4.
Spike and Twilights search through the Everfree was resultless. In the end, they went to Ponyville where the commotion was at full throttle. They hadn't heard the news about Pound of course, but they wouldn't be held in the dark about that for long.
Everypony in the village was talking about the attack on Pound Cake. The minute thay stepped inside, ponies where asking them "have you heard..." or "Do you know that...". The big question on everyponys lips was 'who would commit such a terrible deed' ? The attack seemed totally pointless and incompressible cruel. The crowd demanded blood, Twilight could feel that. And she also had a pretty good idea who the villain was... No, she knew. Something grey with a black mane, the rumours was. To the villagers, there could have been any type of creature, but Twilight knew there could be only one. Her Rainbow.
But why? Why? The only reason Twilight could see, was that her creature must have been scared but... how could Pound scare anypony? How could a small foal scary a full-grown pegasi mare? The explanation to that wouldn't be simple. Well, whatever the reasons would be, the crowd would show no mercy. If they would find her first.... Luckily, some rumours also said that it had glowing eyes, was fire breathing and had three big horns poking out of its nose. Well, that could save her love a bit longer, if anypony decided to start looking for her. If Rainbow only was careful and tried to behave like a normal pony... no, that was not likely. They would Catch her at once. But there was also another danger which she started to realize.
She had been away without any explanation for almost a week. What if someone asked? What kind of explanation could cover it up so nopony suspected HER? First they would ask questions, ten they would find the castle, then the laboratory, than they would know Everything and just... Twilights mind started to run amok.
"Twilight, please... calm down!"
Spike realized the danger they were in, and Twilight behaving like this was bound to draw suspicion, but he had no idea how to calm her.
"I can't Spike! What if they find her? It isn't very likely that anyone would take me bringing back my dead marefriend to life with a shrug of shoulders! What if they find me? They will kill her! They will kill me! They will destroy all my work! They will..."
Spike quickly opened his bag, found an apple, and thrusted it into Twilights mouth. Her Eyes were still large and filled with panic, but she stopped screaming. Apparently, in all the other commotion and screaming, nopony had noticed what Twilight was shouting. Something good, at least.
"Alright Twilight, this looks bad. But one thing at time! First, we need to..."
"FIRST WE NEED TO FIND HER!...if I can get to her first...and work with her. Give ponies some time to cope with it...see our love...my love... they might understand. I need to get back. "
"Twilight... no..." Spike facepalmed.
"She must have ran to the Everfree. But how to get back there without raising suspicion? ”Twilight mumbled to herself.
Spike just shook his head even more and was about to say something but he was interrupted. Because luckily for Twilight, fate played her hand. Mrs Cake came running to her. She was crying, and her voice was desperate.
"Please Miss Sparkle! You must help us! You have heard what happened to my poor little foal? What kind of demonic creature could have done such a thing? Please Miss Sparkle, you are the wisest one around here! Please tell me you can solve this! Search your books! You must find this...beast! The thing that did this... it wasn't natural! "
"You're right about that..." Spike mumbled.
That comment would earn Spike a meeting with the whip back at the castle, for now, all Twilight could do was to smile sheepishly and try to comfort the poor mare.
"Why...yes Mrs Cake! I will at once go... to... the castle of the two princesses! I assure you, I will find the fiend who did this! She must be in one of my books!"
"Thank you! Thank you!"
Mrs Cake was unable to speak anymore, and she leaned her head onto her husband, who also had come forward. Twilight turned around, when she heard a familiar voice around her. A voice who spoke words she didn't want to her at the moment...
"We will come with yer. It's not safe for yer to go alone into the Everfree forest!"
Applejack and Pinkamena. They looked at Twilight with genuine concern. Normally, Twilight would have loved the idea of having her best friends with her. But there was no way she wanted to explain anything to them now. She needed to get them of her back.
"NO! I mean... its better if you stay here. You need to guard Ponyville. I...can take care of myself. "
"But Twi..."
"NO! Thank you, I understand you are worried. ..but I can use my magic. Better you take care of the town."
And with that, she left in a hurry. Pinkamena and AJ kept their eyes at her as she exited the town. No reason to run after her. But still...
"She was weirder than she was a month ago."
