounters with the insectoid ponies. "While a changeling has similar powers to me, they get a lot more choice in their appearance, they could become any different pony - my shifting is limited to that of a species. Ponies, such as Earth ponies, Unicorns, Pegasi, and Alicorns, are all the same species - even if some snobby prats don't think so" Everfree stated, mumbling the last sentence under her breath. "Essentially, if I want to look like a pony, I look like this," she gestured to her body. "Usually, my appearance is not so corporeal. It takes a large strain to look like I do now, and if I do it without much preparation, I get the worst headaches you can imagine." She finished, Rarity made a noise of acknowledgement, as Twilight hastily wrote down notes. "Ok, that's all good, but like, who actually are you?" Rainbow Dash asked, not quite listening to the mumbo-jumbo of magic explanation. "Well, she spoke some truth," Luna replied, "Her name is Everfree, and she was with us as foals." She didn't want to explain how they were basically adopted by the woman, not knowing if the woman herself wanted to let such information go. The human-turned-Alicorn, realising how this conversation may drag on a bit, gestured towards some of the various seats in the castle's library, and plopped herself down on an oddly out-of-place beanbag. She sank into it a bit, not quite able to get as comfortable in her pony form, and chose to speed things up a bit so she could finally get out of this facade. The others all find places to seat themselves, forming a warped circle, feeling very similar to sitting around a campfire. And, like that, some stories would be told. "Yes, my name is Everfree." the green Alicorn stated, trying to sit herself up - which caused a little murmur of giggles from some of the group. "And I do have powers deeply connected to that of nature - plants, animals, the ground beneath our hooves - It's like it's a part of me, or that I am a part of it, depending on how you view it." she gestured to the plant she had grown earlier, as the six different coloured flowers grew bigger. "So, the Everfree Forest, you're its guardian?" Twilight asked, who was snuggled between Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie on a sofa not suited for this many applicants. "I am as much its guardian as I am its gardener. I'm afraid that the majority of you have only been able to witness areas which have been struck by a curse - but it's one I've been trying to combat for a millennia," she shook her head, thinking about all the various hexed plants and wildlife, but continued, "you may be interested to know that the forest was originally named after me - Everfree's Forest, which I believe originated from these two here," looking towards Luna and Celestia, who were both sitting on the floor on either side of the woman's beanbag. Twilight continued to write down notes, constantly flipping pages as she reread different bits of information. Fluttershy coughed into her hoof a bit and managed to ask, "My animals have never spoken about you, I only heard about you today, Miss... E-Everfree." her voice trailing off as she lost confidence. "Yes, we share a lot of friends, Miss Fluttershy. The animals do not speak of me simply because I asked them not to. For a long time, I wished to stay out of sight - out of mind of ponies. Only recently have I realised how silly my lifestyle has been as of late. Speaking of," She turned to Rainbow Dash, "How were Derpy and Ditzy, good I hope?" Jolting up after having been lying her head on her hooves, she quickly nodded, "Yes, they were good, they were worried about you though." Everfree nodded her head, electing to visit them in the morning. "Good. It's becoming late, and while I'm sure you all have questions, I feel the need to get out of my current... 'outfit'," Seeing Twilight's eyes sparkle, she giggled to herself as she concentrated on her appearance. That wispy white cloud of fog appeared from nowhere and enveloped the Alicorn, and the ponies watched in fascination as the smoke shrunk, and dissipated, leaving an odd creature in its place. Her clothes remained the same as before, with the exception of her extra wooden limbs. Her mask was connected to her hip, and she finally was able to stretch out, her joints cracking and popping as she used the beanbag for its proper purpose - to totally relax and sink into it. She wiggled her bare toes, causing some laughter from the pink earth pony, and the two Princesses. She sighed in comfort, running a hand through her long black hair, and looked to see the reactions in her viewer's faces. Shock was the main one, a deep fascination in Rarity and Twilight's eyes, though, for much different reasons, Everfree suspected. Curiosity and delight ran across the other's faces. Luna and Celestia simply smiled, leaning in a bit closer, prompting a hand atop each of their heads, which scratched behind their ears. Applejack was dumbfounded at their actions, to be so... familiar, with her, they really were friends for a very long time. "And this," the human flared her hands, showing off her form, "is who I really am, and before you ask Twilight, I'm human, spelt H-U-M-A-N." Twilight closed her mouth, blushing as the woman saw right through her, and wrote down the information. Suddenly, Spike approached, a dumbfounded expression on his face. "I... I know you." the infant dragon stated, his void devoid of his usual charm. Everfree looked upon him and moved her hand from Luna's hand (who whinnied a little in disagreement) to rest upon his cheek. The Element's raised their eyebrows, not expecting the dragon to have much to say, let alone that. In response to the hand