//------------------------------// // Skipping Stones // Story: Agate's Vigil // by Wingnut //------------------------------// For the next year, Agate spent a lot of time with Dream Step and her family, though she did move around more now that they weren't travelling together. As always, being able to fly was immensely useful, and she was able to divide her time between visiting her family in Green Land, the occasional magic or history lesson in Snowpitt to curious shamares or aspiring lorekeepers, and spending time in Foamy Rapids. For her part, the young dreamwalker herself decided to hang up her travelling cloak. While she did enjoy her knowledge journey, Dream Step chose to remain in her birthplace for the indefinite future, save for the occasional trip to Snowpitt for mystical wisdom and trade. She still balanced her time between carefully exploring her abilities and the more mundane applications of her skills, such as making charms and dreamcatchers. Being the only shamare in Foamy Rapids meant that she had the run of the place in regards to mystical trinkets, but at the same time, it was a relatively small settlement. She didn't mind the smaller demand, however, spending her spare time talking to various mares about raising foals and generally participating in the community. Meanwhile, Spear Throw was swiftly accepted by the locals. He already cemented his reputation as an honorable and proper stallion by defending Dream Step and taking on Sure Strike's challenge with the full knowledge that he could lose, and he further improved it when spring arrived. After spending the winter talking to the other hunters and going on a number of short trips to get the lay of the land, he joined the locals on their yearly expeditions to clear out any ambitious newcomers from known yeti dens around the village. He performed well and earned the other's respect, finding that the forests of the southern tribe were not all that different from his native forests of the west. He bloodied the ice spear with the blood of numerous beasts, proudly bringing their pelts back to the village. The stallion was happy and fulfilled, something which did not escape his family's notice when they arrived for the wedding. Sandy Shell was certainly not a bad place to live in, and there was no shortage of things he could find to do there, but most of them had little to do with his natural talents. They grumbled and complained about him becoming a southerner, but everyone could easily tell that it was all done in jest. The wedding itself ended up being the biggest influx of ponies to the small village of Foamy Rapids to date. Besides Spear Throw's family, a number of ponies from Agate's northern family showed up as well, the guests from so far away surprising the locals. Many ponies opened their doors to the travelers, the frontier settlement becoming a gathering of ponies from all three tribes for several days. Needless to say, that many ponies enlivened the mood at the small settlement quite a lot just by their presence, and that was before any festivities even began. Though the distance was quite large, the travelers managed to bring some preserved exotic foods from their lands anyway. The northerners giggled at the confused expressions when the locals tried their dried seaweed, while the westerners busied themselves with making stews with lots of dried mushrooms. Various gifts were given and exchanged, both to Dream Step's family and to the locals, in gratitude for their hospitality. Much singing and dancing was had, as well as a number of contests between the various ponies, though they were far more good-natured than the last one to happen in the village. "Oh spirits of the slumbering earth, arise, arise! Oh restless spirits of the wind, clear the skies! Oh spirits of life, it is time to greet the sunrise! The spirits of winter are gone, awaken and open your eyes! Green shoots of grass, shoots of life! Life begins anew, it's over for the winter's strife! We greet new life, the new tomorrow! We had enough of the winter's sorrows! Oh ponies, just look how the birds weave and dance And many of the youths are sharing a glance The coming of spring always starts a certain fire That odd warmth, the unusual desire Many a pony will find themselves oddly intertwined Entangled in every way - heart, body, and mind Oh, there's passion and love in the air, can't you see? You can't escape spring's vines, even if you try to flee! Some may come together and then go their way Some might swear to stay forever, come what may No matter what, none can escape spring's wiles completely Just stop and listen, and you'll hear how the lovebirds sing so sweetly! Couples gallop to-and-fro, stuck in a daydream While the elders watch them with a knowing gleam And even when spring's warmth dies... Some months later, one might find themselves a surprise!" Ponies sniggered and giggled as Dream Step rolled her eyes with her ears folded in embarrassment as the bard concluded her seasonal, thematically appropriate song about what tended to happen in spring. It was quite obvious to pretty much everyone that what was coming was not