Chapter 7
The Return of Laughter
Frightened, she called out to her friends, but heard nothing beyond the unnatural silence that had fallen over the forest.
Unable to see more than a few steps ahead of her, Twilight frantically searched for the others. It wasn't long before she began to hear their voices, but no matter how hard she tried to concentrate on them, she couldn't make out what they were saying.
Rushing along, Twilight was startled by the sudden appearance of Rainbow Dash just ahead of her, performing a random dance. "Oh, thank Celestia I found you." Twilight began, relieved. "I was so scared that..." She trailed off as Rainbow Dash simply faded from view.
Turning in a tight circle, Twilight caught several glimpses of her friends. There was Pinkie Pie, cowering on the ground, and Rarity, rearing up on her hind legs and swinging a lasso over her head. Each was visible for only a moment before they disappeared once more into the surrounding darkness as if they were nothing more than spirits drifting in and out of reality.
Without warning, Twilight found Fluttershy hovering in the air, her face a mask of rage. "I am so sick of all you losers!" she yelled. "I'm outta here!"
As she took to the air and flew away, Twilight desperately chased after her. "No, Fluttershy, don't leave. I'm sorry I let you down, but please don't leave."
All at once, a bright light lit the area around her, causing her to skid to a halt and cover her eyes. Slowly opening them, Twilight found herself standing in the center of a grassy field, the light emitting from the full moon directly above her.
Knowing that the full moon was still a week and a half away, Twilight stared at its silver surface in confusion until a voice interrupted her. "Greetings, Twilight Sparkle."
Crying out in alarm, Twilight spun to find Princess Luna standing behind her. An Alicorn with a dark blue coat, a mane and tail the color of a well lit night sky, complete with sparkles that resembled stars, and a crown that was as black as a moonless night resting behind her horn, the princess looked upon Twilight fondly.
Although they had once been enemies, Twilight found comfort in the princess's company.
One thousand years ago, Princess Luna surrendered to the darkness in her heart, and had become Nightmare Moon. Unable to reason with her, Princess Celestia had been forced to banish her younger sister to the moon.
Just a few years ago, however, Nightmare Moon finally escaped and had reappeared in Ponyville on the night of the Summer Sun Celebration. After imprisoning Princess Celestia, she had then threatened all of Equestria with an eternal night.
Twilight, having only arrived in Ponyville the previous day, had attempted to stand alone against her, but Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie, all of whom she had only just met, had insisted on coming with her. The six of them entered the Everfree Forest and recovered the lost Elements of Harmony, and together, succeeded in harnessing their power.
Overwhelmed by the Elements of Harmony, Nightmare Moon had vanished in a brilliant flash of light, leaving a defeated Princess Luna in her place. Freed of her hatred and jealousy, Princess Luna was finally able to see the error of her ways, and after asking for and receiving forgiveness from Princess Celestia, returned to her rightful place in Canterlot by her sister's side. Now, she was known as the princess of the night, and was loved and respected by all of Equestria.
As a result, both Princess Luna and Twilight held each other in high regard, for both knew that they would not have what they did today if it hadn't been for the other.
"Princess Luna!" Twilight exclaimed, surprised by the princess's sudden appearance. "What's going on? Why are you here?"
With a warm smile, Princess Luna explained, "When you sleep, your mind escapes from the binds that tie it to your physical form. All of your hopes, dreams, and fears rise into the night. As princess of the night, it is my duty to watch over these energies, to direct and correct them as needed. Harmony of the night is just as important as harmony of the day, you see."
"So...I'm dreaming?" Twilight asked.
Princess Luna nodded. "I felt a great disturbance in the night, a desperate helplessness that came from this part of Equestria. Imagine my surprise, Twilight Sparkle, when I discovered that its source was you."
Relieved that this was all a dream, and that she hadn't just lost Fluttershy after all, Twilight confessed, "I'm worried for my friends. Nothing I can do will help them, and I don't know w-"
Princess Luna held up a hoof to silence her. "It is not my place to ask what has happened, or to help you with your problems, but I am always willing to offer guidance."
Spreading her wings and taking flight, the moonlight glinting off of the crescent moon on her flank as she slowly circled above, the princess remarked, "You never give up, Twilight, and you always find a way to overcome any obstacle that you face. While this trait is commendable, it is only making your current situation worse."
Twilight frowned. "What do you mean?"