resting on his face, Spike raised his own clawed appendage to touch it, "You're... her! The dragons had paintings of you!" The girls all shared a look, realising the purple dragon must've seen some murals during one of his many escapades to the Dragon Lands. Everfree smiled warmly, "Back before Ponyville was built, I visited the dragons, and shared with them knowledge and skills - while I haven't been there recently, I'm sure some of the Elders may remember me from when they were infants." Spike nodded furiously, drinking up her words with vigour - she was a celebrity to his people! Truthfully, Everfree hadn't exactly lied to the dragon, but she certainly did not tell him the full truth. In doing so would cause an eruption of questions she simply did not want to answer. Pieces of lore that even the Princesses hadn't been fully aware of - and for now, she would like to keep it that way. Rainbow Dash yawned, causing an infectious wave of yawns to spread throughout the entire party. Celestia laughed, "It is late, my little ponies, let us all rest, I will be returning to Canterlot with my sister to resume our duties, and Everfree - if she wishes to come, we will come again soon to finish this discussion." The woman in question blanked, she hadn't expected to leave the forest tonight, and definitely not spend the night in the royal palace. She searched her mind for a reason to have to leave - it's not that she didn't want to be around her two daughters, but she had never been to that new palace, and be around so many new ponies. She couldn't find a good enough reason, and hesitantly nodded her head, causing Luna to squeal with glee. Derpy was full to the brim with anxiety, Rainbow Dash had come around unprompted and began asking her about Everfree. Her mind raced with thoughts as Dinky sat atop her back, snoring slightly as she slumbered. Was she in danger? Did the Princesses think she was the danger? Her anxiety grew as she chewed on her bottom lip. A tap on her window shook her head out of her stupor, and she looked up to see the woman's face smiling at her from outside. She carefully put Dinky down, and quickly trotted to the backdoor, opening it and racing to Everfree to hug her. "Are you ok?! Rainbow Dash was trying to ask about you and-" A finger was placed on her lips, silencing her. "I'm ok Derpy, the Princesses came to see me, and wanting to get more information in case they couldn't find me, they had asked the Elements to ask you. I'll give them an earful in the morning for worrying you, but Celestia and Luna want me to accompany them to Canterlot - and I wanted the chance to say goodbye, and that I'll be back soon." The grey pegasus calmed down, nodding at the tall woman's words. "I'm so glad, it's good you're reconnecting, I hope you have fun, we'll both be waiting for you here." She gestured towards the sleeping filly on the couch, which caused Everfree to coo cutely at the sight. The human nodded, and ruffled Derpy's mane, causing her eyes to cross. "I wanted to thank you as well, for bringing me out of my shell, I'll make it up to you when I return. I promise." Before the pegasus could reply, the woman was replaced by an ethereal bird, which flew off into the night sky. Derpy could only watch with a complex expression on her face. She had wanted to talk more, find out about how the spirit was doing, but was instead left with a feeling of something not quite being right. Derpy sighed, fighting the urge to fly after her, turning around to her sleeping daughter and taking her upstairs to tuck her into bed. As Everfree flew over Ponyville, her mind raced - she really did not want to go to Canterlot, to be so far from the protective bubble of her grove in the forest. The city was unknown, a mystery to her, it stood tall on the side of the mountain, but it was just a pretty sight to her - not a tourist destination. The two Princesses ruled there together, sure, but it remained a symbol of the splinter which occurred one thousand years ago. Luna had been back for a while now, and Everfree had wanted to see her more than anything, but her mind filled her head with reasons as to why she shouldn't. She was from a bygone era, just a reminder of the past, and the dark Alicorn deserved a second chance. Spending time with the two Alicorns had been fun, but that gnawing feeling in her stomach kept eating away at her. Her two girls were starting over, and they were happy. Everfree was not. She wasn't used to the emotions which crashed into her like turbulent waves on a rocky shore - she felt like she didn't deserve it. 'After all this time, they still consider me their mother. I have to do this, for them." Everfree told herself, shaking her head at the invading tendrils of self-doubt. As she calmed herself down, her mind was filled with various faces. Dinky's adorable expression while eating a muffin, two small Alicorn Princesses learning how to fly alongside her, and then... two young human children. One was a small girl, with blonde hair atop a freckled face, wearing denim overhauls over a yellow t-shirt. Her front two teeth had a significant gap in them, giving her the cutest expression Everfree had ever seen when they had smiled. The other was a darker-skinned boy, with black hair cut close to his head, wearing shorts and a shirt with a design from some video game on it, three golden triangles and a blank one in the middle. The two played together on the swings as Everfree pushed them from behind. They fought each other, the girl biting, while the boy pulled on her braided hair. As memories of a past life flowed through her, Everfree didn't notice the tears that fell from her beak, dropping to the land below. The