//------------------------------// // Sleepless In San Palomino // Story: An Earthbound Journey // by ShadeJak //------------------------------// “Oh, my! Oh, MY! Look at it, girls!” Rarity shouted excitedly as she looked over the edge of the Whoovesmobile as it descended into the beautiful, exotic beach resort of Bahamare, situated right in the middle of the equally beautiful and exotic Mareibbean Sea. “Wow! It’s beautiful up close!” Twilight said with a smile. “Uhh… a little too close… to fast… oh no!” Twilight shouted, her smile fading as she noticed the fuel disappearing rapidly along with it. “What’s going on?” Rainbow asked. “Don’t tell me we’re gonna…” “Crash? Yes. Grab Rarity and get to the beach now, Rainbow!” Twilight said urgently. Rainbow did as told, and flew straight down towards the beach with the white unicorn in tow, joined shortly after by Twilight as she teleported next to them. Seconds later, the Whoovesmobile came plummeting out of the sky and crashed into the sand, burying itself nearby. Several ponies stared for a moment at the display, but went about their activities after. “Everypony alright?” Twilight asked. “Yeah, yeah, no sweat, Twi!” Rainbow said. “Oh… LOOK AT THIS PLACE! Rarity shouted, starry-eyed with wonder. All around was sandy beaches, with many ponies laying under umbrellas on blankets, enjoying picnics as they watched the clear waves crash along the shores. A towering, luxurious hotel with pools on each floor and lined with palm trees and clear glass windows loomed behind them past the sidewalk, and next to it, a high-class restaurant and a club of some sort. Further down the road were several vendors and shops that dealt in exotic drinks, foods, and beach supplies. “Well I for one think we could use a few things, the sun here is rather rough.” Rarity remarked. Twenty minutes later, the three of them were wandering the streets wearing sunglasses and sipping tropical drinks. “Say it.” Rainbow said. “No.” Twilight said. “Say it.” Rainbow repeated. “No.” Twilight replied. “Say it.” Rainbow repeated once more. “NO!” Twilight shouted. “Come on, Twi. Say it.” Rainbow said, striking a pose. “Ughhh…” Twilight facehoofed. “Fine, you look cooler then ever, Rainbow.” The unicorn muttered, prompting a small cheer from the pegasus and an eyeroll from the other unicorn. “Well, it’s probably best we explore and see what exactly Sombra’s afraid of us finding out about while we’re here… and not to mention since the Whoovesmobile is probably gone beyond repair now, we may need another way to Saddle Arabia as well.” Twilight said. At that moment, Rainbow’s saddlebag flared up, and the corner of a scroll suddenly poked out of the side. “What the?” Rainbow asked, tugging the bag open with her wing and taking the scroll out with her teeth. “Who’s it from? What’s it say, Twi?” She asked. “Hmmm…” Twilight floated open the scroll and a small bag with sandwiches fell out, caught by Rainbow before they hit the ground while Twilight lifted up her sunglasses, reading it over. Hi… I hope you’re all doing okay! Where are you at, now? I sent some sandwiches in case you, you know, get hungry and don’t have to spend the extra money. I mean, if you don’t want them that’s okay I don’t want to come between you and the exciting meals you are probably getting a chance to enjoy in all these places you’ve been visiting! Anyway, the Crusaders have left Ponyville again, seems they’ve been in touch with Dr. Whooves to help them with their inventing and he wants them to come help him and Celestia on research for some new thing they need to find Sombra with! I hope that’s not a problem… they’re gonna try real hard and Celestia’s gonna have them brought over to Canterlot. Please believe in them! They’ve really been outdoing themselves on this ‘inventing’ thing! …and I really don’t feel comfortable with them using pieces of my animals’ habitats for their projects either. I’m sorry but, Mr. Squirrel really wasn’t happy when half his wire-walkway was missing. Write me back soon, if you want to that is. ~Fluttershy “Huh.” Twilight said, cocking her head. “Well, looks like the Doctor’s gonna have his hooves full.” “Whatever do you mean, Twilight?” Rarity asked, looking over at the letter and a horrified look came over her face. “Sweetie Belle?! Oh, nononononononononoNO I cannot allow this! She’s far too delicate for such risks, and who knows what—” “Eh, she’ll be fine, Rarity!” Rainbow said. “I’m more worried about what that Doctor guy’s getting himself into!” She said with a laugh. Rarity sighed. “I suppose if Celestia is overseeing this, I can try and trust her. But still, an older sister worries, you know.” She said. “No point in worrying over it now. At least they’ve got some progress going on. Meanwhile we’re still at a flat nothing.” Twilight said. “Well I dunno about you