"Sometimes you cannot overcome a problem no matter how hard you try. Sometimes you must sit back and let somepony else solve it, and sometimes the only solution is time."
Unable to believe what she was hearing, Twilight demanded, "What? You want me to stop trying? To just give up? These are my friends, Princess, how can I just quit on them?"
Landing directly in front of Twilight and looking her sternly in the eye, Princess Luna said, "I understand how difficult this must be for you. Stepping back and letting your friends deal with their own problems is simply not in your blood, but it is the only answer." When it seemed that Twilight was about to argue, the princess quickly continued. "Just look at my sister, how many times has she stepped back and allowed you to face some of Equestria's greatest trials? You have no idea how many problems she is merely observing and allowing time to remedy. If she were to try to face them all, as you do, she would end up feeling the way you do now, small and helpless. How efficient of a ruler do you think she would be if she never stopped fretting over every problem in Equestria?"
"I...well..." Twilight had no idea what to say, she had never seen Princess Celestia in this light before. She had always believed that Princess Celestia could face any obstacle, prevail over any threat. It had never occurred to her that the princess could become overwhelmed. Somehow, Twilight took comfort in the knowledge that even Princess Celestia couldn't solve every problem.
"You and Celestia share many traits, Twilight, so maybe it is time that you begin to learn some of her lessons. Stop trying to solve this current issue and let it play itself out."
"But-"
"And there may come a time when you, like my sister, must step back and allow another to fight this battle. If this time comes, you must be able to restrain yourself, or all hope could be lost."
"I understand, Princess," Twilight relented. "I'll try to follow your advice and allow my friends to fight this on their own."
Princess Luna smiled. "I am glad. This helplessness is very unbecoming of you."
With a small laugh, Twilight curtsied. "Thank you for your advice, Princess Luna."
"It was my pleasure, Twilight Sparkle. Now..." Suddenly Princess Luna and Applejack said in unison. "Wake up, Twilight."
Eyes flying open, Twilight found herself lying beside Pinkie Pie as Applejack gave her another small shake. "Land sakes, girl, you were in one deep sleep. For a moment there I thought I was gonna have to get Pinkie's party cannon to wake ya." She paused for a long yawn. "Anyway, it's your watch now. I'm beat."
Getting up, Twilight's gaze fell on Zecora, who was lying on her stomach with her legs tucked under her and her head held high on a fully extended neck. She would have thought that the Zebra was only meditating, except for her snoring. Amused, Twilight turned to Applejack, but found her already fast asleep next to Pinkie Pie.
"Wow," Twilight mumbled to herself. "She really was beat."
As she turned away from the campfire, Twilight's eyes fell on a fresh pile of wood several feet away, and mused that Applejack must have gathered it before waking her. Watching the easy breathing of her friend, Twilight said a silent thank you to the slumbering Earth pony before making her way toward the edge of the firelight.
Alert for any sound in the near perfect stillness that would warn of approaching danger, Twilight sat down and gazed out at the deep shadows. After several moments, her thoughts drifted to her dream, and her conversation with Princess Luna.
She understood now that she couldn't worry about her friends any longer. Although she had thought that it would be difficult to simply wait for them to come back on their own, she slowly began to believe that allowing them to overcome this themselves was the best course of action as she recounted all that she had learned.
Her friends weren't under a spell, as she had feared. They were simply the victims of the willow's hypnosis, a mind trick that her friends had already been fighting for nearly a full day. With the exception of Fluttershy, they had all shown signs of their struggle, and Twilight harbored no doubt that they would eventually beat it. As for Fluttershy, although she was going to need quite a bit of convincing to return to her true self, Twilight felt that they had made some real progress with their last conversation. For the first time since she had seen Pinkie Pie squashed under Rarity's bed, Twilight truly felt confident that everything would turn out fine.
Realizing this, Twilight felt as if a great burden had been lifted from her chest, and she suddenly seemed able to breathe easier. It also helped that she was thrilled to have learned that she shared some traits with Princess Celestia.
Standing watch with these cheerful thoughts filling her mind, and occasionally adding fresh wood to the fire, Twilight didn't realize that something was wrong until the first rays of light crept into their little clearing.
At first stunned by the morning light, as she had only been standing watch for about two hours, Twilight quickly comprehended what was happening.
Applejack had known about her headache and that she had been exhausted, and had stayed awake nearly the entire night so that she could rest. Thinking back on Applejack's lecture on how she should worry about herself and get some sleep, and Applejack's one worded reply when Twilight had stated that she would see her in a few hours, Twilight realized that Applejack had lied.
