To say traveling at night is a peaceful experience would be a complete lie. Even in a fantasy world such as this, there's still things that go bump in the night. Doesn't help when you are one of those things either. Even so, nothing seems to have shown up, for now. The forest ahead of me is rather calm, much more tranquil than where I began.
Again my stomach growls. Completely dumb of me not to get some food to take along, but those guards are in more need than myself here. So onward I go, stopping occasionally to scale a tree to keep my bearings. Claws make it much easier than I thought it'd be. A few trees though I thought to stay away from. There were gouges in them, and a couple had glowing eyes just floating above them. Funny enough whatever these creatures are, they don't seem to be bothering me.
I soon reach a clearing, and considering how high in the sky the moon is, decide I should rest here. It seems peaceful enough, but still, can't be too cautious. Some quick work on a small little hill in the middle, and I have a mostly camouflaged sleeping space.......Ok so I just gathered some leaves and pressed them around a fallen log hanging over two small hills, sheesh, I'm no architect.
Perhaps a little stargazing is in order. It's hard to do at home, so such a beautiful night, can't waste all of it. I just find a comfortable position next to the log, and scan the sky. Even with a bright moon, the stars themselves are so vivid here. Add in that there's not a cloud in the sky, and it's any astronomist's dream. Just wish I had a telescope or something.
"Here you go." A purple hoof pushes a telescope up next to me. I glance over. It's Cotton Candy.....wait, no her name starts with two P's, right? Eh, doesn't matter. I take the telescope in paw and start looking among the stars themselves. She simply cocks her head a bit. How do I know, I heard the pop of her neck. "What, no surprised reaction?"
"That's the thing about running gags, they stop being surprising after the first few times. They're expected. But I will ask, where'd you get the telescope, stashed nearby?" I pull away for a second to look at her
"Oh, no, a friend let me borrow it." She said with the largest smile I've ever seen. How does a face hold a smile that big?
***
At that moment, a pony in Ponyville was opening the door to her balcony at her library home. There was a big event tonight, and she intended to see it all. What greeted her was a missing telescope, and a note pinned to the balcony.
'Dear Twilight
Sorry, gotta borrow your telescope for something important. Will bring it back by morning, no damage! Pinkie Promise!
Your Friend
P.P.'
Twilight scrunched up the note in a ball of magic. Her wings flared open and she shouted out. "PINKIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
***
"PINKIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
My ears perk up. "What was that?"
"Nothing." She continues to grin.
"Whatever." I just continue to gaze along at the stars, when I spot a few moving. Too slow to be shooting stars. I pull away for a second and adjust it to get a closer look. What comes into view as I put my eye back to the scope astounds me. "Whales......Flying whales......"
"Ooh ooh, lemme see!" She pushes me out of the way rather violently, sending me sprawling on my side. She looks through for but a moment, before awwing like she saw something cute. "Leviathans. I gotta tell Fluttershy about this in the morning."
"Leviathans. They seem, dangerous, and heading this way.... Shouldn't we, I don't know, hide?" I looked back to the skyline, where I could see them with the naked eye now. They were big.....real big. Giant whales....and my mind starts jumping to Pinnochio and Moby Dick.
She merely giggles. "No silly, look closely, you can see a couple pegasi flying with them." She moves away from the telescope, which I look through once more. Sure enough, I see a couple pegasi. One's flying along with a really young looking sky whale. Another's sitting on an older looking one. The one on the older whale, I could swear she had wall eye. Hard to tell, her gray coat blended in well, just her blonde mane gave her away really. The other pegasus, who looked to be hard pressed to keep up with the leviathans, was brown coated, a darker brown mane. Something about him.....
"Well....how do you know they haven't simply gained their trust?" I pulled away again to look at her. She giggles again, and motions to the group of impossibilities.
"Cause Ditzy's my town's mailpony, I saw her earlier today, and she always goes on crazy adventures with the Doctor there."
"Doctor who?"
"No, just the Doctor."
"Oh...wait...." What, is this world converging with all known worlds? Am I going to see Cybermen next? I shake my head. Cotton Candy's gone again, and the telescope with her. I just sit and watch as the group of Leviathans, and their two passengers, fly overhead. It really is a beautiful sight. Once they pass by, I slip into my little made cubby, and fall asleep.
***
My eyes crack open just as the sun begins shining down upon the world. A smile creeps across my face as I pull my way out of my temporary abode. No sharp pain anywhere, I didn't stick myself this time it seems. A quick stretch of everything, and another glance to the sky. Clear blue. Perhaps a good start.
