//------------------------------// // Under the Moonlight // Story: Role Reversal // by Trials //------------------------------// The night was cold and bitter, but the grey mare continued plodding on, using the dull moonlight to guide her through the trees. The woods around Ponyville were disturbing at the best of times; it made the mare wonder why the ponies settled around here in the first place. Smarty Pants shivered and shook before remembering the scarf in her saddlebags. She had pilfered it from Twilight Sparkle in secret. It wasn't like she would notice... Well, she could always give it back later. Maybe. Smarty stopped in the middle of the path to adjust the spotted thing. It took a few attempts, especially with her shaking hooves, but she eventually managed. Once it was snuggled around her neck, the march forward continued. Smarty had never walked to Sweet Apple Acres on her own hooves. She could barely remember the place from memory — Big Mac had walked with her on the way many times over. Smarty giggled; it was strange to think of their positions being reversed. An owl hooted in the darkness, and the mare screeched back. With a flurry of feathers, the bird disappeared into the night. Smarty sighed, feeling sweat collect on her brow. She probably scared it more than it did her. Poor thing. “Hoo, boy, Big Mac. I hope there aren't any more creep animals like that out there!” she said, hoping to catch their attention. Smarty knew they were there, watching and listening. It wasn't like she was expecting a reply, but a wolf howled in the distance, anyway. She cringed again. “N-nice animals,” said Smarty, desperately trying to avert attention, “you wouldn't want to hurt harmless, ol' Smarty, right?” She plodded into the consuming darkness, her eyes constantly zooming in on the smallest sound. A branch cracked. She squealed. The leaves whistled as the harsh winds ravaged them. A bead of sweat rolled off of her forehead. Another roar in the distance, but it was closer this time. She nearly had a heart attack. It wasn't long before the mare began galloping through the trees. Smarty was making progress. She could've sworn she saw a glint of the barn just before a twig tripped her up. The mare felt her body fly through the air. She hit the ground hard and slid along the rocky path, coming to a stop beneath a tree. The wind had been knocked out of her lungs. Her legs felt weak and shaky as she tried to pick herself up. With a glance, Smarty confirmed that Big Mac was still sitting securely in her bag. She tried to dust herself off, but a sensation on her neck distracted her. It was warm, and she could also hear a deep, ragged breathing. Her mouth opened as the realisation hit her. She dared not to look back. Just like in those horror films Big Mac had made her watch, whoever turned around to see the monster would... well, not exactly meet a happy ending. Instead, she simply chose to keep her eyes forward. Maybe that logic was enough to stun the monster. The thought of screaming crossed her mind, but that wouldn't help her; it was too late for ponies to be around. There was simply no other way out of this. The breathing became louder, as if whatever it was was getting closer. Obviously a mouth-breather, she thought. Maybe she could reason with it. It hadn't attacked her just yet — perhaps it was simply waiting for her to make the first move. “Hello?” she said. The reply was a low, guttural growl. Smarty gulped. “Look, I'm going to turn around. If you have anything against that, just let me know now.” Another growl. Well, that seemed about right. Smarty felt her hooves running before she even told them to. Of course, the ensuing scream was necessary. It provided all the encouragement she needed. The ground beneath her galloping hooves was cold, but Smarty ran through the night. She had to, otherwise the thing would— A blood-curdling roar from behind derailed her train of thought. She looked back to find two pairs of green, piercing eyes glaring at her, though she couldn't quite make out the owners. “Help!” she screamed at the top of her lungs. “Oh, Celestia, please help me!” She was running out of breath. Soon, if no one came to her rescue, the monsters would catch up to her. Smarty didn't even want to think about what they'd do to her if that happened. It felt good to run so fast, even though the conditions were less than stellar, what, with the bloodthirsty beasts following behind her. Perhaps they merely served as an incentive to keep her running. Though, she did feel powerful as she kicked up dirt from the road while sprinting. The wind blew in her face, temporarily blocking her view, but it felt glorious. The road became more narrow, and Smarty could feel the difference on her hooves. The ground was a lot less stable. A glance downwards confirmed her fears. She was simply running on mud and earth. There was no track or path here — simply the place in which she chose to ran. Smarty gulped. She had gone the wrong way. There was a snap of jaws from behind her, and for the first time, she saw the monster. A predatory, wolf-like face stared back at her, its wooden features only visible in the brief moonlight shining down the forest. Twigs, branches, logs and leaves made up the parts