Chapter Three
Dream Valley
As night fell on Dream Valley, the Cutie Mark Crusaders were getting tired. It seemed like the forest they had run into had no end at all. The place was clearly similar to the Everfree, as they had seen no Pegasi directing the clouds at all. Apple Bloom’s hooves were getting sore, as well as her temper. After running blindly into the woods they were now completely and thoroughly lost. Apple Bloom thought they were heading south…maybe. She was never that good with directions.
Scootaloo looked behind her. “Oh come on, it’s not that bad! Just a forest! We’ll find other ponies soon!”
“Darn it Scootaloo, we are so lost it ain’t even funny. This place is…wrong!”
“And if we don’t find shelter soon…” Sweetie Bell frowned at the forest.
“Oh stop whining! We’ll figure something out!” Scootaloo said. Apple Bloom knew that her friend was just as worried as the other two, and she was only trying to keep up their spirits but as it grew darker Apple Bloom became more and more worried about the place they were traveling through.
“Hey, look! A light up ahead!” Scootaloo grinned and sped up. “Betcha it’s somepony that can help us!”
“Sootaloo, wait!” Sweetie Bell speed up as well. It might be…eek!”
Sweetie Bell screeched to a halt and dove into a bush, latching some of her magic on Scootaloo’s tail before she could emerge from the brush and dragged her back. Apple Bloom dove into the bush as well, though at first she didn’t see what had startled Sweetie Bell.
With a timid peek she briefly lifted her head above the bushes. She blinked. It was a huge…lizard thing. Twice the size of a pony, with green scales, a narrow nose and four clawed limbs, the beast resembled a dragon. It was lounging on a stump, and apparently relaxing. But it was what it was eating that made Apple Bloom glad that Sweetie Bell hadn’t let Scootaloo just run out. It was casually, almost sleepily, gnawing on a bone. Specifically it was using the bone to pick its teeth. Apple Bloom had never heard of a dragon that ate meat, they preferred gems and stones after all.
“Look at what it’s eating.” Sweetie Bell pointed out. Scootaloo froze, staring at the creature from their cover.
“Yeah…you’re right…this was stupid.” Scootaloo edged a bit closer to the bush’s trunk. “This is far to dangerous and-“
The dragon thing looked up, and stared at the bush the fillies were hiding in. It slowly stood up and started to march over. It reminded him almost of Spike in its movements, walking on its hind legs. Apple Bloom reached over and gripped the other two, shaking a bit.
“Git…git ready ta run…” Apple Bloom said. “Ah don’t think it’s friendly.”
The dragonic creature nosed and snorted around the bushes, its huge snooze an inch or two from Apple Bloom’s face. Apple Bloom stared at the huge nose and trembled.
All of a sudden somepony shouted, and Apple Bloom heard the sound of galloping hooves. The dragon thing reared and something darted in front of it. A small stream of blood erupted form the dragon’s shoulder and the terrible lizard roared to the side and spat fire.
The Crusaders poked their heads out of the bushes just in time to see a strange sight. There stood a black equine, bigger then a pony, with long slender legs with white fetlocks and sharp looking hooves. It had a pointed, triangular head and small ears, and a white stripe blazed down its muzzle. It was covered with armor from its head to its withers. But the strangest thing was the creature atop it. Like a large hairless ape, the creature was also covered with sparkly steel armor. It had a lance in its right paw, a shield in its left, and a sword buckled at its hip.
The horse reared and bellowed a war cry at the dragon, while the creature on its back lowered the lance and the two charged. The horse darted to the side as the dragon swiped at it, letting his rider get another shot in on the dragon. As the horse landed on the other side of the dragon it bucked, kicking with his hind legs at the dragon’s back. The dragon swiped his tail and broke the knight’s lance to splinters. The knight drew his blade and leaped on the dragon’s back, hacking at the creatures horns. The horse circled the dragon, leaping away from its flames and claws and bucking the thing at every opportunity.
Soon the dragon roared and began to run away, the knight still astride its head. The horse whinnied and charged after them, as if determined to help his rider.
Apple Bloom’s eyes were wide. It…couldn’t be…they couldn’t be…killing that poor thing? Could they? No no…it…it was just a big misunderstanding of some kind! No way…
Scootaloo trembled. She backed close to the trunk of the bush and covered her eyes. “Oh Celestia…I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!” She sounded like she was close to tears.
Apple Bloom had a lot of reasons to be mad at Scootaloo. After all, she and her hot headed nonsense had gotten them into this mess. Still, watching her friend cry and whimper like that…it wasn’t Scootaloo. Apple Bloom slid closer to her friend and hugged her tight. Scootaloo wrapped her hooves around Apple Bloom’s shoulder and cried.
