//------------------------------// // Chapter 4 // Story: A Day at the Quest Hub // by Braininthejar //------------------------------// CHAPTER 4 Carrot Top stared at the pig. The animal returned her gaze with what might have been a pensive expression. Either that or a look of complete indifference, Carrot couldn’t say. She was never good at talking to pigs. When the animal emerged from the bushes, the farmpony saw more details; remains of a rope tied around the pig’s body and a pair of ruffled white wings on its sides. Something clicked in her head. “You’re that pig from the poison joke accident.” “Oink.” The pig walked forward, sniffing at the farmpony. It was dirty, but unhurt and didn’t even seem particularly scared.“Hrumk?” It walked closer and nuzzled against Carrot Top’s saddlebags, trying to peer inside. Carrot pushed it away with an impatient gesture. “I don’t have anything more to eat. If you want food, why don’t you come back to Sweet Apple Acres?” The pig shot her a surprised look. “Oink? Hrumk, hrumk. Squee!” Carrot Top had no idea what it meant. She knew of ponies who spoke fluent pig, but she wasn’t one of them. Just as she was about to say that aloud, a “ping” sound came from her bag. Surprised, she reached into it and found her map glowing. On the back, there was another entry. [6] When pigs fly Objectives: escort Pigasus to the edge of the forest Notes: “Oink? Hrumk, hrumk. Squee!” Well, that explained a little. Carrot Top sighed and looked down at “Pigasus”. If this was considered a quest, perhaps the day could still be salvaged after all. “Ok, I can help you get home. Just...” The pig didn’t wait for the farmpony to finish. Oinking happily, it spread its wings, fluttering slightly above the ground and started moving towards Ponyville. Carrot Top had no choice but to follow. Soon the two came upon a path through the forest. Pigasus followed it, occasionally stopping to sniff at the nearby shrubbery. After a moment Carrot Top realised that the path didn’t lead directly north. Far from that, it seemed to be the scenic route through the forest. Ignoring the protests of her aching body, she tried to keep up. “Hey! I thought you were lost in the forest...” This is ridiculous... Does he think I’m taking him for a walk or what? He clearly knows the way back... And why couldn’t he just fly home... I hope the Apples have some sort of reward for this... The pig hopped and fluttered along the path, oblivious to his saviour’s growing impatience. He stopped at another bush, pushing his snout through the twigs in search of something edible. Carrot top used the moment to catch up with him and stood there, panting, waiting for the creature to resume its hopping. It didn’t happen. “Oink?” Carrot Top watched in surprise as the pig stepped back onto the path, his movements suddenly all stiff and the feathers of his wings bristled. The farmpony worked with vegetables much more than with animals, but she knew enough to recognise this reaction. It was fear. Then the bushes started changing shape. No, it wasn’t the right expression. Something moved out of the bush, something that, up to this point, had looked like a part of the plant. Branches stretched forward, scratching the ground, the bark-covered body emerged from among the leaves. A pair of glowing, green eyes opened, staring with malice. A low growl emerged from the creature’s throat, instantly answered by similar voices from all around the path. From between the trees, three more timber wolves emerged, forming a circle around the pig and his caretaker. Timber wolves, four of them. They don’t like noise - a frying pan, where can I find a frying pan... As Carrot Top’s mind raced, she stepped back, ready to run. The first wolf had already pounced at Pigasus and the air was filled with desperate squeals as the pig dodged around trying to evade the snapping jaws. The other three predators used the mare’s hesitation to surround her. It was too late to run, especially with her wounds. Desperate, she pulled out her swatter. A wild swing caught the nearest timber wolf on the muzzle, forcing it back for a few seconds, but achieving little else. Then it struck back and it was only by a stroke of luck that Carrot managed to pull her own face out of the way of the bite. She kept walking backwards, starting to lose balance as the three wolves snapped at her, trying to get a grip and hold her down. She felt stinging pain as the first bite connected, too shallow to grab her, but strong enough to rip through her suit and draw blood. I’m gonna die! I don’t want to die again! Wham! A dark, metallic shape appeared out of nowhere, slamming into the closest timber wolf with such force that the creature was shattered like balsa wood. A piercing battle cry followed, so loud that it made Carrot Top’s limbs lock from fear, leaving her stiff and defenceless for a brief moment. Fortunately it seemed to have the same effect on the wolves. The new combatant, who turned out to be a heavily armoured female pegasus, attacked the beasts in a blur of speed, kicking, biting, and swiping her wings around her. The farmpony’s eyes widened with shock as one such swipe caught a timber wolf’s front paw and took it clean off. The pegasus grabbed the wolf by the neck with her teeth, pulling it completely off balance before using her wings to make a flip in the air, bucking her target into a tree trunk. She landed on another one with her front hooves, stomping its head into the ground with earth-shaking force. The last timber wolf attempted to pounce at her, only to