of its body. Sharp stakes of wood pounded the ground beneath it as it gave chase. Smarty could even see the thin, pointed sticks in its mouth, presumably for gnawing on flesh. No way; she would have none of that. Smarty had only just received the flesh herself — there was absolutely no chance she would simply give it up straight away. Adrenaline pumped and circled around her body as she ran. The wooden wolves were fast, but she was faster. Smarty was a pony now, and it was time she acted like it. The ground up ahead looked soft, deep and muddy. Dangerous. Not for her, but maybe for those sharp claws the monsters had. She quickened her pace before making the jump over the shallowest parts. As graceful as a butterfly, she flew through the air and landed with a soft thump of hooves on the other side. Smarty looked back to find one of the monsters stuck in the mud, exactly as she planned. It looked down at its legs in confusion, as if willing them to move. With a strong pull from its hip, the poor thing managed to break the twig it had for a leg. It fell head first into the mud with a splodge and a splash of muddy water. Smarty would've burst into laughter, were it not for the second wooden wolf bounding so effortlessly towards her. Unlike its partner, it managed to clear the jump. It leapt straight over its fallen comrade without so much as a worried glance, but Smarty no longer cared. She turned tail and began galloping away once more, solely focusing on her escape. This time, however, Smarty didn't feel as strong. The momentary pause had allowed her muscles to relax, and beginning galloping again so soon made them ache and hurt. In a moment, her entire body screamed at her to stop, but she knew she couldn't. One wrong step, and she would be that wooden wolf's next meal. Slowly, without her knowing, Smarty's legs began to slow. The level of lactic acid steadily built up in her body, forcing her to drop her speed. The mare began wheezing and gasping for air, hungry for oxygen, but a hidden log in the middle of the forest answered her body's call for a rest. Smarty tripped, and felt the ground on her face once more. The shining light of the moon fell on her. Panting, she looked up to see the snarling face of the monster, its fiery, green eyes boring into her own. “Help,” she managed to mumble weakly. The wooden wolf closed in on her, licking its lips. It had no saliva, but that certainly wasn't stopping it. With a growl, it pounced into the air. Smarty used her hooves to shield her face, bracing for the impact that never came. She allowed her eyes to wonder. Maybe the monster was simply playing with its food. When she looked, however, there was not a single wolf to be seen. The giant log that had tripped her up had also vanished, seemingly into thin air. A whimper came from above her. Smarty flinched, but then realised the fate of the wooden wolf. The thing had become entangled in a type of net made of rope. It was suspended in the air, most likely using the weight of the log to keep it there. Smarty chuckled. That log had both doomed and spared her. Whatever trap the monster had gotten itself into, it was of genius design. She owed her life to the simple but elegant knots of the net. “You don't look so tough now, huh?” Smarty taunted the struggling wolf. “Thought you could take me on? Well, look where that got you. That's what happens when you mess with—” “Yep, those timberwolves have been a real trouble lately,” said a voice from behind. Smarty jumped out of her fur, letting out a shriek. She turned to find a mare watching her with great curiosity. “Whoa there, Nelly!” she said quickly. “Didn't mean ta jump ya like that!” she spoke with a strong drawl. Smarty narrowed her eyes. That voice sounded familiar. When all Smarty gave was silence, the pony jumped forward into the moonlight. and shook her hoof. She wore a wide-brimmed hat on her head, and long, blond hair fell past her neck. “The name's Applejack! And, uh, what was your name?” “Oh, um, Smarty Pants,” she said, instantly regretting it. There was no way Applejack wouldn't recognise that name, not in a million years. “Strange name,” Applejack mused. “But, glad ta meet ya!” Smarty gave a sigh of relief, but Applejack seemed quite inquisitive as she watched her. Maybe it wasn't the best time to relax just yet. “Not often Ah see ponies around these parts. Especially at this time of... night. What exactly were ya doin' here?” Applejack asked, raising an eyebrow. “I was walking back... home,” Smarty said, gulping. “That so?” Applejack asked. “Sounded like ya wanted ta say more.” Damn, Smarty thought. “Well, I was walking back home, and those... timberwolves, as you called them? They started chasing me. I managed to lose one in the mud, but if it wasn't for this trap,” said Smarty, indicating to the panicking timberwolf, “I think I would've been a goner.” “A goner, ya say?” said the farmer. “Well, Ah was the one who set this here trap. These timberwolves have been pests for a while, and Ah thought it'd scare a few away.” Smarty tried to act surprised. “Really? Well, thank you!” she exclaimed, shaking Applejack's hoof twice as hard as she had shaken hers. “I owe you my life! Thank you so much!” Applejack tilted her hat