Rounding on her friend and watching her sleep peacefully for a few moments, Twilight tried to feel angry but failed miserably. Unable to help herself, she started to laugh as she realized that Applejack, Equestria's worst liar, had fooled her.
Honestly. Twilight thought to herself as she shook her head with amusement. You underestimate that pony for one instant, and she'll surprise you.
Making her way around the campfire, Twilight began waking up the others, but purposefully skipped over Applejack.
Upon seeing the morning light, Zecora asked with an unhappy tone, "Did you think my turn I would botch? Is this why you did not wake me for my watch?"
Managing to at least sound a little annoyed, Twilight indicated Applejack. "Why don't you ask that stubborn mule over there? She stayed up almost the entire night before waking me."
Gazing at Applejack's slumbering form, Zecora advised, "Do not be angry with the sacrifice she made, these are the things that prove your friendship will never fade."
Twilight nodded her agreement. "I know. I'm not angry...not really."
Smiling, Zecora made her way to the edge of the clearing. "Good, now wait here and I will find some food before all of us fall into a foul mood."
Turning away from Zecora, Twilight spotted Pinkie Pie about to awaken Applejack. "No, Pinkie, let her sleep a while longer. She's going to need it."
Pinkie Pie quickly shied away from Applejack. "Oh, I'm sorry...I just saw that she was asleep and thought I should wake her."
"Don't you fret it none, sugar cube," Rarity told her as she placed her hat awkwardly atop her head. "Twilight just wants to make sure she gets her sleep is all."
Glancing over at the other two, Twilight found that Fluttershy had already taken to the air, and was flying in circles overhead while Rainbow Dash skipped around the clearing and sniffed flowers.
Beginning to feel overwhelmed as she watched her friends act like one another, Twilight suddenly recalled Princess Luna's advice. Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, she reminded herself that her friends had to fight this themselves, and all she could do was to wait and be supportive.
As Twilight was calming herself with this mental exercise, Zecora returned and removed what appeared to be six large wooden lumps from her saddlebag. "I have found for us some Tender Root, it will give us energy and is nutritious to boot."
Twilight stared at the brown lumpy form on the ground before her, wondering how such a thing could possibly be edible. Bending over, she attempted to bite off a piece and found it to be nearly as hard as wood. Dry, tough, and lacking flavor, Twilight found it difficult to swallow the first bite, and even more so to find the will to take a second.
Noticing the expressions on all their faces, Zecora said defensively, "I know it may taste like dragon's feet, but at least it is something to eat."
Gagging after swallowing the second bite, Twilight inquired, "Why in the name of Celestia is it called Tender Root?"
Zecora shrugged. "Life is full of such irony, haven't you noticed my dear pony?"
Silently, the five friends struggled to eat the Tender Root as quickly as possible. It was a task that proved more laborious than expected.
Gazing at the final bite, Twilight longed to kick it into the brush but knew that she would need all of her energy and strength later. As she began to chew, she gave Pinkie Pie a slight nod and watched her gently shake Applejack awake.
With an enormous yawn, Applejack rolled onto her back and stretched before reaching blindly behind her. As her hoof found only grass, Applejack frowned as she stood and turned in a tight little circle. "Where's my hat?" she asked with confusion. Then, spotting it atop Rarity's head, her face fell. "Oh...right. I forgot."
Dropping the sixth piece of Tender Root at Applejack's feet, Pinkie Pie said, "Good morning, Applejack, Zecora found us some breakfast. It's not very good, but she says it will give us energy so I think you should eat it..." Suddenly looking very unsure of herself, Pinkie Pie added meekly, "I mean, if you want to...but if you don't want to that would be fine too..."
"Thank ya, Pinkie, I'm starvin'," Applejack said gratefully as she eagerly stuffed the entire root into her mouth. Almost immediately, she gagged on the unexpectedly awful taste, but managed to continue chewing with only a slight grimace. Once she had swallowed the last of it, Applejack forced a smile for Zecora. "Thank ya for finding this here...food, Zecora."
Once everypony was ready to continue, Zecora led them a short distance to a nearby stream. The water was clear, cool, and refreshing, and as Twilight drank her fill, she watched a bleary eyed Applejack do the same.
