//------------------------------// // Chapter 7: Twenty Thousand Apples Under the Basket // Story: A Lampent's Lament in Equestria // by Iridescence T Wind //------------------------------// “Aures habent et non audient` - `They have ears but hear not” ― Jules Verne ---∞∞∞---∞∞∞---∞∞∞--- It had taken most of the night to explain names to the young timberwolf, even longer for Soul and the Wolf to come up with a name that fit. So far they were having hard enough luck that there was three meters of names crossed out in the dirt as they went through them. As Soul called out more names the young wolf kept shaking her head from side to side in negatives. He had ran out of traditional human names for her a few hours ago and was now rattling off different combinations of plant names. [Ivy fang] [No] [Stark wood] [No] [Apple bark] [No] [How about Night Lily?] [Hmm.... maybe. beats all the others you have rambled off.] [Night Lily has a certain ring to it doesn’t it?] [I agree, Oh hey the all-kind-of-talking-ones is raising the sun now. Wow we missed an entire night of sleep.] Soul wished he had a mouth so he could smirk, [You mean you did, I am a ghost remember? I only rest to restore my health and that only takes a short amount of time. Three hours at most for a fatal injury provided I can heal enough during it.] [Whatever Alpha, I’m going to stay here and sleep, unless you have a 'nest' elsewhere.] Soul shrugged and started to move off after watching the Timberwolf trot over to the bridge's side, turn about three times and collapse into a pile of wood indistinguishable from the other twigs and pieces of wood that often littered the forest floor. He was about to leave the range of hearing before he turned around on a dime and faced the pile again, gesturing he stated, [and Lily, call me Soul Light or Soul for short. I don't like formalities.] [Whatever you say Alpha.] Was her piles response. He rolled his eyes and went back, it was early morning, the two souls he had sent off had made his Lord Arceus rewarded him with the usual increase of power, though it was seemed to be the reward for four souls rather than two. He took a moment to send a message to Lord Giratina and was awaiting a mental response back as he explored. He got his answer soon enough. So there was three wolves that made up the Alpha... Huh...Like a dugtrio then...weird... After an hour exploring the forest from ground level the sun was beginning to shine brighter as it slowly made itself over the ridge. He could not believe that one pony was able to Raise and lower the sun and moon. But then again his own world was far too strange for him to be surprised. When you lived in a place that had deities who controlled space and time, a deity from another plane of existence who ruled the dead, and the all-powerful Arceus who created all life and have met each one at least once in his two deaths so far, the fact that a pony could move one sun and one moon was hardly a surprise anymore. Before he knew it he was floating in front of the library. He checked the sun registering it as early morning and resided to wait a few hours before knocking as to make sure Twilight was actually awake instead of accidently waking her up. ---∞∞∞---∞∞∞---∞∞∞--- Last week...At apple acres "Whoa nelly" the famous orange mare with a golden yellow mane and cowpony hat stated, looking down from the hill at an orchard of apple trees, “I got my work cut out for me. That there is the biggest bumper crop of apples that I ever laid eyes on. "Eeyup." her big brother Big Macintosh replied switching the side his typical straw was on and shrugging slightly from the bandages wrapped around him between his front and hind legs, "Too big for you to handle on your own." "C'mon big brother you need to rest up and get yourself better. I haven't met an apple orchard yet that I can't handle." she replied finishing each statement with a hoof to her older brothers bandages causing the stallion to flinch twice and back away glaring at his younger sister, "Oops. Sorry." Applejack gestured to the rather large apple orchard in front of them, "I'll take the bite out of this job by the end of the day." Her brother decided to quote a few words of wisdom to her younger sister, "Biting off more than you can chew is just what I'm afraid of." It was Applejack's turn to glare at her brother, "Are you saying my mouth is making promises my legs can't take?" "Eeyup." "Why of all the." Applejack raised her hoof up before putting it back down noiselessly, "This is your sister Applejack remembers? The LOYALIST of friends and the most DEPENDABLE of ponies?!" Applejack exclaimed getting up close and personal on her big brothers face crushing the tip of her hat upwards and making him go bug eyed n keeping her within his sight radius. He looked away awkwardly not budging an inch, "But still only one pony" His ears flicked back as he averted his gaze again, "And one pony plus hundreds of apple trees just doesn’t add up." Applejack pushed herself away from her big brother shutting her eyes in anger eyebrows furrowed, "Don't you use