going to be a surprise to anyone involved. Though there were a good four months or so to go, it was impossible to mistake Dream Step's pregnancy with her just putting on some extra layers of fat for winter. Unlike the dramatic exchange of wedding bangles or amulets like back in the Empire, the snowponies didn't really seem to have a singular, pivotal moment when they were considered to be wed. It was more like a celebration of the fact that they were already wed, the guests just arriving to congratulate them and offer their blessings and well-wishes rather than witness the event. Once the more energetic parts of the festivities were concluded, the ponies sat down for some quieter conversations. The disparate families talked about their family trees, naming their ancestors and sharing various bits about their lives that they deemed noteworthy, tracing their lines back through the ages. Fun as they were, though, celebrations had to end eventually. There were things to do and preparations for the new season to engage in, and by the third day, the guests collectively all left. The young couple were left tired but happy, and also somewhat richer from all the gifts. After that, life mostly returned to the relatively quiet state the small village had previously, save for slightly more frequent visits from wandering traders, now that Foamy Rapids had a shamare with the ability to produce (mostly) exclusive goods. While Dream Step did her best to spread the knowledge of how to make dreamcatchers to other shamares, far from everyone was able to replicate the odd magic, and she was still the one with the greatest skill. Days passed, then weeks, then months. The couple adapted well to their new positions in life, though it obviously didn't take all that many months until they had to adapt once more. In the second half of summer, Dream Step had her foal. Agate was there to witness it, choosing to remain with her former student for the final weeks of her pregnancy. ❅ ❆ ❅ "I'm guessing you haven't decided on a name yet?" Agate asked, watching Dream Step gently nuzzling her babbling colt. "No. We'll see which ancestors of ours he takes after first," Dream Step nodded. They were resting in their home, the house seeing some renovations and expansions, courtesy of Split Log and Spear Throw acquiring lumber in the winter, with some help from other families. It was still a little cramped, though, and the couple were making plans to acquire a house of their own, especially seeing as Dream Step's younger siblings were also at the age where they were starting to get notions of romance and foals pop up in their heads, potentially enlarging the family even more quite soon. Spear Throw was nervously tapping in place, kneading the floor with his hooves. He was clearly nervous about something, though it wasn't due to issues with real estate and expansion. Dream Step was clearly quite aware of the exact reason, smirking at the uncharacteristically perturbed stallion. "Whatever is the matter, dear? Why do you stand there, all the way across the room, as if there's a yeti standing in this corner? Then again, no, not even a yeti would make you even remotely as nervous as you are now... Either way, why don't you come greet your son?" Spear Throw licked his lips. "But... He's..." "What's wrong? He does not appear weak, or sickly. His spirit is strong. Do you dislike his colors? He does have your eyes, you know. Now come on, come hold him so I can get a drink," Dream Step kept smirking. "But he looks so.. So..." "Yeeeees?" "Small. And fragile." Both Dream Step and Agate laughed, shaking their heads. Grinning, Dream Step got her laughter under control, rolling her eyes. "The great hunter is terrified of a foal. Amazing." "I'm not afraid of him! I..." "Oh, come off it, Spear Throw. I saw you work on replacing spearheads and other delicate tasks plenty of times. I'm sure you can manage to hold your son without breaking him in half by accident," She snorted dismissively. The heavy-set stallion nodded slowly, tentatively putting a leg forward. He didn't lose any of his muscles during the winter or the time after that, something which made plenty of mares give him appreciative looks when he was out and about. Which, in turn, made Dream Step give said mares warning glares whenever she caught them doing that. Slowly plodding forward, he finally stopped before his wife, who was barely containing her laughter. Wordlessly and carefully picking up the bundled-up foal, he stared with wonder at the strange, tiny, and amazing being that he helped bring forth into this world. Finally getting her giggles under control, Dream Step smiled at him. "He's beautiful, isn't he?" "He is," Spear Throw nodded, staring silently. After a minute or two, he furrowed his brows. "Didn't you say you wanted me to hold him so you could get a drink?" "Oh, did I? I don't think I'm feeling thirsty right now after all. My forelegs are tired, though. You'll just have to hold him for a while longer." "Clever mare," He snorted with a small smile. "Darn right I am." ❅ ❆ ❅ A few months later, Agate accompanied Dream Step and her colt to a small