Princesses bid their farewells to the Elements and Spike, stating that they are just a scroll away. Everfree awkwardly shuffled next to them, back in her normal form. She gave a meek wave and smiled at the ponies which returned the gesture. She took a deep breath as she turned away from them, looking towards the two Alicorns by her side. She lightly slapped her cheeks with her hands, trying to psyche herself up - causing a curious glance from her companions. They either didn't notice or chose to not talk about how her eyes were slightly redder and more puffy than usual. Celestia gave Everfree a once-over, ensuring she was ok, and not seeing the turmoil bubbling inside of her, nodded her head, lighting up her horn to teleport the three of them. In a flash, the fields outside of Ponyville changed to marble walls decorated with various paintings and stained-glass windows. Everfree had to regain her balance at the sudden shift and planted her hand on a nearby dresser - which was covered in dust. Luna coughed at the sudden cloud of particles in the air, not expecting to be placed in a room so old. Celestia blushed, realising she had not kept this room clean for some time. Her horn flashed again as she tried to rapidly clean it, removing the thick layer of grime off the various surfaces. As the room cleared, Everfree was able to get a good look around. It was a bedroom, one that obviously had not been in much use - its walls had some paintings on them, all appearing to be quite ancient, and when she peered closer, she realised their significance. They were pieces of art she had admired back in the Castle of the Two Sisters when it stood tall. They must've been moved here shortly after Celestia abandoned the old place. It was a miracle they had survived the years as well as they had. Her hand shakily touched the wooden borders, gasping when she realised they were frames she had made back when these art pieces were first commissioned. Celestia had kept them, all this time. Her eyes teared up as she looked to the ceiling, seeing a painted sky sharing its space with the sun and the moon. Little daffodils and nightshades were decorating the bottom of the walls as if they were sprouting from the floor. There were various empty plant pots, the dirt dried and cracked from a lack of attention and watering. "Sister, what room is this? I do not think we have ever been in here before." Luna stated, curiously exploring the room. Celestia smiled at the two, knowing that one of her best-kept secrets stayed as such. "When this castle was first constructed, I gave clear instructions of three specific rooms to be built, one for me, one for you, Luna, and..." "Another, for me." Everfree finished, her tears flowing freely now. She turned to the white Alicorn, hugging her tight. "I'm so sorry, Tia. I never should have said those things to you. I've regretted it every day since." Memories of their 'fight' played in both of their minds, the woman's sharp words laced with venom as Celestia had tried to talk to her after Luna's banishment. "Please, it was a hard time for us all, I'm sorry I never tried to contact you after. We were both troubled, distraught, I don't blame you." Celestia replied into the woman's neck, feeling her soft black hair on her muzzle. She smelled like tree sap, not unpleasant, and oddly sweet. Luna watched in confusion - she knew something had happened between the two, but never was able to get any information out of her sister about it. Choosing to press the matter at a later date, she continued to explore. The bed here was the same size as her own- large and magnificent. It could comfortably fit a handful of ponies, and an idea popped into her head - one she would act on later. The bed sheets were a dark purple, and thanks to the cleaning spell mere moments ago, were freshly cleaned, smelling slightly like vanilla. She gazed out a window, realising they were at the top floor of a tower sprouting from the castle, one that looked like a simple guard's tower from the outside. Everfree broke her hug, realising she had felt tears on her neck, and cupped Celestia's cheeks with her hands, wiping her eyes with her thumbs. The pony leaned into her warm palms, nuzzling them. They smiled warmly at each other, and Everfree's inner wall of doubt began to slowly crack and crumble. "But yes, this bedroom is yours Everfree. It's been here alongside the rest of the castle since its construction. I used to visit here often but I fell out of the habit when Luna returned - but I'm sure you can make use of these plant pots. That is if you wish to stay here." Celestia's voice wobbled, her throat slightly worn from her crying. Everfree's face faltered, she looked around the room and sighed quietly. "This is beautiful, Tia, but my home... I belong in the forest - I need to find out what's happening there." the white Alicorn looked down, and the woman quickly added, "But, I promise, I will make use of this room. I'll stay here when I come to visit - to be honest, you'll probably have to kick me out if that bed is as soft as it looks." Celestia's eyes sparkled, and she beamed at the woman's words. The three shared a moment, as they tested out the mattress of the bed, all lying down atop it. The two Princesses nuzzled into Everfree's side, who put her arms under their necks and brought them into a hug as she looked up at the ceiling - a goofy smile on her face. Celestia yawned, she never was much of a night owl, and before she could retire to her own quarters, she had begun quietly snoring into Everfree's chest. Luna and Everfree giggled, and the woman whispered, "sleep-over?" which caused the dark Alicorn to nod her head, and rest her muzzle atop