but I say we check out this club!” Rarity said. “I’m sure it’ll be quite lovely.” “Then it’s agreed, let’s go there first. Maybe somepony will know something.” Twilight said with a smile. “Free cupcakes? AWESOME!” Rainbow shouted suddenly, snatching a particularly appealing-looking cupcake with green icing atop it right off a cart and shoving it into her mouth as she rejoined her friends. “Rainbow?” Twilight asked. “Yeff Tvi?” Rainbow asked, her speech muffled by the cupcake as she finished with it, prompting a facehoof from her friend. “First, don’t talk with your mouth full…” Rarity scolded, looking away in disgust as crumbs and drool fell from the pegasus’ mouth. “Second…” Twilight continued. “What are you eating?” “Fwwe…” Rainbow gulped her snack down and licked the crumbs and icing off her hoof. “…Free cupcake.” She said matter-of-factly. “Free cupcake? Who gave it to you?” Twilight asked, concerned. “The nice mare over there.” Rainbow said, gesturing to the vending cart with the sign that read “Free Cupcakes” run by a smirking mare who gave them a small hoofwave. “Rainbow?” Twilight asked, looking from the mare to her friend, whose sunglasses had fallen off revealing a glassy look in her friend’s eyes. “How many fingers am I holding up?” She asked. “Seventeen…” Rainbow said with a grin. “Rainbow, we don’t have fingers.” Rainbow stared for a moment, then laughed to herself. “You’re high off your mind aren’t you?” Rarity asked accusingly. “That would explain why you two are suddenly unicorns!” Rainbow said, patting Rarity and Twilight’s horns and chuckling. “I’ve always been a unicorn, Rainbow.” Twilight said flatly. “Oh yeeeeaaaaaahhhhhhhh….!” Rainbow slurred as a big, stupid grin spread on her face and she began to sway back and forth. “You four are right… heheheh…” “Rainbow!” Twilight and Rarity yelled in unison, catching their friend as she fell over and landed on top of them, laughing hysterically at the smily-faces and colors that spun around in her mind, which then transformed into a bushel of different-colored apples that swirled away from her… ~ “Phew-ee! This is some tirin’ work, here!” Applejack declared that afternoon as she finished the next apple tree in a long line that was Appleloosa’s source of food and trade with the buffalo tribes out in the San Palomino Desert. “Got the rest, Big Mac?” She asked her towering brother. “Eeyup.” Big Mac answered, bucking another tree and sending the apples into the barrels. “Ah’m gonna go take a breather. Maybe see Braeburn about seein’ if ah got any mail. Care ta join?” The farmpony asked as she trotted off to her cousin’s home. “Eenope!” Big Mac replied, continuing on to the next tree with a smile. “Take however long ya need, little sis!” He added as he paused a moment before resuming on knocking the next set of apples into their barrel. “Whatever ya say.” Applejack said, turning and nudging open the door. Shortly after she walked in, a figure in a shaw approached Big Mac, who cocked his head in curiosity at the visitor. “Well, howdy, little cousin! You’re just in time! Thirsty?” Braeburn asked as Applejack fanned herself with her hat upon stepping inside. “You bet ah am!” She said. “Get me some’a that apple juice right quick, my throat’s dryer then San Palomino right now!” “Right away!” Braeburn replied, turning the knob on the keg and filling his cousin a mug which she snatched up without hesitation and guzzled down just as quickly. “Ya been workin’ out there since mornin’, cousin! Ya gonna be alright?” “Ah do this stuff all the time, Braeburn! A little time out here ain’t nothin’ ah can’t handle!” Applejack replied. “Hey, now. We all know you’re stubborn as all Tartarus, but don’t overwork yourself.” Braeburn said as he sipped from his own mug. “Ah told ya, ah’m fine.” Applejack said with a smirk. “Sweet Apple Acres is always glad to help out the rest’a the family when they need us.” “I gotta admit, weird stuff’s been goin’ on lately. All these ponies gettin’ all sick from this weird weather we been havin’! Ah never seen so much rain come around!” Braeburn mused. “That’s why we gotta get this harvest done! Weather like this could spoil the crop if we let it go!” Applejack explained. “Ah admit it’s mighty weird, though! Even with Cloudchaser and Flitter here pullin’ weatherpony duty tryin’ to get this under control, it’s like the bad weather just keeps on comin’ in on its own! An’ given they’re the fastest pair other then Dash that’s sayin’ somethin’ about whatever’s goin’ on here. Braeburn, ah know where ah’m needed, an’ it’s right here in Appleloosa till this clears up for good!” “Ah dunno about that…” Big Mac said as he stepped in. Next to him was a figure in a shaw that looked rather damp. Pulling back the hood, the visitor revealed itself to be a familiar young buffalo calf. “Little Strongheart?” Braeburn