//------------------------------// // Chapter 4 - Onwards to adventure! // Story: Sweetie Belle and the Tablet of Knowledge // by CheshireTwilight //------------------------------// “Okay … maybe I didn’t completely think this through,” Sweetie Belle said, looking demurely at her friends. The three fillies—hiding behind a nearby building—looked onwards as the southbound train from Canterlot left the station. It had been loaded with fifteen members of the Unicorn Royal Guard. Sweetie Belle thought they were likely the ones Twilight asked for, since the Royal Guard almost never visited Ponyville unless under royal command. The unicorns waited patiently on the platform. “Alright Sweetie Belle, ya got us inta this mess, it’s you that has ta get us out,” Apple Bloom stated matter-of-factly. “Yeah,” Scootaloo chipped in, “if we can’t leave on the train, how are we even going to get to Canterlot yet alone Los Pegasus. I really don’t want to walk for like a whole year, just to get caught by the Royal Guard in the middle of nowhere.” Scootaloo had been really on-the-ball so far. After Sweetie Belle said they needed to get to the San Palomino Desert, the CMC had snuck into the orange pegasus’ house just an hour earlier. Three saddlebags full of camping equipment, food, water, bathroom supplies, money and a survival guidebook were then filled and packed in no time. Scootaloo had been spending lots of time camping and flying with Rainbow Dash after their successful trip with Applejack, Applebloom, Rarity and Sweetie Belle last year. Rainbow Dash would never admit it, but she’d be lost without the filly’s expert use of a compass and map. Scootaloo’s family was quite well off and made a large number of bits. This meant they were never around, but it also made getting the money and supplies for their trip easy. “I get it girls. Alright, let me just … think for a bit and I’ll get back to you … ,” Sweetie Belle said, trailing off as she slipped into deep thought. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo had seen her do this before. Last time, she spent a few minutes thinking and suddenly she knew everything there was to know about structural integrity and stress testing for Applejack’s barn. They decided to keep quiet until their ‘leader’ came up with a plan. ‘Well you heard them. What should we do now Tablet?’ *Error 3: Too many possible answers. Would you like a recommendation?* ‘Oh, right …’ she thought. She remembered that she had to sometimes be really specific with her questions. ‘um … I got this. What is the fastest and safest way to get to Los Pegasus without getting caught?’ *With the train likely being monitored by both the Royal Guard and the Princess, the likely alternative in this case would be travel by balloon. It is safe, but is slow and carries high risk of capture. Therefore, the only logical conclusion is teleportation. It is not overly dangerous, fast and has a low risk of capture.* ‘Yeah, but we don’t know anypony who can teleport, except for Twilight and I doubt she’ll just help us right now. After all … it’s not like I can. Who would do it?’ *The desired goal—to evade recapture—coincides with the avoidance of this device’s discovery, otherwise restricted functionality is available for use. This device’s command of your brain-horn nerve interface is included in this restricted functionality. This device’s understanding of the transformative properties of the Condensed Exotic Particle Field—referred to as the ‘Aether’ or ‘Magic Dimension’ in modern laypony terms—can provide a pony with an Exotic Hole Quasiparticle Manipulator such as your horn the ability of Massive Instantaneous Trans-spatial Transportation.* ‘That … . Okay, ignoring all those big words, you can teleport using my horn?!’ *Yes.* ‘Then do that I guess, just teleport us right to the dat-base and … adventure over I guess.’ Sweetie Belle sighed visibly. The CMC had been enjoying the range of Sweetie’s expressions until now, but were starting to grow concerned. Despite their worry, they only whispered quietly to themselves. *Your assumption is incorrect. Your horn lacks the necessary energy throughput required for long-distance teleportation without an external field manipulator. It is not fully developed and as such, the level of control your neurons have over the Crystalline Biological Condensed Exotic Particle Field Generators, or ‘Alicorn’, in your horn is limited. Assuming the ideal ‘full-control’ scenario, the quantity of Alicorn could only transport the required mass of approximately 230kg a distance of at most 6.255372m. Any further distance would be cancelled by your neurons Cascading Fallback reaction, your biological failsafe which prevents magic overuse.