“I thought…It’d be Canterlot High! I didn’t think it would be like this!”
Apple Bloom nuzzled her, and Sweetie Bell came up and hugged them both, offering comfort as well.
“It’s alright. We know you didn’t mean it. We’ll survive this, you’ll see! It’s okay, Scoots.” Sweetie Bell said.
From up above them they heard somepony talking in a strange tongue neither of the little fillies had heard before. They turned around and snorted, small legs tensed and ready to run away.
It was the horse. He lowered his armored head and blinked at the fillies. He seemed to frown at them, and spoke to them in a stern, almost angry manner. He stepped closer, ears lowered as he apparently demanded something of them, though because of the language barrier Apple Bloom couldn’t tell what. Apple Bloom stepped closer to him and smiled as cute as she could. The big pony blinked at the look and his eyes softened a bit. Clearly he was not immune to the cuteness of a small filly. He spoke again, softly this time, and patted the still crying Scootaloo on the head in a comforting way. He swished his tail, and then nuzzled them, like Big Mac would have done.
“Please Mr horse, can ya help us? We’re lost.” Apple Bloom asked. The horse lifted his head and cocked it to the side. He swished his tail again.
The human, it had to be a human, trotted up. His sword had no blood, and he wasn’t barbarically dragging a skull or some claws with him, and Apple Bloom hoped that she had been right and there had been a nice peaceful solution there in the bushes. But…she wasn’t going to go check. For her sanity.
The human stared at the fillies and spoke at the horse. The steed turned and jabbered at the human, pointing at the fillies with one hoof. The human came over, took off his helm, and leaned down to the fillies, smiling gently. Apple Bloom studied the ape creature. It was rather ugly, but he didn’t seem to mean. It spoke to them again.
“Ah’m really sorry, mister, but ah can’t talk huy-man.” Apple Bloom said. The human frowned and spoke to his horse friend. The two nodded to each other and the horse leaned down next to the fillies. The human patted the horses rump, then waved at the fillies in a upwards motion.
“You want us to follow?” Sweetie Bell asked. The human smiled gently and patted his partner once again.
“What do you think, Apple Bloom?” Scootaloo asked, almost hesitatingly.”
“Let’s do it. Ah don’t think he means us harm…” She looked around. “An’ we really got no choice.” She walked over the horse and leaped on, settling on his back. After a second Scoolaloo and Sweetie Bell followed. The human got on behind them and spoke to the stallion. The stallion nodded and started to trot off, south again.
“Who do you think these fillies are, your Highness?”
The stallion, Far Stride by name, shook his mane, eyeing his human partner from behind. For centuries on this world human knights partnered with equine steeds to do good deeds, or protect their realms. It was a partnership that served both parties well. The humans had hands and fingers to wield tools, and the equines would bear them into battle. In the ancient past many believed that this relationship has once been that of master and beast, but horses, ponies, zebra and other hooved races could speak, so for many it had become a partnership.
The human patted Far Stride. “You know you don’t have to call me that, my friend. We’ve been partners for almost five years now!”
“You’re still a prince.”
“I know, I know, but we’re on the road! You can call me by my name.”
Far Stride whinnied a laugh. “Okay, okay, Scorpan…”
There was a long silence, in which Prince Scorpan studied the fillies. They weren’t Ponylanders, he could tell. Ever since the little ponies and their human ward Megan had helped him defeat Tirac, Scorpan had been a firm ally of Ponyland, if a distant one. Unlike the Flutter Ponies or the Grundles, who were relatively near the little ponies, Scorpan’s kingdom was further away. But these little equines were different. They had no symbols on their flanks, and they had odd round heads. So the poor lost things could not Ponylanders. Still, they clearly needed his help, so he would give it! He had a lot to make up to the ponies. All ponies.
“…you okay, Scorpan?”
“Just thinking.”
“You know no one blames you for Tirac, right? And that dragon wasn’t like little Spike. He was raiding villages, and he wasn’t going to stop. We warned him off three times, Scorpan!”
“I know Far Stride. That doesn’t make it easier.”
Far Stride whinnied. “Very well…to bad we don’t know the way to the Moochick. He could probably figure out these little one’s tongue…”
“Why Far Stride, are you saying the court sorceress can’t whip up a translation spell?” Scorpan chuckled.
“Hehehe, I guess she could! Shall I speed up? If I gallop we can make the castle by tomorrow!”
“If you’re not to tired.”
“Who am I, Scorpan? I am Far Stride! No one roams far as I.” The stallion whinnied again and began to gallop to the south. The Cutie Mark Crusaders clung the speeding horse as his legs begin to eat up the miles.