"Yeah... and why the hay did she say... Ah don't think Twilight is telling us everything there is here...."
---
Twilight and Spike searched the Everfree forest for three days, and no sign of the creature. To make sure no more suspicion was aroused, Twilight came into town at least once a day, but she felt eyes upon her every time. She never saw anypony specifically looking at her but she couldn't shake of the feeling. Maybe it was just paranoia, maybe somepony actually was looking. Nevertheless, Twilight had to come back. She also had realized that whenever they would catch the creature, they wouldn't be able to keep her at the castle for long. The princesses would definitely search that place. Luckily, they rarely went into the Everfree, and perhaps they would keep out...but she needed to find her fast anyhow...you never know when somepony actually...well.
They needed sanctuary, but the tree wasn't safe either, not with all the commotion around.
Luckily, Pound cake had been found in time. The colt’s life could indeed be saved, and the wings were examined, with the positive outcome that they would rebound. That cooled down everything with the major population. And so, Twilight started to give her basement a makeover. It might come in handy...someday...if they wanted to keep something very strong locked in.
Well, they did need to find her first. But no traces at all. And with no traces, there was only one thing to do. To ask the one pony who lived in the forest. Twilight wasn't very keen on letting Zecora into this, but it was probably necessary. And then she realized, she had nothing to be ashamed of or was to be doing anything that would catch ponies’ suspicion! She was searching information about the attacker for Mrs. Cake! She could talk to Zecora as much as she wanted!
And Zecora must have heard some things! Being the only pony living in the Everfree, that made her a superior source of knowledge in the matter. So, on the fourth day, they visited her. Twilight did some small talk, but eventually, she had to come forward with her questions.
"You wonder if there may have been some monstrous things that I have seen.
I have to say in simple word, I have not seen, but I have heard."
"What have you heard?"
"The trees are whispering whit fear about a danger that appeared
It walks the paths, hidden by night, is dark and strong, keeps out of sight.
The Timberwolves, they run with fright, from evil pony of the night
It’s dangerous to them, they know, it killed their king with just one blow
And I myself have heard the hoooowl of pony living without soul"
Zecoras melodic voice made Twilight shiver. Her unsatisfying rhyme made it even chillier.
"Where did you hear it, Zecora? Where?"
"The precise spot I do not know, but traces can be found to show
It wanders down to shady well, to end its thirst I pray to tell.
The Shady well! Twilight knew exactly where that was, and a little too close to Ponyville... Action was needed, fast!
"Thank you Zecora! We must go there at once! But you've been most helpful, now..."
Zecora held up her hoof.
"Just one last word, my dear dear friend, it looks to me, this is the end
The path you walk, it will not end with joy and glee, do not pretend!"
But Twilight was already out the door.
"Such haste. Such waste. "
---
Twilight and Spike hade made themselves a hide close to the Shady Well. The name came from the fact that the surface was pitch black. Although the water was clean and tasted really pure, (and actually was transparent if you put it in a bottle) you would never see the bottom... The well lay in the middle of a glade, with at least ten yards to the woods. A perfect place for hunting creatures. It was some hours waiting for the evening, but as soon as darkness fell, they were rewarded. The few birds in the forest were dead silent, and soon they heard the gruntings of the creature. It moved fast towards the well, but not fast enough to escape its hunters. They had taken precautions, and had converted a crossbow into shooting a syringe with sedative. Once they got a clear view of the creature, they shot. The silence of the woods was immediately broken with the screaming and grunting of the creature. It fought, some kind of invisible enemy, and three times, it hit the ground, only to rise again and make a run for the surrounding forest. But the sedative was strong enough, and pretty soon the creature was tied up, and teleported to the castle. The reconstructions of the library wasn't finished yet, besides, the castle had better cells.
The same night, the creature awoke to found itself in a cell. Well lit, and with lots of fresh water, and dandelions. But locked in. It started to charge at the door, then the walls... nothing. Solid stone. The creature fell asleep again, to awake some hours later. But now, it wasn't alone...
Spike had been reluctant letting Twilight do this. But she was determined, she would go into the creature alone. It needed love, she said.
"I need to go in there. By myself, to show that I mean no harm and that she can relax!"