your fancy mathematics to muddle the issue. I said I could handle this harvest and I'm goin' to prove it to you! I'm going to get every apple out of those trees this applebuck season all by myself!" She looked down at the orchard below and gulped, frowning. This was going to be a lot of work. She was about to start harvesting apples half an hour later with buckets prepared, and a few trees already bucked to make sure everything could be harvested fine, "Well might as well get started, these apples aren't going to shake themselves out of these trees." Her words seemed to tempt fate however, as the earth started to rumble and apple fell and hit applejack square between the eyes. As the earth kept rumbling applejack noticed it wasn't just a sporadic earthquake, there was a stampede heading by, and right past Apple Aches was.... Ponyville; Applejack's eyes widened at her own revelation and ran grabbing her rope from the barn and calling Wiona. Little did she know her actions would gather a series of tasks that would regret taking on as well during the season her family called Applebuck season. ---∞∞∞---∞∞∞---∞∞∞--- Soul waited and waited, not caring that several ponies were cantering off towards the center of town towards a large stage that was in front of the town hall. It wasn't until he heard the voices coming towards him, "No Spike that is what she keeps saying! Apparently Applejack Doesn't want any help despite having worked a week straight without any rest. She is insane in that regard." "But Twilight..." the baby dragon began becoming visible as they rounded the corner of the tree house of a library coming face to face with Soul. Soul gave them a gloomy look, "Friend troubles?" Twilight stared at him in surprise, “How did you guess?" "I could hear what you were saying right before you rounded the corner. Who's this Applejack anyway?" "Oh she’s a friend of mine and the bearer of the element of honesty, I was convincing spike that if Applejack needed help she would of let us know because were her friends." "Her profession?" Soul Light stated unimpressed with the statement. "Apple Farmer. why?" "Farmer. Who doesn’t need or want a little help?" "Well she does have the rest of the apple family to help out..." Soul would have raised an eyebrow if he had one but settled for a quizzical stare instead, "Did she specifically say that they could help?" "I...uh...." "Keep that in mind next time you see her tired today. Seen something similar happen where a trainer would work his pokemon day and night for long periods of time only to overwork both him and the pokemon into a coma or worse." "Right... if something happens I'll talk to her... In the meantime," Twilight unlocked the door and held it open, "Come on in, I have some questions for you. Since it is a nice day out we will have our discussion on the balcony if that is alright." "Alright. lead on." Soul followed twilight through the library past her neat organized room and out onto the balcony that overlooked a majority of the street around the library and well over the majority of the two stories houses when matched against the libraries four. Outside they could see pegasai flying about and ponies going about their business in an overly cheerful demeanor for an average morning. "So what’s your first question?" Soul asked somewhat curious and half regretting coming here as Twilight pulled out several blank sheets of paper and a set of various types of writing equipment ranging from a pencil to an ink and quill. Twilight thought for a moment before asking, "Well firstly where is this Kanto Region?" Soul shrugged, "If it’s not on your world map, then logically where would it be?" "Another planet? That is not physically possible..." "Coming from the student of an alicorn who can raise the sun and moon." "Good point... Next question, how did you get to equestria?" Soul thought for a moment before sighing and beginning an explanation in a cold and serious tone that he had not used before, he could see Twilight shiver once from it but he continued on anyway, "Where I came from, my job was not the most liked. In fact it was hated by the dominate race due to a misunderstanding. Unlike now where I could communicate with you verbally most of my kind is a mono-worded. or lacking of sentient language. exchanging words by using a different pronunciation of the word and a body movement over complex sentences and words. Due to this, Trainers had cornered me in the middle of another attempt to do my job, killed me sending me off to my lord Giratina and Master Arceus. Due to it being my second death and my time on the realm of the living too short again, they sent me off here seeing as the world of pokemon would be too harsh for me with its set rules and guidelines. Now I am here after less than three hours of life, and two years of being a ghost doing a job." Twilight looked more than slightly disturbed by learning that he had come here after dying twice, nervously she asked, "And this job what exactly is i-" she was interrupted as another voice entered their realm of