lake nearby. It was in the tundra, so the visibility around it was good, and there was practically no danger. It wasn't a particularly useful body of water for food, as the fish there were few and small. Still, with it being so close and safe, it was a good place for foals to practice fishing for the first time, or just to come out and explore a little bit. They were there for the latter, Dream Step's colt carefully putting one leg in front of the other as he hid beneath his mother's undercarriage. Leading him to the shore, the mother slowly laid down, forcing the youth out from the safe shelter, the foal nickering fearfully. "It's okay, sweetie," Dream Step nuzzled him with a smile. "It is safe out here. Time for you to start learning how to take your first steps without hiding in my shadow the entire time." The foal clearly didn't like the idea, babbling and nickering with disapproval as he stuck to Dream Step's side. Still, the completely unfamiliar location did fire up his foalish curiosity, his ears twitching and flicking in every direction at the faint splashes from the small waves in the lake, and his nostrils flaring at the unfamiliar smells. Slowly, he started extending a foreleg outwards and pawing at the air, but he kept putting it down before daring to take a step. "Heh. You won't be able to resist forever," Dream Step chuckled, idly gazing across the lake. "No pony does. The call of the plains comes for us all. Unless... Agate?" "Yeah?" The spirit asked, lying down a small distance away from Dream Step. "What was it like for you? Do you even remember?" "What, the first time I saw the open tundra plains?" "Yes. Did you feel the fire, the... Urge? To start galloping, and never stop?" "Mm, not really. My first experience was... Dizzying, if I recall correctly. The tundra just going on forever... For a pony that grew up surrounded by mountains, it was an alien sight. I did experience something like it later on, though. It was strange. With no landmarks, it was like you were running forever, without actually moving," Agate explained, thoughtfully tapping her chin. "Heh. Sounds similar enough. Guess even ponies that grow up in cramped mountain valleys have the same fire in their blood." "Hey, Dream Valley isn't cramped. It's really quite large, in fact," Agate snorted. "Really? Must be quite an interesting valley, then. It's been quite a while since you came here, though. How well do you even remember it all? Your lands, your... People?" "Eh. Remembering the valley isn't anything too hard. I've been there to visit a couple times, too. Just a quick flyover to see if anything's changed, before coming back. It's all the same, though. And for the rest... Some details dull over time, though I don't think I'll ever forget the luster of the Empire's streets and buildings. They're far too shiny and impressive for that," Agate chuckled. "And your..." Dream Step trailed off. "I'm guessing you're dancing around the word "family", hm?" Agate asked with a smile, glancing at the colt, who was poking a small rock. "I still remember. I remind myself, almost every day." "Really? Sounds... Interesting. How do you do that? And do you remember what to remind yourself of?" Dream Step asked, slowly getting up and scanning the shore for rocks, picking through them as the colt followed beside her. "My name is Agate. Pony of the Crystal Empire. Daughter of Radiant Cut and Garnet Necklace. Granddaughter of Coal Hoof and Crochet Hook," Agate recited some of her evening reminders to Dream Step. "And it's hard to forget, when you do it almost every evening. That's the whole point." "And you still remember it all?" The mare asked, picking out the flattest rocks she could find and putting them in a small pile, her colt sniffing and poking them with his muzzle in confusion. "...Almost. After a time, I noticed that... I wasn't entirely sure what color my mother's mane was any more. I can still remember her garnet-red coat, her face, just... Her mane slipped away. Weird, but it's not the most important of details. What are you doing, anyway?" "Hm? Oh, you never saw ponies skip stones before?" Dream Step asked, picking out a stone and aiming towards the water. "First time I hear of it. What is it?" "Well, it's a bit of a game, which, as usual, can turn into a contest when more ponies get involved," Dream Step grinned. "It's been a while since I played it. Since I've been a foal myself, actually. You need to make the stone bounce across the water as many times as you can." "Bounce..?" Agate asked, tilting her head slightly. She was fairly certain she knew what rocks did when thrown in water, and bouncing was not one of them, unless the water was frozen solid. "Heh. Watch. Here's to hoping my skills aren't too rusty..." She said, raising her foreleg and throwing. Splish-splish-splish-sploosh. "Well. Three's not bad, though I remember getting five or six in the past. Though the stone's not the best. We'd even fish out smooth rocks from the river and carry them all the way here, when we decided to have a contest," She nodded, while Agate furrowed her brows in confusion. "That was weird. How did you