Apple Bloom watched the trees pass by. If she closed her eyes and concentrated, she could believe it was Big Mac giving her a ride, not a strange looking horse and his human. She curled into a ball and shivered. She wanted to go home. She wanted to go home so badly.
She could see home right now, in her mind. Big Mac and his calm, gentle voice. Applejack’s upbeat whinny. She could imagine Rainbow Dash reclining on a cloud as she shirked work, Fluttershy herding animals. She could imagine Zecora’s clever rhymes and gentle smile.
As her eyes closed she entered a fitful sleep, and for a few moments, the imaginings became real as Apple Bloom dreamed of home.
Applejack and Rarity followed the tracks until they burst into the scene of the battle, not four hours later. By then Far Stride was halfway to Scorpan’s castle, as the longer legs of a horse carried him farther and faster then the two lost Equestrians.
Rarity, for once heedless of her state of her mane, ducked her the bush where the filly tracks led. She rooted around the bush. She could see where the Crusaders had laid in the grass, but she could find neither hide nor hair of them.
Rarity reemerged. “Oh where could they have gone?” She heard rustling, and noticed that Applejack was following the trampled grass and brush. She got up to follow Applejack, but the farm pony suddenly whirled around and pushed her away.
“Applejack, what-“
“Ya don’t wanna see that over there, sugercube.”
“Whatever do you mean?”
“It’s…bad.” Applejack snorted. “Real bad. Just…don’t look.
“But Sweetie Bell!”
“Jus…let me look fer em. Ya just…keep watch, okay? Holler if anypony, and I mean anypony comes…” The farm pony turned and darted back into the bushes.
Rarity snorted. Honestly, just because she was more…feminine then Applejack didn’t make her weak! She wanted to follow Applejack to see what all the fuss was about, but then again…the part about keeping watch made sense. Rarity wasn’t a fool. What Applejack found…was probably something to horrible for a decent pony to think of. Whatever could do…whatever it was that Applejack had seen must be horrible, so somepony had to keep watch for it.
Rarity waited, contemplating what had happened here. There was a lot of scorched and trampled underbrush. She sighed, frustrated. She yearned to find Sweetie Bell and rescue her from these heavyset ponies! Rarity didn’t much care about the weight, although in her opinion a few trips to the spa and the gym would be a GREAT benefit for the strange ponies’ physical health, but they had hurt her sister! This! Would! Not! Stand!
Applejack eventually emerged from the bushes again. She looked rather frazzled, her eyes wide and staring. Rarity gasped. She had never seen Applejack looked so unnerved before! She trotted closer to her friend. “Darling, are you alright?”
“Yeah, just…need some air.” Applejack sat down. “Ah…gotta focus…there’s so much trampled ground here…Ah have no idea where they could be…what do we do now?”
Rarity looked around. She noticed that there were several sets of tracks. The tracks from their sisters and Scootaloo, big, clawed ones, and another set of hoofprints that seemed shaped oddly. She noticed that the odd hoofprints bore to the south.
“…there was another pony here, or at least something like a pony. Perhaps we should find this other pony. It might be one of them.”
Applejack got up and nodded. “Right, let’s move sugarcube….wait a sec do ya hear that?”
Rarity looked up to see a pink blur darting towards them from above. She eeped and leaped to the side as a pink alien Pegasus landed near them. She, he, whatever, turned her gaze on Rarity, whose own eyes widened. Somepony had…jabbed a pair of what looked like emeralds into this pony’s eyes! They twinkled at her in a harsh, cold manner, and the pink Pegasus stamped.
She babbled at Rarity in a rapid fire manner of speech, that Rarity wasn’t sure she would have been able to follow even if this Pegasus could speak Equestrian. She lowered her horn and considered manipulating the gems in this pony’s eyes, but then threw the idea out with a shake of her head. What was she thinking! That was too cruel!
“Now, miss, I am sure there is a very good reason you foalnapped my sister.” Rarity began. “So if you would please return her, we can all go home and no one will have to be hurt.”
The pink Pegasus lunged for Rarity, fast, almost as fast as Rainbow Dash. In fact, Rarity was almost sure that the only reason this Pegasus might be considered slower then Rainbow was a matter of sheer aerodynamics. The creature was to fat to be as fast as the slim athletic Rainbow, but that didn’t stop her from being swift.
But Rarity, despite her appearance and attitude, could take care of herself. Her horn glowing she telekinetically scooped up dirt, and, twisting her head, she hurled dust into the pink Pegasus’ face. The pink one tripped and rolled forcing Rarity to duck out of the way.