Just as she was finishing, a rock under Applejack's hoof shifted, sending her face first into the stream. Sputtering, she stood back up and began to spit out several small rocks, which led to a sudden outburst of laughter from Fluttershy.
Catching the angry look Applejack was throwing at the amused Pegasus, Twilight quickly said, "She doesn't mean anything by it, Applejack. You know how Rainbow can be."
"I know how Rainbow can be all right," Applejack replied as she continued to glare at Fluttershy. "But I ain't too sure bout that one anymore."
Turning to Twilight, Applejack's features softened. "How's that headache?"
"Completely gone," Twilight answered, then gave Applejack a stern look. "I really wish that you hadn't lied to me."
Applejack's eyes lowered to the ground as her ears drooped. "It wasn't really a lie..." Then she looked at Twilight uncertainly. "But I was dishonest, and I'm awfully sorry for it. I knew that the girls needed ya to be in tip top shape more than they needed me, and I knew that you would never agree to lettin' me have a longer watch so ya could get more rest for yourself, so I just didn't wake ya till later. Can ya ever forgive me?"
"Of course I forgive you." Twilight smiled amiably. "I'm just worried that you didn't get enough rest. We've got a long day ahead of us."
"Don't ya worry your pretty lil' head bout me none. I feel as fresh and ready to go as a barrel of my apples in the marketplace," Applejack insisted, although the puffiness around her eyes told quite a different tale. "Besides, I been without sleep much longer than just one night, remember? I made it fine back then, and I'll be fine now."
Twilight did remember and that was what had her so worried. Then again, the last time Applejack had suffered from a lack of sleep, she had gone a full week before things had begun to turn sour, so maybe she was worrying a little too much.
"Just please try not to overdo it," Twilight relented.
Following Zecora's lead, the six ponies continued their trek through the Everfree Forest. As she trotted along, Twilight constantly stole glances at Applejack, and noticed that her lack of sleep seemed to be slowly wearing her down as the day pressed on.
Several hours into their journey, Twilight called back to be sure that she was still doing okay, and as Applejack was assuring her that she was fine, she reached up to tip her hat. Upon realizing that she was not wearing it, a dark shadow seemed to spread over her face, and she turned her head toward the ground, mumbling something under her breath.
Having seen Applejack's reaction to her missing hat, Pinkie Pie slowly approached Twilight.
"Twilight, what's wrong with Applejack?"
"She was worried about me and stayed up too late so that I could rest," Twilight explained. "Then she slipped and fell into that stream." Seeing the anxiety etched on Pinkie Pie's face, she smiled. "She's just grumpy and having a bad day, that's all. She'll be fine in a little while."
Pinkie Pie watched Applejack for a long moment, then asked, "Do you think she's upset about not having her hat?"
"Yeah," Twilight admitted. "I think that may have a lot to do with it, actually."
As they watched, Applejack, staring longingly at her hat as it bounced on Rarity's head, kicked an exposed root and stumbled. "Goll-darn it!" she exclaimed as she limped for a moment before gingerly putting her weight on the injured hoof once again. "I didn't even see that consarned root! What in the hay is it doin' out in the middle of everythin' anyway?"
Suddenly, Pinkie Pie dropped back and matched Applejack's stride. Studying her frowning friend uneasily, Pinkie Pie appeared to be struggling with some sort of internal decision.
Cocking her eyebrow, Applejack asked sharply, "What?"
Suddenly looking frightened, Pinkie Pie lowered her head and turned her eyes to the ground. "I-I just wanted to ask you a question. If you don't mind, that is."
Immediately, Applejack's scowl melted away. "I'm sorry, Pinkie, I didn't mean to snap at ya. You go right on ahead and ask me anything ya want."
With a quiet, nervous voice, Pinkie Pie asked, "What did the elderly stallion say when his pet dog fell off the cliff?"
"Oh my!" Applejack exclaimed, surprised by the question. "Uh, well...I don't rightly know what anypony would say if their dog fell off a cliff."
"Doggone," Pinkie Pie answered with a shy smile.
It took Applejack a moment to realize that Pinkie Pie had just told a joke, then she began to chuckle. "Hehe, doggone, cause the dog is gone. I like that one, it's funny."
Beaming as she observed the smile that spread across Applejack's face, Pinkie Pie straightened her back, held her head high, and began to prance away, but then suddenly stopped. As if she had just realized that they were still within the Everfree Forest, Pinkie Pie's features turned from happy to scared as her ears drooped and she pressed nearer to Applejack.