* Sweetie took a moment to think through what had been said. ‘Right, so let me get this straight. I could teleport with your help, but only a really small ... useless distance. How is this supposed to get us to Los Pegasus again?’ *As previously stated, that distance is assuming there is no external field manipulator. When this device was performing passive ‘Aether’ sweeps using your horn—to gauge potential ‘magic’ threats—it found one. An amplification reaction came from deep within the Everfree Forest when measuring Exotic Matter Waves in the 450-520 MHz range. If the source of that amplification can be used, it can be estimated that a maximum teleportation distance of 482.428853km could be reached before your Cascading Fallback reaction.* ‘Alright … that’s a lot farther, but it still won’t get to Los Pegasus. That’s over 1,800km away!’ *The teleport cannot reach Los Pegasus initially, but whatever amplification source that is found can be taken with you. It need only be activated several times until the destination is reached. Given the provision, time, and security constraints, this is the best possible conclusion this device can give with the limited data provided.* Sweetie Belle  thought for other alternatives herself, anything to avoid risking everything on her magic. Sneaking onto a balloon or the train in disguise, using the ‘Cutie Mark Crusader Disappointment Stare™’ to guilt-trip one of the residents into helping them, or even getting Apple Bloom to create a giant catapult like they did for Cutie Mark Daredevils. ‘Alright,’ she thought, ‘I might not be able to think of anything better, but maybe Apple Bloom and Scootaloo can think of something.’ “Alright,” Sweetie Belle said, startling the other fillies out of staring at the ‘deep thinking’ unicorn. “There is a possible—probably crazy—plan.” When she was sure she had their undivided attention, she continued. “I might be able to teleport us there using-” “Wha-!!” Scootaloo yelled, before being cut-off by Sweetie Belle’s hoof. “Keep it down Scootaloo,” Sweetie Belle said, “I don’t want to get caught.” “Oh, right … ,” Scootaloo said, “but still Sweetie Belle, what? Isn’t teleportation like really super-crazy-hard magic?” “Yeah,” Apple Bloom agreed, “since when can ya teleport?” “Well …” Sweetie Belle said, thinking of a reasonable excuse, “I can teleport, but not very far. But there is something in the Everfree that might work.” “Alright let’s go,” Scootaloo asked. Surprisingly even Apple Bloom agreed. Sweetie Belle put her hoof to her face. “Are we really considering this? I mean, this is my magic we’re talking about. You know, the magic that can barely lift a broom? Not to mention going into the Everfree.” “What’s an adventure without a little danger?” Scootaloo asked smugly, going into Rainbow Dash mode™. “Yeah, don’t put yourself down Sweetie Belle,” Apple Bloom said, putting a hoof over the unicorn’s back. “Even if Ah’m a little scared, Ah know how much this means to ya. Ah honestly can’t think of a better plan unless you want to tell your sis ‘bout this.” Sweetie Belle shook her head. She definitely didn’t want that. While she would be taking a risk to give herself up and wait for Twilight to find a cure, this wasn’t even about the secret anymore. For the first time in as long as she could remember, there was finally something only she could do. Resigning herself to her decision, she set off with her friends. ‘Well ... it’s not like we’ve never gone into the Everfree before. I just hope the Tablet is right about this … .’ Rarity—with the help of Pinkie Pie, of all ponies—had been scouring the town with the rest of her friends looking for any sign of her sister and the rest of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. The only clues they had to go on were a few reports of ponies seeing them. They seemed credible as they all confirmed they were wearing saddlebags, but they weren’t conclusive. She looked into all their homes, and their favourite hangouts, but with no sign of them. Unbeknownst to her, she had just missed them leaving Scootaloo’s house; she had unfortunately chosen to go there last. After an hour of searching, Rarity, along with the rest of the Mane 6, came to a stop in front of the town hall where they agreed to meet up. “Pinkie Pie and I could find no sign of the fillies anywhere,” Rarity said with an exacerbated sigh. “Yeah, and me an’ Big Mac checked the whole of Sweet Apple Acres, twice, but no sign of ‘em anywhere.” Applejack took off her hat and wiped her brow. Obviously checking tens of acres in under an hour—twice no less—was exhausting. “Well I’ve had the guards posted at all the exits from Ponyville including the train station,” Twilight said with a frown, “But no sign of them yet.” “No sign of them up top either,” Rainbow Dash added while shrugging. “I can get more coverage then you ground ponies, but there are a lot of buildings and stuff in the way.” “I tried asking my animal friends,” Fluttershy included meekly, slowly trailing off, “but they aren’t good at telling ponies apart so I’m still working on that … .” “Have you made any progress with your detection scan, Twilight?” Rarity asked. “No, unfortunately,” Twilight said, grunting in frustration, “I could never detect Sweetie Belle—not now anyway—but at least at first I could see the other two. Now, it seems that they’re gone as well. The last trace of them was at Sugarcube corner over an hour ago when we first started searching. I’ve tried different variations but they’re all the same. This ‘influence’ Sweetie Belle has must be negating it. I hate to say it, but we’re stuck with finding them the old fashioned way for now.” At this time, one of the guards ran down a street and whispered something into Twilight’s ear. “What!” Twilight yelled, nearly toppling over the poor guard. “Oh come now, Twilight. There’s no need to be a drama queen, what did the guard say?” Rarity asked hastily. “It … .” Twilight calmed herself using Princess Cadence’s breathing technique and continued, “It seems the Cutie Mark Crusaders were seen headed into the Everfree Forest!” “What!” Rarity exclaimed, faux-fainting. She realised too late she did not bring her fainting couch and landed roughly on the ground, much to her displeasure. “Why didn’t the guards stop them! You had guards posted at all exits right?” Rarity asked as she got up and tried to wipe herself off. Twilight shifted awkwardly. “I figured they wouldn’t be crazy enough to go there. We only had a small number of guards and- Wait! Where are you going!” Rarity didn’t wait for Twilight to finish. She raced as fast as she could to the forest but was halted by Twilight levitating her in mid-air. “Twilight, let me go!” Rarity yelled, trying fruitlessly to struggle against the magic field surrounding her. “I’m not stopping you Rarity, but if you go, we all go together,” Twilight said with a smile, her other friends all nodded in agreement. Rarity calmed down and nodded her head. With that, they all ventured out of town and into the Everfree. “Thanks for helping us out Zecora,” Apple Bloom said chipperly, hopping down the Everfree trail. “Yeah, it really helps out a lot,” Sweetie Belle agreed, not quite sharing the same enthusiasm. Scootaloo grunted her displeasure and looked away. She had wanted the CMC to venture into the forest alone and felt the addition of the guide ruined the excitement. She wouldn’t be dissuaded otherwise. The three fillies had entered the Everfree almost immediately after agreeing with the teleportation plan. It didn’t take long for them to be reminded about their previous failed trip involving a cocatrice. They found Zecora’s hut and had no reservations asking for help—although Scootaloo liked to forget that part. Luckily the zebra had not heard of the news about Sweetie Belle. “It is not a problem little fillies, I know this forest can give one the willies. Besides to Apple Bloom I owe, for letting all the townsfolk know, this humble zebra holds no ill intent, and that their kindness is not ill spent.” Zecora then brought a hoof to her chin and frowned. “Still I would be remiss, if I don’t ask your plan this. A trip to the castle of sisters royal, why even bother with such toil?” After talking with Zecora earlier about their adventure they were sure to avoid any talk of the ‘influence’ or being chased by the guards. Zecora had laid down her map of the Everfree and. Sweetie Belle—with the Tablet’s assistance—discovered the source of the magic amplification to be around the area of the Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters. “I wish I could tell you Zecora, but I just can’t. I know what we’re doing is dangerous-” “It is fine if secrets you must keep, of this I won’t speak another peep,” Zecora said, suppressing a chuckle, “for even without me here to guide, you would make the trip, that much is implied.” Zecora was hesitant at first but the girls were old enough to know—and appreciate—the dangers of the forest. She said she had only agreed to this trip because she had not wanted the fillies to head for the castle alone, but it was also a sign of her respect. Just as they had never asked for her secrets—of which she had a few—she would not ask for theirs. Besides, of all the paths in the Everfree, the castle path was the least dangerous. On occasion she even saw the ponies head there in groups of two, although she would say that that was tempting fate. Apple Bloom smiled up at the zebra once more; a warm, sweet, coma-inducing smile. Zecora couldn’t help but smile back. The CMC turned to each other, nodding with a knowing grin on their faces: ‘Operation Everfree-Safe-Passage is a success!’ it said. “Twilight, come in here!” Rarity yelled from inside the hut. The Mane 6 had hoped that if the Cutie Mark Crusaders were to travel in the Everfree, they would at least ask Zecora to be their guide. They travelled to her hut, hoping to find any clues as to where the fillies could be going. If there was nothing here, they would be stumped, unable to continue. “What is it Rarity?” Twilight asked, entering the hut. There remaining friends agreed to stay outside, not wanting to ruin her hut like they had the first time they had visited. “I found a note,” Rarity said, handing over a small piece of paper. “My sister and her friends were here, thank goodness. Take a look.” Twilight recited the message, “‘Three fillies and I go to the Royal Castle, I hope waiting for our return is not a hassle. Should we not return this day, April 23rd, head to Ponyville at once with word.’ The Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters! We’ve all been there several times before. If we hurry, we might catch up to the fillies before they get there!” “Now hold your horses there Twilight,” Applejack said, stopping the princess before she could leave, “Ah know we’re in a hurry but shouldn’t we send somepony back to tell the guard that the fillies are in here? Instead of them uselessly standing around Ponyville, they could be in here, helping us get the fillies back!” “You’re right Applejack, why didn’t I think of that?” Twilight asked rhetorically. “If the fillies get lost again, we’ll need all the help we can get. Alright, um ... Rainbow Dash. You’re the fastest. Get back to Ponyville, inform all the guards and get back to the Castle as soon as you can. You know where it is, right?” “Yeah, sure. No problem; I'll probably even be back before you get to the Castle!” The confident pony smirked, stretching and cracking her neck gratuitously. The cyan pegasus quickly zipped through the dense forest canopy and back towards Ponyville. “Can anypony think of anything else?” Twilight asked. When nopony responded she pointed her hoof down the trail. “Then let’s head out!” Zecora, Applebloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo stood at the precipice of a deep valley. A rope bridge hung next to them which spanned the gap. A further distance away on the other side of the trench stood a ruined castle which could barely be made out in the thick fog. “Cutie Mark Crusaders, the castle comes into view,” the zebra rhymed, “but I insist that I come with you. It-” The zebra stopped at the sound of hooves clopping down the trail. The Cutie Mark Crusaders—who were only slightly nervous about their surroundings until now—suddenly froze, their ears pricked up. ‘Tablet where do we go now? Hurry! Somepony’s coming!’ Sweetie Belle asked the Tablet. “Come on Sweetie Belle,” Scootaloo whispered to her friend, “where do we go? If we don’t find out now-” “I know,” Sweetie Belle hissed, “just hold on a sec-” *The source of the amplification is 142.877423m forward, 38.772137 degrees to the right of this position, 27m down.* ‘27m down? Then … .’ “The Tab-”, Sweetie Belle tried to mention the Tablet’s name in a rush, immediately regretting her decision. She clenched her head between her hooves and fell on her haunches. “Urghhh!!! T-the p-place we n-n-need to … to be is down in the valley!” she managed to get out. “Sweetie Belle!” her friends cried, both jumping to their friend’s side. “That is an affliction I have not seen … ,” Zecora mentioned in a worried tone of voice. “To view before me such a scene, I am worried about your condition, why did you make such an omission?” At that last word, Sweetie Belle jumped up and ran down a flight of stone stairs next to the rope bridge. Her friends followed immediately afterwards. Before Zecora could react, she heard a voice call out from behind her. “Zecora?! Is that you?!” She turned around and was greeted by the sight of five exhausted ponies run out into the small glade between the forest and the chasm. “Zecora ... where ... are the three fillies ... you said had come with you ... in the letter you left?” Twilight asked in between gasps. Her other friends were still catching their breath as well. “You found my letter did you? Then you should follow without further ado! The three fillies in my care, broke away and ran down there!” Zecora pointed down the chasm. The three fillies, barely visible, were running on the chasm floor. “I don’t know what secrets they kept, but it seems in my duty I’ve been inept. Let me make it up to you if I may, so I don’t regret my actions this day.” The other six ponies, seeing no reason to doubt their zebra friend, all nodded their heads. They quickly headed down the stairs and after the crusaders who had just entered a cave in the trench wall … . The three fillies all stood in front of a large crystal tree situated in the center of the cavern. A cavern they had just entered from the Royal Castle trench Branches spread out in all directions from the trunk. Vines grew out of the branches strung with lights and five multi-colored gems adorned several of the branch tips. “Wow … ,” Apple Bloom said in awe. “Yeah … no kidding … ,” Scootaloo agreed. “Yes it’s really pretty, but we’re kinda in a hurry,” Sweetie Belle said in a chiding tone, ruining the mood. ‘Okay, what do we need to do?’ *There seems to be need of a change in plan.* “What?!” Sweetie Belle let out in her shock. The other fillies looked back but when she didn’t continue, they went back to admiring the tree. *Neither this tree—nor the gems contained within—can be moved without a substantial ‘magic’ throughput. If you teleport from here, this device will remain. You would be unable to use its amplification property again.* ‘Then … what can we-’ Her thoughts were halted by Apple Bloom poking her hoof at Sweetie’s barrel. “Wha-” Sweetie Belle started but stopped when Apple Bloom silently pointed toward the opening of the cavern where Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rarity, Twilight, and Zecora stood. “Oh, ponyfeathers … ,” Sweetie swore beneath her breath. “Sweetie Belle,” Rarity said accusingly, “I don’t know what’s happened to you, but I need you to come with us.” “Please.” Applejack came alongside the white unicorn mare. “Applebloom, you too. We’re worried sick about you! I don’t know what crazy … .” Sweetie Belle ignored the monologue as she hastily went back to her thoughts, ‘Okay, I don’t care if we can’t do it again, we need to get out of here now! What do we do!’ *Determining alternate scenario. The next best scenario would be to travel to a city within reach of the teleport with train access to Los Pegasus. Risk of capture is greatly increased but-* “Whatever, fine! But how do we use the tree!” Sweetie Belle yelled, forgetting to speak to the tablet with her mind in her frustration. Luckily nothing she said risked the Tablet’s discovery. The vocalisation, however, stopped her sister and Applejack’s monologue. “Sweetie Belle. I don’t know why you’re here but the Tree of Harmony can’t be used like that. If you just …” Twilight voice faded away as Sweetie Belle focused on a voice coming from within her head. *Touch your horn to the tree.* Sweetie ignored Twilight’s continuing lecture and grabbed her friend’s forelegs in hers and pressed her horn against the tree. As her horn made contact, she felt a sudden burning pain in her horn and her eyes flew open in shock and watered. *Beginning neural transmission. Capturing Aether field quasiparticles. Harmonising quasiparticule propagation waves with External Field Manipulator receivers … WARNING: possible neural tampering detected … results unclear, ignoring.