“Ah got her!” Applejack took out a lasso and twirled it, wrapping it around the pink Pegasus’ chest. “Ha! Now ya-” Applejack didn’t get to finish the sentence as the Pegasus suddenly violently bucked, leaping the air. Applejack pulled on the rope, using all of her strength, but for once that was not enough. The pink Pegasus buzzed, and soon Applejack was swept up into the sky.
Rarity gasped and galloped after them, using her magic to snag at Applejack’s rope. She attempted to pull using her telekinesis but…the pink one was so strong! She knew that if she let go of her magic she would lose Applejack, and that she could not bear! She pulled the rope in close and latched onto it. Where Applejack went, she did! The pink Pegasus pulled harder and soon Rarity and Applejack were in the air, dangling and bounding along as the alien Pegasus bucked and darted around in the air.
As they passed over a river, something else darted into the air at them. The pink Pegasus whinnied as the strange thing raked its claws against her wing. Rarity twisted her eyes and blinked at the feathered menace. It looked almost like a large eagle, but twice the size of an alien pony. It pecked for the pink Pegasus, and the pink one dove down.
Rarity waited till they were closer to the ground, before grabbing the bird’s tail with her magic and plucking. The bird squawked and turned its beak towards her, but Applejack leaned over and bucked it in the eye. The bird, deciding there was better prey, flapped its wings and speed off to find a nice mouse or something.
Panting the Pegasus lowered herself to the ground next to the river, panting, and drops of blood dripping from her feathers. She collapsed to the ground, clearly exhausted.
Applejack and Rarity found themselves tumbled to the ground as well. The rope was still attached to Applejack’s mouth and she let go, stamping on the rope to keep her tenuous hold on the pink thing intact. The pink one turned her head and babbled at them, still rapid fire.
Rarity stood up and looked at the strange Pegasus’ side. The feathers were bent at an awkward angle, and long, but thankfully shallow scratches ran down her side. “Oh Applejack, I know she helped take our sisters but…oh we can’t just leave her like this!”
Applejack stared at her, then looked at the exhausted Pegasus. “…ya, think yall’re right…but I got nothin’ I can use ta help.”
“No problem, Applejack, I have come prepared, as usual.” Rarity telekinetically reached into her mercifully intact saddlebag and pulled out a first aid kit. She primly trotted up to the pink one, who glared at Rarity.
“Now dear, I am sure you can tell this is a first aid, kit, yes?” Rarity even opened the kit so the strange Pegasus could look at the bandages. “Now, I am going to help you with those cuts. Please don’t preform any random acts of violence on my person.” Rarity floated a bottle of alcohol out of her bag. Gently dousing some gauze with the alcohol, she lifted it to the Pegasus’ cuts. “Now this will sting.” She began the clean the Pegasus’ wounds. She winced and glared at Rarity, but didn’t try to attack.
Gently Rarity artfully and skillfully bandaged up the Pegasus’ wounds. She watched Rarity, her defensive, angry look being replaced by one of curiosity. She jabbered at Rarity some more, but Rarity didn’t understand the other mare at all.
Applejack, meanwhile, kept watching the sky, making sure nothing else was coming to attack them. She barely noticed the Pegasus watching her with curious, but sad eyes. Even through the strange crystals, Rarity could sense that the other mare was getting sad as she looked at Applejack.
Rarity sighed and shook her head. “This is going be very difficult.” Still, she finished up, and in her opinion the pink Pegasus was now not only healthy, but she had made sure the bandages would compliment her frame. She nodded to herself. Rarity had done it again!
But the pink Pegasus seemed to be focused mostly on Applejack. She gave Rarity a grateful nod, but trotted over to Applejack. Applejack looked at the Pegasus and nodded politely, tipping her hat.
“Hey there, sugar cube. Look…Ah’m sure this is all a big misunderstandin’ right? How’s about a nice filly like you give us a hand finding our little sisters, okay?”
The Pegasus held up a hoof against Applejack’s mouth and began to talk. Very slowly, or at least much slower then she had before. The Pegasus stared into Applejack’s eyes, as if desperate to get the farm pony to understand her. The Pegasus’ voice hitched once or twice, and tears formed in the strange crystal eyes. She even pointed with a hoof at her eyes, as if trying to get the other mare to understand her. Applejack blinked. The Pegasus was acting as if she knew Applejack, like she was desperately trying to get her to understand something. Applejack sighed.
“Ah’m sorry. Ah have no clue what you’re saying.”
The Pegasus hung her head and sighed. She looked around and pointed at a tree. She then got up and trudged over. Collapsing under the tree she lowered her head and looked at them, as if waiting to see what they would do.