That hope is dashed as I see the clearing. Must have missed it somehow, but there seems to be piles of.....something. I can only imagine the Leviathans are behind these. Moving my way cautiously around, thanking cat like grace at this moment, The forest comes up once again, and a sign as well.
THANK YOU FOR VISITING THE GREAT LEVIATHAN PASSING GROUNDS! REMEMBER, ALL MATERIALS WITHIN ARE PROPERTY OF THE FLIM FLAM BROS., SO NO LEAVING THE AREA WITH ANY CONTAINERS.
Ten minutes later, I'm still standing there, mouth open. Think a fly or two flew down my throat. I, just slept, in a giant public toilet. Whoever these Flim Flam Bros. are, I'm going to strangle them for not putting up a fence. And who wants whale droppings!?
After getting the facepaw out of the way, I'm back on track. A quick climb up to get my bearings, though by this point, I've had enough of forests, you just never know when you'll see something out of the ordinary. Plus I think I hear growling somewhere.
I perk up my ears to try to catch it again. Yeah, definitely growling, and lets see, clucking? When does a chicken run off on it's own in the....the cockatrice! Apparently some big dog or wolf has it cornered. Eh, it's probably going to be fine, one stare and it's safe.
A rather loud screech comes to my ears next, and it definitely sounds like that cockatrice again. It's full steam ahead, and I barrel along. The next clearing comes into view, and what lays before me... Honestly I'm not really surpised, considering everything else in this whacked out place.
What greets my sight is a group of wolves, that literally look like they're made of wood. Planks, branches, leaves, the works. What they surround, is the very cockatrice that was at the cave before, still sporting that little knot of rope I ended up chewing through around it's leg. Every single one of the wolves seems to be advancing on the little guy, and eyes slammed shut. Friggin copycats.
Of course the only one to see me is the cockatrice itself, and the look of fear it has in it's eyes... Well it makes me mad. So, best figured to get their attention, possibly open it up for his defense. I roar out, and the effect is immediate. All the wolves, five by count, turn to face me, and open their eyes.
Seems they got the hint, cause right then the cockatrice bit back, or more stared back. Faster than I could blink it shot infront of a couple of the woody wolves and glared them down, turning them to stone almost immediately.
The other three wolves turn to see this new development. They also got a taste of stoning. Unfortunately I got caught in the gaze as well, and everything blacked out.
***
Everything came back to me in a flash, except for my sense of balance, which decided to take a holiday while i was stoned. Picking myself back up, i'm eye to eye with the lizardy bird once more. First reaction of course is to immediately shut my eyes, but they merely peck me a couple times until I open them again. It's holding it's little wing out.
Taking this as a good sign, I carefully grasp it with a paw, and with that we shook. Really this seemed weird, two mythilogical creatures shaking on an agreement, or friendship, or, what to call it? Heh, I'd ask them if they could talk, but I highly doubt-
"So what now?"
I blinked, did, did it just say something? What, are all creatures in this world sentient? Doesn't explain the behavior of those guards back by that cottage. Evolution? Who knows. All I know is it seems friendly enough, and well, guess I should answer it's question.
"I uhh, still need to get to Manehatten, deliver something." With that I grab my hat and pull out the small gem from the guard's armor. "That family said this needs to get to a guard in Manehatten. Do you know the way at all?"
It gets a closer look at the gem, looking it over before turning and pointing off in the distance. "It's off that way, but they won't let you in. You know how ponies are."
"Err, yeah....those batponies seemed nice enough at least." Really they did, and I was taking a step to help those guards.
"That's only cause they're in the same boat. Ponies are afraid of difference. Still, you're going to need me watching your behind if you're set on heading there." With that it jumps on my back and starts gazing around, possibly keeping an eye out.
"Whoa whoa, hold on. First, what makes you think you and I are gonna travel together? Two, I barely know you, and what I do know doesn't make you exactly trustworthy. Three, you act as if ponies are evil, they didn't exactly treat me with respect, but they didn't outright attack me." My own thoughts wander for just a second. "Come to think of it, you ever tried talking to one of them?"
It sits there for a second before making quite an odd noise, it sounds between a cluck and a laugh. This goes on for a few seconds before it stops and stares at me. "You serious?" I merely nod. "Gees, ok, main reason, I don't speak their language. Second, even if I did, a cockatrice isn't exactly the most reputable of creatures given the circumstances. They believe it's any errant gaze will catch them, I have to focus it."
"Hold on a second, you don't speak their language, then how do I understand you?" Seems a legit question if you ask me.