do that?" "By throwing the right stone in just the right way," Dream Step explained with a giggle, picking up another one and throwing again, the colt watching it, his ears twitching with each bounce. "Huh." They remained silent for a while, Dream Step tossing the occasional stone, before she spoke up again. "You know, you remind me of a stone like this." "That's a new one," Agate smiled. "Ponies compare me to lots of things, though they're usually more mobile than rocks. Wind, birds... How, exactly, am I like a stone?" "Well, not a usual one. A skipping stone. You bounce across the river of time, landing now and again and making a name for yourself in another tale or legend. And then, you bounce away again. And someday..." "Someday, my road will end. Every pony's does," Agate nodded. "You have a long way to go, though. Will you make it?" "I will. Ponies like you help. Friends. You're not the first one to ask me that, you know. You don't have to worry about that, though. I had a few rough spots, but I made it this far. And if I made it this far, I can make it however long it takes," Agate smiled reassuringly. "Well hey, being concerned for you is what friends are for. Does it really help, though? After a while, your head might be so full of memories of other ponies, your own family will be just a tiny speck in there." "But they'll still be there," Agate shook her head. "And the other alternatives are far worse. Trying to go to sleep for a thousand years? Just wander aimlessly? I heard that ponies tend to forget things they haven't done in a long time. If I spent that long of a time without talking or thinking, I might just forget how to do both of those things. And then, I'd forget my family for certain. No, that's not happening. Besides... Making new friends doesn't replace the old ones. It just adds to the tapestry." "Well... Good to hear. What is it going to be like in a hundred years? Are you going to become a guardian spirit for my family as well, like you did for Glacier Glider's line back in the day?" "Only if they'll want me around. And don't start acting silly," Agate rolled her eyes. "Tell them I'll come back from the spirit world to spank them if they do." "Heh. I can do that. Some ponies took to playing pranks on others from beyond, once they saw how good my memory is. Others might think you're going to forget it when they tell you "ask me in twenty years", but I don't. Their expressions are priceless every time," Agate laughed. "Oooh. That gives me an idea..." ❅ ❆ ❅ "And if you don't spin in a circle ten times very fast, and then immediately point northwards - correctly, mind you - a terrible curse will fall on you," Agate intoned in a deadly serious voice. The filly gasped in horror, jumping in place before starting to circle. The other foals watched her with wide eyes, swallowing nervously. They were too scared to speak, save for one, who barely managed to force his voice out. "W-w-w-what's t-this ab-about, Ag-Agate?" "Like I said, it is a curse that befell on your great-grandmother Dream Step, exactly a hundred years back, right here on the shore of this lake. You must dispel it, or it will fall upon you, too," Agate nodded, trying to keep her expression straight. Meanwhile, the filly stumbled, whimpering in fear as she jabbed her hoof towards what she thought was north. The others grimaced, though, the colt that spoke before sucking in a breath through his teeth. "I think that was east, Wildflower..." "Oh nooo! I don't want to be cursed with... Uh... What did you say the curse does?" She asked, turning towards Agate with wide eyes. "Well... It'll start with your legs getting longer, though it won't stop there. Your whole body will fill out, and, before you can even realize it, you'll be twice as big!" "Nooooooo! No, wait. Uh..." The filly scratched her head in confusion. "Doesn't that happen anyway when you grow up?" "Yup," Agate nodded with a grin. "Then what... Am I going to grow up twice?" She asked, the others looking confused as well. "Nope. Your great-grandmother just told me to play a prank on her descendants a century later," Agate grinned. "Wha- that cheeky smartflank!" The filly puffed up her cheeks with an indignant expression, her ears pinned back as the other foals collapsed into laughter. "When I find her- Ugh, I'm not going to the spirit realm any time soon! But she better not think I'll forget about this!" "Is this what you do over the years, auntie Agate? Prank ponies on behalf of the ponies in the past?" A chuckling foal asked. "I do all sorts of things, but yes, occasionally, I carry a message through time," Agate nodded with a grin. "What sorts of other things do you do?" "Well..." ❅ ❆ ❅ Sometimes, Agate fought. As much as an ethereal spirit could fight, anyway. "So, you really pranked my great-grandmother on her great-grandmother's orders?" A stallion laughed. "I did, yes," Agate nodded with a smile. "Dream Step wasn't all that much of a prankster, but she could appreciate a good joke." "Heh. Maybe I should do something similar. Need to think something up, though," He grinned. "Take your time. You're not going anywhere any time