Rarity shrugged. “This is the first positive sign we have seen.” She got up and walked over to the Pegasus. She lowered her head and lay across from her. “I loath the dirt, but I’ll stay with you, miss. I don’t think this a good place to sleep alone.”
“Yer right, Rarity, I’ll keep watch. Then maybe we can get all this figured out after a rest.” Applejack trotted over and sat down near them. The pink Pegasus nodded at Applejack once then lowered her head. Soon she was asleep.
“…I think she knows you, Applejack, do you remember her at all?” Rarity asked.
“Naw, never seen her before in my life…maybe she knows somepony that looks like me?”
“That is…unlikely. A one in a million chance!”
“Yeah but…the way she looked at me…like Ah was a friend she knew long ago. But I know I never seen her before.”
Rarity shrugged. “We will have to see.”
Applejack nodded and looked up at the sky. “Hey…Rarity?”
“Yes?”
“I know we don’t get along, but…I am glad that yall’re here with me.” Applejack said.
“Oh Applejack…you are an uncouth, rugged tomcolt with no sense of hygiene or personal grooming…but you are also one of the most dependable and loyal ponies I know. You know that.”
“Yeah…and I reckon you’re like this one pool on the farm. You see, ya look at it at first, and it don’t look that deep, but you jump in and it’ll go far over yer ears. Ya know what Ah’m saying?”
“Why yes, I think I do. Goodnight, Applejack.”
“Night Rarity.”
The next morning Applejack shook herself from a stupor and walked over the river. She was tired from staying up all night, but the other two had slept peacefully. Applejack knew that she was going to pay for staying up all night like this, but there was nothing to do for it. She leaned down and started to drink. She blinked and reared. There was something there.
A pony head peeked out from the water, pink with a blue mane. Applejack backed up, staring. The pony’s body was that of a fish. Two more popped up, a blue one with a pink mane and a lavender one with another pink mane. They stared at her, then sang at her, grinning as if they were old friends or something.
Applejack titled her head, then waved. “Er…howdy?” Sweet Celestia those eyes were creepy!
The three chattered at her, but she shrugged. “Sorry, yall, I don’t know what you’re saying’”
One of them, the blue one, flapped her fins, apparently upset at something. The lavender one looked up at Applejack and asked what sounded like a question. Applejack just shrugged at her.
The trio looked at each other, then flipped into the air. As one they began to sing, a strange, odd little tune. The three of them flapped their fins in time and bobbed, singing at her in a language she couldn’t understand. Although…the song seemed to have a nice little beat to it. She smiled a bit at the second verse and started to tap her hooves to the tune. She couldn’t understand it, but she kinda liked it. It seemed old fashioned, like a tune from her Ma’s age, but it was…good. She laughed a bit at the flipping and bobbing and flapping of the…sea horse things? Naw…river ponies? Maybe.
The song wound down, with a great triumphant flourish of their fins. The river ponies looked at Applejack, expectantly.
Feeling it was best to be polite, she stamped in applause. The river ponies drew back, and blinked at her wit their wide, owlish eyes. She stopped. “Aww, ya guys are pretty good!” She grinned at them, hoping this would make them happy, but they still gazed at her as if they were trying to figure out what was wrong with her.
“Well, if there is music in this place, then perhaps it is not all bad.” Rarity, apparently the singing had woken her up, trotted up. She clapped at the river ponies, who looked at her strangely. “…Perhaps they would like an Equestrian song?” She pulled out her instrument from the Pony Tone’s songs and whistled out a little measure. She tapped her hoof on the ground, and the river ponies watched her.
“Now, just a few simple lyrics, hmmm?” Rarity began to sing a simplified version of the Pony Tone’s signature song, it didn’t sound quite right without Big Mac’s bass, but soon the river ponies were bobbing along with the melody, and, with some tripping over the words, they begin to sing the lyrics, though it was clear they were merely parroting Rarity. Even so the river ponies began to flip and bob just as they head for their own song, and soon Applejack herself couldn’t help but join them as well.
Applejack felt her strength returning a bit, as the music begin to lift her spirits. So, it was really true.
Not everything here was evil.
Whizzer had gone to sleep rather depressed. Applejack didn’t remember her at all! She couldn’t imagine what could have happed to her to make her this way! She barely seemed the same cheerful, clumsy, slightly silly Applejack that had saved Whizzer and the other Twinkle-eyed ponies. She didn’t respond at all to Whizzer’s attempts to get her to remember that day she had defeated the wizard and saved them all!