the other soft object on the woman's chest, who giggled, "That tickles, Lulu." Feeling the radiating warmth from the two, Everfree fell into a deep sleep alongside the white Alicorn, sleeping on her back with her arms pinned under the weight of the two beside her. Luna, however, did not sleep. She had been awake all day, but the night was her domain, and she was too giddy to submit to her tiredness. One all-dayer wouldn't hurt. As she listened to the peaceful breaths from her mother and sister, she attuned to her duties - and began to dream walk. Everfree awoke in a familiar house. She was alone in her bed, which which now significantly smaller than the one she had fallen asleep on, and was covered in pink sheets decorated with yellow floral designs. As she looked around, she began to feel dread build up within her. Her childhood bedroom, the walls covered with polaroids of various faces from her youth - all blurred except for two, a young girl with blonde braided hair, and a young boy with short black hair. A buzzing computer at her desk, whirring as it displayed various job openings - and a bunch of letters on the keyboard, all blaring the word 'FINAL NOTICE' in red ink. There was a standing mirror in the corner, next to some bookshelves, and Everfree fought herself to not look, but such a choice wasn't up to her - and found herself in front of it. She had to look down at her reflection, seeing a light-skinned girl with long black hair tied in a ponytail staring back at her. She had big bags under her eyes from a collection of restless nights, and her expression was filled with malice. She only glared, not uttering a word as she stabbed the adult woman with her dagger-like eyes. Everfree pulled away from the sight, racing to the bedroom door, gripping its copper handle as she tugged on it. The other side of the door was a black abyss, and she heard her footsteps echo for miles. Deep in the inky blackness, she heard crying, and she instantly started sprinting towards the noises - she knew those cries, she couldn't ever forget them. As her feet connected to the ground beneath her, she felt a sinking sensation, and soon the ground was up to her waist. "MAISIE! ADRIAN! I'M HERE!" Everfree screamed out, begging for them to come find her. "You're not here. You never are," a feminine voice said to her side. Everfree whipped her head around, looking up at the small girl in front of her, who was staring down at her with a similar expression to her reflection from earlier. "No... I was making sure we could afford to stay at our house!" she tried to explain but started to sink further into the ground. "You LEFT US!" a boy shouted on her other side. Everfree pleadingly looked at the two of them as she continued to descend into the black goop beneath her. "I didn't mean to! Adrian, please... I wouldn't ever leave you." "But you did," Maisie stated, as she squatted in front of the adult woman in front of her, "You left us here alone, Winry." Everfree sobbed as she gave up trying to claw her way out of the ground, "You left us to fend for ourselves!" Adrian yelled into her ear. The woman sank deeper, and soon the black goop was filling her mouth as she tried to reply - choking on the thick sludge clogging her throat. "BEGONE!" The world raptured with a blinding white light. The figures melted away, continuing to maliciously stare at the woman, who sputtered and breathed deep intakes of air to fill her lungs with had been deprived of such a luxury. She weakly stared up at the shining light in the sky, holding a hand up to try and block some of the blinding rays. She heard wings flap, and four hooves connect to the ground in front of her, "Mother, are you alright? I'm here now, it is all okay." Luna... Luna was here? She had never interrupted this dream before. "Lulu... what happened? How are you here?" Everfree asked, still trying to steal as much air as possible as her heart thundered in her chest. She was on her hands and knees, looking up to her saviour. "Tia has her duties, and I have mine, I ward off nightmares in our ponies - this is the first time I've ever been able to get to yours," Luna explained, helping the woman up. Everfree wrapped an arm around her barrel as her legs shook beneath her. The dark Alicorn waited patiently for her mother's beating heart to soothe to its regular rhythm. "Thank you, Luna," Everfree said, as she weakly smiled, "my dreams usually end in much worse ways." "This nightmare is common?! How long have you had them?" Luna asked, her eyes full of worry. "They've been with me since I first got here, I don't have them every night, but... sometimes they just happen," Everfree stated, staring at the ground to avoid the sickening pity in the pony's eyes. "This is most worrying, who... who are they?" There it was, the question Everfree knew was coming, and her breath hitched as she paused. "They're from my old home. They are... were... my brother and sister." Everfree had spoken about her 'old home' multiple times in the past, a place where her mother and father resided - but she had never once discussed her siblings. Other than brief references to her father's musical talent, or her mother's cooking, she never really expanded on much. Luna wanted to know so much more but had to be tactful. "You never spoke of them. Did something happen?" Luna winced, realising she had gone straight to the point instead of trying to carefully extract information. "I left them when I came here, Luna. I didn't have a choice!" Everfree cried, Luna reeling her head back at the sudden yell, "Our mum and dad... they weren't around anymore, and it was all up to me to take care of them, and I LEFT THEM!" Luna turned her