downwards. “Aw, shucks. No problem. It was mah brother who thought of the idea, anyway.” Smarty blushed furiously at the mention of his name. In the end, it had been him that saved her. Well, technically both of them — the wolves would've probably tried taking a bite out of him. When she didn't reply, Applejack resumed talking. “Wanna help me release this thing? Won't take long.” She pointed to the timberwolf, who had simply resigned to its fate and given up fighting the powerful knots. It wore a sad expression, almost as if it was putting on puppy eyes. Pathetic. Smarty's eyes went wide. “Release it?” she repeated. “Are you insane? This thing nearly killed me!” The farmer's brow furrowed. “Ah'm not insane! There's jus' no sense in keepin' it hangin' there all night. Probably got a family somewhere, y'know?” Smarty looked back at the timberwolf. When it wasn't chasing her, she had to admit: it did look rather cute. It looked back at her with pleading eyes. The image of a predator had vanished, leaving a passive, dog-like creature to whimper and whine in the trap that had entangled it. “Okay, okay,” Smarty said, “but just don't be sentimental when it has your head in its mouth.” Well, she had to back up her point. It was a simple matter of principle. Applejack scowled at Smarty before instructing her to pull the net down. With a heave, the pair of ponies managed to bring the timberwolf back to the ground. It suddenly became restless, wriggling and writhing in the rope, but was quickly silenced by a glare from Applejack. The wooden dog whined before conforming to the net of shame once more. “Right,” Applejack said, wiping a bead of sweat from her forehead, “that's the hardest part done. Jus' hold it in place for a sec. Jus' got to untie a bit.” The farmer disappeared into the mass of knots and bits of rope. Smarty did as asked, and kept the timberwolf in place. Its complacent eyes found their way into her own, and found herself smiling at the damned thing. Even more pathetic! The timberwolf had previously tried to kill her, but it was practically harmless now. With a grunt from Applejack, the rope suddenly became lax in her hooves. Smarty dropped the net. The timberwolf struggled once more, finally finding the hole Applejack had made for its escape. It looked back at her temporarily before leaping through the net. The farmer bucked it up the arse for good measure. “Git outta here!” she shouted, chasing it into the forest. The wolf yelped and whimpered as it disappeared into the night. “Well, that takes care of that!” the mare exclaimed happily. Smarty gasped in horror. “What is it?” the mare asked, sounding genuinely concerned. “You know that timberwolf I was talking about? The one stuck in the mud?” Applejack nodded. “Should we go and help it out? It was quite far away, but I'll feel guilty if we don't.” Applejack raised an eyebrow before shaking her head. “Nah,” she said, “it'll get itself free. They're tougher than ya think. Ah only helped this one ta catch more,” she said with a devious grin. “Then why did you let it go?” The farmer was taken aback. “For the thrill, of course. The thrill of the hunt.” Smarty felt like arguing back, but she knew how stubborn Applejack was, even if she was wrong. Unfortunately, she was almost as stubborn as herself. Smarty recalled all the conversations Big Mac had had with her sister, and the vast majority of them had never ended in his favour. She kicked at the ground, hoping Applejack would simply drop the subject. “So, what are ya gonna do now?” the farmer asked. “Might as well keep walking home,” Smarty said. “With all these wolves around? Ah don't think that'd be a good idea.” “Oh, yeah? What would you suggest?” Applejack smiled. “Well, ya can always sleep at mine for the night. Got a spare room. In the morning, ya can just mosey on home. How does that sound?” Smarty raised a hoof to her chin. She knew the answer already, but she had to make it look convincing. “Are you sure? I don't want to be a burden, and I'm—” “Ya wouldn't be a burden!” Applejack interrupted, shaking a hoof in dismissal. “If anything, Ah owe ya it. Ah couldn't have gotten that timberwolf down without ya, so see it as a thanks!” “Still, the thing wouldn't have been there if I was here,” Smarty countered. Applejack frowned. “Listen, for someone named 'Smarty', ya don't seem all that bright. There are lots of timberwolves out and about tonight, roamin' in packs of two or more. Ya wouldn't make it back in one piece, Ah can almost guarantee it. It'd be best to wait till morning. Plus, it wouldn't feel right for me ta leave ya out here like this.” Smarty tried not to respond to insult. She was silently seething with rage, but she couldn't let her emotions get the better of her. “Well, only if you're sure...” she said through gritted teeth. “I couldn't thank you enough.” “Absolutely!” Applejack exclaimed with a smile. “Even if ya said no, Ah would've trussed ya up tighter than... well, Ah dunno,” she said, cocking her head. “Somethin' tight, I s'pose. C'mon! Mah home isn't that far away!” “You were really thinking of tying me up and carrying me?” Smarty asked, raising an eyebrow. Applejack paused before answering. “Maybe.” With that somewhat disturbing revelation, Smarty began hesitantly