soon yet," Agate nodded. "Spirits willing, yes," He nodded back, stretching and yawning, his companions starting to yawn as well. "Come on, let's finish up setting up the camp and go to sleep. There's still at least half a day's travel left to Nilas. We can rest up a bit and talk more there," A mare groaned. "True." The group of travelers Agate was accompanying circled their sleighs, setting up their sleeping spots and some basic defensive measures. While the southern plains were rather safe, one knew to never completely let their guard down outside a settlement. Agate kept watch while they slept, and, for the first time in many years, it was not a calm and quiet night. Noticing some kind of movement in the blackness of the polar night, she pursed her lips and focused on her spirit sight. Once the huge, predatory form became visible, her eyes went wide. Gasping in fright - not for herself, but for her charges - she immediately began shouting, weightlessly bouncing up and down on the sleeping forms of her companions. "GET UP GET UP GET UP!!! GET YOUR SPEARS!" "Gah! Agate, what is it?!" The stallion shouted, blindly grasping for his weapon. "Akhlut!" That word alone could make a pony's heart immediately start beating like it was trying to run away, especially if it was yelled out loudly while out in the wilderness. The six ponies swiftly armed themselves, standing in a semi-circle with their breaths shallow and panicked. "Where is it?!" "I can't see it!" "It's right there," Agate pointed. The creature's black and white coloration worked as an excellent camouflage in the black and white colors of the snow and the polar night. Fortunately, there was still some distance between them and it when Agate saw it, but it was all but gone now. Now, the large predator was sizing them up, deciding whether it was worth its time to bother with them, or if it was better to go look for easier prey. Unfortunately, Agate knew that they were extremely cunning, and even six armed ponies were not much of a deterrent to an akhlut. "Damnation..." "Begone, beast!" "Run, or the only thing you'll taste tonight will be my spear!" "Ancestors protect me..." Letting out a puff of steam, the predator stalked forwards, clearly unperturbed by the angry threats. With a panicked shout, one of the mares threw her spear at it, the weapon sailing across the air in an arc, before stabbing into the beast's side. It yowled, jumping back, the weapon slipping out of the wound. It was a glancing blow, and even then, the akhlut's skin was as thick as it was in its orca form. In other words, it was barely a scratch, and now, they were down a spear. Each pony had at least two, but with such minuscule amounts of damage, that number didn't mean much. "Don't panic! Focus! If you miss your throws and end up empty-hoofed, you're as good as dead!" Agate shouted in warning. It wasn't the most motivational thing to hear for the ponies, but it did work to at least make them fully realize just how dangerous the situation was. Swallowing nervously, they gripped their spears tighter as the akhlut growled at them, walking back and forth in front of the group, looking for an opening. "I'll try to distract it. Don't take any shots that you don't feel certain about, though," Agate nodded to them, trotting over towards the beast with her eyes narrowed. "Yes, traveler spirit," One of the stallions muttered in acknowledgment, the others nodding. "Hey! You! Get lost, or you'll regret it! Even if you drag a pony away, the northern tribe will hear of this! And every time they do, guess what happens? They call for an akhlut hunt! Do you think you found yourself untapped feeding grounds? No! The only thing you'll find here will be your death!" Agate shouted at it, fully knowing that the alpha predator was more than likely going to ignore her threats. As she expected, the beast eyed her, but concluded that she wasn't worth its attention almost immediately. Refocusing on the group, it suddenly bounded forward, getting a spear into its forehead as a reward for it. Growling again, it shook its head, dislodging the weapon and starting to circle the ponies again. Once more, the wound was superficial, even if the spear hit it head on. And the beast was truly clever, probing how close it could get before the ponies managed to react. And Agate knew that, if nothing changed soon, it would find a gap in their defences. A few more slow passes and feints, and then, everything would be concluded very quickly - in a flurry of fangs, claws, and blood. Getting an idea, she bit her lip before nodding to herself. "Featherhoof! Throw your amulet at me!" "Wha- why-!" "Do you want to ask questions and die, or do what I tell you and live?!" She yelled angrily. "Right! I'd like to live, thanks!" He yelled back, taking off the amulet and tossing it towards Agate. The akhlut was clever. Too clever for its own good, fortunately. While it mostly dismissed Agate, it still knew that completely taking your eyes off someone during a confrontation was a bad idea. The same went doubly so for its prey, which it watched closely as one of the stallions threw a glimmering