asked, surprised to see her here. “Somethin’ up? Ah thought we sent our pie shipment out pretty recently.” “That is not the problem.” The buffalo said. “I come with an important message. My father needs to see you right away, Applejack.” She said, looking at the farmpony. “Me? What would he wanna see me for?” Applejack asked. “He did not say; it is between him and our shaman but he promised to explain once I have brought you before him.” She replied. “Please, pack and come with me. We must hurry at once.” “But… what about our harvest? With all the crazy weather we gotta put all our efforts into this before the crop’s messed up!” Applejack protested. “We got this, Applejack.” Braeburn said, patting his cousin’s shoulder assuringly. “You get a move-on, find out what Thunderhooves wants.” Applejack sighed, knowing she wasn’t going to win this one, and there was a good chance that this was pretty important. “Okay… let’s get goin’ then.” She said after a moment. “Take some juice with ya, an’ a sandwich ‘case your hungry! It’s a bit of a hike gettin’ to their new place!” Braeburn said, placing a jar of apple juice and a wrapped sandwich he hastily made into his cousin’s saddle bag and gave her a nudge to the door. “Guess ah’m ready. Lead on.” Applejack said, looking over at the young buffalo and they returned outside, just in time to see two lilac-colored pegasi attempting to dissipate another thick gray cloud that had drifted into the town. “Hold ‘er there, Flitter!” Cloudchaser ordered, hovering above the cloud. “Got it, Cloudchaser!” Flitter said, zipping around it in circles till it stopped drifting. “Okay, on three! One… two… THREE!” With that, the two pegasi flew around it in opposing ascending and descending circles at tremendous speeds, building up wind around them. As they did, the cloud slowly began to break apart, and a blob of water was visible within the vortex. The two pegasi turned their spinning slowly into a horizontal direction, ejecting the water off into the distance. “Thanks, you two!” Applejack called out. “No prob, Applejack!” Cloudchaser said with a wave. “One less independent cloud to worry about!” “You off somewhere?” Flitter asked, cocking her head. “Yeah, Little Strongheart here needs me to meet with ‘er dad about somethin’. Dunno when ah’ll be back but hopefully soon.” The earth pony replied. “Besta luck. It’s a pretty long trip!” Cloudchaser said. With a nod, Applejack looked over at the young buffalo and she lead her onward to their destination. ~ An hour of walking would have indeed been far worse had she not been prepared. While Little Strongheart seemed to have no problems, Applejack was about ready to drop by the time they’d reached the buffalos’ new campsite, though she wouldn’t admit to it. Forcing a grin when she entered the campsite, she fought her exhaustion as best she could as she approached the buffalo present. “Eh… howdy… y’all…” She said between breaths. Shaking her head to keep herself focused, she fixed her tired gaze on the three Chief Thunderhooves that stood before her. “Please rest for a while, Applejack.” The buffalo chief instructed. “No… ah’m… fine… ah came… din’t ah?” She asked, struggling to stay awake. “Rest NOW!” Thunderhooves ordered loudly, prompting Applejack to stare in shock at his sudden raise of voice. The buffalo chuckled a little. “I apologize. Just, what my shaman has foreseen you will need all your strength for facing with the threat that has befallen all of the lands.” Applejack raised an eyebrow at the buffalo’s statement, the chief having her full attention now. “Facin’ the what now? Look, ah’m all aware’a the weird weather goin’ on but you sayin’ this is somethin’ bigger then that?” “Very much so, Applejack. My shaman’s vision made mention of you, and your friends… the two unicorns, and the pegasus who spent time with us when we were in conflict with Appleloosa.” Thunderhooves answered. “Ya mean Twilight, Rarity, an’ Rainbow Dash? What’ve they gotta do with this? An’ what do ya expect outta me? Are they in trouble?” She asked. “Not yet, no.” Another buffalo wearing a tiny bird skull with large plumes on his head said as he stepped out from behind Thunderhooves. “But a great evil is reawakening… I saw a terrible shadow… with the most hateful eyes… glowing green, with purple smoke trailing from them. Ancient and angry…” Applejack rubbed her chin with her hoof, trying to see if those words rang a bell, and then one came to mind. “King Sombra?” “So that is what he is called…” The shaman answered. “This weather is connected to him, and will not cease until his hold over this place has been weakened.” “Well what’re we waitin’ for? Let’s go!” Applejack said, her brief adrenaline rush giving out again and allowing fatigue to take her over again. “I apologize, but you are much too exhausted from attempting