body to bring the sobbing woman into a tight embrace, letting her cry into her chest. She continued to grip tuffs of her coat, her body shaking as her tears stained the pony's dark fur. Luna whispered comforts to her, trying to soothe the spirit. After a time which felt like hours, Everfree managed to pull herself away, and a very weak smile was on her face as she looked up at the pony, "Thank you, Luna. I never wanted to burden you girls with this." "Nonsense, this is the least I could do, truly," the Alicorn responded. They sat together for a moment, enjoying the other's presence. A mischievous smirk found itself on Luna's muzzle as she spoke, "So, Winry?" Everfree looked at her with a wide-eyed expression, before looking away and grumbling to herself, "You heard that, did you?" Luna nodded, her smirk becoming a big toothy grin. The human ran a hand through her hair as she sighed. "You got me, you little sneak. Everfree isn't my first name." Luna nodded, assuming that was the case, and gestured a hoof to urge her on - causing the woman the frown as she realised she was now forced into submitting a secret. "You're painful, you know that?" She stood herself up and made a sophisticated pose as the Princess. "Winry Winters Everfree, at your service." She did a mock bow, which Luna giggled at. She struck a finger up, pointing at Luna's nose, causing her to go cross-eyed as she stared at it. "You leak this information and I promise you, there will be nowhere you can hide. I have ears everywhere." Luna furiously nodded at the threat, knowing that she most likely did have little birds all over the country reporting to her. Why she wanted her name a secret was above her, it was beautiful and ran off the tongue - it should be pelted from rooftops! But alas, Luna had stolen a lot of information tonight, some of which Everfree had never wanted to tell, and she had to respect her wishes. The pony always looked up to the human as an impenetrable wall, that stood firm in the face of danger. She could stare down a dragon, tackle a minotaur, raise Tartarus itself - but this night had revealed so much more. She was still all of that, but deep down, this woman had cracks, and little leaks in her walls threatening to flood her mind. She wasn't a god, she wasn't unbeatable - she was just a woman, like herself. "Mother, I promise I won't tell a soul, but these dreams are troubling - they have meaning, there is turmoil in you, and we must try and fix it," Luna said, pleading with the woman to see reason. "I'm old, Lulu. Older than I should be. Even before I met you girls I had been around far longer than my time should've allowed. Humans aren't meant for eternal life, days can feel like seconds, passing by in the blink of an eye. It's difficult trying to comprehend everything that's going on up here." Everfree knocked her head with her knuckles, a sad smile on her lips. Luna only felt her resolve strengthen, she knew how lonely those one thousand years were, and she was determined to not let her mother think the same thoughts she did atop the moon's surface. "I promise you I will help, this brother and sister of yours, they are blood relatives?" Everfree nodded, confused at the question. "Come next evening, visit my quarters, I think I have a small solution to some of your problems," Luna stated, standing firm. The woman knew better than to object when she was in a mood such as this and laughed under her breath. She agreed, and before too long, the dream ended. Celestia had been blushing nonstop since she had woken up, she hadn't intended to fall asleep on Everfree's chest like that - but the sensation of being next to her again, like when she was a foal, was just too overwhelming, and she fell into a peaceful slumber. She had left the room before the other two, beginning to resume her daily duties, meeting with annoying and cynical nobles, and discussing matters with locals who wished for opportunities to start businesses. All she wanted was to just stay in her mother's arms, and have a story read to her. Her feeling of missing her had only grown since they had reunited. Atop her throne, she listened to yet another uppity rich pony try to explain why it was simply uncouth to allow a bakery to be made in the middle of a district which was heavily populated by tourists. She began to tune his voice out as she began to get excited for later tonight. Luna hadn't really slept until Celestia left the room and felt the sun daring to blast its way through the stained windows - painting the room with a plethora of colours. She wanted to retreat to her own chambers with her black-out curtains and sleep the day away, but she didn't want to leave Everfree's side, especially not after the woman's dreams. So instead she went underneath the bedsheets, trying to find as much darkness as possible, and curled into a ball as she finally began to nod off. Being disturbed by the sudden movement beside her, Everfree groggily opened her eyes, hearing the snoring coming from the big lump underneath the duvet. She tried to get back to sleep but felt her body's natural functions decide their priority was first. Grateful for a washroom connecting to her own, she entered, pulling her hair into a loose ponytail, as she emptied her bladder, and began to wash her face in the sink - which had appropriately been made for her to use in her current form. She giggled, imagining the poor pony having to try and decipher why he was building such a tall appliance. In fact, a lot of her furniture was built with a human in mind, and she elected that she really must thank Celestia again for all the effort. She looked into her bathroom's mirror, pulling at her face. She looked