crystal amulet at the spirit. The beast tensed and got ready to jump, but the projectile fell short of it. It still focused on the accessory for a brief moment as she touched it, which was all what Agate needed. "Close your eyes!" She shouted, focusing her magic and pouring it into the crystal as hard as she could. The tundra was suddenly lit up by a massive orange flash, the crystal detonating with a bang and blinding the akhlut. The beast yelped and yowled, jumping back and shaking its head in a blind panic. The others immediately took advantage of the opportunity, opening their eyes and throwing their spears at the beast. Three spears embedded themselves deeply into its side, two more causing more shallow wounds. With an enraged and pained cry, the akhlut turned tail and ran, deciding it was not worth the effort after all. The ponies all breathed deeply, standing there before someone finally spoke. "Is it gone?" "It is," Agate confirmed, looking into the distance. "We should do the same thing and be gone ourselves, then. I don't think I'll be able to get any more sleep tonight," A mare said, stuffing her things into her sleigh. "No objections here," Others muttered, doing the same. "Sorry about your amulet, Featherhoof," Agate apologized to the stallion. "Hey, my life is worth more than the amulet, even if it was a wedding gift," He chuckled. "I'm sure my wife's family would be happy to hear it came in so much use, even." "Probably. Anyway, you six get going. I'll take to the air and keep an eye out for any more surprises." "Understood. Come on, ponies, let's go!" ❅ ❆ ❅ Sometimes, Agate taught. It took many forms, from the occasional bit of advice to an aspiring dreamwalker, to telling various inspirational or educational stories from the past. Her students were all kinds of ponies as well, from young would-be adventurers, to spirits. "Hello there, youngling," Agate spoke to a despondent-looking spirit of a teenaged mare that was sitting by her totem. "Ancestors!" She yelled, jumping up and gasping in fright. "Don't do that! You scared me half to death!" "Half to death, you say? So you were alive just a moment ago?" Agate asked with a faint grin, watching as the spirit's muzzle wrinkled with confusion. "...Right. Already dead. Ha ha," The mare snorted. "Right. I'm-" "The traveler spirit, I know." "That's my title, yes. Do you even know my name?" Agate raised her eyebrows. "Oh, um... It was something, uh... I think I heard it, wait.. A... Aaaaa...." "Agate," Agate chuckled. "Right, sorry," The teenager hung her head. "No need for that. What's your name?" "...Kindle Fire. Why... Why do you want to know who I am?" She asked with confusion, raising her eyes to look at Agate. "Well, it is only polite to introduce yourself to your neighbors," Agate shrugged. "And ponies in similar fields. We're both guardian spirits of Snowpitt, which is usually quite a small group." "But you're... Not really here a lot of the time. Hence your title," Kindle pointed out. "True. And yet, this is where my totem stands, where I make my home, and where I return to from my travels. I did spend no small amount of time in Snowpitt, especially at first," Agate recounted. "Really? The stories say that you were even younger than I am back then, but I'm guessing that that part is made up." "Why would you think that? I was barely a filly back then. I was... Ten, I think," Agate nodded. "Really?! Wow! And you... But then..." "I grew up, yes. Spiritually," Agate smiled. "I barely knew what I was doing back then. I had some good teachers, though. They taught me well, just as I am going to teach you." "You're going to... Teach me? What? How? Why?" Kindle asked, blinking in confusion. "Things. History and the like. By telling you. Because you looked a little lost, and could probably use some explanations, like I did back in the day," Agate answered her questions in order. "Well, I mean. Okay. I guess I'm a little confused. But I'm also getting the feeling that there's going to be a lot more teaching than I'm expecting." "Oh, you have no idea," Agate grinned. "I am going to fill your head with so many ancient stories." "How old are you, anyway?" "Oh, let's see... four hundred and fifty years as a spirit... Four-sixty, then." "Wow. And you've been doing this for all the guardian spirits through all those years?" "More or less, yes. You see, being a guardian spirit is... More than you'd think. There are stories, knowledge and things passed on from one to another, ones that living ponies either completely forgot about, or never knew in the first place. Unfortunately, with there being gaps in Snowpitt having guardian spirits, those stories could end up being forgotten completely. I try to make sure that they don't," Agate explained. "Alright. Honestly, I could probably use some instructions," Kindle sighed. "Yeah, I could tell as much. Can I ask what happened? Both to make you end up like this, and make you stay? You wanted to watch over someone?" "Yes," The young mare sighed again. "My family has been... Well, the shamares say that there's no magical curse or anything of the sort, so I guess I'll just say "plagued by bad luck", instead. My father has an old hunting injury that makes him slow. My mother died while giving birth to my sister. And I... Caught some kind of wasting disease that even the shamares weren't able to fix. They tried all sorts of things, but it just made the thing drag on for months before it finally did me in anyway." "Ah... I'm sorry. There's really not much to say to something like that," Agate breathed quietly. "Yeah, well, I'm saying it!" Kindle suddenly growled angrily. "To the cold depths with whatever spirit has been stalking my family line! I don't care if others tell me to let it go and move on. I'm staying on, and I'm watching over my sister, and I'm making damned sure my family does not end with her! I'll watch her every step, until she's old and gray! Even if it takes a hundred years!" "Ahh, determination. Good stuff. Ponies told me I couldn't do it, too," Agate nodded with approval. "Now, I'm sure you noticed that you can't actually do all that much as a spirit. Want me to tell you what you can do?" "Yes! Please," Kindle nodded vigorously. "Well, it all starts with..." ❅ ❆ ❅ Sometimes, Agate came across bits of her past. Trotting around Snowpitt, she noticed the glint of a crystal. It wasn't anything too unusual, save for the kind of crystal. It was an amethyst, which meant that it was one of the crystals that she made herself, as citrine and pure quartz still were the only kinds of crystals the tribes managed to find in their lands. The crystal in question was made into an amulet, worn around a mare's neck. "Oh." Agate stopped, idly analyzing the amulet. Her attention didn't go unnoticed, the mare turning towards her with some trepidation. "Ancient one? Is everything alright? Am I... Wearing the crystal improperly?" Snorting and rolling her eyes at the latest title the snowponies had saddled her with, Agate shook her head. "No, you're not. How would you even wear a crystal improperly?" "Well, um... I don't know, that's why I asked... You seemed to be studying it with great intent..." She trailed off, her posture awkward. "I was studying because I'm fairly certain that I made it," Agate waved her off. "Really?" The mare perked up, her face marred with confusion. "But it's been in my family for generations... And I don't recall any stories of you bestowing it to my ancestors..." "I'm guessing they forgot a couple dozen generations back. I made it, oh... Some five hundred... Fifty years ago? No, a few years after that... Five hundred forty-eight, maybe... Hmmm..." Agate trailed off, while the mare's eyes went wide. "A couple d-dozen?! Ancestors... I don't think many families keep track of their lines for that long of a time..." "Yeah, and I stopped associating with them quite a while ago, so there you go," Agate shrugged. "You did make it, though?" "Oh, yes," Agate nodded, trotting closer and peering into the crystal. Sticking her hoof into it, she examined its structure. "Might well be one of the very first amethysts that I made. Can't quite tell if this was the one I gave to Autumn Ash, or Cindertail... They were really similar, and it has been centuries..." "What could possibly make them forget about someone as important as you? Were they ungrateful for your gift? Did they displease you somehow, to make you spurn them?" The mare asked, slightly concerned. "Well, yes, in a way. Autumn Ash and Cindertail were great, actually. Their families, though... Weren't. I was good friends with the ashen siblings. But their descendants didn't treat me as a friend, so I didn't stick around," Agate shrugged, pulling her hoof out of the crystal. "I... I am sorry for my ancestor's dishonorable behavior..." The mare muttered, folding her ears in shame. "Ha! Please," Agate laughed. "It's been centuries now, and it'd be pretty dang hard to untangle which ancestors are even yours. And I don't believe in blaming the descendants for what their predecessors did, anyway." The mare licked her lips nervously, before carefully venturing forth. "Would you... Be willing to tell my family and I about those ancient ancestors of ours that were once your friends?" "Oh, sure, I can do that. I'm not busy right now," Agate nodded. ❅ ❆ ❅ The years kept coming and going, and Agate kept doing her thing. Years, decades, centuries... Bit by bit, leap by leap, Agate kept coming closer to the supposed return date of the Empire. And while things changed, at the same time, the old wisdom remained true - the more things change, the more they stay the same. And again and again, Agate found herself in similar situations over the years, similar ponies having similar conversations with her. "So, is this how you do that "stone skipping" you told me about?" A young stallion asked, gazing across the lake with a small, flat stone in his hoof. "I think so. Do remember, I never threw a rock like that myself. The most important things are the angle and that you give it a spin, I think," Agate nodded. Splish-splish-sploosh. "Huh. Okay. Interesting," The stallion nodded with an intrigued smile. Years passed. "Bet I can get it to bounce twice as many times as you," A different young stallion