to harvest at such a fast rate, and even then you are no match for his influence here. You must reunite with your friends, they have with them a means to silence his whispers in this land.” Thunderhooves explained as Applejack let out a yawn she spent more of her strength attempting to prevent. “Rest now. When you wake, we will have the spirits help bring you where you must go to find your friends.” “You can use my tepee. I’ll wake you after.” Little Strongheart said, gesturing to her tepee nearby. “N-no… it’s all… fine…” Applejack said weakly, feeling herself give out and soon sleep was upon her. With a sigh and a nod from Thunderhooves, one of the buffalo lifted her up onto his back and slid her into the tepee before rejoining the group. “I only hope that this can work.” Thunderhooves said, looking about cautiously around their camp. ~ Applejack awoke to the sounds of conflict. Finding herself laying on a set of quilts that made up Little Strongheart’s bed. Climbing out of the tepee, she found the buffalo standing around the camp as something blew and drifted around them. In a blur of motion, she recognized what was there. “Dust devil!” She said; gritting her teeth as suddenly dry weeds and rock formed together into a coyote-like form. She knew them to be the desert cousins of a timberwolf and were no friendlier then their everfree counterparts. Their ability to turn into a small cyclone of debris and reform at will if anything made them tougher. “It just showed up! They are a hostile creature but we have never seen them this bold! “Look!” Little Strongheart called out as she gestured up at the sky, where another dark cloud was drifting towards their camp. The young buffalo and the farmpony exchanged a glance, the same idea forming in their head as both knew of the creature’s weakness. “Alright, ah got mah lasso in mah saddlebag. If we can catch it while it’s solid, we can restrain it long enough to tear open that there cloud an’ soak it good!” Applejack said. With a nod, Chief Thunderhooves stepped forward. “Come and face me, cowardly desert beast!” The chief said fiercely at the swirling debris. A howl was heard from within as it reformed, and shaped into a coyote made entirely of tumbleweed, chunks of dead desert plants, and sand. Its glowing green eyes trailed purple smoke as they narrowed at the chief, who stood his ground. “NOW!” He yelled. Immediately Applejack flung her lasso over the creature, causing it to gasp in surprise. Little Strongheart seized the opportunity and kicked a pebble into its throat, causing it to choke. As it stood there, beating its chest, Applejack made a quick dash around the bound creature to wrap her lasso around it. The creature stared in confusion, sand beginning to slowly fly off its body again… “Qurrrkkk!” Applejack said, her rope in her mouth muffling her speech. Little Strongheart nodded and grabbed up a sharp rock dagger from her supplies and flung it at the cloud overhead as it began to pass over the captured monster. The rock flew through the cloud, tearing through it and causing it to dump its water prematurely, soaking their captive. The dust devil cried out as its body then melted down into a pile of mud and wet plant remains, the green fading to yellow in its eyes as it slithered away and dissolved into the sand as it fled. “That was close.” Little Strongheart said. “Nothin’ we couldn’t handle.” Applejack replied with a grin, giving the young buffalo a hoofbump. “Well now that ah seen what Sombra’s doin’ firsthoof, ah think ah’m ready for this thing with your spirit friends, so call ‘em on over.” She said. Thunderhooves looked to the shaman, who nodded, then up at the sky. “Very well.” He said as the shaman arrived with a blanket in his teeth that he lay on the ground, and departed to his tepee, returning again with incense that he ground down into a bowl and lit. “Breathe in. You will be tested.” “Tested? Ha! Y’all saw me handle that dust devil back there, ah can handle any ol’ test these spirits wanna play on me!” Applejack said confidently, causing Little Strongheart and Thunderhooves to look at one-another in concern. “Don’t be so sure.” The chief said. “Be prepared for anything. This will send you on a spirit walk, and prepare you to link your soul to that of your friends so they may find you as well. Then you will be brought to them.” “What choice do ah have? Let’s get this here thing over with right now!” Applejack said, stamping her hoof stubbornly. “Very well. We just felt it necessary to warn you. Spirit walks can be… quite taxing, even for a mighty race such as ours.” Little Strongheart warned as the shaman held the incense out to Applejack, who took in a deep breath of it. “Phew! Well that smells like my basement after winter season!” Applejack mused, before suddenly feeling the world go black around her.