Knowing that Pinkie Pie had just gone back to being Fluttershy, Twilight turned away with a smile. Pinkie Pie had understood how upset Applejack was about her hat, and her concern for her friend had reached deep within to touch her love of creating fun and laughter. This had allowed her true self to surface just enough to overcome Fluttershy's timid nature and tell a joke.
Although this glimpse of the real Pinkie Pie had only lasted a moment, it sent Twilight's spirits soaring. The unexpected joke proved to Twilight without a doubt that Pinkie Pie was fighting the hypnosis, and she couldn't have been more proud of her friend than she was right then.
"Twilight! Something's wrong with Pinkie! " Applejack called, sounding scared. Quickly turning around, she found Applejack standing beside Pinkie Pie, who was on the ground covering her face with her hooves. Placing a hoof on Pinkie Pie's back and gently rubbing, Applejack said soothingly, "Don't ya worry, sugar c-"
Without warning, Pinkie Pie jumped up, knocking Applejack onto her rump. "I'm not scared!" Rounding on the dark, imposing trees that stood to their left, she yelled, "I'M NOT SCARED!" Facing the trees to their right, she cried, "My Granny Pie taught me to laugh at my fears! So, ha ha ha!"
Trotting in a small circle, she continued to speak her fake laugh, until she began to giggle. Then, with a snort, she fell onto her back and laughed, causing her curly mane to bounce wildly.
Concerned, Twilight slowly advanced toward her laughing friend. "Pinkie?"
Sitting up with an enormous smile, Pinkie Pie exclaimed, "Can you believe how scared I was?!" She began giggling uncontrollably. "I mean, me, scared of my own shadow. How silly is that?"
"Pinkie?" Twilight asked hesitantly. "Are...are you...you?"
With an exceptionally loud gasp, Pinkie Pie cried, "I am! I'm me again!" Standing on her two hind legs, she began to jump up and down. "I'm me, I'm me, I'm me!"
Rushing to her side, Rainbow Dash began jumping on her hind legs as well. "You're you, You're you, You're you!" Gripping each other's hooves, they continued jumping in circles, until they both fell, and began to roll together on the ground laughing.
The laughter was infectious, and soon the others joined in. While Zecora stood back and watched with a pleasant smile, the others gathered around Pinkie Pie, and gave her a great group hug as she sat back up.
Unable to help it, Twilight began to cry as relief flooded through her. Her tears, like the laughter, became infectious and soon there wasn't a dry eye among the best friends.
"You did it, Pinkie," Twilight happily stated. "You fought and you won. Not only that, you've proved to the others that it can be done." Looking at Rainbow Dash, and then Rarity, she added, "You hear that, girls? Keep fighting, and you'll win just like Pinkie did."
Seeing all the smiling faces around her, Pinkie Pie's eyes grew watery once again. "Thanks, girls. It's really great to be back."
As Pinkie Pie stood up, the leaves that had gotten stuck in her mane as she rolled on the ground suddenly began floating away on their own, glowing with a faint blue light. Turning, they found Rarity concentrating as she removed all the debris.
Noticing them watching her, she cocked an eyebrow. "What in tarnation are you all looking at?" The confused expression on her face caused the others to begin laughing once again.
Realizing that Fluttershy was no longer among them, Twilight's laughter died away as she glanced up. Hovering above them, Fluttershy looked furious, and noticing Twilight was watching her, she quickly turned away. Zecora, who had been watching her as well, turned to Twilight with a look of sympathy.
"I am very concerned for Fluttershy. For her, it will not be as easy as Pinkie Pie," Zecora stated quietly as Twilight approached.
"I know, but I don't know what to do," Twilight replied worriedly.
"Neither do I, but her side you must continue to stand by." Zecora glanced back up at Fluttershy. "For the extract of the Sun Glow's sprout to work in the end, she must want it in her heart. You must prove that she is a valued friend, or you will grow further apart."
Before Twilight could respond, a foul scent suddenly swept over them, causing the six friends to choke on the unexpected stench. As they coughed, a series of menacing growls arose from the way they had come. With a collective gasp, they all turned and gazed uneasily into the trees.
Frightened, Twilight turned to her friends and saw her fear reflected on their faces. Even Fluttershy, hovering above, seemed unnerved.
They all knew this scent, and they all knew what was keeping just out of sight.
Timberwolves.