grinned cockily. "Twice? Please, cousin. You might be better with your throws, but you're hardly twice as good," A mare scoffed, throwing a rock. Splish-splish-splish-sploosh. "Three. Getting six isn't easy, but it's possible," Agate smiled at the cocky youth. "Oh, I'll get it, you'll see!" Years passed. Decades. Centuries. Splish-splish-splish-splish-sploosh. "Nice throw, Arctic," Agate nodded with a smile. "Wow! This seemed silly at first, but this is actually really fun!" A light gray filly with smudged pigtails grinned widely. "How long ago did you say you learned about this game?" "Oh, a good eight hundred and fifty years ago now," The spirit chuckled. "Oh, wow. Was it soon after you came here?" "Oh no, not at all. It's been a thousand years, in fact." "Wait, wait, wait, back up," The filly suddenly perked up, wide-eyed. "Weren't your people supposed to return after a thousand years?!" "Well, yes. But, as that pony told me a long, long time ago..."Centuries or even millennia". Meaning, it could take multiple thousands of years," Agate sighed, her voice only slightly bitter. "In fact, it's been a thousand and one now, I think? Or, wait, was it two? Or one after all? After nothing happened after a thousand, I kind of stopped counting." "Oh, wow. Does that make you... Did that make you feel like giving up?" The filly asked tentatively, her eyes still wide. "Hay no," Agate shook her head. "I stuck it out this long, I'll stick it out another thousand years, if that's what it takes. I just stopped counting so hard, though I suppose I should, just for my memory's sake alone. I think... Right, it took exactly a thousand years for that narwhal or whatever to vanish from the Moon... So... A thousand one and some months, I think." "You know for certain that they didn't return, though, right?" The inquisitive filly inquired. "Yes. I visited the valley a number of times over the year. Sat there for multiple days, even. I wasn't able to see any changes, though," Agate shrugged. "So I guess that the curse is going to take a bit longer to finally rot away." "Oh, okay. Well, I hope that-" "Excuse me," A quiet voice interrupted them. "May I talk to you, ancient one?" "Of all the titles, that one's still the most annoying," Agate rolled her eyes, turning towards the speaker. "What do you need?" It was a curious sight. The pony itself wasn't anything all that out of the ordinary. An unfamiliar mare with a gray coat and a two-toned mane stood before her, her eyes an incredibly clear sky-blue. What she was holding in her hoof was quite a sight, though. It was a crystal, in the shape of a pinecone. Even without touching it, Agate could faintly feel the magic inside it. "Could you... Help me with this, um... How should I address you, then?" "Just Agate is fine. And... What is that thing? Did you make that?" Agate breathed, her eyes wide with admiration. It was quite a beautiful piece of art. "Oh no no, I only brought it. Well, it was quite a journey to acquire it. All the way to the depths of Ice Land and back, but... That's not important right now. Thing is, I need to get it open, somehow. However, while I know my pinecones, I hardly know anything about crystals. And my knowledge is not enough to open it, so perhaps your skill set would be of more use here?" She explained, slowly turning the glimmering pinecone in her hoof. "Wait, so... It's an actual pinecone? From a tree?" "Yes. I thought you knew about the crystal forest? It sounds like something that'd be of interest to you," The mare nodded. "Hmm. Well, I heard about the place. That it's the furthest anyone got into Ice Land, and that most of them die before even reaching it. None of the ponies that I adventured with tried reaching it, and I never really felt like going there by myself," Agate shrugged. "Maybe someday, now that I saw this. It's... Quite a sight." "The forest itself is quite a sight as well, though it's just as deadly as it is beautiful, which is very," The mare shuddered slightly. "But I'm not here to talk about that. Can you help me? Please? It's really important. The forest, it is dying as we speak..." "Did you really go to the crystal forest and return alive?!" The filly shrieked, finally losing her composure while listening to the adults talk. "Heh. Sorry about that. That's Arctic Ink, an aspiring artist and lorekeeper," Agate chuckled as the filly smiled nervously. "Anyway, I'm going to need more context here. Which forest is dying? The crystal forest?" "Yes, I did return, though I did not go alone. I had a very, very experienced guide with me," The mare explained to Arctic Ink, turning towards Agate. "And, no, I meant the forest around my village. The trees became sickly a few months ago, and it's getting worse and worse every day. This," She said, tapping the crystal pinecone, "Could be the key to saving it, I think." "Well, I'll gladly help if I can, but if we need to travel to your village, then you're going to have plenty of time to tell me what happened. And I mean everything," Agate nodded. "Start with your name." "Oh, I'm sorry. My name is Pine Ponder. It all started a few months ago, like I said..."