"Well, quite simply, we're speaking in forest tongue....Well I am anyway, you're speaking theirs. Just cause I don't speak it don't mean I don't understand it!" Great, so trapped in this world, I now know the language of the forest suddenly, and it sounds like english! It just gives me the oddest look until I realize my mouth had been open. "You are the weirdest manticore I've ever met."
"Let's just say the last few days have been the weirdest yet."
"Really, do tell, I enjoy a good story." Clucky, as they'll be called in my head until they actually give me their name, lays down on their stomach, and stares at me. Well, no sense in arguing, so the two of us continue on our journey, with me regaling my entire tale to this moment.
***
"So, lemme get this straght. The crazy pony comes by in a different color paint every time? There's no logic to that!" Clucky flops on their back and stares at the sky. "I mean really, why is that pony so obsessed with you?"
"I'm going to take a wild stab at this, and guess it's cause of something she said when she first showed up, painted pink. A party." We had been going for a good two hours by this point, and my stomach had started growling an hour back. Nothing in view. Guess no food until later.
"OK, seriously, that stomach of yours is giving me a headache, hang on a minute." Clucky jumps off my back and runs into a few nearby bushes. I'm left sitting there, wondering what the heck's going on. Few minutes later, Clucky comes back with a some little statues. "Should tide us over, I only need like two, you can have the rest."
Taking the other five, I get a closer look. Mice. Statues of mice. Doesn't take a genius to figure out clucky hit them all with their stare. "Umm, think you're forgetting something, I can't eat rocks."
"Hmm, oh, hanf on" Clucky swallowed their bite, with it still being a rock, and came over, staring at the mice, and just like that, I had five live mice wriggling about in my paws.
Grimacing, I held one up. OK, if they'd been dead it wouldn't have been a big issue, but living, breathing mice....."I think I just lost my appetite."
Clucky stops their chewing once again and looks at me like I had said something foul. "You, a manticore, with food right in your grip, lost your appetite? What kind of wuss are you? They're just mice, your stomach's growling, so eat!"
"I already told you, I'm not normally this, and I keep mice as pets where I'm from!" Even so, a small part of me was looking at them like they were strips of bacon. Crispy, fatty, little pieces of bacon......
"There you go, beats going hungry." Really Clucky, you're one to talk, at least I haven't eaten any of mine ye- where'd they go? Looking down, there's nothing of the sort...oh crud I did eat them. I just ate mice. Mitzy and Selena are gonna give me all heck about this. Wait what's so worrying, they never need to know, they're just a couple mice in their cage, back home, all alone, with noone to feed them, even if the neighbor was asked t- oww! Clucky was poking my head again. "Equestria to manticore, we should keep moving!"
"Uhh, right, so, off to town then." Well, a light meal in our stomachs, we're all set to go again, so we're off to see the wizard! The wonderful wizard of -DONK!
***
Ok, so apparently making references in your head is grounds for some freaky brick to appear out of nowhere and smack into my face, but these ponies that showed up were rather nice, just asked a couple questions, like what i was thinking about when the brick hit me, and why a cockatrice was traveling with me. Only ponies besides the batponies that didn't freak out seeing us, so I just answered. One of them mentioned something about 6934 being brought in for containment over a radio, but considering It looked like I probably shouldn't have heard that, I kept my mouth shut.
"So, think another brick'll hit ya?" clucky asks, Oh the smell of schadenfruede is strong in the air. We've been going for 3 hours since that happened and Clucky still won't shut up about it.
"Oh give it a rest already, I think it knocked a fang loose." Again a quick flick with my tongue, but it seriously will not give me a valid answer. Is it loose, is it my imagination? Is all this a fever dream that there's no waking up from. What if I was actually mauled by a bear and this is just a coma. If so why base it on a show I barely know about?
"Well fine, sheesh. Lighten up some. Not like anything exciting happens around here anyway." Clucky chuckles at the thought, I merely groan. Statements like that are almost always an invitation for trouble. And almost as if on queue, the ground starts shaking.
Off in the distance, a shape rises from the treelines, and it is huge! Can't tell what it is, it's way too far away, but everything in me is screaming to book it for town. My fears are only affirmed by Clucky whispering in my ear to run. So of course, as any sane individual would do when faced with a beat of unimaginable size and strength, I lost control of my bladder before I took off. It's only once we make it into town that I turn back to look. No sign of it, but as my vision swivels back, oh is that a familiar sight. Guards, with their spears pointed our way. Well, the dungeons weren't that bad....