So it was with a heavy heart that the usually zippy Whizzer feel asleep. However, she awoke that morning to the oddest song. She lifted her head, hearing a familiar ‘shoo-be-doo’…but something was odd about it. She got up from under the tree. She briefly looked at the bandages that the odd unicorn had used on her. It did feel better. Strange how these bobble heads had attacked her, stole Applejack from them but…these were…nice to her…
Abruptly the singing reached her ears. She blinked as she watched the unicorn take out a…was that a ukulele? Whizzer wasn’t sure. She blinked as the unicorn sang at the Sea Ponies lined up on shore. The Sea Ponies laughed and began to parrot the strange words back. Whizzer watched as Applejack laughed and joined in as the Sea Ponies harmonized with the unicorn.
Whizzer smiled. Maybe Applejack was there after all! She approached and listened. She flicked her ears and, at the next stanza, joined in, almost as clumsy with the odd words as the others, the issue doubled as she tried to contain her natural instinct to race through her words. She managed it though, stamping her hoof in time with the others. The unicorn turned her head to Whizzer and gave the Pegasus a wide smile.
As the finished the odd foreign song Whizzer laughed at turned to Applejack. “I-can’t-believe-you-can’t-remember-at-all-can-you? I-mean-you-saved-us-Twinkleeye-ponies-you-know-that-Fizzy-and-Sweet-Stuff-always-looked-up-to-you?”
Applejack just sort of looked at Whizzer with those huge eyes and Whizzer sighed. “I-hate-this.”
“Whizzer, what’s going on?” The blue Sea Pony, Seawinkle, swam over, frowning a bit despite the singing from before. “She doesn’t remember us!” This clearly upset the Sea Pony, as Applejack had been a good friend to them after they had saved her and Megan from the river.
“I-don’t-know-she-and-this-unicorn-attacked-Morning-Glory-but-we-don’t-know-what-happened-to-her!”
Wavedancer swam closer as well. “Have you tried the Moochick?”
Whizzer blinked. “Of-course-the-Moochick-should-know-what-to-do!”
Wavedancer grinned. “We’ll head to the Estate and let the others know!” She flipped and waved at fin at Applejack. “Bye Applejack! I hope you feel better!” She grinned and, out of pure fun, splashed both Applejack and Rarity.
Applejack laughed, recognizing the fun for what it was. Rarity, however, shrieked.
“Why you uncouth FISH!” Rarity screamed. “How DARE you!”
“Aww come on, Rarity, she was just having some fun.”
Rarity looked at Applejack, mane soaked and ruined, and gasped once, then huffed, then gasped again. It was all very affected. Whizzer fell on her back and laughed.
“Hahahaha-are-we-sure-she-isn’t-Truly-look-at-that-face!”
Whizzer and Applejack continued to laugh at poor Rarity, who huffed and looked away from them.
“Oh! Here you are…ummm…is Applejack better?”
Whizzer looked up and smiled. “Hi-Sweet-Stuff-I-didn’t-know-you-were-coming!”
“Galaxy ran back to Paradise Estate and told us what happened. Magic Star started to organize some searchers. I came here looking for you.” The light blue Twinkle-eye Earth Pony emerged from the bushes. She gave the enraged Rarity a meek look, and edged closer to Whizzer. “Are they better?”
“Well-the-unicorn-fixed-my-wing-can’t-fly-but-it-feels-better-but-they-are-still-acting-strange-was-gonna-take-them-to-the-Moochick-wanna-come?”
Sweet Stuff looked at the two alien ponies, then nodded. “Yeah, do you think I can really help though?”
“Yeah-of-course-let’s-go!”
Sweet Stuff approached the two Equestrians, flinching a bit at Rarity’s glare. She shrank back from Rarity. “Ummm, please come with us? Please?”
Applejack placed a hoof on Rarity’s shoulder. “Aww, come on, Rarity, you’re scarin’ her. Look at her, she’s like Fluttershy!”
Rarity took a deep breath. “Why is everypony here filthy mean and rude!”
Sweet Stuff blinked and ducked her head. Rarity noticed the wounded look the shy Earth Pony was giving her and sighed. “Oh I am sorry miss…whoever you are. But really!” She huffed.
Sweet Stuff smiled and waved a hoof indicated that they should follow. She took a few steps towards the Mushromp and waved again. Whizzer stepped next to her and waved a hoof as well.
Applejack frowned. “Ya think we should follow those two? I mean, they ain’t hostile anymore but…”
“I believe that we should take a leap of faith, Applejack. Be wary, but perhaps they will lead us to Sweetie Bell and the others!” Rarity attempted to shake her mane back into its fabulous state, even as she walked forwards to follow the two Twinkle eyed ponies towards the Mushromp.