hearing, "APPLLLEEEEJJACCCCKKKKKKK!" before soul was launched forward by a blue and rainbow blur both masses ending up smack into the wall next to Twilight Sparkle scattering blank paper and the few papers with notes on them everywhere. "Hello Rainbow, let me guess, Applejack?" Twilight replied cleaning the mess that had been created from the impact of the out of control Pegasus. Rainbow looked up from her slumped position on Soul, her mane a mess, "Eeyup." and fainted. Twilight pulled rainbow off Soul so he could get back up, Twilight packed up her papers and put them back inside, "Why don't you go to sugar cube corner? I need to have a talk with applejack. Pinkie pie said there were some free samples today so go enjoy." Soul nodded and hovered off down into the street while Twilight sighed and went inside to go grab her sleepy assistant and trot off towards apple acres. It was time to have a chat with applejack. ---∞∞∞---∞∞∞---∞∞∞--- Was it just him or had the town changed overnight, Soul traveled through the streets of Ponyville completely lost. A half an hour into his search he stopped, he could feel several dozen life forms nearby Rounding the corner he saw several dozen ponies with sickly green faces in fetal positions next to the location he sought. As well as several discarded muffins, his eyes seemed too widened as an ambulance carriage rapidly flew past him landing and unfolding into a tent. He wanted to help but he was not a medic, so instead he flew off back towards the library. He needed Twilight Sparkle. ---∞∞∞---∞∞∞---∞∞∞--- Twilight was just sitting down on her bed when Soul burst into her room talking frantically, "Dozens of I'll ponies are outside Sugar cube corner, an ambulance has set up a tent though I think they might need you Twilight!" Twilight stared at soul incredulously, "What." "I think they all ate a bad muffin or something, are ponies allergic to muffins? Or is it something else?" "What?" "Twilight c'mon! Please!" Twilight was practically pulled out the front door with spike, alerted to the situation by Soul's frantic rambling, following closely behind. This time it took less than five minutes to get the three of them to Sugar Cube Corner, or more precisely the medical Tent parked right next to it. Twilight all but marched right into the tent with Spike and Soul on either side of her, "Anything we can do to help? What happened here?" she said to Nurse Redheart. "Oh thank goodness you came, we need all the help we can get," Nurse red heart began all but diving to get a bucket to a sick grey Pegasus who promptly puked into it, "These ponies had some baked goods but now are all 'll from it." Spike picked up a muffin and stared at it as a worm came out ignored by everypony but Soul who stared at it curiously as well, Pinkie pie exclaimed from a bed, "No, not baked goods, Baked bads..." and pinkie puked into a bucket. Twilight stared at Pinkie pie and then at all the sick ponies, Applejack wasn't among the sick but she had promised to help at Sugar Cube corner today as well as helping Rainbow with a trick. Twilight Marched off wordlessly to have a word with Applejack, again, leaving spike to eat a muffin and soul to try one soon after as spike declared they were good. Soul went to help Spike collect them after having a similar response as spike did. Meanwhile back in Twilight's library Rainbow had finally regained consciousness and flew off to clear the clouds again and dismantle the contraption that Applejack had launched her so badly off of. ---∞∞∞---∞∞∞---∞∞∞--- It was midafternoon when the third disaster from the tired Applejack struck. It began almost creepily similar to how the event happened last week, Rainbow dash shouted at the top of her lungs as a cloud approached over the horizon being prewarned by an earthquake of the same namesake, "STAMPEDE!" Within seconds everypony had repeated the similar lock up of doors, shutting of windows, and pulling in of welcome mats. Some of the unluckier ponies, also ironically gardeners, too far from their homes just stared in shock at the incoming stampede's creatures. Baby Bunnies, a stampede made of them. Lily, the first pony in their way sighed, swayed and fainted. Baby bunnies rushing around her into the streets beyond consuming various gardens in their path. It was late into the consumption that Flutteshy arrived trying hurriedly to stop them, and even later when Twilight arrived back in town finally back from her second talk with Applejack. Twilight's eyebrow twitched at a trio of shell shocked ponies laying on the ground, "What the hay happened here?" Desert Rose, another gardener, started, "The horror, the horror!" Lily joined in, "It was awful." Daisy, the final gardener inside ponyville; stopped putting her hoof on her face to gesture aloud, "A disaster. A horrible, horrible disaster." Twilight looked around, seeing all the buildings intact and the street relatively empty of destruction, "I don't get it." Lily began again rushing over to a barren garden that had naught but a few bulbs left in it, "Our gardens, destroyed!" Desert Rose gestured to her empty