following Applejack through the night, the light of the moon barely showing their path. For the first minutes, a deathly silence filled the atmosphere. The occasional, faraway howl of a timberwolf would make Smarty jump, to which Applejack would respond with “damned timberwolves” or “stupid wolves”, but the majority of the journey was quiet. Smarty felt the cold ground beneath her hooves and the bitter air of the night, but it made her feel alive. It was better to feel something — anything — rather than nothing at all. She fell behind Applejack a little, so that she could check on Big Mac without her knowledge. There was no doubt in Smarty's mind that Applejack would freak out when she saw him. When, she thought. It was inevitable; she would have to tell her soon, but now was not the right moment. In the morning. That was the best time. In a calm and collected manner, she would casually mention it, as if it wasn't such a major thing. Fat chance, she told herself. Unbuckling her saddlebag, she looked in to find Big Mac staring back at her with his green buttons. Smarty chuckled, stroking his golden hair. Just where she'd left him. “So, whereabouts do ya live?” said Applejack, turning around to talk. “Ah know all the parts round here, and nothing springs to mind.” Smarty panicked, quickly stuffing Mac back into the bag. “Oh, ages away. Over the hills and stuff,” Smarty said absent-mindedly. “Really?” Applejack said, a sceptical frown on her face. “What made it seem like such a good idea to walk home so late then? Ya must've known about the timberwolves.” “Well... I've only just moved in. Came from, uh, Manehatten,” she said off the top of her head. “Manehatten, huh? Ya not one of those fancy types, are ya?” “No, don't think so.” “Well, good. Ah went up there as a little filly, and those are some of the most silver-spooned, snot-nosed ponies Ah ever did have the displeasure of meetin'.” Applejack paused before chuckling. “No offence, of course. Ya don't seem like that type, anyway.” “Thanks, I guess,” Smarty mumbled. “So, do ya like it here? Ponyville's got some fine folks, even if we don't have many of them fancy shops y'all Manehatten ponies like so much.” “Well, it's nice enough. I wanted to escape from the city, anyway. Nothing like some good, fresh air.” Ooh, she was a good liar. Smarty wanted to make it seem convincing, but she couldn't give too much detail away; it would only make it harder for herself to tell the truth in the morning. “Too right!” Applejack exclaimed, smiling proudly. “Ah'm a Ponyville pony, through and through. Born and raised right here in this fresh air! Heck, ya seem like a nice pony. Ah'll let you in on a little secret.” Oh, boy, Smarty could hardly wait. She simply shuddered with anticipation. Applejack beckoned her closer. “Listen, Ah've got a big brother named Big Mac. He's about yay high,” she said, raising a hoof above her head, “so he's pretty darn noticeable. Mac's got a red coat, green eyes and a blond mane and tail if that wasn't enough. He's been missin' all day, and Ah haven't heard anythin' about him. Believe me, Ah asked all around town. Maybe ya saw him on ya way over here? Ya couldn't miss him.” Smarty blinked, and then blinked again. “Is... is that why you're out so late? You're looking for him?” “Of course!” Applejack confirmed. “He's mah brother, for cryin' out loud. You'd think he'd tell me when he feels like disappearin', but Ah guess not,” she said, rolling her eyes. “Mac's been doin' it a lot recently, but it's the first time he hasn't shown up for dinner. Ah've been worried sick all day! Ya haven't seen him, have ya?” She raised a hoof to her chin. This was going to make it much harder in the morning. “No... no, I don't think so.” “Well, could ya keep an eye out for him?” Applejack asked. “Ah reckon he'll come back soon, but it'd have been nice if he'd jus' told me in advance. Makin' me stay up all night, lookin' for him... Ah'm gonna hit him so hard when he shows up! He better have the best excuse in the world!” she muttered, stomping the ground. Smarty gulped. Oh, no. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, especially with the insufferable silence created by Applejack's last remark, the pair came across a clearing in the forest. Applejack pointed to a large, red barn standing proudly on the top of a hill. “This is our home,” the farmer whispered, “but you'd better keep it down — the rest of mah family are probably fast asleep. Ya can meet 'em all in the mornin'.” As Smarty followed her up the hill, Applejack pointed to the rolling hills of trees beneath them. “This here is our orchard,” she said proudly. “Welcome to Sweet Apple Acres!” “I was wondering what that Cutie Mark was for,” Smarty admitted. She knew all this already, but she couldn't just spill the beans. “Well, Ah'm nothin' to write home about, but it's what we do for our livin'. We look after apples, pick 'em and then sell 'em. It's pretty simple work, but we're proud of what we do. Maybe Ah could give ya a job round here sometime!” she exclaimed with a smile. “Ya seem quite dependable!” “Thanks,” Smarty said. “I might have to take you up on that.” Eventually, after the steep climb of the hill, the pair made it to the door of the house. It was big, but