be greeted with a double kick, which knocked it back and upright, briefly exposing its neck. The wing tips met in a horizontal arc, like a huge pair of scissors. The green light in the beast’s eyes faded and it collapsed into a pile of twigs. Carrot Top exhaled loudly, only now realising that she had been holding her breath for the entire fight. She had also dropped the swatter. She was about to pick it up when the stranger turned towards her. “What are you doing here, Carrot Top? This is too far into the forest for somepony your level...” The voice was familiar. So was the blonde mane and tail. It took Carrot Top another second to notice the lavender wings and the orchid eyes visible between the plates of the elaborate helmet. “Cloud Kicker? I didn’t recognize you in all that metal. I came here to gather some herbs and then got lost.” “And ended here? You were lucky we found you. Are you hurt?” Carrot Top looked at her flank. “It is just a scratch...” She immediately realised how stupid that sounded. She was covered in rags and wrapped in bloodied bandages all over, the last injury just the latest mishap in what had been a very painful day. Carrot was about to correct herself when unexpectedly she was enveloped by golden light. The wound disappeared. So did the throbbing pain in her sides and the headache she had from her near-concussion. Hearing flapping of wings, she looked up. Another familiar mare hovered in the air, dressed in elaborate white robes. “Blossomforth? You too?” The second pegasus landed on the grass. “Of course. Somepony needs to look after Cloud Kicker when she charges headlong into a fight.” Carrot Top walked around Blossomforth, examining her robes. They were very elaborate, with silver linings and large gemstones. “Are you here to adventure? The way Cloud tackled those timber wolves, you two must be very strong.” Blossomforth pointed at her saddle bags. Strange mechanical parts poked from the inside. “We don’t normally show up here. We were just setting weather balloons to help monitor the clouds over Everfree. It’s nice to help protect Equestria and all, but with Dash constantly on the battlegrounds and us two flying all over the world, Raindrops is left in charge of the weather team. She needs all the help she can get. Cloud Kicker thought it would be a good moment to drop in to Zecora’s and see if she can learn zebra alchemy yet.” “Well, I’m often away from home,” interjected the blonde pegasus. “It would make my life much easier if I could just brew all the elixirs I need myself. Sadly, it looks like I still have a long way to go. So, how did you manage to get this deep into the forest?” “Well... I was looking for herbs because one of Nurse Redheart’s patients was pulled into poison joke by a... Pigasus!” Suddenly remembering, Carrot Top ran past the two pegasi and back towards the shrubs. The ground was littered with broken twigs, but of the pig, only a splatter of blood and a few feathers remained. The farmpony searched the area frantically, kicking up some of the timber. “Where is he? They couldn’t... swallow him whole, could they? No, that doesn’t make any sense...” She stopped when Cloud Kicker put an armoured hoof on her shoulder. “Relax. I’m sure he is ok. I thought I saw a pig when I was diving... Pigasus? Seriously? Anyway, he probably escaped in the confusion and is hiding somewhere now. You were escorting him home, weren’t you? You’ll just have to find him again. Try to find the spot where you met him and...” She paused, surprised, as Carrot Top slumped in the middle of the path. Her curly mane actually seemed to deflate a little. “I’m hopeless. Could you take me home, please?” The two pegasi stood over her with worried expressions. Blossomforth gave her a reassuring smile. “Hey, don’t give up like that. Escort missions are always hard until you get the hang of them. You just need to get some practice. And some better armour probably. Yours is ruined. Is that a parasprite swatter?” She reached behind the farmpony and picked her discarded weapon from the ground. Carrot Top took it from her and stuffed it into her bag. Cloud Kicker used the moment when her companion’s mouth was full and took over the conversation. “You really should find something better to fight with. At least an axe or something. It’s just a few bits and it saves you a lot of trouble until you get tougher...” She trailed off, staring into space just above Carrot Top’s head. Carrot herself looked up, surprised. “Is there something wrong?” There was a soft clang of metal as Cloud Kicker applied hoof to face. “You... haven’t chosen a class. You have had no training at all, no skills. No wonder you got hurt. And you don’t have a hearthstone to go home with either?” Sighing, Cloud Kicker opened her wing, gesturing for Carrot Top to get up. “Come on. We’ll help you get back to the village. Just keep to the trail and don’t attract any predators or anything.” “Why would I do such a thing?” asked Carrot as she stood up. The reassurance gave her enough strength to get up at least. “Oh, I don’t know. But you wouldn’t believe what I have had to put up with while doing escorts. Now, let’s move. Unless you want to fight these wolves all over again?” She pointed at the ground, where some of the smaller twigs were beginning to twitch. Carrot Top shuddered. “They... they have that ‘unfulfilled destiny’ thing too?” Cloud Kicker shrugged. “Nah, apparently they could always do that. Let’s hurry now. You don’t need us to carry you?” “No.” Carrot took a deep breath and shook her head. “I’m OK.”