flower pots, "Every last flower, devoured!" Daisy pointed out miserably down a street, "By... by... THEM!" Twilight looked down the street to see a figurative army of bunnies everywhere, chewing leaves of various plants and flowers while her shy friend was trying to corral them away from the plants by herself frantically calling out to her bunny friends with little to no results, "Oh my. Oh... Please stop, little bunnies. Oh no! Please, let's go home. Oh my goodness." the bunnies ate through another ponies gardens faster than a swarm of locusts and moved on in all directions while Twilight simply sighed and stated in a cold voice, "Alright. Enough is enough." Soul floated down next to her, "What?" Twilight stared at him, "This is the third time Applejack has messed something up from overworking to the point that it has hurt others. I think it is time for her to admit to needing some help." Soul considered, "I may have an Idea, though mind if I try it? If it fails by all means confront her again." "What do you have in mind?" Twilight asked, curious towards Souls approach. "Well..." Soul began putting the end of one of his arms in a thinking pose on where a chin would be if he had one, "I was thinking to induce some 'Hallucinations' I made a companion last night though I'd have to ask her if she wants to help first." "Who is she?" Twilight asked not completely agreeing with the plan but still willing to try since her last two attempts to convince applejack were failures. "Not exactly Who, but rather What." Soul began holding a hand up to stop Twilights stream of questions, "She is a Timberwolf who is calling me her Alpha after beating her pack last night. We came up with the name Night Lily last night and I think she could scare Applejack as an 'illusion'." "How in the hay did you talk to a Timberwolf let alone beat up a whole pack?!" "I’m a ghost and fire type. Timberwolf is a Normal and grass type. Fire beats grass and Normal can't hurt Ghost types." "What?" "I'll explain later. Mind if we try that plan first though?" "Uh, go ahead?" "Great, meet me at the western edge between the Everfree forest and Apple acres in half an hour." With that Soul flew away towards the bridge he had left his first companion, Night Lily, at to explain and hopefully get her to agree to. ---∞∞∞---∞∞∞---∞∞∞--- It took only a few minutes to arrive back at camp, then even less to wake Night Lily up, with slight complaints on her parts that she wanted to eat the pony rather than scare her. Something that Soul had told her repeatedly, [No, you cannot eat or hurt the Pony, you have to simply scare them without touching them. We want her to think you’re a hallucination. A very realistic hallucination.] [Aww....] [Consider it a test, scare the pony without hurting them or letting them know you were actually there in the first place and good job I’ll let you have this muffin I found, it tastes rather sugary and salty but it’s good.] [Fine.] Night Lily begrudgingly accepted the offer of reward for her new assignment, as the prospect of free food to her was an appealing one that she did not want to pass up. When they finally made their way out of the forest and into the located spot, Soul had just finished explaining the plan and why Twilight Sparkle was involved. Luckily for Soul, Timberwolves could see color unlike their flesh and bone dog brethren which allowed more distinction between the two. Never the less Twilight made a small squeal of terror as the Timberwolf and Soul entered range of smell from the Timber wolf's breath, Soul light sighed as the pony jumped up two meters from the scare and stated, "Geesh Twilight, I said I was bringing Night Lily to help, and you still jump? Are all ponies this jumpy?" "Only when something unexpected and possibly dangerous happens." "Like a baby bunny stampede?" [Baby what? Really? That snack food made the ponies faint?] was Night Lily, joining the conversation. "What did she say? And that was rather strange incident since last week it was a cow stampede." "she was commenting on the fact that ponies fainted on what was considered insignificant." Soul stated looking uncaused. "Oh...Well it gave the gardeners a scare cause their gardens were devoured. Are you ready for whatever it is you’re planning to do?" Both Night and Soul looked at each other before responding [Yes.] "Yes." "Well... Go give it a shot then... um... Night Lily..." Lily nodded and leaped up into a tree sneaking her way through the trees towards the scent of the only other pony in the orchard of apples. ---∞∞∞---∞∞∞---∞∞∞--- Night Lily spotted her target within minutes, recognizable from the description that soul had conveyed to her and with the cowboy hat as per usual. she snuck behind the pony, the wind blowing the smell of her breath away from the pony. She took in a deep breath as the pony began to turn around and roared right into Applejack's face. "Oh another tree to buck. that’s funny I don't remember there being a tree here. well give me your apples tree. Applejack turned around and bucked Night mist in the face, sending her flying