well-rested, probably Luna's doing, and traced her cheeks with a finger. Smooth as always, not a wrinkle in sight. She scowled a little, realising that she would have been more wrinkled than skin if she had aged appropriately, that or a dry bag of bones. She winced, 'Oof, morbid,' she thought to herself, as she began to wash her body in a wooden bathtub - Celestia must have tried to keep furniture up to date through the developments of the years - either with magic or some plumbing ponies coming to visit the mysterious room atop the towers. Smelling like a lime, she returned to her room, steam wafting after her. There was a handful of freshly folded clothes atop a dresser - a gift from the solar Princess. Picking out a yellow dress with various floral patterns running up and down its side, she threw it on, as she prodded at the pony-shaped lump under her bedsheets, which tried to swat her away at first. "Luna, I'm going to do some sightseeing, I think I saw a garden when I looked out the window, so I'll be out there for a while. You can return to your bedroom now." Everfree explained, giggling at the sleep-deprived Alicorn as she hugged her, who then teleported to her own room, embracing the cool darkness and instantly falling asleep as soon as she touched the bed. Everfree saw a door leading to a small balcony outside her tower and walked out - preparing to take flight as a bird to fly over to the magnificent statue garden down below. As she stretched her arms, she soon heard a noise beside her as a creature popped into existence. "Lady Everfree? Is it true? You've returned?" "I never left, Discord," Everfree replied, choosing to lean against the balcony as the draconequus floated in front of her. She never had much of a hard time with the odd fellow, she actually quite liked him - that was until he figured his way was the best way and tried to upset the natural order of things. Though she had heard he turned over a new leaf and felt herself giddy about having an old friend back. Discord did a low bow and reached a clawed appendage out, intending to take Everfree's hand - which she offered to him. She giggled as he kissed the top of her hand, like a noble knight in those old fairytales. "Fluttershy told me about you, and I'll be the first to admit how much I've missed you!" "I'm afraid the two Princesses have beaten you to the punch, but I've missed you too Discord. I'm heading to the garden, do you wish to accompany me?" she asked, trying not to laugh as his eyes shot up with excitement. "I would want nothing more!" Discord proudly stated, "Shall we go together or do you wish to meet me there?" "I want to stretch my wings and see some of this city from above, but I will be there post-haste, Sir Discord." The lord of chaos did another deep bow and blinked away. The two's relationship would be considered weird for people who weren't in the know - but back when Discord had first met with Everfree and the Princesses, he was still learning some of his own powers - and unlike pony magic, Everfree saw a similarity with his and her own, and was able to teach him a multitude of different techniques - the largest one being shapeshifting. He eventually found his own technique and explored his various other abilities, but he had a deep respect for the woman for housing him while others scorned his appearance. Jokingly stating one night that he was a knight of the Everfree - which became less of a joke as the two continued to use it when they spoke. Excited for the day, she stepped onto the balcony's railing and soon flew off in the form of a ghostly falcon streaking through the sky. "And this is where I was stuck in stone, Milady!" Discord gestured to an empty rock pedestal, which prompted another giggle from the woman. The two had been walking together through the various patches of flowers and trees, gazing upon different statues of the Princesses' (or Element's) conquests. There weren't any other ponies around, thankfully, so Everfree didn't feel the desire to hide her form. They probably saw or heard Discord and decided to come to visit another day, which the woman didn't really blame them for, he had a rather unique personality. As the two looked upon the barren surface in front of them, Discord suddenly clicked his fingers - remembering something. "Oh! Lady Everfree, I'm sure you'll love this. During my time in rehabilitation, I've been sneaking off to practice my shape-shifting!" he stated, hands on his hips as he puffed his chest out. Everfree brought a hand to her chest with mock astonishment and urged him to show her. Discord snapped his fingers again, becoming a gross amalgamation of a house cat with insectoid legs, and the same head as usual. It was pretty difficult to look at, but Everfree clapped anyway, trying to not look too closely at the gross hairy limbs. "But this is one of many, wait until you see this one!" Discord showed off various different forms, all weird and bizarre to look at. He was like a toddler showing off his toy collection to any adult that would listen - and the human found it adorable. Finally, as he showed off a weird cross of a snake and a millipede, he decided to reveal his trump card. He managed to snap two of the limbs together and become something Everfree hadn't expected. Standing in front of her was a human, an older gentleman with salt and pepper hair, rocking a grey goatee, wearing a dapper plaid brown suit. The woman couldn't help but gasp, as she laid a hand upon his chest. Discord wiggled his eyebrows, "You like what you see?" Everfree let out a shuddered breath, trying to collect herself, "Discord, I... I never expected to see another human again." Realising his trick