They had no clue what they were in for.
Wind Whistler paused at the base of the mirror, shaking her head and attempting to get the world to stop spinning. “That was…unlike the normal rainbow path. It is not usually that violent. Or illness inducing. Nor is there suction.”
“…I feel like I’ve been through a washer…” Gusty moaned. “Where’s Morning Glory?”
Wind Whistler turned towards the mirror. She stepped towards it, but all of a sudden the surface went dark. She frowned and placed a hoof on the surface. Instead of the tingle and tugging her hoof merely met glass. She snorted.
“Gusty, we have been deceived.”
“By Morning Glory!? Of all Flutter Ponies!”
“I doubt that was the true Morning Glory.” Wind Whistler said. “It is not as if we have not encountered such magical influences before. Mind control, a shape shifter…anything could be possible, especially since this place is clearly hostile to us Ponylanders.”
“Then we need to find the others, and fast!” Gusty said, stepping towards the door. “Come on, Wind Whistler!”
“Hmmmm….” Wind Whistler eyed the statues as they exited. A part of her wanted to stay here and study this mystery, but…Gusty was correct. Right now the most important thing was finding their allies. Study, and the need to figure out the logistics of this place, wasn’t the top priority right now. Logic dictated that they find their friends, rescue them from whatever peril, then when all heads were in the same place they could go from there. So despite her urge to study these very interesting murals on the walls Wind Whistler ignored them in favor of keeping up with Gusty, who didn’t give the old carvings a second glance.
“Once we find them we will need a base of operations. If we can’t find an immediate way back we will need a fallback position.”
“Right, which way do you think we should go, Win-AH!”
“HI!” A pink Earth Pony with balloons on her flank, poofity hair, and the apparent ability to suddenly get the drop on you similar to Surprises’ suddenly materialized before them, babbling at them in Equestrian. “I was looking for the Cutie Mark Crusaders and my Pinkie Sense told me to come here! But they aren’t here! Everyone is so worried about them! I’m worried to because I keep having the feeling they’re in a scary place, but that just means I have to work extra super duper hard to make sure everyone doesn’t get all frowny faced! Frowny faces never help anyone! That’s what my Granny Pie always used to say! You two look a little frowny yourselves! You look strange but you can’t be dangerous or mean! My knee isn’t getting pinchy, so you CAN’T be mean ponies! I’m Pinkie Pie! Who are you?”
“…did they turn Surprise into a pink Earth Pony and give her coffee?” Gusty asked, bewildered.
“I…am uncertain…Surprise…is that you?” Wind Whistler asked, as dumbfounded as Gusty.
“Hmmm, I can’t understand what you’re saying! Hey! I should take you to Twilight! She’ll have something! Or I can find something for her and she can cast it! The right books are always falling on my head, and I mean ALWAYS falling on my head! How weird is that! Hey, you know what is also weird? Your wings.” She tapped Wind Whistler on the chest, who just stared at her. “You keep holding them up like you’re excited, but your face isn’t excited! Your face kinda looks like a rock! I don’t mean your grey or anything, just that you keep that same expression on your face like a rock! Anyway, we should head to Ponyville! I’ll find the right spell, and you can tell me about your wings! Then we can have a search party for the fillies! Then a Welcome Home Party for them and a Welcome to Ponyville Party for you two! Three parties one day! How great is that!” Pinkie turned and bounced away, confidant that the two Ponylanders would follow her.
“…that is an…odd form of locomotion.” Wind Whistler said.
“…that’s the only thing you found odd about her?”
“For the moment that is all my tenuous grip on my sanity can take.” Wind Whistler snorted gently. “But, despite her…eccentrics, I think we should follow her. She might lead us to the others.”
“Or directly into an ambush.” Gusty stamped. “I don’t trust that freak!”
“Nor do I, but you do you have a better suggestion? If so I would be delighted to hear it.” Wind Whistler said. In any other pony this would be sarcastic, but the calm Pegasus was clearly being serious, and honestly wanted to hear if Gusty had a better solution. “Keep alert, Gusty, as she very well may be leading us into a trap. But between you and I, I think we can escape if this is so.”
“Right…lets go…I must be crazy…” Gusty began to follow the hot pink bounding pony. “Or everyone in this place is crazy…”
“Hey, have you ever been to Ponyville before? I think I’d recognize you if you had, cause you’re so funny looking. You look like you’d like Sugar Cube Corner though!” And the stream of consciousness just continued to babble out of Pinkie’s mouth. Gusty snorted, growing irritated by the foreign babble.
“I think I might hate this pony.”