back through the treetops and into the bushes in pieces next to them. Twilight's jaw was dropped. Souls would have been too if it weren't for the lack of one. Slowly Night Lily pulled herself back together her parts making a feeble, [Owwwwwwww.] "Alright Twilight..." Soul began unnerved by that feat of strength, "Your turn." Twilight sighed and trotted over to applejack who was busying herself with trotting towards another tree to buck it speaking rather loudly as she strained herself, " Must... keep... buckin'... just... a few... more. Must finish harvestin'." Twilight trotted in front of applejack as she turned around to buck the tree she had arrived at, "Alright, Applejack. Your applebucking hasn't just caused you problems, it's over-propelled Pegasus', practically poisoned plenty of ponies and almost a dragon as well as a Lampent, and terrorized bushels of brand new bouncing baby bunnies into a stampede across ponyville ruining many a gardeners life. I don't care what you say, you. Need. Help. Applejack grunted kicking another tree emptying it, "Ha! No I don't. Look, I did it. I harvested the entire Sweet Apple Acres without your help. How d'ya like them apples?" as she gestured to a large portion of empty trees that made up half the orchards. Big McIntosh approached and pointed at the other half, still full of apples stating with more words than Twilight had ever heard the stallion speak before, "Um, how do you like them apples?" Applejack mumbled incoherently, there was no way that she had missed an entire half of the orchard, "Where'd all the apple...?" She fainted spilling the apples in her basket everywhere. Nervously Twilight ran to her friend and prodded her with a hoof, "Applejack? Applejack!" continuously she prodded away at Applejack trying to get a response from her friend. Applejack eventually recovered from Twilights less than tender ministrations and groaned, "Huh?" Twilight stopped poking Applejack long enough to start her argument with the stubborn farm pony, voice setting in its own stubborn tone and bringing no argument, "Oh, good, you're okay. Now Applejack, I completely respect the Apple family ways. You're always there to help any pony in need, so maybe you can put a little of your stubborn pride aside and allow your friends to help you." "Okay, Twilight." Twilight continued ranting as if Applejack had said no instead, trotting in a quick circle, "I am not taking 'no' for an answer", Twilight stopped as she comprehended that applejack had not say no but rather the contrary, “What?" Applejack grabbed a hoof of Twilights from on the ground her tone heavy with Begging, "Yes, Twilight. Yes, please. I could really use your help." Twilight chuckled. "Alright then, but first you’re going to go Apologize to Rainbow, Fluttershy, and Pinkie pie for the trouble you have caused with this nonsense. Then we can all help you with this applebucking season, Okay?" Applejack was passed out again dead asleep, "Well maybe later then..." Twilight chuckled and summoned a blanket to put on her friend. ---∞∞∞---∞∞∞---∞∞∞--- Many hours later Twilight checked her letter yet again ready to send it off to her mentor Princess Celestia. This was her third friendship report she was sending and she wanted to make extra sure it was completely ready for sendoff before spike sent it. She read it aloud this time. Dear Princess Celestia, My friend Applejack is the best friend a pony could ever have, and she's always there to help any pony. The only trouble is, when she needs help, she finds it hard to accept it, so while friendship is about giving of ourselves to friends, it's also about accepting what our friends have to offer. While someponies are set into family tradition and ways, they should not be afraid to change it to allow friends in to help. I have also learnt that Soul Light, the Lampent, May have come from another world. I will send you a copy of the page of notes I was able to get done with on the subject. Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle P.S. can you please figure out an antidote for the sickness this muffin i sent you created. Everypony who ate one of these baked bads that are a pony seemed to have gotten ill from it. Twilight wrapped up the scroll muffin and research page with it and sent it off. ---∞∞∞---∞∞∞---∞∞∞--- Princess Celestia was just getting ready for bed when the letter appeared in front of her, Instinctively she caught it with her magic making sure it didn't drop to the ground like the first few letters Twilight had sent her as a filly. Unwrapping it; her eyes sparkled at a muffin that was contained in the letter, if Twilight had sent it to her, then it must be good. Taking a bite out of it she read through the letter stopping as she read the P.S. right as she swallowed. Celestia rushed to the balcony where her royal highness would be found puking her guts up unceremoniously until Princess Luna and the royal doctor arrived from the noise and the contents of a sick stomach hitting a royal guard below causing startled surprise. This was not going to be a good night for the Princess.