of rather simple design. Smarty stepped onto the porch, making sure to press down lightly. The wood creaked under her weight, but there was simply nothing else she could do about it. Applejack opened the door with a push, and indicated to Smarty to go inside. She raised a hoof to her mouth, telling her to be silent. Smarty nodded, and went through the doorway. “Okay, ya room is down on the left,” whispered Applejack, pointing down the corridor. “The bed's already made, and ya can put ya things on the table. Make yourself at home!” she said, smiling. “Again, thanks a lot,” Smarty said, returning the smile. “Don't know what I would've done without you tonight.” “Aw, shucks,” Applejack said in a hushed tone, blushing. “Think nothing of it. Have a good night's sleep, and Ah'll see ya in the morning, all bright and early!” Smarty thanked the mare again before walking down the corridor. She found the door open, and went into the room. It was simple and efficient, much like the rest of the house, but it suited her. First things first — her saddlebags. With a groan, she pulled the straps off of her waist and placed the bags on the table next to the bed. The weight was gone from her back. She stretched, feeling several bones click satisfyingly. Smarty took the scarf off of her neck and placed it beside the bag. Of course, she had to fold it accordingly — everything had its place. Smarty jumped on the bed before remembering where she was. She had to be respectful, so no more jumping on beds. It was comfortable, the two pillows at the perfect angle for her neck, as well as the warm, fluffy blankets beneath her. Smarty leant across the bed to look through her saddlebags. Her hoof came across something soft, and she pulled the thing out. Smarty set Big Mac next to her on the bed, finally giving him some air to breathe... well, metaphorical breathing. She knew how claustrophobic Big Mac could get at times, even if he was a toy. She looked deep into his green eyes, knowing he was staring right back at her. It was funny; if someone told her that she would turn into an actual pony earlier today, she would've done absolutely nothing. Of course she would've done nothing. Earlier today, she was an inanimate object, so it only made sense. She probably would've at least felt surprised, even though she wouldn't have been able to express it. She sighed. Even though the day was gone, her brain was still active enough to think of wild scenarios and situations. Smarty needed to sleep. She needed to let her body refresh. Unlike her previous self, she actually had muscles and organs that needed to rest and replenish energy. Smarty had never actually slept before, as she had never needed to. Would she simply drop off to sleep? Was there something specific she had to do, like drink a glass of milk before bedtime, just as Twilight had done as a filly? There she went again. Thinking. There was simply too much to think about. Smarty hugged Big Mac tightly, holding his soft limbs against her own. She kissed him on the forehead, silently thanking him for his gift. With a sad smile, she placed him carefully back into the bag, making sure no one could see him. If Applejack walked in to find her brother as a toy, well, she wouldn't exactly have the most fun explaining it. With a sigh, Smarty snuggled into the sheets of the bed, and slowly felt her consciousness slip away. Hmm. It was difficult being stuck in the mud, as the timberwolf had figured out. If he pulled too hard, a part of his leg would break off. While this caused him absolutely no pain, seeing as though his leg was simply a branch with no pain receptors, it was still quite an inconvenience. With another pull, his front right leg made it out of the mud, unfortunately leaving a couple of claws in the earth. Another strong jerk of his leg saw his third leg out of the ground, though this time leaving half of his fibula behind. That pony wasn't a very nice pony. He had just wanted to play with her, but that nasty pony tricked him into this muddy situation. Maybe he had gotten a little overexcited, but still. It wasn't fair. Even his mate had left him behind in pursuit of fun. What a mate he had turned out to be. The wolf sighed. Another night, another failure. With one final pull, he got his fourth leg out of the mud. Luckily, he didn't lose anything else, aside from perhaps his dignity. Once unstuck, the timberwolf crawled over to the grass, making sure his footing was secure. He stood up on his uneven legs, and, using his power, called to the sticks and branches lying beneath the tall trees. Slowly, they slid across the ground, attaching themselves to his legs. What kind of sick pony thought being stuck in the mud was a fun game? Certainly, no timberwolves thought the same. In fact, being stuck in the mud was seen as quite the opposite. Oddly enough, it wasn't fun. It was a distressing and rather annoying experience. He harrumphed. The sticks had finally converged on his legs. He raised his new limbs, flexing them with great curiosity. New limbs always felt strange. With a grunt, the timberwolf made his way into the wood, leaving the mud behind him. You could say that he was no longer a stick-in-the-mud. Fun was out there. Somewhere. He only had to find it.