didn't have the effect he had planned, he course-corrected. "Consider this my gift to you, if you ever need to bask in the presence of another like yourself, instead of these dubious ponies, you just give me a call." Everfree cocked her head, wondering if cellphones popped into existence at some point, but surmounting it to his bizarre antics, but smiled warmly at the man in front of her, bringing him into a tight hug. He gestured forward, urging them both to continue their walk. Everfree couldn't be more happy to agree, basking in the presence beside her. Everfree had returned to her room shortly after Discord departed back to Fluttershy's cottage, radiating joy as she basically skipped around her room. All her doubts and her self-loathing had all melted away, replaced with a feeling of deep gratitude for those around her. She plopped onto her bed, smiling a big silly smile, recalling the feeling of interlocking her fingers with another human hand for the first time in many years. Her stomach decided to interrupt her thoughts, realising she hadn't eaten all day. She looked out the window, to see the sun falling behind the horizon, washing the skies with a beautiful orange glow. 'Luna wanted me to meet with her in her chambers, I may as well pick some food up on the way down.' Becoming a less conspicuous form, she decided to wear the zebra again - a big culture melting point like the capital is sure to have some, right? Again, she was wrong, catching curious stares as she strolled through the castle's halls. Oddly, she didn't feel any traces of a headache coming along - considering all the shifting she had done as of late, she had expected to be in bed for multiple days popping painkilling pills. Maybe it was her good mood? She didn't know, and at that moment, she didn't really care. She managed to grab a bite to eat from the kitchen, which had been a bit of a hassle to convince the chefs to depart with some of their food - which was thankfully solved by Luna suddenly appearing behind the zebra, glaring at the ponies to do what they were told. Everfree happily munched on a salad as the two walked towards the lunar Princess' bedroom together, happily humming as she chowed down. Luna, however, was oddly quiet and was deep in concentration. When they arrived at the huge black doors leading into the room, the two guards stoically raised their spears, allowing the stranger to have access while she was in attendance of the Princess. The room was dark, illuminated by flickering candles, and a swirling galaxy on the ceiling, its various stars twinkling as it continued to slowly spin. Celestia was in the room too, reading a journal on a desk. She turned to greet her sister and hug the zebra, who was still pretty happy to just continue eating. Disappointed as she finished the bowl, Everfree finally smartened up, relinquishing her form as she stood to her full height. "Ok, girls, what's happening here?" she asked curiously, trying to take a peek at what Celestia was reading. "We believe we can help solve your nightmare issue," Luna stated, her face serious. "But the magic used here will be troublesome, and may take a lot out of us." "You don't have to do this for me, Luna, seriously, especially not if you might get hurt." retorted the human, who decided to give up trying to catch a peak as Celestia kept hiding the writing from her. Luna shook her head. "It will be done. Fear not us getting hurt, we will most likely just be quite tired after the ordeal." She nodded to her sister, prodding her to continue explaining. "Everfree, we have been reading an ancient scroll, one from our very own Starswirl, on his research about your home. With some tweaks, we believe we've been able to create a window of sorts, to allow you to look into it." Celestia said, getting up from the desk to stand alongside Luna. "Or, at the very least, create a window to view who you hold dear." Everfree blanked, "It's been a very long time, girls, I don't think there will be anything left for us to see." she explained, trying to get across the point that she would rather not see two graves lost to time. "Nonsense, the window itself is not too draining, but we will also be trying to turn back time, so we can see how they lived after you left," Luna stated, still pushing ever forward with her idea. The woman felt conflicted, all the worst possible outcomes ran through her mind. Her siblings fending for themselves, bitter and angry at their older sister abandoning them - or starving to death as they slept rough on a bench. But, there was a small glimmer of hope, that they lived full lives, and that mere thought overpowered the others. Determined, Everfree nodded. "What do you need from me?" Celestia looked away, as Luna magicked over a knife. "We need some blood." Everfree gripped the handle, expecting the blade. It looked ceremonious and wondered why her daughter had such an object in her possession. Infected with the dark Alicorn's resolve, the woman brought the blade to her palm and cut without hesitation. Some gauze was wrapped around Everfree's left hand, Celestia had been quick to heal the wound but wanted to be extra sure - scolding the woman for causing such a deep wound. Everfree hadn't listened, and instead got to work getting things in order as she wiped her bloodied palm over a mirror's surface. The mirror absorbed the crimson liquid, and it flashed several different colours. Luna stood next to it and urged Celestia to take the overside, and they both began to pour magic into the object. It let out a horrific noise of metal on metal as it rapidly showed off different images. A young baby being held in their mother's arms, a toddler with black hair