"Twilight, I don't really think that will work. I think you're getting yourself killed"
"Then, so be it!"
"Twilight...don't be stupid now..."
"I need to do this. For me. For her. For us"
Spikes other objections were overruled, and so, she went inside.
The creature saw a face looking at it from across the room. It remembered...sort of...pain...opening eyes...and then...this face! This face, looking sortalikeme was the one responsible for the biggest pain the creature ever felt. Probably everything that the creature had experienced over the days was sortalikeme's fault! And now it was back? To torment the creature more? The creature got angry, and charged at the face!
Twilight was regretting her words, in these exact moments. The creature had apparently learned things about survival in the woods, and now it tried to scare her. It made itself look bigger. It made some lunges at her, incomplete, but enough to show this...sortalikeme...what it was capable of. And when Twilight saw the anger that filled the creature’s eyes, she became afraid, and sad. This was a mistake. A huge mistake. Why didn't she recognize her? Why didn't she remember?
"Rainbow, please! Don't do this! Stop! Don't do this to me! I love you...I..."
The creature stopped its movements. It had heard that voice before. At its awakening, yes, that must be...no...someplace else as well. That had nothing to do with pain. And in some part of the creature’s brain, a memory erupted. Of a sunny, beautiful day...
Rainbow, stop tickling me! Stop...sto...o...op!
You know, you really are beautiful, you know that?
I am so lucky I have you
Yes...that voice...and that face... The memories blurred, but the creature suddenly felt a warm feeling inside. It wasn't sure about why or when, but it knew it actually liked sortalikeme. Very much. Although the pain, it really really liked sortalikeme. The creature walked forward and started to stroke her mane against Twilight.
"mmmmmmm"
Twilight, stroke her creature over its mane and sighed calmly. This was progress!
...
A couple of days later, Twilight wasn't so sure about the progress. She had been trying to communicate with the creature. But no development had occurred yet. And what did she really know about her creature? Well, it liked hugs. And it liked to pick flowers...but except for that, nothing. And it didn't like Spike at all.
Think, Twilight, Think! There must be a solution! There must be a way... You can never bring her to Ponyville in this condition!
But why won't she listen? She's just...running away...or she just sits there...Staring out of the window.
Does she want to go out?
I can't let her. Not after what happened with Pound.
I hope Spike stays silent...one word and they will come to get her. They will take her away. I WILL NOT ALLOW THAT!
Twilight sighed. Well, feeding time.
"Come here, Dashie...come here..."
The creature, turned her head and looked at Twilight. Twilight held out a mug with milk. The creature happily jumped of the chair, grabbed the mug, and started drinking.
"My little Dashie...My darling Dashie...What shall I do with you... you are like a child."
The pony computer registry, as Rainbow used to call Twilights brain, suddenly bursted with activity! Those words, she had read! And in a context that was very relevant to this matter!
"...a...a child! That must be so! That must be... And I read it so recently! How could it have slipped my mind? Now let's see..."
Twilight turned to the bookshelf, and soon enough she found dr Frankenponys book.
"Now let’s see...chapter...13..."
Thursday, the 15.
To my great surprise, my creation still does not speak. The chock of awakening must have dozed off by now, and still no sign of it what so ever. I have spent some time examining him, and all the vital and necessary limbs are intact and functional. I must dig deeper into this. I will not do with the explanation that he plainly is stupid.
Saturday evening, the 17.
Today, Ygor was tossing a ball. He's such a simple mind. Though, without hesitation, my creature started to play with him. It is the first time I've seen him happy. Strange. What can be so interesting with a ball? He don't like the concept of snooker...
Wednesday night, the 21.
I finally cracked it! It took me a few days, but with the help of Ygor, I made my breakthrough. My creature behaves like a child because he IS a child! His brain may be at an estimated age of 29, but that has no significance, because the electrical forces set it back to zero! My creature is virtually an infant, with the strength and the body of a full-grown man! This is a most ground-breaking discovery! And it means, I have to teach him. I have to train him. I need to raise him...like my own...
Like my child.
Like my child.
And now Twilight realized what her creatures first words, Mmmmm, was supposed to sound like.
Mommy.