“Oh, I don’t know. I find the babble rather soothing.” Wind Whistler said. “I am unsure that a pony like this would mean us harm.”
“Just wants to talk our ears off.” Gusty said.
Wind Whistler gave her a gentle smile, and continued to follow the strange pink one. Though she felt the pony wasn’t a threat, it was still wise to be cautious.
However, the pink one did seem to know her way through the forest, as soon enough they came to a town. Wind Whistler had seen a few towns in her time, and this one seemed nice enough. The buildings were small and quaint, almost like Bright Valley, but smaller, with a tendency towards circular roofs. She blinked as they approached a huge tree with windows. The pink one bounced over and started to knock on the door. Wind Whistler and Gusty stood a bit apart from Pinky.
“I am not going into her freaky treehouse.” Gusty said.
“I believe that is very wise.” Wind Whistler said. “I will not be caged in a small space without the safety of the air.”
“Yeah…to be honest I don’t like how these buildings press in…Wind Whistler I don’t like this at-“
“SURPRISE, BOBBLE HEADS!”
“Surprise!” Wind Whistler looked up to see the white Pegasus drop down on them and buck the pink one into the door…or she would have if the door hadn’t opened just then to reveal a purple unicorn…with wings? Wind Whistler had never seen a winged unicorn before. She stamped in shock. Meanwhile the pink one had collided with the purple pegicorn, the two tumbling into the tree with the sound of falling books. Wind Whistler peeked in to them covered in fallen books. Apparently this was some sort of library.
“Gusty, Wind Whistler! Run! She’s got a TORTURE CHAMBER in there!”
“What?” Wind Whistler stepped back.
“I was spying in there while that purple freak slept! She’s got machines like a gizmonk! Wires and blinking lights and everything! They attacked us before too! These very same ones!”
“I told you!” Gusty whinnied as the two alien ponies untangled themselves from the books and started towards them. “Take this!” Gusty aimed her horn and swept a gust of wind at the surprised aliens, blowing the purple one backwards. The pink one, on the other hand, crouched near the ground and pulled toward them, still babbling.
“Gusty, Surprise, Retreat!” Wind Whistler reared and kicked the door in Pinkie Pie’s face. “I shall follow, but GO!”
Gusty nodded and turned, charging away. By now she knew well enough to follow Wind Whistler. The Pegasus backed away slowly as her friends got a head start. The door was surrounded by purple energy, and the winged unicorn burst out, looking rather mad. She screamed at Wind Whistler, snorting in anger.
“I promise you, stranger.” Wind Whistler said calmly. “You shall not harm any of us. I shall ensure it.” She darted low, headbutting Twilight Sparkle and slamming her against the door. With the strange beast shaking her head in dizziness, Wind Whistler launched into the air and spun, following on Gusty and Surprises’ heels.
Twilight shook her head, staggering. “PIIINKIEEE!”
Pinkie leaped out the window. “Twilight!”
“What…was…all that?” The alicorn shook her head.
“Well, I found them in the woods behind the castle! They’re lost!” Pinkie said. “I mean, clearly they’re lost! Did you see how big they are? And their wings! It’s like they have a constant, oh what’s it called? A-“
“Pinkie, why did your new friends just buck me into my library? And where are the girls?”
“I don’t know! I think they’re scared and lost and confused, and they aren’t thinking clearly! And they can’t understand us, so I brought them here so they can, but that new one was really really scared, couldn’t you tell how scared she was? She really needs to learn to laugh at scary things! Anyway, they aren’t bad ponies! They just don’t understand us!”
“That blue Pegasus didn’t seem scared.” Twilight said.
“Oh she was the scaredest of all! I can tell! She was trying to hide how scared she was with that big meany rock face! But I can tell these things!” Pinkie grinned at Twilight.
Twilight studied Pinkie. Despite just getting slammed into various hard objects…she knew that Pinkie could sense things fairly accurately, even if she sometimes got so excited she would blab these things out loud when they were not needed or wanted. It was like the pink pony had no internal filter that said ‘stop talking now’. Still, her feelings were often accurate, so…
Twilight went back into her library. “I know I have a universal translator spell here…if I can find it we can cast it on them so we can get a dialogue going. You can find them again, right?”
“Yepper depper!” Pinkie bounced in and within two seconds, produced a language book. “Here you go!”
Twilight nodded and opened the book up with her magic. “Just give me a while to memorize the spell…”
“Oh, okay. I know! I’ll go make some cupcakes for them while we wait! I’ll be back!” Pinkie bounced out.
Twilight nodded absentmindedly. She had a funny feeling that getting to the bottom of these strange alien ponies would also lead them to the girls…
As she studied, the sun began to peek over the horizon.