learning to walk, their first tooth being lost, their father strumming a ukelele, two younger children sitting beside a teenager, and finally, a memory Everfree knew all too well. The mirror slowed, as it showed a young woman, barely turned eighteen, walking down the street, hands deep in her pockets as rain poured down. The two Ponies beside the mirror strained their eyes to see, curious to see what this world was like, gasping at the sight of the houses and roads. The woman was not concentrating, her mind occupied with thoughts of job rejections, as her phone blasted music through its headphones. Her expression was a deep scowl, an almost bitter anger as she walked home from an interview at a local fast-food chain. Suddenly, and without warning, the woman was surrounded by a white cloud, it stuck to her like glue, and as quick as it came, it was gone - along with the woman. Current day Everfree blinked, as she thought she had slipped or fallen, not that she was pulled into this world by some external force. Luna nodded to Celestia, sweat rolling down her brow as she focused on changing the perspective. "Mother, where would your siblings have been in this moment?" "At home, it's-" she was cut off as the mirror reflected the living room of her house. Celestia's knees buckled a bit, and Everfree rushed over to keep her holding up. "It's ok, Tia, just a little longer." The white Alicorn nodded slowly, forcing more magic from her horn. The mirror kept flashing through different rooms, all empty. Everfree grew panicked. "No, this isn't right, they were here, watching cartoons on the TV!" she yelled at the mirror, and in response it transitioned to an empty sofa, and a TV with no viewers blaring some animated show about transforming robots. "This isn't right!" "Calm yourself! We... Just... Need... To..." Luna forced the words out through gritted teeth, as time turned backwards, it showed off two human children sitting on their knees, much closer to the TV than they were ever allowed to do so. Time turned back to normal, and Everfree watched with her eyes glued to the surface. "Maisie, Adrian..." she whispered. They bickered at what TV show to watch, the girl wanting to not watch Transformers anymore, which caused the boy to stick out his tongue. As Maisie prepared to leap on her brother to fight for control of the remote, they were both struck with the same white cloud as the young Everfree. The woman watched in horror as they cried out, their clouds lasting a little longer, "Maisie! What's happening?!" the boy screamed. "I- I don't know! Winry! WINRY!" Maisie yelled, as she suddenly disappeared into the fog alongside her brother. The room was left empty again, the TV hauntingly blaring some advert for a new resort which had opened on the coast. Everfree said nothing, stepping back as the weight of the world fell on her. Losing the strength in her legs, she fell to her knees. The mirror changed once more, finding no one to view - it changed to the closest blood relatives. A storm was raining down above two stone slabs in the ground. Both engraved with the words 'Loving Parents', as well as two sets of years. Everfree couldn't take it anymore, and cried out, yelling at the Princesses to stop. Immediately the energy dropped, and all that could be heard was the deep panting of the ponies. Deep sorrow stained their eyes, as Luna spoke up, "Mother, I'm... I'm so sorry." The woman said nothing, looking to the ground as her mind raced. Luna looked at her sister with a worried look but saw a glazed-over expression covering her face. Celestia's eyebrows shot up, and with a deep breath, forced one more ounce of magic out of her horn. The mirror shook to life again, but this time it showed Equestria. Luna gasped, realising what her sister was thinking, and began to help. Everfree looked up at the two, wanting to beg them both to stop. She couldn't help but be entranced by the mirror's surface as it rapidly shifted through different areas of the country, before going to wider areas of Equus itself. Her mind, garbled up from what she had just witnessed, finally put some pieces together. The mirror began to show a mountain, huge pine trees covering its surface. It continued to zoom in, as it showed a log cabin. It was old, but well cared for - and all its proportions were distinctly non-pony. Everfree felt her heart in her throat as it began to show off the inside, and she witnessed a sight she would not soon forget. Skinning a rabbit was a young dark-skinned man, with a scruffy beard on his face as he meticulously carved away meat for a pot, and beside him was a young blonde woman, with her ever-persistent blonde braids, chopping various vegetables. Decorating a wall beside the two of them was a plaque with three names, alongside little notes. Isiah Davids Everfree - Loving Father, Sarah Julian Everfree - Loving Mother, and lastly, Winry Winters Everfree, Loving Sister. The mirror fizzled out as its surface cracked, but it mattered little, as the two Princesses collapsed from exertion. Everfree ran over and brought their heads to rest on her lap as she rubbed their manes. Luna weakly looked up, expecting to receive a scolding, but instead saw a warm smile on her mother's face. "I'm so proud of you girls, thank you." She leaned down to kiss the foreheads of the Princesses, who shortly fell into deep slumbers. Everfree picked them up one at a time and deposited them onto Luna's bed. This information was harrowing at first, but it ignited a flame inside of her, one that grew to a roaring inferno as she looked out the window at the night sky. Her siblings were here in Equus, the same as her, and she would stop at nothing to find them.