* Just then, the tree of harmony began to glow and Sweetie Belle’s eyes glowed with it. The pain Sweetie Belle had felt drifted away as her mind calmed with thoughts of friendship. She thought of laughing and playing with her friends; going on crusades. Her mind seemed to connect with her friends around her and they shared their happiest memories together. The other ponies stood before the tree in shock, except Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie who felt a warm happy feeling coming from the glow. Their mouths agape at the sight they had only experienced. Applejack was the first to respond. “What in the …” Applejack said, her voice trailing away. *Harmonization complete. Elevated stress-levels detected, Rule 3 override in effect. Target assumption: furthest city en-route to Los Pegasus with train access, center of town square. Target coordinates, Latitude: 33.896944, Longitude: -98.515532, Elevation 484.622541 meters above sea level. Beginning Massive Instantaneous Trans-spatial Transportation.* “Wha- What’s happening to my Sweetie Belle!” Rarity shook herself from the shock. “Sweetie Belle!” she cried out, running at the tree in an attempt to pull the filly back. Rarity was only a few meters away when the fillies blinked out of existence with the typical flash and pop of a successful teleportation. The flash had atypical colors, however, identical to the rainbow light of the Elements of Harmony. Rarity had barely stopped herself in time to avoid hitting the crystal tree head-on. She turned to her friends, tears messing up her eyeshadow and mascara yet again. “T-t-that’s n-not fair!” she cried. “How could that thing just take away Sweetie Belle like that … I …” she trailed off as she wept uncontrollably now. While the other ponies stood there in shock for a second time, Applejack walked up to Rarity, tears in her eyes too as she tried to comfort the unicorn. “A-Ah don’t know where they’ve gone, but don’t think we’ll stop lookin’! Nopony and no thing can take away an Apple and get away with it! Ah’ll have every Apple and Orange Ah know, and even some Ah don’t, searching for ‘em. Ah promise ya that!” As the others regained their senses and went to console their friends, Twilight was the last to recover. “B-but the tree … and the elements … .” Twilight mumbled, her eyes still wide in shock. Her mind whirled away at the possibilities, trying to correct her worldview. ‘How could they use the elements … ?’ “Friendship, that’s it!” she finally exclaimed. Rarity and Applejack stopped their crying as they joined their friends in looking at Twilight in confusion. Noticing her sudden audience, Twilight composed herself. “I don’t know how, but that ‘influence’ must have used the crusaders’ friendship with each other to power a spell capable of teleporting them away.” “But how could they use the Elements, darling?” Rarity said, wiping her eyes, “Only we can use the Elements, right? Not only that but why?” Twilight didn’t have an answer, but she did have a guess. “Well … we have been away from the elements for a long time. Not only that, but the magic reaction I felt wasn’t nearly as strong as it was with us. Still, if I had to guess ... friends in harmony—regardless of their number—can power a reaction. Otherwise the princesses couldn’t have used all six elements together. That does raise other problems like how the influence can control friendship but … .” Twilight was frustrated with the lack of information. “Ughh … there are too many possibilities! As for why, my guess is that the influence didn’t have enough power to teleport great distances by itself. Speaking of great distances, that teleport had the power to move those fillies several hundred kilometers! We should … .” Twilight was interrupted by a loud wooshing sound from outside the cave.  The group followed the sound and was greeted by the sight of a cyan pegasus swooping down with great speed, landing not ten feet away from them. “Hey guys!” Rainbow Dash said, cooly wiping away some dust from her withers. “Jeez, I was looking for you everywhere! You could have told me you would be with the Harmony Tree.” She was oblivious to the dour faces of the ponies before her but noticed the zebra in the crowd. “Oh, hey Zecora! Long time, no see. So … um, where are the fillies at?” At the blank stares, she turned to Twilight who was standing next to her. “Uh … did I miss anything?” she whispered to the lavender princess. Twilight smacked a hoof to her face.